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Apps like Lenme

These Lenme cash advance app alternatives may work better and get you money faster.

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By

Kat Aoki

Edited by

Megan B. Shepherd

Updated

Lenme is a peer-to-peer (P2P) lending service that matches borrowers with lenders through its app. It offers loans up to $5,000 and having bad credit is no problem. While this sounds good on paper, the service is plagued with bugs and user complaints. It’s also not cheap to use, with some customers complaining about sky-high interest rates and high monthly fees.
Our 8 top cash advance alternatives to Lenme also cater to bad credit borrowers – but have a better track record with customers and you can likely get your funds faster.

Our 8 top picks for apps like Lenme

Here are 8 instant money apps that could work better for you than Lenme:

Alternative for overdraft feature: Chime SpotMe

Chime SpotMe®

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If you're a current Chime customer with an active debit card, Chime's SpotMe feature is a nifty way to access extra cash without having to apply for a loan, like with Lenme. SpotMe offers a free overdraft feature from $20 to $200, and it's easy to access: just switch on the feature inside your Chime app with the Overdraft fee-free option.
To qualify for SpotMe, you need to have at least $200 in qualifying direct deposits every month from a regular payer. While SpotMe limits start at around $20, Chime may increase this limit up to $200, depending on your direct deposit activity and other factors. SpotMe covers purchases, ATM withdrawals, cash-back transactions and over-the-counter withdrawals.
  • Available in all states
Partner terms and conditions
Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC. Direct deposit: Early access to direct deposit funds depends on the timing of the submission of the payment file from the payer. We generally make these funds available on the day the payment file is received, which may be up to 2 days earlier than the scheduled payment date. SpotMe: Chime SpotMe is an optional, no fee service that requires a single deposit of $200 or more in qualifying direct deposits to the Chime Checking Account each at least once every 34 days. All qualifying members will be allowed to overdraw their account up to $20 on debit card purchases and cash withdrawals initially, but may be later eligible for a higher limit of up to $200 or more based on member’s Chime Account history, direct deposit frequency and amount, spending activity and other risk-based factors. Your limit will be displayed to you within the Chime mobile app. You will receive notice of any changes to your limit. Your limit may change at any time, at Chime’s discretion. Although there are no overdraft fees, there may be out-of-network or third party fees associated with ATM transactions. SpotMe won’t cover non-debit card transactions, including ACH transfers, Pay Anyone transfers, or Chime Checkbook transactions. See Terms and Conditions.
Pros
  • Can be used for ATM withdrawals
  • Potentially qualify for $200 in overdrafts
  • Easy to switch on overdraft feature
Cons
  • SpotMe limits start at $20
  • SpotMe doesn't cover bill pay or P2P transfers
  • Must be used with Chime checking account
Loan amount$20 - $200
Interest rate typeFixed
Loan TermN/A
Turnaround timeSame day

Alternative for investing: Albert

Albert

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Albert is a financial services and banking app that offers up to $250 cash advances between paychecks. Unlike Lenme, it doesn't charge interest on advances and there's no monthly fee. It also has tools for saving, budgeting and investing – and offers advice on these topics through its Genius service.
Genius is an AI- and human-supported service that lets you ask questions about credit cards, student loans, investing and more. Provide Genius with a few details and it can even create a custom investment portfolio for you. But Genius costs $8 to $16 a month, and you must sign up for a free 30-day trial if you want cash advances.
  • Available in all states
Pros
  • No set repayment date on cash advances
  • Paid membership not required for advances
  • No late fees or inactivity fees
Cons
  • Must sign up for a free trial of Genius
  • Instant transfer fees not listed
  • No phone support
Loan amountUp to $250
Interest rate typeFixed
Loan TermVaries
Turnaround time2 to 3 days

