How a lender profits by giving the first loan at 0%
The promo is an acquisition tool. The average chwilówka client takes 3-5 loans per year — first at 0%, the rest at the full statutory cost up to 295% RRSO. The lender loses about 120 PLN on the promo, recovers 500-900 PLN on the follow-ups. That's why every serious firm runs the same hook — it's defence against a competitor, not generosity.
Amount and term limits for 0%
Vivigo: up to 3 000 PLN first loan for 30 days. InstaFin: 0% RRSO above 4 000 PLN on first loan (below the threshold, standard rate). Kredu: up to 3 000 PLN for 30 days. Feniko: up to 5 000 PLN for 30 or 62 days. AxiCard works as a virtual credit card — 0% on repayment within 30 days. Each firm uses its own logic, but all cap amount and term. Above the limit RRSO returns to statutory bands.
What happens the day you're late
Here's the catch. „0% RRSO” applies only with repayment by the contract date. A one-day delay retroactively triggers the full cost — 25% commission plus 30% annual interest on overdue amount. A 3 000 PLN loan you thought you'd repay for 3 000 PLN costs 3 824 PLN on day 31. Plus a BIK entry (status: settled-late), which drags your score for a year.
Active 0% promotions — June 2026
Vivigo (vivus.pl) has run a 0% first-loan promo since April 2026, status active. InstaFin offers 0% on first loans above 4 000 PLN. Kredu and AxiCard keep 0% offers as standing acquisition hooks. Feniko, the youngest entrant (launch February 2026), runs 5 000 PLN at 0% for 30 days — the highest promo amount on the market. Verify dates in the specific offer's terms, since promotions are periodic.
My take: when to take 0% and when not
Take it when you have a certain payday on the due date, the amount fits the promo limit, and the chwilówka solves a specific one-month problem (not a cycle). Skip it when payday timing is uncertain, when the amount exceeds the limit (above the cap you lose the whole 0% point), or when you're treating it as the start of a second and third loan cycle — that's where the firm wins, not you.