Apps like Earnin

Earnin is a financial app that offers a quick way to get an advance on your next paycheck without completing an application or paying fixed fees. You can connect your bank accounts to the app and get cash advances based on what you’re scheduled to earn.

While its basic service can be cheaper than a payday loan, Earnin may not be for everyone. Our top picks work similarly to Earnin but may offer stronger perks, faster turnaround time or higher borrowing amounts.

Our 7 top picks for apps like Earnin

Alternative for automatic advances

Brigit

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• Overview
• Pros & Cons
• More Details

Brigit is a no-frills app designed to help you avoid overdraft fees on your checking account. Unlike Earnin, the service costs $9.99 per month, but offers up to $250 per pay cycle with no interest or fees if you have an unexpected expense pop up. And while it takes up to two business days for a normal advance, Brigit can also monitor your bank account and automatically send an advance if you're at risk of an overdraft.

• Available in all states

Pros

• Helps avoid overdrafts
• No-interest cash advance
• Credit builder program included in monthly fee

Cons

• $9.99 monthly subscription fee
• No additional financial tools

Loan amount	Up to $250
Interest rate type	Fixed
Loan Term	Varies
Turnaround time	1 to 3 days or same-day in some circumstances

Loan amount	Up to $250
Turnaround time	1 to 3 days or same-day in some circumstances

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Alternative if you want to boost your credit

Possible Finance Mobile Installment Loans

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• Overview
• Pros & Cons
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Possible Finance technically provides short-term loans — which means you can expect to pay anywhere from $15 to $20 when you take out an advance. But unlike Earnin and other cash advance apps, it reports your payments to the three major credit bureaus to help you build your credit score. It also has same-day funding available if you have a Visa debit card. So while it may be on the pricey end for frequent advances, it can be a useful tool if you want to avoid more expensive installment loan options.

• Available in: Alabama, California, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington

Pros

• Borrow up to $500
• Same-day funding available
• Helps build credit

Cons

• High fees
• Only available in select states
• Must meet income requirement

Loan amount	Up to $500
Interest rate type	Fixed
Loan Term	Up to 2 months
Turnaround time	As fast as 1 business day

Loan amount	Up to $500
Turnaround time	As fast as 1 business day

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Alternative if you want to keep track of your finances

MoneyLion Instacash advances

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• Pros & Cons
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MoneyLion is an all-around personal finance app that also offers small dollar loans. It goes beyond Earnin, offering a no-fee checking account, no-interest cash advances, credit monitoring and credit-builder loans of up to $1,000 if you add Roar Money as direct deposit.

If you have Credit Builder Plus with direct deposit, you can receive up to 20% of your paycheck. But its Credit Builder Plus program costs a hefty $19.99 a month, which is more expensive than credit building programs through other apps like Dave or Brigit. Customer reviews of the app also tend to run negative, with hundreds of complaints filed on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website.

• 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

• Multiple financing options
• No interest
• Easily track financial health

Cons

• Credit Builder Plus program costs $19.99 a month
• Poor customer reviews and complaints

Loan amount	$25 - $500
Interest rate type	Fixed
Loan Term	Varies
Turnaround time	3 to 5 business days to external checking account, 12 to 48 hours to RoarMoney account

Loan amount	$25 - $500
Turnaround time	3 to 5 business days to external checking account, 12 to 48 hours to RoarMoney account

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Alternative if you want to avoid fees

Dave ExtraCash

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• Overview
• Pros & Cons
• More Details

Dave is a banking app that also offers cash advances to help you avoid overdraft fees. It's a good choice if you're struggling to stick to a budget: Dave notifies you when you're about to run out of funds, anticipating regular expenses like rent and utilities. For just $1 a month, Dave will advance eligible borrowers up to $500 per pay period with a three business day turnaround. Same-day advances within eight hours start at $2.49.

• Available in all states

Pros

• Helps develop healthy spending habits
• No interest

Cons

• Turnaround up to three days
• Instant transfers cost $2.49 to $5.99

Loan amount	Up to $500
Interest rate type	Fixed
Loan Term	Varies
Turnaround time	Same business day to 3 business days

Loan amount	Up to $500
Turnaround time	Same business day to 3 business days

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Alternative if you’re a frequent borrower

Vola Finance

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• Overview
• Pros & Cons
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Unlike Earnin, Vola Finance requires a monthly membership fee, with its basic tier starting at $2.99 — which may be expensive if you don't need frequent help. However, Vola is more than just a cash advance app. It monitors your finances and helps you avoid overdraft fees. And you won't need to work regular hours, either. As long as you maintain an average account balance over $150, you may qualify for an advance.

