My PeerBerry review: Why I’m no longer investing here, despite a 9.56% return
I invested in P2P loans on PeerBerry from 2019 to 2022, achieving a return of just under 10 per cent at times. Nevertheless, I withdrew my investment from the platform and shifted it to alternative providers.
In this report, you’ll find out everything about my experience with PeerBerry, the pros and cons for investors on the platform, and the reasons why I haven’t invested there for several years. This will help you decide for yourself whether PeerBerry is worth it for you, or whether alternatives such as Monefit, Loanch or FF Forest might be the better choice.
In brief:
- PeerBerry has been in existence for almost a decade and has weathered various crises well so far.
- There have never been any loan defaults on the platform, and loans have never been more than 60 days past due.
- Despite its long history, the platform remains unregulated, which undermines transparency and security for investors.
- Yield-seeking investors now have better prospects of achieving high returns with alternative providers.
- Platforms such as Loanch and FF Forest are also unregulated, but offer investors more attractive returns.
My PeerBerry review: What you need to know about the platform
PeerBerry has been offering P2P loans to investors since 2017 and is now one of the established platforms in the market.
On the platform, investors can invest in a wide range of loan types, including:
- Property loans
- Consumer loans (short- and long-term)
- Business loans
- Leasing loans
The number of investors now stands at just under 120,000, and since the company was founded, loans totalling more than 3 billion euros have been financed.
Key information at a glance:
| Foundation | 2017 |
| Head office | Croatia |
| Management | Arūnas Lekavičius |
| Investors | 119.500+ |
| Loans granted | €3.4+ billion |
| Average return | ⌀ 11,03 % |
| Minimum investment | 10 € |
| Auto-Invest | Yes |
| Secondary market | Yes |
| Buyback Guarantee | Yes |
| Group guarantee | Yes |
| Regulation | No |
Investing in loans on PeerBerry: The pros and cons
Investors on PeerBerry can invest in various types of loans – from traditional consumer loans to property loans.
The basic principle behind it is simple:
- Investors invest in individual loans or use Auto-Invest.
- Borrowers repay their loans, including interest.
- Investors receive their invested capital plus a return.
As with any P2P platform, PeerBerry also has pros and cons that are worth mentioning. Let’s start with the pros:
- Good returns: Investors currently receive an average return of 11.03% per year. Whilst this isn’t the highest figure in the P2P market, it is still a solid return.
- Track record and experience: PeerBerry has been on the market for almost a decade and has established itself during this time as a comparatively robust and trustworthy platform.
- User-friendliness: The platform’s ease of use is often praised by investors. PeerBerry may be particularly suitable for beginners who are still getting to grips with investing in P2P loans.
- Buyback guarantee: Loans on PeerBerry come with a buyback guarantee. In the event of a delay of more than 60 days, the loans are repurchased, including any interest accrued. PeerBerry’s two main partners, Aventus Group and Gofingo Group, offer investors an additional group guarantee.
- Low minimum investment: Investors can start investing from as little as €10. This makes PeerBerry an accessible and beginner-friendly platform.
Although investing via the platform is straightforward, there are some notable drawbacks that investors should definitely be aware of:
- No regulation: One of the biggest drawbacks is the lack of regulation. Although PeerBerry has been in existence for almost 10 years, the platform does not hold a full European investment or crowdfunding licence. As a result, investors lack the additional protection and transparency mechanisms that regulated platforms are normally subject to.
- Lack of investor protection: Unlike on legally regulated platforms, investors on PeerBerry are not financially protected in the event of insolvency or legal problems. There is no compensation fund.
- Tax handling: PeerBerry does not automatically withhold tax on behalf of investors. This means that all investment income must be documented and declared for tax purposes by the investor themselves, which significantly increases the administrative burden for most investors.
- Risky markets: Looking at the countries from which loans are granted, it is striking that these are often emerging markets or countries with heightened economic and political risks (e.g. Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, Argentina, Romania).
- High dependence on Aventus: The majority of loans on PeerBerry are issued by the Aventus Group – which remains the company’s most important business partner. Historically, these loans have accounted for around 80% of the total loan portfolio on PeerBerry. This enormous share has also caught investors’ attention.
This dependence on Aventus has since declined somewhat. According to the CEO, the share of loans now stands at around 45%, which, whilst signalling a significant degree of diversification, still demonstrates that PeerBerry remains heavily dependent on the continued existence of the Aventus Group.
How does investing in PeerBerry loans work?
Based on my experience with PeerBerry, I can say: Investing on the platform is easy!
Registration takes just two steps. In the first step, as well as providing an email address and a password, you must also specify whether you are a private individual or a business.
You then need to verify your email address via a link, after which you’ll be asked to provide personal details and go through the identification process.
Once registration has been successfully completed, you can deposit funds and start investing. The minimum investment is €10.
