Best Apps Like Albert When You Need Money Today

Cash advance apps like Current and EarnIn can help when Albert’s $14.99 a month is more than you want to pay for a cash advance. They give you access to money you’ve already earned before payday, so you can cover a bill without waiting.

If you’re facing a financial emergency and need access to cash, an instant cash advance can be a helpful solution. These apps allow you to borrow money against your next paycheck, which can help you make ends meet until your next payday arrives.

If you’re strapped for time, I’ll go ahead and share the best cash advance apps like Albert, including Grant, which advances $25 to $500 with no interest.

What Is Albert?

Albert can lend you up to $1,000 so you can make ends meet. No late fees, interest, credit check, or hidden hands in your pocket. As long as you have a paycheck and have repaid your past advances, you can request up to 3 cash advances per pay period. There’s no catch but it costs $14.99 per month.

When you join Albert, you’ll set up an Albert Cash account and a 30-day trial for Albert Genius as part of the sign-up process. If you cancel within 30 days of signing up, you will not be charged for your subscription.

If you cancel, you will lose certain benefits associated with your Genius subscription, such as Investing, access to Albert’s financial experts, cash back rewards, free in-network ATM withdrawals, and more.

However, you will still have access to your Cash account, be able to receive direct deposits, or spend with your Cash debit card.

Are there cheaper apps than Albert?

Yes. Albert costs $14.99 a month. EarnIn has no mandatory fees and you choose what to tip, even if that’s nothing. Klover has no interest, no late fees and no credit check. Grant has no required membership. Tilt is $8 a month after a 14-day free trial, and Cleo Plus is $5.99 a month, so both cost less than Albert but aren’t free.

Is there an app like Albert that goes up to $1,000?

Current goes up to $1,000 as often as you need, up to what you qualify for. EarnIn lets you take up to $200 a day and $1,000 a pay period. Jump to Current or EarnIn below for the details. Your own limit depends on your income and bank activity.

Can I switch from Albert without losing my account?

Albert says if you cancel within 30 days of signing up, you won’t be charged for your subscription. If you cancel later, you lose Genius benefits like investing and cash back rewards, but you keep your Cash account and your direct deposits. Check the app for the exact steps before you switch.

Can I use more than one cash advance app at once?

Nothing stops you from installing a few to compare limits. Every advance has to be paid back, usually from your next deposit, so stacking them leaves you with less on payday. I’d start with one, Current or EarnIn, and see what limit you get.

Best Cash Advance Apps Like Albert

These apps help you get your paycheck early and can help you get paid today.

Try these free mobile applications available in the App Store and Google Play Store, so you can borrow cash with ease:

1. Current

Best for: Anyone shopping for an app like Albert with the same $1,000 ceiling and a paycheck they can move.

Current advances up to $1,000 for eligible customers, as often as you need, up to the amount you qualify for. Standard delivery is free and takes about 3 business days. Faster delivery costs a fee, and the app shows it before you confirm. Direct deposit can arrive up to 2 days early.

There’s no credit check to open the account, so your credit history and FICO score aren’t affected.

How it compares to Albert: Current matches Albert’s $1,000 top end. The difference is that Albert charges $14.99 a month, and with Current the advance comes with a bank account you move your pay into.

Watch out for: You need at least one eligible payroll deposit of $200 or more in the last 35 days. The advance isn’t offered in Connecticut, Maryland, Nevada, Wisconsin or Washington, D.C.

Read our full Current review.

2. EarnIn

Best for: Workers who want an Albert alternative with no required subscription and a limit that grows with their pay.

EarnIn lets you take up to $200 a day and up to $1,000 a pay period from money you’ve already earned. Standard transfers are free. Lightning Speed delivers in minutes and starts at $3.99.

There’s no interest, no credit check and no mandatory fees. You choose what to tip, even if that’s nothing.

How it compares to Albert: EarnIn also tops out at $1,000, but it’s capped at $200 a day, where Albert allows up to 3 advances per pay period. EarnIn has no subscription to pay, and Albert is $14.99 a month after the 30-day trial.

Watch out for: EarnIn needs to verify your job and pay, so gig or irregular income can be a harder fit. Many users start well below the top limit.

Read our full EarnIn review.

3. Brigit

Best for: People who want an app like Albert that skips the credit check and caps out at $500.

Brigit advances $25 to $500 with no interest, no late fees and no credit check. Sign-up takes about 2 minutes, and the app has 15M+ users. Standard delivery is free and takes up to 3 business days. Express delivery usually lands in about 20 minutes and costs $0.99 to $5.99.

The app also has budgeting and saving tools. Paid plans exist, but you can ask support for an advance without subscribing.

How it compares to Albert: Brigit’s top advance is $500, half of Albert’s $1,000. Both skip the credit check and charge no late fees, and Brigit lets you avoid the subscription.

Watch out for: Brigit isn’t available in every state, and in Maine the range is $25 to $250. It also doesn’t connect to Chime, Capital One, Net Spend or Varo.

Read our full Brigit review.

4. Grant

Best for: People who want a no-interest Albert alternative and are okay building up to a bigger advance.

