Y Combinator-backed ReadyForZero goes live to help trim credit card debt

ReadyForZero, a Y Combinator-backed startup that looks to help card-carrying consumers reduce their credit card debt, announced that it is going live for everyone. The company launched just 6 months ago.

The service lets card carriers connect their credit card accounts online and see just how deep in the hole they are, and offers ways to track and pay off that debt. Users register a certain date when they want to be debt free, or decide on how much they are willing to pay each month. ReadyForZero then sets up a payment schedule and offers a few extra tools to help pay off that debt — such as showing which cards to pay off first or offering loans. ReadyForZero works with a number of independent companies to securely access credit card information and doesn’t store any of that information on its servers.

“Some of this stuff is actionable on your own, we can’t force you to do it,” said ReadyForZero chief executive Rod Ebrahimi. “But we can see whether you’ve done it or not, and we’re able to show [users] some tools they haven’t considered.”

ReadyForZero works with Lending Club to give users a chance to take out loans with a lower interest rate than that on their cards. The loans help users save a little bit of extra cash by effectively cutting the interest rate on part of their debt. For example, a Bank of America credit card might have a 10 percent interest rate, but a Lending Club loan might only have a 5 percent interest rate — so the user shaves off a small amount of debt without doing anything really significant.

The service automatically determines whether its users are able to qualify for Lending Club loans. ReadyForZero is also looking to work with other companies that offer loans and, eventually, the banks that are issuing credit cards themselves. Ebrahimi said the company might add certain milestones for each user that show when they qualify for newer low-interest loans.

ReadyForZero currently makes its revenue by taking a small percentage of each loan. In the future, Ebrahimi said he wants ReadyForZero to serve as a barometer for someone’s credit history — similar to a credit score — when they look to take out a loan by showing statistics and credit history within the service. That’s another service that could also generate revenue, he said.

Ebrahimi also wants to automate debt payments in ReadyForZero so users don’t have to manually track their credit activity. That kind of service could generate revenue through a subscription model, though for the time being ReadyForZero will remain a free service, he said.

“We’re only 6 months old, we’re just sort of figuring this out on the fly as we go along,” he said.

ReadyForZero has raised $260,000 from Y Combinator and a few angel investors like Dave McClure and Steve Chen. It was part of the Summer 2010 Y Combinator class and is manned by “three guys in a garage,” Ebrahimi said.

  • http://www.24pagebooks.com MartinEdic

    I'm not sharing my credit card numbers with a 6 month old y-combinator start-up. That's a problem they will face. The potential for fraud is off the charts.

  • http://twitter.com/ReadyForZero ReadyForZero

    Hi Martin,Thanks for the feedback. We've had overwhelming demand so far and as far as we can tell are users feel safe using our software. We will be working hard to keep our users safe and earn their trust.

  • http://twitter.com/logicalmoron Matt Lynley

    Martin — from what I understand, ReadyForZero doesn't actually touch the information without direct permission and doesn't store any of the information on their end. It's a legitimate fear of my own as well, but I don't typically use credit cards either.

  • http://www.24pagebooks.com MartinEdic

    That's nice but what are their security protocols? Details. If someone hacks your database you're liable. Don't mean to be negative but I've seen it happen. One hack and you are not only out of business, you are likely to on the hook for a lot of money.My real issue is with this post- you should have asked these questions. I'm assuming their investors did so there must be good answers.

  • http://twitter.com/logicalmoron Matt Lynley

    I did ask the questions :) I just try not to get too technical because not all of our audience is interested in the super-technical elements (like how they work with Yodlee specifically and what kind of security certificates they have)

  • http://www.24pagebooks.com MartinEdic

    No offense but you're writing for a tech blog targeting executives. These are smart people who will ask the same questions. On a broader level I also wish VB, TC, Om and others would be a little more probing about revenue models. 90% of the 'businesses' you cover don't have one. For some reason it seems to be acceptable to call something a business that has no discernible business model (ironically I can think of several for this start-up).Sorry to rant but without dealing with real issues you're essentially recycling press releases.

  • http://ditherati.com/ Owen Thomas

    Martin, you raised a fair question about security, but Yodlee is a well-known and trusted provider of consumer financial data. The concerns you raise have been solved a long time ago, allowing for innovation on top of Yodlee's secure infrastructure.As for your other complaints, I find them curious. I've covered startups as a journalist for 16 years. Of course startups are — by definition! — new and unproven as businesses. Of course many startups fail. Yet a large and growing audience find the topic of sustained interest. If reading about startups makes you this uncomfortable, I can only recommend that you avoid the subject. There are many publications which write primarily about established businesses and you are welcome to read those instead.

  • NavinBathija

    I like the concept. Credit Card companies scrupulously hide interest terms. So an automated service like ReadyForZero can really help with an optimized debt reduction solution across all credit cards. With services like Mint already being adopted in the marketplace, adoption of ReadyForZero should be easier now

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