Good to know:
When making a deposit, always ensure that the money comes from a bank account held in your name to avoid any unnecessary problems with the transaction and verification process.
Before you start investing, you can decide whether you want to select loans manually or whether you’d prefer to use an Auto-Invest strategy:
- Automatically with Auto-Invest: For your automatic investment, you set specific parameters in advance to guide your investments, e.g. minimum interest rate, loan term, countries, lenders or loan type.
- Selecting loans manually: If you’d rather decide for yourself, you can choose from a wide range of available loans. Using various filters, you can quickly find suitable investments and select them specifically according to your own investment criteria.
Once your investment is up and running, you can track all transactions transparently at any time and monitor the performance of your portfolio. You’ll be able to view your returns, the status of individual loans and the diversification of your investments
Once a loan has been successfully repaid, you’ll receive your invested capital back, including the interest earned. The amounts are credited directly to your investor account, where they’ll then be available for you to use again.
During my time on PeerBerry, I have achieved good returns. At its peak in 2022, this stood at 9.56%. You’ll find out below why I still wasn’t satisfied with it.
How to use the secondary market correctly
Since 2026, investors on PeerBerry have been able to use the secondary market to sell or buy investments early. This feature is available in the PeerBerry account under the ‘Invest’ section.
Before investments can be made, users must successfully verify their identity and have sufficient funds in their account. These requirements apply to both the primary and secondary markets, meaning the same eligibility criteria apply to all investments.
How to use the secondary market in detail:
- There are no fees for using the secondary market.
- Investments can be offered either at their residual value or at a discount of up to 50 per cent.
- Partial sales are not possible; investments can only be sold in full
- Offers remain active for a maximum of 14 calendar days before being automatically cancelled if unsold.
- Offers can be adjusted or cancelled at any time prior to purchase.
How reliable is PeerBerry?
PeerBerry has been in operation since 2017 and has therefore weathered one of the greatest crises of our time – the 2020 coronavirus crisis.
However, this does not mean that there were no short-term payment difficulties during this period. Nevertheless, the platform managed to successfully recover all loans and repay its investors.
Not a single loan on PeerBerry has defaulted to date – a very strong track record! According to the platform, there have never been any repayment delays lasting longer than 60 days either.
PeerBerry has also weathered the ongoing war in Ukraine well so far, which is further evidence of the platform’s reliability.
Nevertheless, the same applies to PeerBerry as to all P2P lending platforms: Whilst investing in P2P loans can offer high returns, it always carries an increased level of risk, which investors should be aware of in advance.
Who PeerBerry is suitable for
- Consistency: PeerBerry is a platform that has certainly stood the test of time. It has weathered various crises and has always paid out its investors. Investing on PeerBerry is therefore primarily worthwhile for investors who wish to rely on an established platform with a long track record.
- Interest rates: Interest rates of up to 10% are good, but not the best on the market. Whilst PeerBerry may be of interest to those seeking high returns, anyone looking to achieve truly strong returns should also consider alternatives such as Loanch or FF Forest.
- Usability: Those who do not yet have much experience with P2P lending will find PeerBerry to be a user-friendly platform that makes investing easier. Features such as Auto-Invest and the option to invest from as little as €10 make PeerBerry very accessible to beginners.
- Security: P2P investments carry a higher risk than traditional forms of investment. If you want to invest in P2P lending whilst seeking maximum protection, PeerBerry is well-positioned with features such as the buyback option, but it is certainly not the market leader.
The platform remains heavily reliant on a single lender (Aventus Group). Should this lender run into financial difficulties, it would have a direct impact on investors. Furthermore, PeerBerry is still unregulated, which reduces transparency and security for investors.
Why I no longer invest in PeerBerry despite its solid performance
I had the opportunity to get to know PeerBerry and gain experience with the platform over a three-year period. However, in 2022 I withdrew my investment and have not invested through the platform since – and there are good reasons for this.
- The main reason I no longer invest in PeerBerry is the comparatively low interest rates. With an average annual return of 11%, PeerBerry may be in the middle of the pack in terms of returns, but it is still a long way from being one of the top platforms.
Currently, many of the loans on offer even pay interest of only around 8%, with terms ranging from six months to three years.
- Another key reason is the lack of regulation. PeerBerry has been operating for almost 10 years, but has not managed to obtain a licence during that time. For me, this is one of the platform’s biggest weaknesses, as I want to enjoy the greatest possible security, particularly with riskier forms of investment such as P2P lending.
So why I no longer invest on PeerBerry: The risk-return ratio on PeerBerry no longer suited me. Given the modest interest rates and the lack of regulation, the platform has become too risky for me.
For investors looking for alternative platforms, we’ve put together a list of three candidates that are worth a closer look. These alternatives are interesting because they either offer higher returns for the risk taken or provide investors with additional flexibility when investing.
Let’s take a closer look at the three alternatives.
