Crowdestor is a Estonian financing platform, founded in 2018 and currently operating from Riga, Latvia. It specialises in business investments, but clients can also buy into projects, real estate and start-ups. Crowdestor has already raised more than three million investments from 13,500 investors. Investments start with a minimum amount of only €50. By using this service, businesses can receive quick financing at competitive rates, and investors can earn good interest rates. While the platform charges fees for business clients, there are no additional costs for investors.
How does it work?
- Register for an investor account.
- Complete the personal identification requirements.
- Open an electronic Crowdestor money account.
- Transfer money to this account.
- Choose a project and invest an amount from as little as €50.
- If the project you invest in does not receive sufficient funding, money will be returned to your account within 48 hours.
Investment types
- Business
- Real estate
- Start-ups
Who can invest and what are the requirements?
Anyone over the age of 18 with a working bank account can invest in Crowdestor.
What are the risks and rewards?
By investing through this platform, you can earn between 12% and 36% interest. Although Crowdestor is relatively new, it is already recognised as a trusted company as it scrutinises all legal entities that apply for loans and assesses their risks. The screening process considers the reputation of the borrower, their financial history and existing liabilities. Crowdestor also assesses business plans, loan security and financial statements.
The company is supervised and regulated by the laws of the Estonian government and the internationally-recognised Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Crowdestor users evaluate and assume the risk for their actions, so it is recommended that investments are spilt across several projects.
The company has separated investments from its bank account. This means that in case of bankruptcy, all investors will get their money back.
Website
The mobile-friendly website is simple to use and the registration process is clear. The main sections contain relevant information, are quick to load and easy to browse.
At first glance, however, it’s difficult to determine what this site offers. The dark colours and indistinct visuals do not reflect the contents and theme of the page.
Beyond the main sections, the site lacks extensive descriptions and explanations while the F.A.Q section does not adequately answer questions.
Customer service
Staff are professional and answer all questions and concerns. Occasionally, there are delays in response and efficiency. Clients say that registration approval takes from a few hours to a few days, which is not convenient if you want to invest immediately. While many competitors provide seven-day services, Crowdestor’s customer service is closed on weekends.
Reviews
Clients enjoy the platform as it provides an opportunity to invest not only in loans and real estate, but in genuine business projects and start-ups. This poses higher risks, however, so it is important for everyone to understand their responsibilities and risks. In addition, the platform does not always offer enough projects in which to diversify investments, so Crowdestor is better suited to act as an additional rather than main investment platform. Some complaints have been received about the lengthy approval of registration and inefficient customer service.
Crowdestor contacts
Crowdestor OÜ
Address: Narva mnt 5, Tallinn 10117, Estonia
E-mail: info@crowdestor.com
Phone: +371 2809 0606
