Alternative places to get short-term loans like Speedy Cash.
But you’ll have to meet its eligibility requirements and live in one of the states its services. You: Must be 18+ years old (19+ in AL) and have valid ID, proof of steady income, an open checking account and working phone number. Its loans also are only available to residents of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Dakota, Nevada, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin or Wyoming.
Compare similar providers that offer short-term loans and other financial services like cashing checks, issuing money orders, wire transfers, prepaid debit cards and exchanging cash for gold.
Pros
- Funding in as little as one day
- Online and in-store applications
- Multiple types of loans
- Other financial services
Cons
- Not available in all states
- Minimum and maximum amount not available in every state
- Must have a checking account
- Must be employed
Alternative sites like Speedy Cash
1. Check Into Cash
Like Speedy Cash, Check Into Cash offers a wide range of loan types, including payday, installment and auto title loans. You can also apply online, at one of its locations or even over the phone. Like Speedy Cash, it also has an app. It offers other services like check cashing and buying your gift cards for cash. It offers loans in 32 states, with payday loans available in 29.
Here, you can get payday loans starting at $50 and as high as $1,000 with APRs ranging from 153.73%–782.14%, depending on your loan amount and state.
However, its requirements are strict as well: You must be at least 21 and an American citizen and have a bank account, email address and phone number. You also must have a regular source of income. It can take between 1–2 business days to get your funds. You can’t qualify for a loan if you live in Arkansas, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont or West Virginia. Residents of Arizona and Georgia are only eligible for title loans.
Pros
- Loans starting at $50
- Multiple types of loans
- Offers other financial services
- Available in more states than Speedy Cash
- Online and in-store applications
Cons
- Must be 21 to apply
- Must have a bank account
- Must have a regular source of income
- Slightly longer turnaround than Speedy Cash
2. ACE Cash Express
Like Speedy Cash, ACE Cash Express is a well-established lender. It has offered short-term loans since 1968. It has over 1,000 store locations across 20 states, mainly in the South and West. Depending on where you live, you can apply online or in person for a payday loan, installment loan, title loan or debit card loan. Loan amounts, rates and fees all vary by state.
It’s a quick process — applying online just takes a few minutes and you can get your funds the same day if you go to an ACE Cash Express store to pick it up. It also comes with extra perks like a 72-hour guarantee which allows you to cancel your loan at no cost if you change your mind within the first three days. It also doesn’t have prepayment penalties and some states even offer a partial refund of fees if you pay off your loan early.
Qualifications are similar to Speedy Cash. You can’t qualify for an online payday loan from ACE Cash Express if you live in Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin or Wyoming.
Pros
- 72-hour guarantee
- No prepayment penalty
- Partial refund if you pay off your loan early in some states
- Multiple types of loans
- Online and in-store applications
Cons
- Available in fewer states than Speedy Cash
- Online payday loans even more limited
- Must have a checking account
- Must have a steady source of income
3. Cash Store
Cash Store can be slightly quicker than Speedy Cash, often offering same-day funding. It frequently has special offers like a discount the first time you borrow and $100 referral bonus.
Perhaps not as well-known as the other short-term lenders on this list, Cash Store is a Texas-based lender that provides emergency cash loans. It was founded in 1996 and currently has more than 340 locations.
You can apply online or in person for payday loans, installment loans and title loans from $100 to $5,000, depending on your state. Unlike Speedy Cash that offers online funding as well as an in-store pick option, you’re required to pick up your funds from one of Cash Store’s physical locations, even if you apply online.
However, it’s only available in seven states: Idaho, Illinois, Michigan, New Mexico, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin. To qualify, you need to live in one of these states, have a regular source of income, a checking account, a valid ID and be at least 18 years old.
Pros
- Same-day funding
- Same loan amounts as Speedy Cash
- Discounts for first-timers
- Multiple types of loans
- $100 referral bonus
- Online and in-store applications
Cons
- Only available in seven states
- In-person pickup required
- Must have a checking account
- Must have a regular source of income
4. Advance America
Advance America offers online and in-store loans across 28 states. Founded in 1997, it now has more than 2,000 physical locations where you can get a payday loan, installment loan and auto title loan. You must provide personal identification, proof of income, a bank statement and a personal check. Its payday loans range from $100 to $500 with terms from 2 weeks - 1 month and installment loans are available in larger amounts that vary by state. What you’ll pay for these loans varies by state.
Like with Speedy Cash, the application process is simple and only takes a few minutes. Typically you can get your funds within 1 business day. If you can pay back your loan early, Advance America won’t charge a prepayment penalty, and in some states you can even get a rebate on part of your loan fees for paying it back early.
One drawback is that it doesn’t offer as many additional services as Speedy Cash: Aside from loans, ACE Cash Express only offers transfers through MoneyGram and prepaid debit cards. And while its customer reviews might be positive, it also recently settled a lawsuit for overcharging North Carolina customers to the tune of $18.75 million.
Advance America doesn’t offer loans in the following states: Arizona, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Vermont or West Virginia.
Pros
- Wider state availability
- Good customer reviews
- No prepayment penalties
- Get a rebate on part of your loan fees for paying it back early in some states
- Funding in as little as one day
- Online and in-store applications
Cons
- Not as many additional services
- Has faced legal action for overcharging customers
- Must have a checking account
- Must have proof of income
5. Check ‘n Go
This Cincinnati-based short-term lender offers online and in-store payday loans, installment loans and prepaid credit cards across 27 states. Loan amounts range from $100 to $1,500 with costs and terms varying by state. If you apply online, the turnaround time is the same as Speedy Cash: one day. But in-store applicants can get funds within a few hours.
Check ‘n Go offers perks that may outshine Speedy Cash. You can also earn a $50 gift card for referring a friend. On top of this, it has a 24-hour customer support line so you can get quick answers to your questions any time of day. It doesn’t offer as many different financial services as Speedy Cash, however. You can’t get a title loan and its additional services are limited to check cashing.
Residents of the following states are not eligible: Washington, Oregon, Montana, Arizona, Alaska, Colorado, South Dakota, Minnesota, Arkansas, Louisiana, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont or New Hampshire.
Pros
- Available in more states than Speedy Cash
- $50 gift card for referring a friend
- Loans as low as $100
- Same-day funding available
- Online and in-store applications
Cons
- No title loans
- Lower Trustpilot rating
- Must have a checking account
- Must have a regular source of income
