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.
Chime doesn't offer loans, but if your main concern is having to pay overdraft fees each month, this online bank may have a solution for you. Chime's SpotMe has a no-fee overdraft feature that provides up to $200 to cover overdrafts to your Chime Checking account. To qualify, you need to make a monthly direct deposit of $200 or more into your Chime checking account and activate your Chime debit card.
SpotMe only covers overdrafts caused by ATM or debit card transactions and starts with just $20 of protection. You can raise this limit with regular deposits and a solid account history, by qualifying for promotional bonuses offered by Chime or by using SpotMe Boost, a program that allows existing members to boost each other's SpotMe feature.
Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC. Direct deposit: 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. SpotMe: Chime SpotMe is an optional, no fee service that requires a single deposit of $200 or more in qualifying direct deposits to the Chime Checking Account each at least once every 34 days. All qualifying members will be allowed to overdraw their account up to $20 on debit card purchases and cash withdrawals initially, but may be later eligible for a higher 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 limit will be displayed to you within the Chime mobile app. You will receive notice of any changes to your limit. Your limit may change at any time, at Chime’s discretion. Although there are no overdraft fees, there may be out-of-network or third party fees associated with ATM transactions. SpotMe won’t cover non-debit card transactions, including ACH transfers, Pay Anyone transfers, or Chime Checkbook transactions. See Terms and Conditions.
Pros
No fees or tipping obligation
Low monthly direct deposit requirement of $200
Cons
Overdraft limits start at $20 and max out at $200
Must use with Chime Checking account and debit card
Overdraft only covers debit card purchases and ATM withdrawals
While Earnin excels at getting more of your earned paycheck faster, Cleo excels at helping you budget, spend and save better – and offers cash advances up to $250. With Cleo, you can track your spending, view upcoming bills and get low balance alerts. With its paid version, you can request cash advances in the app, get overdraft protection and earn cashback to your Cleo wallet.
Unlike Earnin, Cleo has an AI assistant which can answer questions in natural language, like “How much did I spend on Uber this month?” It can also break down your finances into graphs so you can see where your money is going. While you can potentially pull more money with Earnin, Cleo doesn’t require you to verify your income or upload timesheets to get cash, like Even does.
Available in all states
Pros
No employment verification required
No interest charged on cash advances
Support available with free version
Cons
Cash advance amounts limits start low
Paid plan costs $5.99 a month
Mixed customer reviews
Loan amount
Up to $250
Loan Term
Varies
Turnaround time
3 to 4 days standard transfer. Same day with $3.99 express fee.
Loan amount
$20 - $250
Turnaround time
3 to 4 days standard transfer. Same day with $3.99 express fee.
Albert is a banking app that offers free cash advances up to $250 with its Albert Instant feature. What makes Albert different is its Genius feature. Genius is a technology-driven, human-backed financial service that can build a custom investment portfolio based on your goals, but it costs $14.99 to $16 a month.
Unlike other cash apps, Albert automatically enrolls all new borrowers in a free 30-day trial of Genius in order to use the app to get free advances. To prevent getting charged on the next renewal, you'll need to cancel Genius within the 30-day trial period. And like most other cash apps, instant transfers attract a fee.
Brigit is a no-frills app that offers up to $250 cash advance per pay cycle. Unlike Earnin, the service costs $8.99 per month. And if you're short on cash and need extra time to pay, Brigit lets you extend your due date. You can ask for one extension for every two consecutive advances you pay back on time. By doing this, you can store up to three extensions for use at a later date.
Available in all states
Pros
Helps avoid overdrafts
No-interest cash advance
Credit builder program included in monthly fee
Offers up to $1 million in identity theft protection
Cash App Borrow is a feature inside of Cash App that allows eligible users to borrow up to $200 for any need. But it's still a pilot program, and it's apparently only available to select users with a history of adding cash to the app and possibly sending payments.
While it's unclear how CashApp Borrow works, how much you can borrow is likely determined by how much money you deposit and keep in your CashApp account, borrow and repay. Unlike other cash apps, your ability to borrow doesn't necessarily depend on having direct deposits. This makes it ideal for people who get paid in cash — or otherwise don't receive income via direct deposit.
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.
Even is a budgeting app that offers up to 50% advances on wages you've already earned through its Instapay feature. The service costs $6 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
$6 a month Plus membership required
Advance limited to wages you've already earned
Loan amount
50% of paycheck
Loan Term
Varies
Turnaround time
Same day
Loan amount
50% of paycheck
Turnaround time
Same day
Alternative if you want to keep track of your finances
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, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, 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
Up to $500 or $1,000 with RoarMoney account
Loan Term
Due by your next pay date
Turnaround time
Up to 5 days or instant for a fee of $0.49 to $8.99
Loan amount
$50 - $500
Turnaround time
Up to 5 days or instant for a fee of $0.49 to $8.99
Possible Finance offers short-term installment loans for bad credit borrowers. While there's no credit check, you can expect to pay up to $44 when you take out an advance, depending on your state. But unlike Earnin and other cash advance apps, it reports your payments to two of 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. But it's more expensive to use than cash advance apps, so you should compare other credit building programs and decide if the credit boosting feature is worth the cost.
Available in: Alabama, California, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, 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
$50 - $500
Interest rate type
Fixed
Loan Term
2 to 8 weeks
Turnaround time
As fast as 1 business day
Loan amount
$50 - $500
Turnaround time
As fast as 1 business day
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.
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 at Finder, specializing in banking, lending, insurance, and crypto.
Bethany’s expertise in personal finance has garnered recognition from esteemed media outlets, such as Nasdaq, MSN, Yahoo Finance, GOBankingRates, SuperMoney, AOL and Newsweek. Her articles offer practical financial strategies to Americans, empowering them to make decisions that meet their financial goals. Her past work includes articles on generational spending and saving habits, lending, budgeting and managing debt.
Before joining Finder, she was a content manager where she wrote hundreds of articles and news pieces on auto financing and credit repair for CarsDirect, Auto Credit Express and The Car Connection, among others.
Bethany holds a BA in English from the University of Michigan-Flint, and was poetry editor for the university’s Qua Literary and Fine Arts Magazine.
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
– 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
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