Does Credit Genie affect your credit score?

No. There's no hard credit check to apply, so it won't impact your credit score. It also doesn't report your cash advance repayments to the credit bureaus, so it won't help to build your credit either.

Does Credit Genie have a subscription fee?

Technically, Credit Genie doesn't require a subscription to be eligible for advances. However, it does charge a bi-weekly bank connection fee, which amounts to the same thing because you can't get an advance without a linked bank account.

How long does it take for Credit Genie to transfer funds?

Credit Genie says it provides three methods for receiving your funds. You can get it for free to your bank account in up to three days or the same day via ACH deposit or within 30 minutes to your debit card. It charges fees for either expedited option but doesn't disclose how much they are.

Finder makes money from featured partners, but editorial opinions are our own. Advertiser disclosure

Credit Genie Review: Low Max Borrow & Bi-weekly Fees Are No Good

By Lacey Stark

Edited by Megan B. Shepherd

Updated

Oct 7, 2025

Fact checked

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Min. Amount: $10
Max. Amount: $150
Turnaround time: 1 to 3 business days or same day for a fee

Our verdict

Bi-weekly mandatory fees and small advances may mean you want to take a pass on this app.

Credit Genie offers cash advances up to $150 (or $100 for first-time users), with no interest or late fees. It also doesn’t check your credit, so it may be easy to qualify even with poor credit. But it's not transparent about expedited transfer fees, it charges a bi-weekly bank connection fee, its maximum advance is lower than most cash advance apps and it has a large volume of poor customer reviews.

Best for: We can’t recommend this app because of its lack of transparency, low advance amounts and a pattern of customer complaints.

Pros

No interest or late fees
No credit check
Offers money management tools

Cons

Charges a bi-weekly bank connection fee
Low maximum advance amount
Numerous poor reviews

Is Credit Genie legit?

Based mainly on a high volume of customer complaints, Credit Genie doesn’t seem legit. Even though many people have received advances from it, nearly as many report never getting another one — yet they continue to get charged $4.99 on a bi-weekly basis. If you want a legit cash advance service, you may want to compare the best cash advance apps instead.

Where Credit Genie falls short

To begin with, the highest loan amount Credit Genie offers is $150. This amount is far lower than almost every competitor, some of which provide advances up to $500 or more with basically the same requirements to qualify.

It also charges a “bank connection fee” of $4.99 — paid bi-weekly, for a total of $9.98 a month. Most other apps with subscription fees only charge once a month. If you want to avoid those bi-weekly (or even monthly) fees, check out these free apps that only charge for instant transfers.

On top of that, Credit Genie doesn’t disclose fees for expedited transfers. Some customers report transfer fees up to $14.99 or even higher.

What makes Credit Genie stand out?

There’s nothing we could find that makes Credit Genie stand out favorably from other cash advance apps. As mentioned previously, advance amounts are low, fees are high and it has some very concerning customer complaints.

Still, like similar apps, it doesn’t charge interest or late fees and is generally less expensive than payday or installment loans. It also offers money management tools that can help you see where your money is going and learn how to budget your funds.

However, you may want to consider other apps like Credit Genie that have lower rates, higher advance amounts or other useful features.

Credit Genie details

Product name	Cash Boost
Loan amount	$10 to $150
Loan term	Typically next deposit
Turnaround time	1 to 3 business days or same day for a fee
Costs	$4.99 bi-weekly payments
Requirements	At least 18 US citizen or permanent resident Linked bank account

Credit Genie contact info

Credit Genie has very limited forms of contact. It doesn’t have a phone number or email address listed on its website. The only email we found was listed on its Facebook page, and it appears you can only send a help request or use its chatbot.

Phone number	Not listed
Customer service hours	Weekdays: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Weekends: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Email	support@creditgenie.zendesk.com
X, formerly Twitter	@CreditGenie_US
Facebook	Credit Genie

How to qualify for Credit Genie

These are the requirements to qualify for Credit Genie.

At least 18 and a US citizen or permanent resident
Linked bank account
Agree to have only one Credit Genie account

The company doesn’t list any minimum income or deposit requirements, but presumably it has them.

Other features

In addition to its Cash Boost cash advances, Credit Genie also offers Money Manager, which can help customers with the following:

Track spending
Create a budget
Real-time spending insights
Predict cash flow
Low balance alerts

Credit Genie reviews and complaints

BBB accredited	No
BBB rating	N/R
Trustpilot Score	3.4 out of 5 stars, based on 330 customer reviews
App Store Score	4.8 out of 5 stars, based on 67,400 customer reviews
Google Play Score	4.6 out of 5 stars, based on 55,100 customer reviews
Customer reviews verified as of	30 September 2025

Despite high star ratings on the app stores, Credit Genie has a large volume of negative reviews on all the sites we checked. One of the most common grievances is that, while people were able to get an advance and pay it back, they were never eligible to get another. But, they were still charged the $4.99 bi-weekly bank connection fee.

