P2P Lending in Europe: Everything I've Learned in 9 Years

This is the hub for everything I've written about peer-to-peer lending on the European market. I've been investing in this asset class since 2017, across platforms that survived and platforms that didn't. The pages below are my curated take in 2026.

Marco's current take (April 2026)

After 9 years and several platform failures, my conviction on European P2P is unchanged: it's a real asset class with real returns, but it requires platform discipline and diversification across structurally-different platforms. The 2020-2022 consolidation killed off the platforms that didn't deserve to survive (Envestio, Kuetzal, Wisefund, Monethera, Grupeer); what's left is a smaller, more credible field.

For 2026, my actual portfolio mix is roughly: 40% Mintos, 20% Bondora (mix of Go & Grow and Portfolio Pro), 15% Robocash, 15% EstateGuru, 10% across smaller platforms. Net realized return across the entire P2P portfolio: 11-12% annualized.

The honest expectation for a new P2P investor in 2026: 10-12% net annualized on a diversified 3-4 platform portfolio with proper due diligence. Don't believe marketing promising 14-16% from smaller new platforms; that yield premium is risk premium that materializes as default.

Start here

If you're new to European P2P lending, the right reading order:

1. Best European P2P Lending Platforms 2026 — my curated list of 11 platforms that earned their place
2. Mintos Review — the marketplace default, my 6-year track record at 11.48%
3. Bondora Review — the structurally different no-buyback platform, my 6+ year experience at 10-13%
4. Best European Brokers — for the broker setup that complements P2P investing

All P2P platform reviews

Each based on personal investing experience, with realized returns, honest cons, and country-specific notes:

• Mintos Review — Europe's largest P2P marketplace. 64+ originators, my 6-year average: 11.48% net.
• Bondora Review — Estonian platform, 11+ year track record. Three products (Go & Grow, Portfolio Manager, Portfolio Pro). My 6-year average: 10-13% on conservative settings.
• PeerBerry Review — Lithuanian alternative, clean buyback execution.
• Robocash Review — Most reliable buyback execution I've seen. 5 years at 12% net. Group-owned structure means concentration risk.
• EstateGuru Review — Property-backed lending, different from consumer-credit P2P. 3+ years at 11.05% net on 85+ projects.

Comparisons

For investors deciding between specific platforms:

• Mintos vs Bondora — the two structurally different defaults
• Bondora vs Trade Republic — Go & Grow's 6.75% vs Trade Republic's 3.5% — what the gap means

P2P-related concept content

Understanding the broader investing context helps you put P2P in its right slot:

• The FIRE Movement Guide — how P2P fits into a financial-independence strategy
• Build a Dividend Portfolio — the equity-side companion to P2P income
• The 4 Percent Rule — the math that determines how much portfolio you need

Calculator

Coming soon: a P2P returns calculator that lets you model auto-invest yields across different platform configurations.

Honest summary

P2P lending in 2026 deserves 5-15% of investable assets in a diversified portfolio. Spread across 3-4 platforms (Mintos + Bondora + Robocash, plus optionally PeerBerry or EstateGuru). Don't make P2P your primary investment; use it as a yield-and-diversification slice alongside ETFs and individual stocks. Avoid platforms with operational track records under 5 years and yields that look too good to be true.

For the full curated list with platform-by-platform notes, start with best European P2P lending platforms.

Quick affiliate links

For investors ready to start, the platforms I'd actually recommend:

• Open a Mintos account → — primary marketplace
• Open a Bondora account → — no-buyback structural alternative
• Open a Robocash account → — most reliable buyback execution
• Open a PeerBerry account → — Lithuanian alternative
• Open an EstateGuru account → — property-backed (different asset class)