Our choices for the top five cash advance apps are EarnIn, Dave, Brigit, Chime and Current. We’ll explore each app in detail below, including requirements, features, benefits, disadvantages and customer ratings.
EarnIn
EarnIn provides cash advances of up to $100 per day or $750 per pay period. It bases the amount you can borrow on your history using the app, as well as verified employer earnings information gathered through a time sheet, your work email or GPS monitoring at your work location. There’s no interest or mandatory fee, though you can opt to tip up to $13.
Standard transfers arrive in one to three business days. If you need the money sooner than that, you can pay up to $4.99 for a Lightning Speed deposit to your debit card. This type of transfer takes up to 30 minutes. There’s also an optional EarnIn Visa debit card that allows for up to $300 per day in fee-free cash advances. On your next payday, EarnIn will withdraw the advance amount and any tip or Lightning Speed fee from your linked checking account.
Comparable APR: If you take a one-week $100 cash advance and pay a $5 tip and $4.99 Lightning Speed fee, your APR would be around 520%. You could avoid these costs with EarnIn by getting a standard free transfer and not paying the optional tip.
EarnIn Balance Shield
EarnIn’s Balance Shield automatically advances $100 if your bank balance goes below a specified limit. You can also monitor your VantageScore for free with the included credit monitoring service.
Plus, you can have your employer directly deposit your pay in your EarnIn account to access the funds up to two days early. The optional Paycheck Router feature can then deposit a portion of the money in your linked checking account.
EarnIn Reviews
EarnIn has average ratings of 4.6 on Google Play and 4.7 on the App Store. Overall, customers like how the app provides funds with no credit check or required fee. Less positive reviews focus on increasing Lightning Speed fees, difficulties with the GPS tracker and the maximum cash advance amount changing based on a user’s earnings.
Our review team reached out to EarnIn for a comment on its negative reviews but did not receive a response.
Dave
The Dave app’s ExtraCash™ feature provides cash advances of up to $500 per pay period. With a qualifying checking account, you can get an advance as a regular employee or freelancer since Dave considers your typical bank deposits and spending rather than your work hours. You must pay a low $1 monthly fee to access advances, but tips are optional.
Once approved, you can get your advance in one of three ways:
- Debit card: Takes an hour or less and costs $2.99 to 13.99
- Dave Spending account: Takes seconds and costs $1.99 to $9.99
- Automated clearing house (ACH) transfer to an external bank account: Can take a few days but has no fees
When you take out an advance, Dave gives you a due date of your next payday (for steady employment) or the next Friday (for less regular income). You can repay it early (as soon as four days after you take the advance), or Dave will automatically withdraw the funds.
Repayments can take up to 24 hours to process if you use your linked debit card and up to five business days if you use an ACH transfer from an external bank account.
Comparable APR: If you take a one-week $100 cash advance and pay for a $1 monthly fee, $2 tip and $4.99 transfer to a Dave Spending account, this compares to an APR of around 417%.
Dave Spending Account
The app has other helpful personal finance features, including Dave Spending, which is a checking account that’s insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and lets you access your pay two days early. There’s also a high-yield savings account with goal tracking, and Dave’s Side Hustle board gives you access to surveys and side jobs to boost your income.
Dave Reviews
Dave has a 4.8 rating on the App Store and 4.3 rating on Google Play. Customers praise the app’s instant delivery option, helpful budgeting and saving tools and lack of hidden fees. However, some complain that standard transfers are slow. Some Android users also say the app’s interface has become less user-friendly and that they’re sometimes required to re-enter their account information.
Our review team reached out to Dave for a comment on its negative reviews and received the following response:
“For background information on our transfer options. Members can move their ExtraCash instantly to an external debit card within 30 minutes for a small fee. There’s also an option to transfer funds instantly within 30 minutes to their Dave Spending Account (checking account) for a small fee. Members can also transfer their cash advance to their external bank account via ACH for no fee, which takes 2-3 business days. Here’s more information on our ExtraCash terms. As for the complaint about reentering account information, nothing is causing it other than a bug likely. This is quite common with apps.”
