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Cushion review
This app fights financial fees on your behalf.
Cushion uses advanced algorithms to scan your financial accounts and dispute charges on your behalf. Unlike other fee negotiating apps, you keep 100% of your refund. But you’ll pay an annual fee to use it.
From $36 per year
Fee
Review by
Cassidy Horton
cassidy.horton@findercrew.comCassidy Horton is a writer for Finder, specializing in banking and kids’ debit cards. She’s been featured on Legal Zoom, MSN, and Consolidated Credit and has a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations and a Master of Business Administration from Georgia Southern University. When not writing, you can find her exploring the Pacific Northwest and watching endless reruns of The Office.
Expert review
If you’re tired of paying bank fees every month and want someone else to fight them on your behalf, Cushion may be a good fit. It’s quick, easy to use and has several different plan options to choose from.
The downside? Cushion charges an annual fee, ranging from $36 to $96 depending on how many negotiations you want each month. This is different than other apps that usually take a cut of your refund instead of charging a monthly fee.
If you have a lot of fees and interest charges to negotiate, the annual fee may be worth it. But if you only need refunds for a couple of charges, you may be better off using an app like Billshark.
How much does Cushion cost?
Cushion charges a flat annual fee ranging from $36 to $96 a year depending on how many negotiations you’d like each month. In return, you keep 100% of your refunds. Here’s how each package breaks down:| Plans & packages | Cost | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | $36 a year ($3 a month) | One negotiation a month Weekly fee scanning |
| People’s Choice | $48 a year ($4 a month) | Up to 3 negotiations a month Daily fee scanning Negotiation updates |
| The Works | $96 a year ($8 a month) | Unlimited negotiations Daily fee scanning Negotiation updates Priority support Early access to new features |
How do I open a Cushion account?
Sign up with Cushion in four steps:
- Go to the provider’s site and follow the steps to apply.
- From the official Cushion website, click Scan For Fees.
- Enter your phone number and click Continue.
- Enter your verification code.
- Select your financial institution.
- Enter your login credentials for that institution and click Connect.
- Follow the prompts to complete your profile.
How does Cushion work?
Cushion is budgeting software that uses artificial intelligence to negotiate fees and interest charges on customers’ behalf.Once you link your financial accounts, Cushion scans your transactions for fees and interest charges. Once it spots one, it negotiates with your service provider via secure email, chat or mail. The process can take anywhere from two to 90 days depending on the institution.
Cushion supports 15,000 banks and credit unions, including Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and American Express. It has successfully refunded over $3 million to customers as of September 2020.Compare top budgeting software
But before you decide, check out our guide to budgeting for beginners.
Is Cushion safe to use?
Cushion uses bank-level security to protect your data. All fees are negotiated through secure email, chat or traditional mail.What are the pros and cons of Cushion?
Pros
- Saves time and money. Cushion contacts your service provider to negotiate your fees.
- Easy to use. It takes less than three minutes to create your account and link your financial accounts. Cushion does the rest.
- Supports a lot of banks. Cushion supports 15,000 banks and credit unions in the US.
Cons
- Annual fees. Cushion charges fees on an annual basis, which means you’ll pay at least $36 to have it negotiate on your behalf — even if it isn’t successful.