Our star ratings give a snapshot of how cash advance apps stack up against each other. The ratings factor in a provider’s range of advance amounts, requirements, how long it takes to receive funds and customer service reviews. If a provider has extra perks, those are also factored into the score.
The star rating is there to give you an overview of the provider and is meant to act as a starting point while you’re comparing products. But it can’t tell you if a provider is the right choice for you. That’s where our reviews come in.
Finder Scores: What they mean
If you want peace of mind, this rating will give it to you. These products offer the best value and outcomes considering various product features, terms, conditions and price.
Well-balanced products that provide what you need, offering a healthy mix of competitive features at a good price. However, they're not quite the best in class.
Bottom line: You can find better, but these products still offer reasonable value and have the basics sorted.
These products may not offer much value in the long run, and there are better options available.
What a 5-star cash advance rating means
Providers that get the highest rating with Finder meet these criteria:
Minimum loan amounts of $10 or less
Maximum loan amounts of $250 or more
Same-day turnaround for application to funding
No subscription requirements
No bank account requirement with cash advance app provider
Fully transparency about its fees, terms, advance amounts and eligibility
Offers wide support options like live chat, email, social media and a phone number
Has excellent app reviews
Has at least one bonus perk
What factors go into our star ratings
We consider nine factors when calculating the star rating of each cash advance app:
Typically, cash advance apps start around $10 and rarely require more than $50. We consider any starting amount $10 and under to be the most competitive and worthy of 5 stars. Anything over $50 is restrictively high for a minimum and only earns 3 stars.
★★★★★ — $10 and under
★★★★★ — $11 to $30
★★★★★ — $31 to $50
How we rate maximum loan amounts
Most providers cap out at around $250. We gave the highest rating to any provider that offers advances or overdrafts above this range. The lowest rating goes to cash advance apps that offer no more than $100, since that meets fewer needs.
★★★★★ — $251+
★★★★★ — $200 to $250
★★★★★ — $100 to $199
★★★★★ — $99 and under
How we rate turnaround time
Turnaround time is how long it takes to get an advance from the moment you start an application to the moment the money appears in your bank account.
The most common turnaround time for cash advance apps is one day or more. Providers that beat that with same-day advances earn a perfect score. Those that lag behind earn a lower score.
★★★★★ — Same day
★★★★★ — 1+ business days
★★★★★ — 2+ business days
★★★★★ — 3+ business days
How we rate subscription requirement
If a provider doesn’t require a subscription to its service to get cash advances, it earns 5 stars. If you can’t apply for a cash advance without having a subscription, it earns 3 stars.
★★★★★ — Doesn’t require a subscription
★★★★★ — Requires a subscription
How we rate bank account requirements
If a provider doesn’t require you to have a checking account with the actual cash advance app’s bank to access cash advances, it earns 5 stars. If you can’t apply for a cash advance without having a checking account with the app’s bank, it earns 2 stars.
★★★★★ — Doesn’t require a checking account with cash advance provider
★★★★★ — Requires a checking account with cash advance provider
How we rate transparency
If a cash advance app provider is forthcoming on their website about late fees, subscriptions requirements, repayment terms, advance amounts and eligibility, it receives a perfect score. However, the less details a provider is willing to share with customers online, the lower the star rating.
★★★★★ — Transparent about all these fees and requirements: late fees, repayment terms, advance or overdraft amounts and eligibility requirements
★★★★★ — Transparent about three out of five fees and requirements
★★★★★ — Transparent about two out of five fees and requirements
★★★★★ — Transparent about one out of five fees and requirements
★★★★★ — Offers no product details
How we rate customer service
This rating shows how easy it is to get in touch with customer service when you have questions or concerns. A 5-star rating means the company offers a phone number, email address, social accounts and live chat. Providers who offer less means of communication, receive a lower star rating.
★★★★★ — Live chat, phone number, email and social media
★★★★★ — Two to three customer support options
★★★★★ — At least one customer support option
★★★★★ — Offers no forms of customer service communication
How we rate customer reviews
This rating is optional, since not all providers have enough online reviews to give a meaningful picture of the customer experience. It only applies if a provider has over 100 reviews on the Apple App Store, since cash advance apps primarily operate via an app. We use the actual customer review rating from the App Store.
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
How we rate perks
We judge perks as a bonus factor. If a provider checks off at least one of these bonuses, it earns an extra 5 stars. Otherwise, it doesn’t factor into the rating.
Repayment date extension
24 hours or less between advances
AI assist
Budgeting tools
Ways to easily boost your cash advance limit
What we don’t consider
Our star ratings can tell you how a provider stacks up against the competition. But what it can’t tell you is if it’s right for your specific needs. In addition to our star rating, you might also want to look at the following factors before you sign up:
State availability. Some cash advance apps don’t operate in all 50 states, meaning they might not be available to you.
Other eligibility requirements. Cash advance apps typically require a varying amount of monthly direct deposits in your bank account.
Review of Chime’s new MyPay feature that offers cash advances of up to $500.
Advertiser disclosure
How we make money
Finder is a comparison platform and information service designed to help you make better decisions. To keep our service free, we receive compensation from the companies whose products or services we feature on our site.
We may be paid when you click on a link, submit an application, or open an account.
How compensation affects our site
Our commercial arrangements affect which products we write about, as well as the inclusion, order, position and placement of products on our site. They do not influence our independent assessments or editorial views, which are based on research and expert analysis conducted by our editorial team.
The inclusion of a provider or product in our content, or the order in which products appear in tables or lists, is not an endorsement or recommendation from us.
Our market coverage
We compare a wide range of products, providers and services, but we don't cover the whole market. Not every company or offer available is included on our site, and other options may be available to you.
Not financial advice
The information we provide is general in nature and is not financial, investment, tax or legal advice. Consider your own circumstances and read the provider's terms and conditions before making a decision.
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
