Revolver

A revolver refers to a borrower who carries a balance from month to month, through a revolving credit line. Borrowers are only obligated to make minimum monthly payments, which go towards paying interest and reducing principal debt. Credit issuers tend to profit handsomely from this model, because the open-ended credit line means revolvers will be paying off their debt obligations for extended periods of time.

Revolver comes from the term "revolving credit", a category of credit borrowing that lets an individual consumer or a business open a line of credit through a credit card or line of credit bank account, where the credit issuer offers a specified level of credit over time. According to a January 2019 Federal Reserve report, the total revolving credit in the U.S. in 2018 was $1.06 trillion.

Important: [A revolver is a borrower with an open-ended line of credit, who makes monthly payments toward interest accrued and the balance owed.]

Revolving and non-revolving credit lines each have distinct advantages. A revolving credit line allows the borrower to maintain an open credit line up to a specified limit. A non-revolving credit loan issues a one-time payout loan balance to a borrower. Non-revolving credit loans are often obtained both by businesses seeking capital with which to finance new projects, and by consumers looking to buy homes, cars, and other big ticket items. While the underwriting approval standards are typically the same for both revolving and non-revolving credit, revolving credit lines usually involve a more simplified application process.

The emergence of fintech technologies has dramatically increased the availability of both revolving and non-revolving credit products, providing greater access to credit to underbanked populations. Consumers in the market for non-revolving loans may now choose from independent lenders such as Lending Club or Prosper.

Consumers and small businesses are drawn to revolving credit due to low introductory rate offers and reward benefits. Furthermore, when borrowers make a payment, it reduces their outstanding debt balance and makes more money available for future borrowing. A borrower approved for a revolving credit line can keep the credit line open for an undefined period of time, as long as they remain in good standing with the credit issuer.