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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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pros
No membership fees
No tip requirements
Borrow up to $750 per pay period
Borrow up to $1,000 per period with Earnin Express
Cons
Must submit timesheets and working schedule
Must have consistent pay schedule
Mixed customer reviews
Class-action lawsuit in 2021
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.
Bethany Hickey is a personal finance writer for Finder who specializes in lending. Her background includes writing educational articles on car loans, auto insurance, cryptocurrency and crypto gaming. Bethany has been featured in Nasdaq, CarsDirect, Auto Credit Express and the Car Connection. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Michigan-Flint and is an avid gamer with over 30 consoles and handhelds — and way too many trading cards.
If you’re considering using Lenme for a pay advance but its negative reviews are holding you back, we’ve lined up 7 alternatives that could offer more reliability and transparency.
I have some money that I don’t want to spend in next couple of months;I needed someone who is in need of a loan to take this money and who is willing to pay back in 5months time
It might interest you to invest in peer-to-peer lending. This type of lending involves borrowing money from individual investors. Here are the requirements for some prominent P2P lenders:
– SocietyOne: Need to be a sophisticated investor
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– MoneyPlace: Currently need to be a wholesale or institutional investor, but retail investors are coming soon
– Harmoney: Currently only sophisticated investors can apply, opening to retail investors soon
– Marketlend: Open to retail investors
Thanks for getting in touch! At this time the payday apps are unable to pay out earnings from Social Security, Disability, or other government benefits.
You may check this page out again from time to time to see any updates.
I am sorry to hear about your applications being turned down. If this happens, it’s often because the lender found something that didn’t meet their criteria when they did a full search of your information. You may be able to find out what it is by asking the lender.
For fast approval loans, you can refer to our article Compare personal loans with fast approval. These lenders can get you funds the same day you apply. You can filter your search by choosing your credit score and your state and click “Show Me My Personalized Options” and compare from there. You can click Go To Site or Enquire Now button to be redirected to the lender’s page where you can apply.
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I have some money that I don’t want to spend in next couple of months;I needed someone who is in need of a loan to take this money and who is willing to pay back in 5months time
Hi Codredo,
Thanks for contacting Finder.
It might interest you to invest in peer-to-peer lending. This type of lending involves borrowing money from individual investors. Here are the requirements for some prominent P2P lenders:
– SocietyOne: Need to be a sophisticated investor
– RateSetter: Individuals over the age of 18 can lend from just $10
– MoneyPlace: Currently need to be a wholesale or institutional investor, but retail investors are coming soon
– Harmoney: Currently only sophisticated investors can apply, opening to retail investors soon
– Marketlend: Open to retail investors
Hope this helps.
Kind Regards,
Faye
Payday advance when receiving disability
Hi Miriam,
Thanks for getting in touch! At this time the payday apps are unable to pay out earnings from Social Security, Disability, or other government benefits.
You may check this page out again from time to time to see any updates.
Hope this helps!
Best,
Nikki
I have been turned down for every loan I apply for.
Hi Van,
Thank you for your comment.
I am sorry to hear about your applications being turned down. If this happens, it’s often because the lender found something that didn’t meet their criteria when they did a full search of your information. You may be able to find out what it is by asking the lender.
Additionally, please take a look at our page on how to improve your chances of approval. Hope this helps.
Regards,
Jhezelyn
Where and how can I acquire $700-$1,400 in the next 48 hours for May’s and June’s rent?
Hi Raj,
Thank you for reaching out.
For fast approval loans, you can refer to our article Compare personal loans with fast approval. These lenders can get you funds the same day you apply. You can filter your search by choosing your credit score and your state and click “Show Me My Personalized Options” and compare from there. You can click Go To Site or Enquire Now button to be redirected to the lender’s page where you can apply.
Hope this helps! 😊
Kind Regards,
Mai