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7 Loans Like Check City: Better Options for Fast Cash in 2026

Compare more lenders that offer payday and installment loans – with potentially lower APRs or fees.

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By

Megan B. Shepherd

Edited by

Holly Jennings

Reviewed by

Anna Serio

Updated

Fact checked

Check City offers payday, installment, title and personal loans to bad credit borrowers — and is one of the few short-term lenders that offers both in-store and online loans. But its rates can run as high as 460% APR, depending on the state. And repayment terms are short, sometimes as few as eight or 36 days.

The good news is that cash advance apps and personal loans are generally a much cheaper alternative. Cash apps never charge finance fees or interest on what you borrow. And personal loans typically have APRs that top out at 35.99%, making them more affordable than the loans Check City offers.

Our selection of personal loan lenders and cash advance apps can help you access funds, budget better and stay out of a cycle of debt.

7 sites like Check City

Alternative for frequent advances

Cleo

8.2 Great

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Not only can Cleo save you money over Check City, with advances that have no origination fee or interest charge, the lender also allows you to request a new advance only one day after paying off your previous advance. This is way faster than other cash advance apps that make you wait three to five days between advances. And if your finances change, you can reschedule your Cleo payment to a later date.

On the downside, you can only request a cash advance through the app if you're subscribed, which costs $5.99 per month. But you can request an advance through Cleo customer service for free. The app charges $3.99 to fund the advance same-day.

Loan Amount $20 - $250
Turnaround time 3 to 4 days or instant for a fee.
Costs $5.99 monthly membership fee to access cash advances
  • Available in all states

Alternative for building a portfolio

Albert Instant

8.8 Great

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Albert is a popular all-in-one money app that provides up to $1,000 to members. You don't need a subscription to use Albert Instant, it's available to any eligible Albert member subject to eligibility requirements.

Albert also offers optional subscription tiers which include extra tools like budgeting insights, automated savings, spending alerts, and other financial management features. Combined with Albert Instant, these features help users manage short-term cash gaps and stay on top of their finances.

Loan Amount $25 - $1,000
Turnaround time Within minutes
Costs No subscription required

Alternative for payment flexibility

Brigit

8.4 Great

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Brigit is a cash advance app offering advances up to $500 per pay period for $8.99 to $14.99 a month. Unlike Check City, Brigit never charges finance fees or interest on what you borrow. And instead of costly renewals, Brigit lets you defer your repayment as long as you've had two consecutive on-time payments beforehand.

While pricier than some apps, Brigit's monthly fee includes free overdraft protection, a credit builder program and up to $1 million in identity theft protection. It also has built-in tools that let you view upcoming bills, monitor your spending habits and look for side gigs — all of which can help you save.

Loan Amount $50 - $500
Turnaround time 1 to 3 business days or instant with a Premium subscription or for a fee.
Costs Brigit Plus: $8.99/month; Brigit Premium: $14.99/month
  • Available in all states

Alternative for personal loans

Avant personal loans

6.8 Standard

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Avant is an online lender that offers personal loans from $2,000 to $35,000. There's no minimum credit score to apply with Avant and it looks at a range of factors when making a decision, such as your income and credit repayment history – not just your credit score.

Avant's APRs start at 9.95% and top out at 35.99% – much lower than Check City's rates. Avant charges an administrative fee of up to 9.99% on its loans, which gets deducted from your loan amount. But if you qualify, a personal loan from Avant can be a much cheaper option than a payday loan.

Min. credit score 550
APR 9.95% to 35.99%
Loan amount $2,000 to $35,000
  • Not available in: Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Virginia, West Virginia

Alternative for building credit

OppLoans Installment Loans

9.4 Excellent

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Like Check City, OppLoans is a direct lender that offers loans of $500 to $5,000. OppLoans reports your payments to all three major credit bureaus to help improve your credit score and has online resources and classes to help you improve your financial situation.

OppLoans has an APR of 195%. While still high, this is lower than Check City's APRs, which can run up to 600% or more. And if your loan is approved by OppLoans, you could receive your funds as soon as the next business day.

Loan Amount $500 - $5,000
APR 129% - 195% APR
Turnaround time As soon as the same business day
Online application Yes
  • Not available in: Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia

Alternative for gig workers

Cash App

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Cash App Borrow is a pilot feature inside of Cash App that's available to selected users. If you're chosen to participate in the program, you'll see a Borrow option inside the app where you can request cash advances up to $500. But you'll pay a 5% finance fee on the amount borrowed.

Cash App states Borrow eligibility is based on your credit score, where you live, if you have an activated Cash Card and if you use Cash App frequently. Some users report getting access to Borrow after uploading funds and sending out payments — even when they didn't have a regular job or direct deposits.

Loan Amount $20 - $500
Turnaround time Same day
Costs 5% flat fee
  • Available in all states

Alternative for building credit

Possible Finance Mobile Installment Loans

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Like Check City, Possible Finance is a no-credit-check loan provider for bad credit borrowers. It offers short-term installment loans up to $500 and terms spanning eight weeks. Unlike other short-term lenders, it reports your payments to two of the three major credit bureaus, which could help boost your score. But like Check City, APRs can reach up to 200%.

While taking out a Possible Finance loan and paying it off can help boost your score, taking out too many loans within a short time frame could actually hurt it. Due to its high cost, Possible Finance is best for emergency borrowing only when you need funds the same day.

Loan Amount $50 - $500
APR Varies by state; fees are $10–$25 per $100 borrowed in most states
Turnaround time As fast as 1 business day
  • Not available in: Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin

How does Check City compare?

Check City charges high interest rates and may be more expensive than other options like personal loans and cash apps. Here are the main pros and cons of this lender.

Pros

  • Offers multiple types of loans
  • Upfront about licensing and costs
  • Same-day funding available

Cons

  • More expensive than a personal loan or cash app advance
  • Only has branches in three states
  • APR can reach 460% and up

Alternatives to payday and installment loans

Payday and installment loans, while convenient, may not be the best option if you’re looking to save money on interest and get out of debt.
Be aware:

  • A typical $375 payday loan attracts $520 in fees due to repeat borrowing.
  • The APR on a payday loan can hit over 1,000% in states with no protections against predatory short-term lenders.
  • While payday loans are designed for emergency expenses, about 70% of borrowers use them to pay for everyday expenses.
  • Most payday loan borrowers stay in debt for at least 11 months.

Cash advance apps don’t charge interest and personal loans may be a more affordable option to high interest payday loans. Compare the top cash advance apps and personal loan providers for bad credit to see if these alternatives can save you money.

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To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Holly Jennings as part of our fact-checking process.
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Editor, Loans & Insurance
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Megan B. Shepherd is a personal finance expert and editor for loans and insurance at Finder. Her personal finance expertise has been featured on Forbes, Nasdaq, MediaFeed, Fox News, Time, Reviews.com, and carinsurance.com, adding invaluable information related to personal loans, financial strategies and smart borrowing tactics. Megan graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas with a BS in Business Administration with an entrepreneurial focus. She's worked as a certified financial adviser and has earned certificates of completion from A.D. Banker & Company. See full bio

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Megan B. has written 308 Finder guides across topics including:
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