• Available in all states

Pros

• Tools to manage finances
• No regular work hours required
• Notifications for low account balance

Cons

• Membership tiers aren't transparent
• Minimum $150 average balance required
• Lower maximum advance

Loan amount	Up to $300
Interest rate type	Fixed
Loan Term	Varies
Turnaround time	As soon as same business day

Loan amount	Up to $300
Turnaround time	As soon as same business day

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Alternative if you want zero-interest cash advances

Even

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• Overview
• Pros & Cons
• More Details

Even is a budgeting app that also offers a free advance on wages you've already earned through its Instapay feature. The service costs $8 a month and is part of Even's premium service, called Even Plus. On top of this, Even helps you stick to a budget by alerting you about upcoming bills and how much you need for them. To become a Plus member and access Instapay, you must work for an employer that offers it as a benefit. But, like Earnin, advances are limited to the hours you've already worked.

• Available in all states

Pros

• Instant funding available through Walmart
• Helps you stay on top of bills

Cons

• Available through select employers only
• $8 a month Plus membership required
• Advance limited to wages you've already earned

Loan amount	50% of paycheck
Interest rate type	Fixed
Loan Term	Varies
Turnaround time	Same day

Loan amount	50% of paycheck
Turnaround time	Same day

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Alternative if you want a full paycheck advance

B9 pay advance app

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• Pros & Cons
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B9 is one of the few cash advance apps that offers up to 100% of your paycheck as soon as 15 days before your next pay day. With Earnin, you have to wait until two days before your payday to get a full advance. B9 doesn't come with any fees or tip requirements when you request an advance.

But you'll have to build your history with B9 before you can receive the full advance — which also depends on factors like your pay frequency and income. And B9 charges a monthly membership fee of $9.99 or $19.99 to $19.99, depending on your plan. B9 isn't the cheapest option out there, but it may be worth it if you need larger advances sooner.

• Available in all states

Pros

• Get up to 100% of your paycheck
• Advances available 15 days before paycheck
• No fee or tip per advance

Cons

• $9.99 or $19.99 monthly membership fee
• Not all borrowers will qualify for full advance
• Not ideal for occasional advances

Loan amount	Up to $500
Interest rate type	Fixed
Loan Term	Not Stated
Turnaround time	Instant

Loan amount	Up to $500
Turnaround time	Instant

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Methodology: How we chose these apps

Our team weighs each app against eight main factors: fees, membership plans, turnaround time, terms, financing options, how soon you can borrow, maximum borrowing amounts and overall perks. We also considered whether the app was available on Apple’s App Store and Google Play. Customer reviews on sites such as the Better Business Bureau and Trustpilot were factored in as well.

How Earnin compares

As a cash advance app, Earnin is a top runner. It has no membership fees or tip requirements, offers same day funding and you can borrow up to $500 per pay period. If you sign up for Earnin Express, you can increase your cash advance allowance up to 80% of your paycheck — maximum of $1,000 per pay period. However, how much you can borrow is based on how much you make.

Earnin isn’t for everyone, though. To request cash advances, you must verify your hours worked by submitting timesheets and allow location tracking to verify you were at your job’s location. For some, this verification is too intrusive.

Alternatives to cash advance apps

If you’re not keen on downloading another app, but need some quick cash, consider these options:

• Credit card advance — You could withdraw money with an ATM with your credit card, called a credit card advance. Just know that credit cards tend to come with high interest rates, so use caution.
• Personal loans — Personal loans can be used for nearly anything; unexpected bills, vacations, weddings, renovations, you name it. However, you may need good credit, and rates can get high.
• Vehicle title loans — If you own a car outright, you may be able to put it up as collateral for a loan. Just know that if you fail to repay, you risk losing your vehicle, so tread carefully with this option.
• Employer-sponsored pay-advance apps — Some companies offer employees an option to withdraw from the wages they’ve already earned before their paycheck is due. Pay-advance apps are more common for hourly employees in industries like retail and fast food, such as PayActiv and DailyPay.

What about payday loans and short-term loans?

If cash advance apps aren’t your cup of tea, then you may be considering payday loans or other short-term loans. However, be wary of these options.

These options may be predatory and come with super high APRs — often in the triple digits — which may hurt borrowers as much or more. Consider payday loans and short-term loans as a last resort borrowing option.

Bottom line

Cash advance apps may be a more affordable alternative to high interest payday loans. Compare cash advance apps to find one that works with your payment schedule to avoid taking on more costly debt.