| Cover | 12 Months Ended |
| Dec. 31, 2022 | |
| Document Information [Line Items] | |
| Document Type | DEF 14A |
| Amendment Flag | false |
| Entity Information [Line Items] | |
| Entity Registrant Name | ATLANTICUS HOLDINGS CORPORATION |
| Entity Central Index Key | 0001464343 |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure Pure in Thousands | 12 Months Ended | ||
| Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) | |
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Pay vs Performance [Table Text Block] | Pay Versus Performance Overview As required by Item 402(v) of Regulation S-K, we are providing the following information about the relationship between “compensation actually paid” to our principal executive officer (“PEO”) and the average of our other NEOs and certain of our financial performance measures. Compensation actually paid, as determined under SEC requirements, does not fully represent the actual final amount of compensation earned by, or paid to, our NEOs during the applicable years. The Compensation Committee did not use the information displayed in the tables below, including the calculation of compensation actually paid, as a basis for making compensation decisions. For further information regarding Atlanticus’ compensation philosophy, see “Compensation Discussion and Analysis.” Pay Versus Performance Table The table below sets forth additional compensation information for our NEOs, calculated in accordance with SEC regulations, for fiscal years 2022, 2021 and 2020: Value of Initial Fixed $100 Investment Based On: Year Summary Compensation Table Total for PEO (a) Compensation Actually Paid to PEO (b) Average Summary Compensation Table total for Non-PEO NEOs (c) Average Compensation Actually Paid to Non-PEO NEOs (d) Atlanticus Total Shareholder Return (e) Peer Group Total Shareholder Return (f) Net Income ($ thousands) (g) Company Selected Measure (CSM) - Total Revenue ($ thousands) (h) First PEO Second PEO First PEO Second PEO 2022 $ 2,189,624 N/A $ 398,008 N/A $ 2,144,495 $ 2,018,996 $ 290.79 $ 100.12 $ 134,612 $ 1,046,913 2021 $ 1,672,241 $ 1,652,267 $ 1,719,163 $ 18,083,032 $ 1,462,683 $ 6,083,605 $ 791.56 $ 131.98 $ 177,789 $ 748,056 2020 $ 1,304,157 N/A $ 3,472,241 N/A $ 1,016,245 $ 6,630,170 $ 273.36 $ 103.72 $ 93,917 $ 563,410 Column (a) Column (b) | ||
| PEO Total Compensation Amount | $ 2,189,624 | $ 1,304,157 | |
| PEO Actually Paid Compensation Amount | $ 398,008 | 3,472,241 | |
| Adjustment To PEO Compensation, Footnote [Text Block] | Year Summary Compensation Table Total for PEO Less: Summary Compensation Table Total Equity (Stock Awards + Option Awards) Plus: Fair Value as of Fiscal Year-End of Stock and Option Awards Granted in Covered Year Plus: Change in Fair Value of Outstanding Unvested Stock and Option Awards From Prior Years Plus: Change in Fair Value of Stock and Option Awards from Prior Years that Vested in the Covered Year ($) Less: Fair Value at Prior Fiscal Year-End of Stock and Option Awards Forfeited during the Covered Year ($) Compensation Actually Paid to PEO 2022 $ 2,189,624 $ (860,049 ) $ 494,368 $ (14,280 ) $ (1,411,655 ) — $ 398,008 2021 First PEO $ 1,672,241 — — $ 28,902 $ 18,020 — $ 1,719,163 2021 Second PEO $ 1,652,267 — — $ 9,078,015 $ 7,352,750 — $ 18,083,032 2020 $ 1,304,157 $ (9,470 ) $ 17,459 — $ 2,160,095 — $ 3,472,241 Column (c) 2022: David G. Hanna and William R. McCamey 2021: William R. McCamey 2020: Jeffrey A. Howard and William R. McCamey Column (d) | ||
| Non-PEO NEO Average Total Compensation Amount | $ 2,144,495 | $ 1,462,683 | 1,016,245 |
| Non-PEO NEO Average Compensation Actually Paid Amount | $ 2,018,996 | 6,083,605 | 6,630,170 |
| Adjustment to Non-PEO NEO Compensation Footnote [Text Block] | Year Summary Compensation Table Total for Non-PEO NEOs Less: Summary Compensation Table Total Equity (Stock Awards + Option Awards) Plus: Fair Value as of Fiscal Year-End of Stock and Option Awards Granted in Covered Year Plus: Change in Fair Value of Outstanding Unvested Stock and Option Awards From Prior Years Plus: Change in Fair Value of Stock and Option Awards from Prior Years that Vested in the Covered Year ($) Less: Fair Value at Prior Fiscal Year-End of Stock and Option Awards Forfeited during the Covered Year ($) Compensation Actually Paid to Non-PEO NEOs 2022 $ 2,144,495 $ (230,020 ) $ 132,219 $ (14,280 ) $ (13,418 ) — $ 2,018,996 2021 $ 1,462,683 — — $ 28,902 $ 4,592,020 — $ 6,083,605 2020 $ 1,016,245 $ (9,470 ) $ 17,459 $ 5,559,452 $ 46,484 — $ 6,630,170 Column (e) Column (f) Column (g) Column (h) | ||
