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8 Loans Like OppLoans: Alternative Lenders for 2026

These lenders offer similar loan amounts and terms — and might be a better choice for you.

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By

Lacey Stark

Edited by

Megan B. Shepherd

Updated

Fact checked

OppLoans is an online lender offering personal loans from $500 to $5,000 to borrowers with poor credit. It only does a soft credit check that won’t affect your FICO credit score. Its APRs range from 129% to 195%, though rates vary by state and depend on your income, credit profile and other factors. While rates are high compared to other lenders, they’re typically cheaper than payday loans — which often have APRs exceeding 300%.

But if you’d rather not pay interest at all, you may want to consider a cash advance app. Cash advance apps let you borrow against your future paychecks with no interest, although advance amounts are typically lower than you could get from OppLoans.

Consider our list of alternative borrowing options, including cash advance apps and other personal loan lenders, that can help you save on interest.

Key takeaways

  • OppLoans only does a soft credit check and can be cheaper than payday loans, but it may still cost more than other options and has limitations like state availability and direct deposit requirements.
  • Cash advance apps can be cheaper for small amounts since many don’t charge interest.
  • Need a bigger loan? Below are several lenders offering much higher max limits at better rates and terms than OppLoans.

Our top 8 picks for loans like OppLoans

  • Alternative for employees: EarnIn
  • Alternative for frequent advances: Cleo
  • Alternative for building a portfolio: Albert
  • Alternative for payment flexibility: Brigit
  • Alternative for higher amounts: OneMain Financial
  • Alternative for better rates: Upstart
  • Alternative for self-employed borrowers: Avant
  • Alternative for comparing lenders: Smart Advances

Alternative for employees

EarnIn

9.5 Excellent

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EarnIn is a cash advance app that lets you borrow up to $1,000 of your earned wages before payday with its Cash Out feature. This borrowing limit is significantly higher than most cash advance apps, and unlike OppLoans, there are no interest or financing charges when you get advances.

To qualify for EarnIn, you must be employed, have regular direct deposits and earn a minimum of $320 each pay period. You may be able to transfer up to $150 a day to a linked bank account or possibly more with an EarnIn card. Regular transfers are available in one to three business days or in minutes for a fee.

Loan Amount Up to $1,000
Turnaround time 1-2 business days standard, in minutes with a small fee
Costs Free
  • Not available in: Connecticut, District of Columbia

Alternative for frequent advances

Cleo

8.2 Great

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With its 24-hour cooling-off period between loans, Cleo allows you a new advance only one day after paying off your previous one. This time frame is much sooner than other cash advance apps, which may make you wait three to five days between advances. Cleo also lets you reschedule your payment due date once if your finances change.

On the downside, you can only request a cash advance through the app if you have a monthly subscription, which starts at $5.99 per month. But you can also request an advance by email through Cleo customer service.

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 loans up to $500 per pay cycle. It never charges interest or late fees, but repayment is due by your next paycheck. However, if you need extra time paying, you can extend your due date as long as you've had at least two consecutive on-time payments.

Brigit charges a monthly membership fee of $8.99 to $14.99 to use its cash advance service. While this is pricier than some apps, it includes a credit builder program and up to $1 million in identity theft protection. But if you need funds same-day, Brigit charges a fee for instant transfers.

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 higher amounts

OneMain Financial personal loans

5.8 Standard

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OneMain Financial is a personal loan lender catering to fair credit borrowers. It offers loans up to $30,000 — much higher than the limits of OppLoans or a cash advance app. Loan terms range from two to five years, but rates start relatively high for a personal loan lender, at 11.99% APR, but are still far better than OppLoans lowest rate of 160%.

And, while this is more expensive than using a cash advance app, OneMain offers more borrowing options and longer repayment terms. Unlike cash advance apps and installment lenders, OneMain verifies your credit score before extending a loan, although it doesn't specify a minimum score.

Min. credit score Not specified
APR 11.99% to 35.99%
Loan amount $1,500 to $30,000
  • Not available in: Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont

Alternative for better rates

Upstart personal loans

9.3 Excellent

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Like OppLoans, Upstart also offers loans to borrowers with poor credit, but rates are much more reasonable, ranging from 6.3% to 35.99%. It also has longer loan terms of three or five years and larger loan amounts of up to $75,000. But if you're looking for a loan under $1,000, you'll need to look elsewhere. Plus, it charges origination fees as high as 12%.

Min. credit score 300
APR 6.30%–35.99% (includes any origination fee)
Loan amount $1,000 to $75,000
  • Not available in: Connecticut, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, West Virginia

Alternative for self-employed borrowers

Avant personal loans

6.8 Standard

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It can be harder to get a loan when you're self-employed, especially if the lender requires direct deposit, like OppLoans. But Avant welcomes self-employed borrowers and offers larger loan amounts from $2,000 to $35,000. You can also prequalify to check your rates — which are far lower than OppLoans — with no impact on your credit. However, a hard credit check is required to formally apply. Avant also charges an administrative fee of up to 9.99%, although a portion of that may be refunded if you repay your loan early.

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

Smart Advances

6 Standard

If you want to compare multiple lenders with one application, a network like Smart Advances is a good option. Like OppLoans, lenders on the Smart Advances marketplace accept borrowers with bad credit, but it offers a much wider range of loan options, from $100 to $20,000. Plus, rates are better, ranging from 5.99% to 35.99%. But only borrowers with good credit can typically qualify for the largest loans and the lowest rates, and searching a marketplace can leave you open to unwanted calls, texts and emails from lenders looking for your business.

Min. credit score All credit types
APR 5.99% to 35.99%
Loan amount $100 to $20,000
  • Available in all states

How does OppLoans compare?

If you’re having a hard time qualifying for a personal loan due to bad credit, OppLoans may be worth considering. But with APRs as high as 179%, OppLoans is typically a more expensive option than what you may get with another lender or a cash advance app. Cash advance apps typically don’t charge finance fees or interest on what you borrow, and some apps are even free to use.

But if you have bad credit and need a larger loan amount than what’s available with a cash app, OppLoans is still generally a cheaper option than a payday loan.

Opploans only requires a soft credit check to qualify, so it won’t affect your FICO credit score. Customers give the company mostly positive reviews online. However, some customers report being unhappy with high interest rates and inexplicably high repayments — with one claiming their interest costs exceeded the loan’s original amount.

Pros

  • Only soft credit check required
  • No origination fees or prepayment penalties
  • Helps to build credit

Cons

  • Rates as high as 195%
  • Requires direct deposit
  • Not available in all states
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To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Megan B. Shepherd as part of our fact-checking process.
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Lacey Stark is a freelance personal finance writer for Finder, specializing in banking, loans, investing, estate planning, and more. She has 20 years of experience writing and editing for magazines, newspapers, and online publications. A word nerd from childhood, Lacey officially got her start reporting on live sporting events and moved on to cover topics such as construction, technology, and travel before finding her niche in personal finance. Originally from New England, she received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Denver and completed a postgraduate journalism program at Metropolitan State University also in Denver. She currently lives in Chicagoland with her dog Chunk and likes to read and play golf. See full bio

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