Other complaints include high fees, unauthorized changes being taken from their accounts and difficulty reaching or getting problems resolved with customer service.

Positive reviews say it’s an easy-to-use app, advances were easy to get and fund transfers were quick. But even some good reviews say that fees for fast transfers are steep, it can take up to a week for repayments to post, and you can’t get another advance until that goes through.

What do people on Reddit say?

Some complaints noted from Redditors: becoming ineligible for advances after repaying the first one, getting locked out of their accounts with no explanation, difficulty canceling and continuing to get charged even after canceling.

Compare Credit Genie to other apps

6 of 6 results

Finder Score	Max. amount per pay period	Turnaround time	Costs
9.5 Excellent EarnIn	9.5 Excellent	Up to $150/day, with a max of $1000 between paydays	1–2 business days standard; minutes with Lightning Speed	Free to use or within minutes with a fee as low as $3.99 per transfer	Access up to $150 per day, with a max of $1000 between paydays. Not available to CT or Washington, D.C. residents. Subject to EarnIn terms & conditions.	Important information EarnIn is not a bank. Access limits are based on your earnings and risk factors. Available in select states. Terms and restrictions apply. Visit EarnIn.com for full details. Expedited transfers available for a fee. Visit Earnin.com for full details.	Go to site View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
8.2 Great Cleo	8.2 Great	$20 to $250	3 to 4 days or instant for a fee.	$5.99 monthly membership fee to access cash advances	Automatically monitor your spending plus access cash advances up to $100 at a time.	Go to site View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
9.4 Excellent Chime® MyPay®	9.4 Excellent	Up to $500	Instant transfers: 3% of the advance amount ($2 minimum, $5 maximum)	No subscription fees; Instant transfer fee: 3% of the advance amount ($2 minimum, $5 maximum)	Access up to $500 of your pay before payday fee-free within 24 hours. See Chime terms and conditions. MyPay is only offered in select states.	Important information MyPay® line of credit provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A. MyPay services provided by Chime Capital, LLC (NMLS 2316451). MyPay eligibility: You must receive qualifying direct deposits to your Chime Checking Account in the preceding 36 days as set forth in the MyPay Agreement. A qualifying direct deposit is a deposit from an employer, payroll provider, gig economy payer, government benefits payer, or other permitted source of income by Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) or Original Credit Transaction (“OCT”). MyPay is currently only available to eligible Chime members in certain states. Other restrictions apply. MyPay is a line of credit and available limits are based on estimated income and risk-based criteria. Eligible members may be offered a $20 - $1000 Credit Limit per pay period. Your Credit Limit and Maximum Available Advance will be displayed to you within the Chime app. Your MyPay Credit Limit and Maximum Available Advance may change at any time. See Bancorp MyPay Agreement or Stride MyPay Agreement for details. Instant funds: Option to get funds instantly for a fee of 3% of the advance amount ($2 minimum, $5 maximum) per advance, or get funds for free within 24 hours. See Bancorp MyPay Agreement or Stride MyPay Agreement for details. SpotMe: SpotMe® on Credit is an optional, no interest/no fee overdraft line of credit tied to the Secured Deposit Account. SpotMe on Debit is an optional, no fee service attached to your Chime Checking Account (individually or collectively, "SpotMe"). Eligibility for SpotMe requires $200 or more in qualifying direct deposits to your Chime Checking Account each month. Qualifying members will be allowed to overdraw their Chime Checking Account and/or their Secured Deposit Account up to $20 in total, but may be later eligible for a higher combined 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 SpotMe Limit will be displayed to you within the Chime mobile app. You will receive notice of any changes to your SpotMe Limit. SpotMe for Credit and SpotMe on Debit share a single SpotMe limit. Your SpotMe Limit may change at any time, at Chime or its banking partners’ discretion. Although there are no overdraft fees, there may be out-of-network or third-party fees associated with ATM transactions or OTC cash withdrawal fees at retailers. SpotMe won’t cover non-card transactions, including ACH s, Pay Anyone s, or Chime Checkbook transactions. SpotMe terms and conditions. Early Pay: 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. Savings: Chime® Checking Account is required to be eligible for a Savings Account. The 3.75% Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is only available to members with Chime Prime status, otherwise, either the 3.00% APY for members with Chime Plus status or the standard rate of 0.75% APY will apply. The APYs are effective as of 02/26/2026, are variable and may change at any time. No minimum balance required. Must have $0.01 in savings to earn interest. See Chime Membership Tiers Terms and Conditions for more details. Credit Builder: Based on a representative study conducted by Experian® in Sept 2025, the top 10% of members who made their first purchase with Credit Builder, an earlier version of Chime Card, between April and August 2024, observed a FICO® Score 8 increase of 71 points after approximately 8 months. Average increase of 28 points across all participants in the study. Credit score improvement not guaranteed. Paying on time may increase your score, while late payment may decrease your score. Other credit activity can impact your score. Credit score is one of many factors creditors may consider in evaluating credit applications.	Go to site View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