| Compensation Actually Paid vs. Total Shareholder Return [Text Block] | Relationship Between Compensation Actually Paid and Certain Financial Performance Measures The following graphs illustrate the relationship between compensation actually paid to our PEO and other NEOs in 2022, 2021 and 2020 and certain financial performance measures. Relationship Between Compensation Actually Paid and TSR The following graph illustrates the relationship between compensation actually paid to our PEO and other NEOs, the cumulative total shareholder return (“TSR”) on $100 investing in Atlanticus’ common stock at the close of the market on December 31, 2019, with dividends reinvested on the date paid through December 31, 2022, and the cumulative Peer Group TSR. The Peer Group TSR is calculated in a similar manner to Atlanticus’ TSR. | ||
| Compensation Actually Paid vs. Net Income [Text Block] | Relationship Between Compensation Actually Paid and Net Income The following graph illustrates the relationship between compensation actually paid to our PEO and other NEOs and Atlanticus’ Net Income in 2022, 2021 and 2020. | ||
| Compensation Actually Paid vs. Company Selected Measure [Text Block] | Relationship Between Compensation Actually Paid and Total Revenue The following graph illustrates the relationship between compensation actually paid to our PEO and other NEOs and Atlanticus’ Total Revenue in 2022, 2021 and 2020. | ||
| Tabular List [Table Text Block] | Most Important Performance Measures We believe the following performance measures represent the most important financial performance measures used by our Compensation Committee to link compensation actually paid to our NEOs for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022: Total Revenue Net Income Attributable to Common Shareholders Per Common Share – Diluted Total Assets | ||
| Total Shareholder Return Amount | $ 290.79 | 791.56 | 273.36 |
| Peer Group Total Shareholder Return Amount | 100.12 | 131.98 | 103.72 |
| Net Income (Loss) | $ 134,612,000 | $ 177,789,000 | $ 93,917,000 |
| Company Selected Measure Amount | 1,046,913 | 748,056 | 563,410 |
| Measure [Axis]: 1 | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Measure Name | Total Revenue | ||
| Measure [Axis]: 2 | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Measure Name | Net Income Attributable to Common Shareholders Per Common Share – Diluted | ||
| Measure [Axis]: 3 | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Measure Name | Total Assets | ||
| PEO Less: Summary Compensation Table Total Equity (Stock Awards +Option Awards) [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | $ (860,049) | $ (9,470) | |
| PEO Plus: Fair Value as of Fiscal Year-End of Stock and Option Awards Granted in Covered Year [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 494,368 | 17,459 | |
| PEO Plus: Change in Fair Value of Outstanding Unvested Stock and Option Awards From Prior Years [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | (14,280) | ||
| PEO Plus: Change in Fair Value of Stock and Option Awards from Prior Years that Vested in the Covered Year ($) [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | (1,411,655) | 2,160,095 | |
| First PEO Plus: Change in Fair Value of Outstanding Unvested Stock and Option Awards From Prior Years [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | $ 28,902 | ||
| First PEO Plus: Change in Fair Value of Stock and Option Awards from Prior Years that Vested in the Covered Year [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 18,020 | ||
| Second PEO Plus: Change in Fair Value of Outstanding Unvested Stock and Option Awards From Prior Years [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 9,078,015 | ||
| Second PEO Plus: Change in Fair Value of Stock and Option Awards from Prior Years that Vested in the Covered Year [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 7,352,750 | ||
| NEO Less: Summary Compensation Table Total Equity (Stock Awards +Option Awards) [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | (230,020) | (9,470) | |
| NEO Plus: Fair Value as of Fiscal Year-End of Stock and Option Awards Granted in Covered Year [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | 132,219 | 17,459 | |
| NEO Plus: Change in Fair Value of Outstanding Unvested Stock and Option Awards From Prior Years [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | (14,280) | 28,902 | 5,559,452 |
| NEO Plus: Change in Fair Value of Stock and Option Awards from Prior Years that Vested in the Covered Year ($) [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| Adjustment to Compensation Amount | (13,418) | 4,592,020 | 46,484 |
| First PEO [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| PEO Total Compensation Amount | 2,189,624 | 1,672,241 | 1,304,157 |
| PEO Actually Paid Compensation Amount | $ 398,008 | 1,719,163 | $ 3,472,241 |
| Second PEO [Member] | |||
| Pay vs Performance Disclosure [Table] | |||
| PEO Total Compensation Amount | 1,652,267 | ||
| PEO Actually Paid Compensation Amount | $ 18,083,032 | ||
