Check ‘n Go is an established lender that offers payday and installment loans. You can apply online or in person and if approved, could have your funds the same day.
But like other payday loan lenders, it isn’t up front about its APRs — which can exceed 600%. Our list of sites like Check ‘n Go offers fresh alternatives to help you save money.
If you already have a Chime account — or are thinking of switching banks — its SpotMe service may be a useful alternative to anyone who regularly needs cash to cover them until their next paycheck.
Chime's SpotMe overdraft feature allows you to overdraw your account up to $200 at no cost, as long as you receive a sufficient direct deposit within 34 days. This makes it significantly less expensive and more flexible than a payday loan, which typically costs $10 to $15 per $100 borrowed with terms as short as seven days.
But it's not ideal for an emergency expense. New SpotMe users can only to access $20 in overdrafts. Chime increases the amount of overdrafts you can receive based on your account history and regular deposits.
If you find yourself regularly relying on expensive short-term loans, consider signing up for a Chime account today to help you save in the future.
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
Overdraft up to $200
34-day grace period
No overdraft fee
Cons
Must have a Chime account
New customers ineligible for full overdraft feature
Cleo can save you money over Cash 'N Go, with cash advances from $20 to $250 with no required credit check or interest charged on the loan. But more importantly, Cleo appeals to freelance workers specifically by not asking for employer verification or timesheets. Advances are easier to navigate through the app with a $5.99 subscription, but you can apply through customer service for free, without one.
Cleo also allows you to take a new advance just 24-hours after paying off your previous advance. And you can reschedule your payment one time, if your finances don't allow you to pay back the money at the agreed upon time.
Available in all states
Pros
New advance available 24 hours after payoff
One-time due date extension
Budgeting and saving tools through app
Build credit with Credit Builder subscription
Cons
$5.99 to $14.99 monthly subscription fee
Non-subscribers must contact customer service to apply for cash advances
$3.99 express fee for same-day funding
Loan amount
Up to $250
Loan Term
1 to 4 weeks
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.
Avant is an online lender that offers personal loans from $2,000 to $35,000. There's no minimum credit score to apply and Avant looks at factors like your income and debt repayment history when making a decision — which means even bad credit borrowers may be eligible for a loan.
Avant's APRs start at 9.95% and top out at 35.99% — much lower than Check 'n Go's. However, Avant charges an administrative fee of up to 4.75%, which gets deducted from your total loan amount. But if you qualify, a personal loan from Avant can be much cheaper than a payday loan.
Not available in: Colorado, Hawaii, Iowa, Nevada, New York, Vermont, West Virginia
Personal loans from $2,000–$35,000. If approved, the actual loan amount, term, and APR that a customer qualifies for may vary based on credit determination and other factors. Avant branded credit products are issued by WebBank, member FDIC.
Brigit is a financial app that offers up to $250 for no-interest payday cash advances. To get this service, you must sign up for Brigit's paid plan costing $8.99 a month. But if you have an eligible linked debit card, same-day advances are free.
While advance amounts are limited, you never pay interest on the amounts you borrow like you do with Check 'n Go. And it can help you avoid fees: Brigit has a service to monitor your bank account and send an advance automatically if you're at risk of an overdraft.
Available in all states
Pros
No minimum credit score required
Credit builder program included in monthly fee
Offers up to $1 million in identity theft protection
Cons
$8.99 monthly subscription fee
Advances are limited to $250 per pay period
Cash advance amounts are based on your bank balances
OppLoans is a highly rated direct online lender that offers short-term loans ranging from $500 to a maximum of $4,000. Borrowers with any type of credit history are welcome to apply and the minimum income required is $1,500 in most states.
OppLoans APRs run at 160%. While still high, this is lower than Check 'n Go's APRs. And if your loan is approved, you could receive your funds as soon as the next business day. You also have five days to cancel the loan if you change your mind.
Not available in: Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia
Pros
Good customer reviews
Reports payments to all three major credit bureaus
CashNetUSA is one of the few lenders that offers lines of credit in addition to payday and installment loans. While fees and terms vary by state, its APRs are typically between 149% to 579%, with a high of 579% in Texas. It also charges a 15% transaction fee on each draw in some states.
CashNewUSA isn't available nationwide, but you can visit its website to see state availability, loan amounts, fees and APRs at a glance. Most loan amounts are between $100 and $3,000. And while the company is up front about its costs, there are a number of complaints against it with the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
Available in: Alabama, Alaska, California, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming
MoneyLion is a financial services app that offers paycheck advances of up to $500. On top of that, regular users can qualify for even more funds — as much as $700 — if they sign up for MoneyLion's Credit Builder service. Advances as large as $1,000 are also available to users who switch their direct deposits to a MoneyLion's RoarMoney account.
But like with other cash advance apps, it can take three to eight weeks to be eligible for a the full $500 advance. New users can only get an advance of up to $50 if your account shows regular direct deposits.
While the standard advance is free, MoneyLion charges a fee of up to $0.50 to $9.00 for instant funding, depending on the advance amount and whether you're using a MoneyLion account. Otherwise, you'll receive the funds within one to five business days.
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
High advances for a cash advance app
No fee for standard advance
Cons
$500 not immediately available
Instant advance fee up to $9
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
B9 is a cash advance app that offers cash advances of up to $500 with no extra fee for instant funding. This can be a particularly good option for nonresidents, since you can qualify with an ITIN. B9 also offers customer service in English and Spanish. However, you'll have to sign up for a membership plan to access this advance, which runs on the high side for a cash advance app. The basic plan costs $9.99 and only offers advances as high as $100.
For a $500 advance, you'll need to sign up for the premium plan, which runs at $19.99 per month. On top of this you must set up a direct deposit of at least $500 into a B9 checking account to use any of B9's services.
But with the premium membership you'll be eligible to receive an advance of up to 100% of your paycheck — higher than what most cash advance apps offer.
Available in all states
Pros
No fee for instant funding
No SSN required
Bilingual customer service
Cons
$9.99 or $19.99 monthly fees
Requires direct deposit into B9 account
Loan amount
Up to 100% of your paycheck
Loan Term
Not Stated
Turnaround time
Instant
Loan amount
$30 - $500
Turnaround time
Instant
How Check ‘n Go compares
Check ‘n Go charges high APRs which reach 600% or more, making this lender best for infrequent emergency situations only. Here are the main pros and cons of this lender.
Pros
Easy application process
Same-day funding available
Bad credit is OK
Cons
More expensive than a personal loan or cash app
Mixed customer reviews
Not transparent about rates and fees
Alternatives to payday and installment loans
While convenient, payday and installment loans 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.
Anna Serio is a lead editor at Finder, specializing in consumer and business financing. A trusted lending expert and former certified commercial loan officer, Anna's written and edited more than 1,000 articles on Finder to help Americans strengthen their financial literacy. Her expertise and analysis on personal, student, business and car loans has been featured in publications like Business Insider, CNBC and Nasdaq, and has appeared on NBC and KADN. Anna holds an MA in Middle Eastern studies from the American University of Beirut and a BA in Creative Writing from Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College, CUNY.
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