Brigit
The Brigit app offers cash advances of $50 to $250 with its Instant Cash feature. There’s no credit check, but you’ll need to have a bank account with a balance above $0, history of 60 days or more and at least three regularly occurring deposits from the same job or other qualifying source. The Brigit app has a $9.99 monthly fee for its Plus membership, which is required for access to Instant Cash.
Brigit gives you two options for receiving cash advances:
- Standard transfer: Gets deposited in your bank account in two or three business days and is free.
- Express transfer: Gets deposited on your linked debit debit card within 20 minutes and costs 99 cents to $3.99
Brigit’s cash advances come with the benefit of letting you pick the due date, which is usually set as your next payday. You may repay the advance early, let Brigit withdraw it automatically or request repayment extensions without late fees.
Comparable APR: If you get a one-week $100 cash advance from Brigit and pay the $9.99 monthly membership fee and $3.99 for an express transfer, your APR will be about 729%.
Other Brigit Features
While Brigit has a pricier monthly fee than Dave, it offers tools for budgeting, saving and earning money. Finance Helper lets you track and analyze your spending, while Earn & Save lists jobs and other ways to earn cash. Both tools are available with the free version of Brigit membership.
Brigit Reviews
Brigit scores 4.7 on Google Play and 4.8 on the App Store. Positive reviews highlight fast and easy cash advances and the simple sign-up process. However, some customers are dissatisfied with their advance amounts or mention issues getting help from customer service or canceling their subscriptions.
Our review team reached out to Brigit for a comment on its negative reviews but did not receive a response.
Chime
While the Chime app doesn’t offer traditional cash advances, it can give you $20 to $200 in overdraft coverage with the free, optional SpotMe® service. To be eligible, you’ll need to have a Chime debit card and checking account with at least $200 in monthly direct deposits from an employer or other payroll source.
The Chime app reviews your account and spending to decide your SpotMe limit. This means your limit could vary at any given time. When enabled, SpotMe coverage applies automatically and only to Chime debit card purchases and withdrawals at ATMs. Chime collects the money when your next deposit reaches your account. There’s no fee, but you can choose to tip.
Other Chime Features
Other Chime benefits include its large network of more than 60,000 free ATMs and a high-yield savings account with automated savings options. The app also advertises early access to paychecks with your Chime savings or checking account. Plus, you can use Chime to send money to people’s debit cards.
You can also use the Chime checking account to make purchases, deposit cash, and use ATMs
Chime Reviews
Chime has a 4.7 rating on Google Play and a 4.8 rating on the App Store. Several reviewers like using the SpotMe coverage to avoid overdraft fees, and some mention that the app is sleek and easy to use. Some low reviews cite poor customer service, occasional bugs and the lack of standard loans.
Our review team reached out to Chime for a comment on its negative reviews but did not receive a response.
Current
Similar to Chime, Current offers fee-free overdraft protection if you sign up for its checking account and debit card. You can get between $25 and $200 in coverage with Overdrive™. To qualify, you’ll need $500 or more in monthly paycheck or government direct deposits, which is higher than competitors’ minimums.
The app sends a notification if you’re eligible to enable Overdrive. Like Chime, Current sets your overdraft limit, and it can change depending on factors such as your account activity.
Overdrive only covers purchases with your Current debit card. The coverage will apply automatically once you opt in, and the app will tell you when it does. As with Chime, Current will take the money from your next deposit to repay the overdraft, and there’s no fee.
Other Current Features
Current highlights getting access to direct deposits up to two days sooner with its checking account. You can also get a high-yield savings account that lets you divide your money across up to three Savings Pods.
Current Reviews
This app’s ratings are 4.6 on Google Play and 4.7 on the App Store. Overall, several customers like how the overdraft protection helped them avoid fees, and others appreciate the early direct deposit access. Some Android and iOS users are dissatisfied with customer service’s responses to issues and slow transfers to their Current accounts.
Our review team reached out to Current for a comment on its negative reviews but did not receive a response.
