Uprova is a tribal lending entity owned and operated by the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake, California. It offers fast turnaround, bad credit loans between $300 and $5,000. It states on its website that its APRs can range between 34.5% to 35.99%, with repayment terms from 9 to 36 months.
But this claim is misleading. Tribal lenders aren’t subject to the same regulations as other lenders. They can charge rates hitting over 700% APR, and if you run into trouble repaying your loan, you can’t take the matter to a US court. Several Uprova customers complain about paying interest charges 3x higher than their original loan amount — and regret getting a loan with the company.
The good news is that there are cheaper ways to access cash, even with bad credit. Our alternatives to Uprova include cash advance apps with 0% interest and other bad credit lenders with lower rates than Uprova.
While it's not a loan like Uprova, SpotMe lets Chime account holders overdraw their accounts up to a certain limit without incurring any fees. It's an optional service that allows overdraws between $20 and $200. To qualify for SpotMe, you need at least $200 direct deposited into your Chime checking account every month.
SpotMe limits start at $20 but can increase to $200 with a history of regular direct deposits and account activity. Chime also supports direct deposits up to two days early, which means you could access your paycheck sooner with this provider than with a traditional bank.
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
Must have Chime Checking account and debit card
Only covers debit card purchases and ATM withdrawals
EarnIn is a cash advance app that lets you borrow up to $750 of your earned wages before payday with its Cash Out feature. This borrowing limit is significantly higher than most cash advance apps, and unlike payday loans, there are no interest or financing fees to use Cash Outs.
To qualify for EarnIn Cash Outs, you need to be employed, have regular direct deposits and earn a minimum of $320 each pay period. You can transfer $100 a day to a linked bank account or more than $100 per day to an EarnIn card. Regular transfers are available in one to three business days or in minutes for a fee.
Not available in: Connecticut
Pros
No credit check required
No mandatory fees, interest or tipping
Free credit score tracking included
Cash Out more than $100 per day with an EarnIn card
Cleo is an AI-powered budgeting and cash advance app that's ideal for gig work and freelancers who may need cash advances from time to time. What makes Cleo different from other apps is that you don't need to show a minimum amount of recurring deposits to qualify for cash advances.
As long as you show some type of consistent income, you could qualify for interest-free advances up to $250 – although like other cash advance apps, amounts are limited until you establish an income history. To get advances through the app, you'll need to pay a monthly subscription fee of $5.99. Same-day transfers cost an extra $3.99.
Available in all states
Pros
No payslips or W-2 forms required
No credit checks or interest charged
Set monthly goals and track your spending
Cons
Monthly fee to access cash advances
Borrowing amounts limited to $40 to $70 initially
Mixed customer reviews
Loan amount
Up to $250
Loan Term
Next deposit
Turnaround time
3 to 4 days standard transfer. Same day with $3.99 to $9.99 express fee.
Loan amount
$40 - $250
Turnaround time
3 to 4 days standard transfer. Same day with $3.99 to $9.99 express fee.
Like Uprova, OppLoans specializes in personal loans for bad credit borrowers. But unlike Uprova, it's not a tribal lender, and its APRs cap out at 179%. While still high, it's less than what you would pay with an Uprova loan. It's also fast: same-day funding is possible if your loan is approved before 12 p.m. CT.
OppLoans offers higher loan amounts than what you can get with a cash advance app. It offers loans between $500 to $4,000, and you can pay your loan back over 9 to 18 months in most states — giving you more breathing room. Like Possible Finance, it reports your payments to the major credit bureaus, which can help increase your credit score.
Not available in: Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia
Brigit is a cash advance app that offers cash advances of up to $250 per pay cycle for a monthly fee. There's no credit check or interest charged like Uprova, and it offers a range of features that can make managing your budget easier — like extending your repayment due date if you're short on cash.
If you can't make your repayment on time, Brigit lets you request a payment extension in the app so long as you've had two consecutive on-time payments beforehand. But you can store up to three payment extensions for later use, giving you more flexibility in your monthly budget.
Available in all states
Pros
Store up to three payment extensions at a time
Credit-builder program included in monthly fee
Offers up to $1 million in identity-theft protection
Cons
$8.99 to $14.99 monthly membership fee monthly subscription fee
Not everyone qualifies for $250 advances
Some users report poor customer service
Loan amount
$50 to $250
Loan Term
Varies
Turnaround time
2 to 3 business days or instant with a Premium subscription or for a fee.