Alternative 1: Up to 16% per annum with Loanch
With providers such as Loanch, investors can earn stunning returns of up to 16% per annum – a very attractive option in my view. That’s why I’ve also invested with Loanch and have now invested over €2,500.
Loanch offers personal loans from South-East Asia, predominantly from Malaysia and Indonesia – a market that has been neglected until now. This is because many P2P platforms focus on loans from the Baltic states, Eastern Europe and, sometimes, countries such as Spain. This makes Loanch an exciting pioneer in a region that is still largely untapped.
Furthermore, both Malaysia and Indonesia are promising markets for investors due to their population size (a combined total of over 324 million people).
The platform was founded in 2022 and is therefore still in its early stages. Nevertheless, Loanch is showing strong growth: Within a year, the loan portfolio grew from around 6 million euros to nearly 30 million euros. At the same time, monthly profits rose to more than 1 million euros.
If you’d like to find out more about Loanch, take a look at my latest Loanch review. In it, you’ll see the pros and cons of the platform, as well as the opportunities and risks associated with investing on Loanch. You can also secure an attractive bonus via my exclusive Northern Finance link.
Alternative 2: Up to 18% return on forest land with FF Forest
Another exciting alternative to PeerBerry is the Latvian platform FF Forest. The company was founded in 2025 and enables investors to invest in forest land and forestry projects. And the absolute highlight is: up to 18% interest!
How FF Forest works:
- FF Forest specialises in the acquisition of forest land with development potential. This includes, for example, deforested areas or unused fallow land, which can be purchased at comparatively low prices.
- Following the purchase, the land is reforested. Management is carried out either by FF Forest itself or in collaboration with local forestry operations and leaseholders.
- Under certain conditions, CO₂ credits can be generated for the reforestation. These represent an additional asset and can contribute to increasing the value of the project.
- Once a sufficiently large forest portfolio has been built up – typically several hundred to around 1,000 hectares – FF Forest plans to sell the land to institutional investors, forestry companies or financial institutions.
- The return is determined by several factors: the increase in value of the reforested areas, potential proceeds from CO₂ credits, and the subsequent sale of the entire forest portfolio.
I have already invested more than 3,000 in FF Forest and recently achieved a sensational 18% return. You can read more about this in my FF Forest review.
Alternative 3: Up to 10.5% with high flexibility via Monefit
Monefit is an exciting alternative to PeerBerry. Not because of the returns that can be achieved here, but rather because of the flexibility that investors benefit from on the platform.
With Monefit, investors invest in consumer loans from the Creditstar Group and can earn 7.5% to 10.5% per year
The company, based in Estonia, is regularly assessed by external rating agencies and is further protected by the Creditstar Group. Should a borrower be unable to make their repayments, Creditstar takes over the outstanding debt and compensates the investor. This measure significantly reduces the individual credit risk.
The “Monefit SmartSaver” investment product offers high flexibility alongside attractive interest rates; this includes:
- Daily interest accrual: Interest is calculated daily and credited to your account. This means your money starts working for you from day one.
- Instant withdrawals: You can deposit money at any time and have up to €1,000 paid out immediately each month. For larger withdrawal amounts, you should allow for a processing time of up to 10 working days.
- No need to select individual loans: The money is automatically distributed across the Creditstar Group’s loan portfolio. Investors do not need to worry about reinvestments or loan analyses.
- Automatic reinvestment of returns: The interest credited earns interest automatically, creating a compound interest effect.
- Low entry threshold: You can invest from as little as €10, allowing investors to build up their investment gradually.
- Flexible combination with Vaults: Investors can flexibly hold part of their capital in the SmartSaver and invest another part in higher-yielding Vaults with a fixed term.
Furthermore, the Creditstar Group’s lending companies are regulated by the relevant supervisory authorities in their respective markets.
According to the group itself, it complies with all relevant legal requirements and adopts a responsible approach to lending.
Conclusion: Despite its solid performance, PeerBerry is no longer an option for me
PeerBerry has already proven itself in the P2P lending market. The platform has weathered several crises well and offers investors returns of up to 10% per year. Thanks to its user-friendly interface, PeerBerry also makes it easy for beginners to get started with P2P lending.
However, there are also significant weaknesses that mean PeerBerry is no longer a viable option for me. One of the biggest is its heavy reliance on the Aventus Group. Whilst this is no longer as significant as it was a few years ago, it is still too much for my liking.
On top of that, PeerBerry remains unregulated and is increasingly offering loans from countries with high economic and political risks. For me, these risks are no longer proportionate to the maximum return that can be achieved here.
For this reason, I withdrew my investment from the platform some time ago. I’ve gained experience with PeerBerry, but I feel more comfortable now investing in higher-yield alternatives such as Loanch and FF Forest. Platforms such as Monefit have also become significantly more attractive to me in the meantime.
FAQ: Is PeerBerry the best choice for me?