Alternative for payment flexibility: Brigit

Brigit

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Brigit is cash advance app that lets eligible users borrow up to $250 per pay cycle. Unlike Lenme, it doesn't charge interest on advances, but you must pay a $9.99 monthly fee for this service. But include in this fee are some add-ons, including a credit builder program, free overdraft protection and ability to extend your payment date.
To get a payment extension, you need to have at least two prior consecutive, on-time payments. And you can store up to three extensions at a time for use a later date. But as with most other cash apps, you'll pay extra for instant transfers to an external bank account.
  • Available in all states
Pros
  • $1 million in identity theft protection including in monthly fee
  • Monitors your bank account for low balances
  • Budgeting tools to help track your spending
Cons
  • Monthly subscription fee of $9.99
  • Not everyone will qualify for $250 advances
  • Some users report it's hard to cancel the service
Loan amountUp to $250
Interest rate typeFixed
Loan TermVaries
Turnaround time1 to 3 days or same-day in some circumstances

Alternative for bigger advances: MoneyLion

MoneyLion Instacash advances

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MoneyLion is free banking and cash advance app that offers up to $500 per pay period. Unlike Lenme and Brigit, you don't have to pay a monthly fee to get cash and you can potentially increase the amount of your advances to $1,000 by opening a RoarMoney bank account.
But if you need money same-day, its instant transfers are pricey and fees can add up quickly, depending on how much you need to borrow. But unlike Lenme, MoneyLion has other features, including an investment account, a crypto trading feature and credit builder program for $19.99 a month.
  • Available in: Alabama, Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Pros
  • Standard transfers are free
  • Can potentially borrow up to $1,000 per pay period
  • Automatic round-up feature with debit card
Cons
  • Standard transfers take three to five business days
  • Instant advances cost $1.99 to $8.99 per a set amount borrowed
  • Funds delivery to an external account takes 2 to 5 business days
Loan amount$50 - $500
Interest rate typeFixed
Loan TermVaries
Turnaround time3 to 5 business days to external checking account, 12 to 48 hours to RoarMoney account

Alternative for building credit: Possible Finance

Possible Finance Mobile Installment Loans

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Possible Finance is a lender that offers same-day, short-term loans up to $500 through the Possible app. But like Lenme, its loans can be pricey. Possible Finance charges a $10 or $15 financing fee for every $100 borrowed, depending on where you live. That's as expensive as a payday loan.
But unlike payday lenders, Possible Finance reports your repayments to two of the three major credit bureaus, which could help boost your credit score. But due to its high fees, it's best to limit the amount of loans you take out with Possible Finance. And some users report their credit scores decreasing after taking out too many loans.
  • Available in: Alabama, California, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington
Pros
  • No credit check required
  • More flexible loan repayment terms
  • Reports activity to the three major credit bureaus
Cons
  • APRs can reach up to 460%
  • A history of negative customer reviews
  • More costly than using a cash advance app
Loan amountUp to $500
Interest rate typeFixed
Loan Term2 to 8 weeks
Turnaround timeAs fast as 1 business day

Alternative for gig workers: Cash App Borrow

Cash App

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Cash App Borrow is a pilot feature inside of Cash App offering short-term loans up to $200 for a 5% financing fee. While Borrow isn't available to all Cash App users right now, Cash App states that selection for the program depends on your state of residence, your credit score, if you have a Cash Card and your Cash App usage.
Users online report getting access to the feature after uploading money to the app and sending payments. Others claimed they got access even though they don't get regular deposits from an employer. For this reason, Borrow could be a good option for people who get paid in cash, since most cash apps require that you have direct deposits to qualify for advances.
  • Available in all states
Pros
  • Credit check not required
  • Direct deposits may not be required
  • Having a job may not be required
Cons
  • Finance fee is 5% of amount borrowed
  • Limited to $200 per advance
  • Eligibility requirements are unclear
Loan amount$20 - $200
Interest rate typeFixed
Loan TermVaries
Turnaround time1-3 business days

Alternative for low monthly fees: Dave

Dave ExtraCash

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Dave is one of the cheapest options out there, charging a low monthly membership fee of $1 and offering cash advances up to $500 per pay period. It also notifies you when you're about to run out of funds, helping you stay on top of regular expenses like rent and utilities.
With Dave, there are no tips or additional fees required to use it, and it has a free standard three-business-day turnaround. If you choose express delivery, you can have funds on your debit card within eight hours, but fees range from $1.99 to $13.99 depending on if you send funds to a Dave spending account or external account.
  • Available in all states
Pros
  • $1 monthly membership fee
  • Same-day turnaround available for a fee
  • Can pause membership to save on fees
Cons
  • Instant transfers cost $1.99 to $13.99
  • Repayment schedule varies
Loan amountUp to $500
Interest rate typeFixed
Loan TermVaries
Turnaround timeSame business day to 3 business days

