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P2P Guides: 20 Reads, Zero Fluff

Every guide we write fits one screen, carries real numbers, and tells you the fit. Start here if you have zero P2P exposure; jump to platform comparisons if you already know the basics. Updated monthly alongside the grades.

Twenty guides. Five buckets. No multi-page filler, no "it depends" cop-outs, no affiliate CTAs disguised as advice. Each guide opens with a 30-second summary - three to five concrete bullets - then unpacks one question or decision with the numbers, the trade-offs, and the verdict. If a platform fits the scenario, we name it and link to the graded review. If the answer is "pass", we say so.

Most guides cite the full platform list or the grading methodology. If you see a yield or a licence claim, it comes from the fact table we refresh every month. When we say "capital at risk", we mean borrower defaults, platform failures, liquidity traps - the works. No compensation scheme covers borrower defaults, and only two platforms (Mintos, Nectaro) offer a limited EUR 20,000 MiFID II investor-protection scheme that does not cover credit risk.

Start at the top if you are new. Jump to platform comparisons if you are deciding between two names. Read the safety and red-flags guides before you click invest anywhere.

Bucket 1

Start here

Four reads for anyone entering P2P with zero prior exposure. What it is, how it differs from ETFs and savings, what the first EUR 1,000 looks like, and how to set up auto-invest so you do not have to babysit the account.

The basics

P2P Lending Explained

What P2P lending is, how platforms connect you to borrowers, who earns what, and why no compensation scheme covers defaults.

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Compare asset classes

P2P vs Savings vs ETF

P2P versus savings accounts and equity ETFs on liquidity, protection, tax treatment, and realistic returns after defaults.

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First portfolio

Your First EUR 1,000

How to split EUR 1,000 across three A/A+ platforms, which auto-invest settings to use, and when to expect the first payment.

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Automation

Auto-Invest Setup

Diversification, term filters, auto-invest toggles, and re-investment logic - one platform at a time.

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Bucket 2

Safety & red flags

Four guides on risk: what can go wrong, what licences actually protect, which platforms failed and why, and the 12-point checklist we use before adding any platform to the graded list.

Understand risk

P2P Risks & Safety

Borrower defaults, platform failures, liquidity traps, concentration risk, and what "capital at risk" truly means.

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Regulation decoded

Licences: ECSP & MiFID Explained

ECSP versus MiFID II versus unregulated - what each licence covers, what it does not, and which platforms hold which.

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Failure history

P2P Failures: What Happened

Kuetzal, Envestio, Grupeer, Reinvest24, EstateGuru - every major European P2P failure since 2019 and the pattern behind them.

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Due diligence

Red Flags Checklist

The 12 checks we run before grading a platform - ownership transparency, audits, related-party exposure, licence scope, and more.

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Bucket 3

Returns & strategy

Five guides on yield, income, exit timing, and asset types. What you actually earn after defaults, how to structure a portfolio for monthly cashflow, when to take profits, and which property and SME models work.

Real returns

What You Actually Earn

Advertised yields versus realised returns after defaults, fees, and delayed repayments - platform by platform.

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Monthly income

Monthly Income from P2P

How much capital you need to generate EUR 100, EUR 500, or EUR 1,000 per month, which loan types pay monthly, and tax implications.

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Exit strategy

When & How to Exit

Secondary markets, lock-up periods, cashflow timing, and the three scenarios where you should take money off the table.

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Property loans

Property Crowdlending Guide

Buy-to-let rental versus development bridge - yield, security, liquidity, and which platforms grade A or higher.

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Business loans

SME Business Lending Guide

Invoice factoring, working capital, secured term loans - how SME P2P works, who lends, and the InvestEU guarantee at Capitalia.

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High yield

High-Yield P2P Guide

14-22% yields at Nectaro, Indemo, Lendermarket - where the extra return comes from, what can go wrong, and proper position sizing.

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Bucket 4

Platform comparisons

Four head-to-head guides and one selection framework. Maclear versus Mintos, Mintos alternatives, choosing between 18 names, and whether Maclear passes the legitimacy test.

Versus

Maclear vs Mintos

A+ Swiss versus A Latvian - licence scope, minimum, auto-invest, diversification, and which fits your portfolio size.

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Alternatives

Mintos Alternatives 2026

Three platforms that match Mintos on auto-invest and diversification - InRento, PeerBerry, Capitalia - with lower minimums or higher yields.

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Selection framework

How to Choose a P2P Platform

The five-step filter we use: grade, licence, loan type, minimum, liquidity - then check ownership and read the reviews.

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Legitimacy check

Is Maclear Legit?

Swiss registration, audited statements, one default covered in full, and the A+ grade explained - with the caveats.

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Bucket 5

Special topics

Three niche reads: crypto lending versus P2P, European tax overview, and the crypto-versus-P2P comparison for anyone asking whether DeFi yields beat licensed platforms.

Crypto comparison

Crypto Lending vs P2P

Centralised crypto platforms (Celsius, BlockFi, FTX) versus regulated P2P - protection, yield stability, and why we do not grade crypto.

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Tax overview

P2P Taxes: Europe Overview

Interest income treatment across 10 EU countries, withholding obligations, reporting requirements - with the disclaimer that this is not tax advice.

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How to use these guides

If you have never invested in P2P, read the Start Here bucket in order. If you already hold positions on one or two platforms, jump straight to the safety and red-flags bucket - the failure history and checklist will tell you whether your current exposure passes the smell test. If you are deciding between platforms, the comparison guides give you the numbers side by side. If you want higher yields, the high-yield guide and the returns guide explain where the extra percentage points come from and what breaks first under stress.

Every guide links back to the platform comparison table or the individual reviews. When we say "grade A+", we mean the single platform (Maclear) that scores 90+ across all five checks. When we say "Green list", we mean the ten platforms we would consider for a core allocation. Watchlist and Red list platforms appear only in failure histories or cautionary examples.

We update the guides monthly, alongside the main grade list. If a platform's licence changes, if realised returns diverge from advertised yields, or if a new regulatory alert appears, we rewrite the affected section and note the change at the top of the page. No stale advice, no outdated yields, no "as of 2022" caveats buried in footnotes.

What we do not cover

We do not write about platforms outside Europe. We do not compare P2P to individual stocks, options, or leveraged trading. We do not give tax advice beyond the general European overview. We do not recommend portfolio allocations in percentage terms - that depends on your total assets, risk tolerance, and liquidity needs, none of which we know. We compare platforms, explain the mechanics, cite the numbers, and let you decide the fit.

If a guide does not exist yet, it means we are still researching it or waiting for enough data. Suggest a topic via the contact page - if ten people ask the same question, we write the guide.

Next step

Compare the full platform list

Twenty guides read, next question: which platform fits. The full comparison table shows all 18 graded platforms plus the sponsored entry - grade, licence, yield, minimum, auto-invest, and the review link. Filter by country, sort by grade, read the verdict, decide.

Compare all platforms →