25 of 138 loan apps can read your contacts
Recovery agents calling a borrower's friends and family is one of the most common complaints against loan apps in India, and it only works if the app could read your contacts. We checked the permissions every loan app declares on Google Play. 25 of 138 ask for your contacts, and 54 ask to read your text messages.
Updated 2026-10-27
The 25 most used loan apps
| App | Reads contacts | Reads SMS | Most raised complaint |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bajaj Finserv | Yes | Yes | Pushed into things |
| Buddy Loan | No | Yes | Credit report problems |
| Branch Instant Personal Loan | No | Yes | Nobody answers |
| mPokket | No | Yes | Pushed into things |
| PayRupik Instant Personal Loan | No | Yes | Costs more than advertised |
| True Balance | No | Yes | Credit report problems |
| InstaMoney Personal Loan App | No | No | Pushed into things |
| Klarna | Yes | No | Pushed into things |
| KreditBee | Yes | Yes | Recovery agent behaviour |
| Kissht | No | Yes | Not enough reviews read |
| RING by Kissht | No | Yes | Not enough reviews read |
| Home Credit | Yes | Yes | Nobody answers |
| 0% EMI Shopping App | Yes | Yes | Credit report problems |
| LazyPay | No | Yes | Nobody answers |
| Fibe | Yes | Yes | Recovery agent behaviour |
| Stashfin | Yes | Yes | Nobody answers |
| Small Business Loan | No | Yes | Costs more than advertised |
| RupeeRedee | No | Yes | Recovery agent behaviour |
| CASHe | No | Yes | Recovery agent behaviour |
| RapidRupee | No | No | Costs more than advertised |
| NIRA Instant Personal Loan App | Yes | Yes | Nobody answers |
| MoneyTap -Credit Loan Payments | No | Yes | Nobody answers |
| lendingplate-Personal Loan App | No | Yes | Nobody answers |
| FatakPay | No | Yes | Nobody answers |
| Pocketly Instant Personal Loan | No | Yes | Recovery agent behaviour |
Why SMS access matters too
An app that reads your text messages can see every OTP and every bank alert on your phone. Lenders say they use it to judge your income. It also means the app sees far more than it needs to give you a loan.
RBI's Digital Lending Directions say lending apps should not access your files, media, contact list or call logs, and may take one-time access to things like the camera or location only with your consent. A permission declared on Google Play shows what the app is able to ask for, not that it misuses it.