9.4 Excellent Varo Cash Advance	9.4 Excellent	Up to $250 today. Build up to $700 over time with direct deposit at Varo. Average loan: $195. Qualifications Apply.	Instant, once qualified	No membership fees, Flat Fees of $1.60 to $100	Important information Varo Advance qualification is subject to evaluation of consumer reports and Varo account activity. If approved, initial limits range from $20- $250. Unlock higher limits up to $700 over time when you bring your qualifying direct deposit to Varo and build a positive history with us. Negative repayment history may impact credit. Fees range from $1.60 - $100 based on loan amount, and deposits to your Varo Bank Account. Your current limit and applicable fees can be viewed in the Varo App. Qualifying direct deposits are electronic deposits of your paycheck, pension or government benefits (such as Social Security or unemployment) from your employer or government agency to the extent that can be identified. Tax refunds and government stimulus payments, Person-to-Person payments (such as Venmo or Varo to Anyone), and funds deposited using a Varo routing number are not considered a direct deposit.	Go to site View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
9.4 Excellent OppLoans Installment Loans	9.4 Excellent	$500 to $5,000	As soon as the same business day	129% - 195% APR	Not available in: CO, CT, GA, IA, MD, MA, NY, SD, VT, WV. Comes with the option to change your due date so you won’t fall behind on repayments.	Important information The advertised APR is an estimate based on currently available information, is not final, and is subject to change. If approved, your actual rate will be determined and assigned based on your creditworthiness, income, application information, and other relevant factors. Applications submitted on the OppLoans platform will be originated by one of our bank partners and serviced by OppLoans. Please see the Rates and Terms for details regarding the availability of products in your state of residence. Subject to credit approval and verification. Actual approved loan amount and terms are dependent on our bank partners’ standard underwriting guidelines and credit policies. Funds may be deposited for delivery to your bank via ACH as soon as the same business day if verification is completed and final approval occurs before 12:00 PM CT on a business day. If approval occurs after 12:00 PM CT on a business day or on a non-business day, funds may be delivered as soon as the next business day. Availability of the funds is dependent on how quickly your bank processes the transaction. Installment loan amounts typically range from $500 to $5,000. Annual percentage rate (APR) ranges from 129% to 195%. Installment loan lengths range from 9 to 18 months. Example: A $2,000 installment loan repayable in 9 monthly payments with an APR of 160% would have monthly payments of $394.58. Loan amount, APR, and repayment terms may vary by state, please see https://www.opploans.com/rates-and-terms for additional information. Approval is not guaranteed. If approved, your actual rate will fall within the marketed range of rates, and will be determined and assigned based on your creditworthiness, income, application information, and other relevant factors. Not all applicants will qualify for the lowest available rates. This is an expensive form of credit and you should determine whether the offered product(s) meets your financial needs. OppLoans’ Bank Partners may use credit report information provided by Clarity Services and Experian as part of the application process to determine your creditworthiness. The credit inquiry will appear as a soft credit inquiry on your Experian credit report and a hard credit inquiry on your Clarity report. Therefore it will not affect your FICO credit score. OppLoans and its Bank Partners report customer payment history to the three major credit bureaus. On-time payments may improve credit score.	Go to site View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading
8.8 Great Albert Instant	8.8 Great	$25 to $1,000	Within minutes	No subscription required	Advance up to $1,000 in minutes with Albert Instant.	Important information Albert is not a bank. Savings account provided by Wells Fargo, N.A., Member FDIC. Albert plans start at $19.99/mo. Try for 30 days before you're charged. Fees auto-renew until canceled. Cancel in the app. Terms apply. Albert Instant Line of Credit is an unsecured line of credit issued by FinWise Bank, a Utah chartered bank, Member FDIC. Limits range from $25-$1,000. Draw fees apply. Terms and eligibility criteria including geographic restrictions apply. In some states, Albert may offer you an Albert Instant Advance instead. Limits range from $25-$1,000, subject to terms and eligibility criteria. No Albert subscription is required for Albert Instant Line of Credit or Albert Instant Advance. See Albert Terms of Use for additional important terms.	Go to site View details Compare product selectionCompare	loading

Showing 6 of 6 results

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