Greenline Loans vs Plain Green Loans: head-to-head comparison
Greenline Loans and Plain Green Loans are the two most searched tribal installment lenders in the US. Both offer short-term installment loans at tribal APR levels to borrowers with poor credit. The structural model is similar — the pricing, loan range, and state coverage are not. Here's the honest comparison.
At a glance
| Greenline Loans | Plain Green Loans | |
|---|---|---|
| Operator | Waawaatesi LLC | Plain Green, LLC |
| Tribe | Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians | Chippewa Cree Tribe of Rocky Boy's Reservation |
| Headquarters | Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin | Box Elder, Montana |
| Founded | 2012 | 2011 |
| Loan range | $100 – $2,500 | $500 – $3,000 |
| Typical APR | 299% – 800%+ | 210% – 438% |
| Term | 2 – 12 months | 9 – 24 months |
| Funding | Next business day | Next business day |
| Soft credit at app | Yes | Yes |
| Hard credit at accept | Yes | Yes |
| Reports to bureaus | Yes | Yes (all three) |
| Prepayment penalty | No | No |
| Line of credit option | Yes (repeat borrowers) | No |
| BBB rating | B+ (as Waawaatesi LLC) | A+ |
| Military Lending Act | Does not lend to covered borrowers | Does not lend to covered borrowers |
Where Plain Green has the edge
- Lower APR range — Plain Green's ceiling is lower (around 438% vs 800%+) and its floor is also lower (210% vs 299%). On a $1,500 loan, that's typically a $500–$900 total cost difference.
- Larger maximum loan — $3,000 vs $2,500. Useful for medium-sized emergencies.
- Longer term options — up to 24 months. Lowers monthly payment, though total cost still grows with term length.
- Higher BBB rating — A+ vs B+. Fewer complaints over time.
- More established public record — Issued over 121,000 loans in 2011 alone (per Wikipedia); strong historical operational transparency.
Where Greenline has the edge
- Lower minimum loan — $100 vs $500. Useful if you need a very small amount and don't want to be forced to borrow more.
- Line of credit option — Plain Green doesn't offer revolving credit; Greenline does for repeat borrowers.
- Shorter minimum term — 2 months vs 9 months. If you want to clear a small loan fast, Greenline's shorter term structure works better.
- Explicit 3 p.m. ET cancellation window — Plain Green has return rights but less clearly communicated.
State availability — where each operates
Both lenders avoid roughly the same high-enforcement states (NY, CT, PA, GA, NC, VA, VT, WV, MD, MN). Smaller state-level differences exist and shift over time. If your state is restricted for one, it's almost certainly restricted for the other. The exceptions are a few states where one lender has quietly exited while the other continues — the application form is the only authoritative test.
Which to choose
Choose Plain Green if…
- You need $500–$3,000 — Plain Green's APR is meaningfully lower in this range
- You can repay over 9–24 months and want a smaller monthly payment
- You want the lender with the stronger BBB track record
- You want all three bureaus for credit-building
Choose Greenline Loans if…
- You need less than $500 — Plain Green's $500 minimum won't fit
- You want a revolving line of credit, not a single installment loan
- You want the shortest possible term to minimize total cost
- Plain Green has declined you or doesn't lend in your state
Honest take
For most borrowers, Plain Green Loans is the better of the two tribal options because of the lower APR range and larger maximum loan. Greenline Loans wins in the narrow slice of borrowers needing very small amounts, needing revolving credit, or needing to borrow when Plain Green has declined. But before choosing between them, remember both sit at 2–20x the APR of state-licensed alternatives — compare both against OppLoans, Upgrade, and cash-advance apps first.