Alternative for users with no bank account: Branch

Branch

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Branch is an employer-sponsored app with a free digital wallet that lets workers access up to 50% of their earned wages before payday. Unlike Lenme or other cash apps, you don't need a bank account to use it. Instead, just order a Branch card and funds are sent to the card after you request them. Or you can use a virtual debit card that comes with the Branch app.
With Branch, there are no monthly fees like other cash apps, and it doesn't cost money to transfer funds off your Branch card to an external bank account. However, as an employer-based app, your employer must be partnered with Branch in order for you to use the cash advance service.
  • Available in all states
Pros
  • No bank account required
  • Get up to 50% of wages already earned
  • No membership fee
Cons
  • Limited information on website
  • Must work for eligible employer
Loan amountUp to $500
Interest rate typeFixed
Loan TermVaries
Turnaround timeAs early as same business day

How does Lenme compare?

Lenme is an expensive alternative compared to most cash apps. In addition to charging a monthly fee with no guarantee you’ll get a loan, you may also have to pay a high APR on the loan itself. And because Lenme doesn’t technically fund your loan, there’s no guarantee that you’ll get the funds you need in time.
If you do get funded, it can take up to five days for your loan to process and transfer into your bank account. While cash advance apps can also take up to a few days for regular funding, you can pay an extra fee and get your funds same-day to a debit card or external bank account.
One advantage with Lenme is that its borrowing amounts are much higher than a cash advance app. However, you may be better off applying for a personal loan instead of trying to use Lenme to get cash, especially if you have fair to good credit.

Pros

  • Borrow up to $5,000
  • Wide range of loan amounts
  • Extensions on payback period available

Cons

  • Overwhelmingly negative reviews on App Store and Google Play
  • Reports of extremely poor customer service
  • Limited information about cost
  • No guarantee of funding

More alternatives to payday and installment loans.

We haven’t included payday and installment loans as alternatives to Lenme here — as they’re often predatory and, like Lenme loans, may come with triple-digit interest rates that can hurt borrowers over the long run.
Did you know?

  • A typical $375 payday loan may attract $520 in fees due to repeat borrowing.
  • The average APR on a payday loan can reach a massive 650% in states with no protections against predatory short-term lenders.
  • Most payday loan borrowers stay in debt for nearly a year.

Cash advance apps usually don’t charge interest and are a more affordable option to high interest payday loans. Compare cash advance apps to find one that works for your job situation and budget.

How else can I get cash fast?

If you prefer not to use a cash advance app or don’t have regular direct deposits, consider these other options for accessing cash:

  • Alternative short-term lenders. While typically more expensive than a personal loan, providers like LendUp offer short-term loans for less than payday lenders, with a chance to build your credit.
  • Credit card cash advances. While fees can run high, credit card cash advances are a quick and convenient way to access cash at an ATM or bank counter. Compare the best credit cards of 2023.
  • Personal loans. If you need to borrow more than $500, personal loans are a better option than a cash app. Compare loans with Monevo to narrow down the best offers from multiple lenders based on your credit score.
  • Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) apps. BNPL apps let you purchase essential items you need today and pay them off later. Discover the best BNPL apps offering low fees and interest.
  • CDFI loans. Some local banks or credit unions are Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) that can offer small-dollar, short-term loans for a lower cost than payday lenders. They often have a longer turnaround, however.
  • Payday loans. While not cheap to use, payday lenders can get you cash as soon as the same day. APRs on these loans can run into the triple-digits, so it’s best to use this option for emergencies only.
  • Employer advances. If you need funds before payday, your employer may be willing to advance part of your paycheck.

Our payday loan alternatives guide offers even more low-cost options to Lenme for accessing funds to cover emergency expenses.

  1. Fast Cash and Payday Loans,April 2019
  2. Map of U.S. Payday Interest Rates,March 2021
  3. Payday Loan Facts and the CFPB’s Impact,May 2016
  4. CFPB Data Point: Payday Lending,March 2014

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