Grant advances $25 to $500 with no interest, no late fees and no credit check. The average first advance is about $66. Standard delivery is free and takes about 3 business days. Express delivery gets the money to you in about an hour for a fee.

Grant Plus is $9.99 a month. To skip it, email [email protected] for a free advance, which takes about a business day.

How it compares to Albert: Grant’s $500 maximum is half of Albert’s $1,000, and your first advance will likely be far smaller. Grant Plus costs less than Albert’s $14.99, and you can skip it.

Watch out for: Grant isn’t available in every state, so check the app for yours before you plan around it.

Read our full Grant review.

5. Cleo

Best for: Anyone who wants a small advance with budgeting help and a repayment date they pick.

Cleo advances up to $250 with no interest. You choose a repayment date between 3 and 14 days out. The advance comes with Cleo Plus at $5.99 a month. Standard delivery is free and takes 3 to 4 days, and same-day delivery costs $4.49 to $14.99.

Cleo won’t affect your credit score. The free version has the budgeting tool and wallet, but not the advance.

How it compares to Albert: Cleo’s $250 is a quarter of Albert’s $1,000, but Cleo Plus at $5.99 a month costs less than Albert’s $14.99. It’s a smaller advance for a smaller bill.

Watch out for: First-time users get less. Cleo’s own page says $20 to $100 for a first advance.

Read our full Cleo review.

6. MoneyLion

Best for: People who want a bank-style app with a $500 advance and are fine using it as their main account.

MoneyLion Instacash advances up to $500 at 0% APR. You link a checking account that’s been open at least two months and apply in the app. Standard delivery to a MoneyLion Spend account is free, and a Spend account can get your paycheck up to two days early.

MoneyLion also has borrowing, saving and investing tools in the same app.

How it compares to Albert: Instacash tops out at $500, half of Albert’s $1,000. Albert bundles its cash advance with a Genius plan at $14.99 a month, while MoneyLion’s Instacash is the lighter commitment.

Watch out for: Money in minutes is Turbo, which costs 7.5% of the advance (capped at $14.99) to Spend or 9% to an outside account. Free delivery only goes to Spend.

Read our full MoneyLion review.

7. Klover

Best for: People with steady direct deposits who want a higher listed limit than $500 without a subscription.

Klover lists advances of up to $750 for eligible users, and your first limit depends on your account. There’s no interest, no late fees and no credit check. Standard delivery is free and usually takes two to five business days. Express delivery costs extra, and the fee on a $200 advance is $15.25.

Klover+ costs $4.99 a month.

How it compares to Albert: Klover’s $750 sits below Albert’s $1,000, though your first Klover limit depends on your account. Klover charges no interest, no late fees and no credit check, while Albert is $14.99 a month after the trial.

Watch out for: You need at least three consistent direct deposits in the past two months from the same employer, with no gaps in pay.

Read our full Klover review.

8. Tilt

Best for: Anyone who likes Albert’s idea but wants a cheaper monthly plan and can live with a $500 ceiling.

Tilt advances up to $500 with no applications, no interest, no late fees and no credit check. Tilt reports the average first offer at about $98. You get a 14-day free trial, then it’s $8 a month.

Repayment comes out of your next direct deposit automatically, and AutoSave can set money aside for you along the way.

How it compares to Albert: Albert goes up to $1,000 and costs $14.99 a month. Tilt tops out at $500, but at $8 a month after the trial it costs less if $500 covers what you need.

Watch out for: Tilt isn’t available in Connecticut, Maine or Washington, D.C. The $8 a month starts after the 14-day trial, so cancel before day 14 if you only want to try it.

Read our full Tilt review.

Apps Like Albert FAQ

Here are the questions people ask most when they’re comparing Albert with other cash advance apps.

External resources, so you don’t have to do the research:

1) Have you lost your job? You can file for unemployment. While you wait for it to kick in, apps like Klover, apps like Cleo and apps like Branch are worth a look.

2) Looking to earn money? We have two articles about this, one for people looking for full-time online jobs and another for people looking for part time income (the gig economy).

3) Worried about bills? Here is an article from our team on ways to save money on groceries. It also helps to compare the best credit cards if you carry a balance.

4) Trying to stretch your budget? Check out our guide on living cheap. Maybe you already know it all, but maybe there are some tidbits in there to help.

Borrow Responsibly when Using Cash Advance Apps Like Albert

If you’re like most people, any new financial need or demand makes you irritated and tense. The best money borrowing app can help you meet your immediate demands without delay or having to seek personal loans. Since you’re likely unready for financial emergencies and each additional financial obligation can put you on edge.

There are several advantages of borrowing money via an app rather than going to a local bank or pawnshop to try and get quick cash. Even though there are many lending institutions in each city today, you may not be aware of all the nuances, interest rates and fees among them.

Every potential borrower must understand that he or she is fully responsible for any loan or cash advance obtained. This money should not be taken for granted, since it will only be used for a brief period of time.

Finally, such small amounts of loaned money can’t accommodate long-term financial objectives. Consider alternative ways to finance your long-term goals and needs, or try to increase your income potential with side hustles.

With that said, good luck with borrowing money with these cash advance apps like Albert.