>> Related: Learn more about the best money-borrowing apps
Cash advance apps are popular alternatives to payday loans. They typically give you access to a portion of your next paycheck, up to a limit set per day or pay period. These funds may be deposited to a debit card or into your checking account. When payday arrives, the mobile app usually withdraws the advance amount and any fees from your linked bank account.
These payday advances don’t involve credit checks. An app instead reviews your employment information, checking account and borrowing activity to decide your eligibility and loan amount. Advances are usually interest free, though you may pay a fee or optional tip. A loan app may also charge extra for express deposits.
To apply, you must meet the cash advance app’s eligibility requirements. These often include being a U.S. resident who’s 18 or older, having a steady job with verifiable deposits and linking a checking account through a supported bank. When you make an account with a cash advance app, you’ll provide your personal, employment and banking information for review.
If you’re approved, you might get your advance within a few business days if you have it sent to your checking account. For faster advance needs, you can choose a cash advance app that works with a debit card and pay a fee for an instant deposit.
Some other apps simply provide overdraft protection. While these don’t offer traditional cash advances, they can still hold you over until payday. You’ll need to sign up for the app’s associated bank account to qualify.
>> Related: Learn more about how money-borrowing apps work
Below, we’ll discuss how cash advance apps can be better than alternatives like payday loans and how they can negatively impact your finances.
Benefits of Cash Advance Apps
Benefits of cash advance apps include getting money quickly and conveniently. The application process is relatively quick. You can have the money within minutes with an instant deposit or in no more than a few business days for regular deposits.
If you have poor credit, you’ll find cash advance apps more accessible than most loans because they don’t require credit checks. Since they may have no mandatory fees, they can also be more affordable than payday loans that are available for people with bad credit. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, if you take out a payday loan for just two weeks, you could pay a 400% annual percentage rate (APR) depending on which state you live in.
Cash advance apps may include features for managing your money too. These could include automatic savings programs, credit score monitoring and spending and budgeting tools.
Drawbacks of Cash Advance Apps
One disadvantage of using cash advance apps is the potential cost. While there’s no traditional interest, you might need a monthly subscription or feel tempted to tip. If you need an immediate deposit, that adds to the cost.
There’s another risk since these apps usually automatically withdraw the loan amount and any fees from your checking account on your payday: If you don’t have enough money in your account and don’t have overdraft protection, you could end up with overdraft fees from your bank. In some cases, your bank could close your account if overdrafts happen a lot.
Plus, using cash advance apps may cause you to rely on advances to cover your everyday spending. While quick cash can help you out when you’re in trouble, it doesn’t solve financial issues such as poor saving and spending habits.
>> Related: Learn about cash advance vs. payday loans
If you normally don’t struggle with bills, using a cash advance app could make sense in an emergency. The problem is when you need to rely on cash advances or overdraft protection regularly. That puts you in a cycle of borrowing, and you lose money to fees.
Before turning to a cash advance app, consider options such as loans from family and friends. If you do need a cash advance or overdraft coverage, understand the risks involved. You should only move forward if you have no doubts about covering the amount and any fees on your next payday.
Optimizing your finances is important for reducing your reliance on these apps. If your app tracks your spending or warns you about a low account balance, use these features to recognize where you might be spending too much. You can then target those expenses or look for an extra income source.
Starting an emergency fund will also help you need fewer cash advances. You can begin with small deposits from your paychecks until you build up a few months’ worth of expenses. Just avoid using this money for everyday expenses you could budget for.
As long as you use them responsibly, cash advance apps can provide temporary financial help until your paycheck arrives. We recommend EarnIn as the top app since it has the highest advance limit and no required fee. Brigit and Dave suit smaller advances and offer flexibility. Chime and Current are worth considering if you’re fine with just having overdraft protection.
When reviewing the best cash advance apps, we looked at factors including the advance or overdraft amounts available, fees, eligibility requirements and repayment terms. We also considered app features such as access to bank accounts, debit cards and money management tools. We also checked ratings and read customer reviews on Google Play and the App Store to understand the user experience.
*Data accurate at time of publication
Editor’s Note: Before making significant financial decisions, consider reviewing your options with someoneyou trust, such as a financial adviser, credit counselor or financial professional, since every person’s situation and needs are different.