Loan amount
$50 - $250
Turnaround time
2 to 3 business days or instant with a Premium subscription or for a fee.
Possible Finance is a bad credit online lender offering fast turnaround, no-credit-check installment loans up to $500. Like Uprova, APRs can run high, reaching up to 460%. But it's not a tribal lender, and if you get a loan with Possible, it reports your payments to Experian and TransUnion to help build your credit.
While expensive, some customers report a credit score boost after getting a loan with Possible. However, others say taking out too many loans in a short timeframe caused their score to drop. Because it has high rates, Possible is best for emergency borrowing when other options won't work for you.
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
No credit check required
Offers longer repayment terms than cash apps:Reports to two of three major credit bureaus
MoneyLion is a cash advance app that lets you access up to $500 per pay period — with 0% interest and no monthly fees. And you can qualify for up to $700 per pay period if you sign up for MoneyLions' Credit Builder Plus program and up to $1,000 if you open a RoarMoney account and set up direct deposit.
In addition to cash advances, MoneyLion offers a range of banking products like an investment account and a crypto trading feature. The app gets mostly positive reviews on Trustpilot, but some customers complain about technical glitches and high instant transfer fees.
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
Borrow up to $1,000 per pay period
No fees and no obligation to tip
Use spare change to buy Bitcoin
Cons
Normal funding takes 24 to 48 hours
Instant delivery costs between $1.99 and $8.99
Advances over $100 can get expensive
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
How does Uprova compare?
Compared to other bad credit lenders, Uprova comes with risks you need to be aware of. Like payday and installment lenders, Uprova can charge sky-high interest rates exceeding 700% APR. Furthermore, Uprova is a tribal lender, which means you don’t have the same legal protections or recourse as you would with the other lenders on this list.
For example, many Uprova borrowers state that interest payments on their loans have far exceeded their original loan amount. One borrower who left a review for the company on Finder.com reported that a $1,000 Uprova loan is costing $4,000 to pay off. This is predatory lending by any definition, but they can’t take their complaints to a US court.
If you need a bad credit loan, there are other bad credit lenders to choose from. In addition to 0% interest cash advance apps, lenders like Upstart, OneMain Financial and Oportun cater to bad credit borrowers and cap rates at 36% APR to help you get the funds you need and make it easier to stay out of a cycle of high-interest debt.
We didn’t include payday and short-term installment loans as alternatives to Uprova, as they can also charge excessive interest rates of +700% APR.
Consider that:
A typical $375 payday loan comes with $520 in fees because of repeat borrowing.
The average APR on a payday loan can reach as high as 650% in states with no protections against predatory short-term lenders.
While payday loans are designed for one-time emergencies, about 70% of borrowers use them for recurring costs like utilities and bills.
Most payday loan borrowers stay in debt for at least 11 months.
For short-term borrowing, cash advance apps like the ones on our list here are almost always cheaper than a payday loan, as they never charge finance fees or interest on what you borrow.
Alternatives to cash advance apps
If you prefer not to use a cash advance app or don’t want to take out a loan, consider these other methods for accessing quick cash instead:
Credit card cash advance. Credit card cash advances are a convenient way to access quick cash, but it’s best to limit them as fees can run high. Compare the best credit cards.
Personal loan. If you need more than $500, compare the best personal loan lenders to find loans between $600 and $100,000. Same-day funding may even be available.
Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) app. While they don’t offer cash, BNPL apps let you purchase items you need today and pay them off later. Discover a range of BNPL apps and compare costs.
Kat Aoki was a personal finance writer at Finder, specializing in consumer and business lending. She’s written thousands of articles to help consumers make better decisions on their home loans, bank accounts, credit cards, cryptocurrency and more. Kat is well versed in working with leading brands in the real estate, mortgage and personal finance industries, and her expertise has been featured on Forbes Advisor, Lifewire and financial comparison sites like iSelect and realestate.com.au. She holds a BS in business administration from California State University, Sacramento and enjoys hiking and yoga in her spare time. See full bio
Kat's expertise
Kat has written 198 Finder guides across topics including:
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