Cash advance apps like Albert, Earnin, Empower and Chime can help you get through a rough patch by giving you access to cash when you need it. They can also help you stay on top of your finances by helping you track your spending and set up a budget.
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 for interest free cash advances.
What Is a Cash Advance App?
Cash advance apps sound great so far, right? And they are! They let you put money that you’ve already earned into your checking account before payday comes around. Most cash advance apps don't have any fees or just a small one. Also, there's no interest on the loans with cash advance apps which makes them way better than payday loans and even credit cards.
If you're struggling with cash flow, cash advance apps can offer a way to break the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle.
How are cash advance apps different from payday loans?
Payday loans often have hefty, mandatory fees, whereas cash advance apps typically don't. Instead of charging large fees after the loan is taken out, apps like Albert charge little monthly fees that borrowers can choose from throughout the borrowing process. Those costs might add up over time, but they are generally less than those charged by payday lenders.
Overall, if you need money fast — Albert has no late fees, interest, credit checks, or hidden hands in your pocket. In addition, cash advance apps often have more flexible repayment terms than payday loans, so you can choose a plan that works best for your budget.
How are cash advance apps different from personal loans?
Cash advance apps typically have shorter repayment terms than personal loans, and they also tend to have lower interest rates or no interest fees at all. This makes them a good option if you need money quickly and want to avoid paying high-interest charges.
What are the benefits of using cash advance apps?
Cash advance apps can help you get the money you need quickly and avoid high-interest charges. In addition, they often have more flexible repayment terms than payday loans or personal loans, so you can choose a plan that works best for your budget.
So, if you need a cash advance, here are the best cash advance apps today.
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Fees: $8/mo
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Fees: $8/mo
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12 Best Cash Advance Apps
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. Albert
Albert can spot you up to $250 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 and they are offering a 30-day free trial through this link.
- Get an interest-free cash advance of up to $250
- Pay a small fee to get your money instantly or get cash within 2–3 days for free
- Costs $8 per month after a 30 day free-trial
2. Empower
Empower is one of the top cash advance apps designed for today’s generation. No matter what lies ahead, they’ll help you thrive by letting you borrow money. By downloading the app you can get a cash advance of up to $250 when you need it most, and save for your future.
You can count on them to have your back and get a cash advance up to $250 directly to your account. No applications, no interest or late fees, no credit checks or credit risk. You just pay them back automatically when you receive your next direct deposit. There's no catch. It's that simple.
- Get a no-fee and interest-free cash advance of up to $250
- Use AutoSave to automatically set money aside every week
- Costs $8 per month after a 14-day free trial
3. Brigit
Brigit is another instant loan app that can help anyone get paid today. By downloading the free app on iOS or Android — you can join 3 million members who get paid up to $250, budget, and save smarter with Brigit. Only takes 2-minutes. No credit check. No interest.
- Tap to get an advance within seconds
- Get up to $250
- No credit check is required and no interest
- Pay it back without hidden fees or “tips"
4. Cleo
With Cleo, you can get a salary advance which is its answer to extortionate overdraft fees and the scary-expensive world of payday loans; it’s part of Cleo Plus, the apps subscription service.
If you qualify, Cleo can give you a no-interest advance of up to $100 to help you stay out of your overdraft. You pick your repayment date – anywhere between 3 and 28 days – and pay Cleo back when you reach it. It won't affect your credit score, but Cleo Plus is $5.99 per month. The free option gives you access to Cleo's budgeting tool and digital wallet, plus a weekly quiz with chances to earn cash rewards but you can't get the salary advance.
- You can earn cash back rewards and enjoy salary advances up to $100 with Cleo Plus ($5.99 a month)
- Robust free version that helps you budget, automatically save and track your spending
- You can earn interest on your savings
5. B9
Apps like B9 aim to help unbanked customers and traditional banks' underserved audiences, which predatory lenders often target. B9's app offers zero-fee advances of up to 15 days, a B9 Visa® Card with up to 4% cashback, FDIC insured, and money transfer services— providing excellent flexibility to people navigating the day-to-day demands.
B9 is a top contender for one of the best cash advance apps since you can get 100% of your paycheck with the B9 Premium plan which has a $19.99 monthly fee. The Basic plan allows instant cash advances up to $300 with no fees.
6. MoneyLion
MoneyLion is banking that gives you more, a lot more so you can get paid today. You can get spotted $250 at any time with no interest with Instacash. This gets you 0% APR cash advances up to $250 to help you cover essentials and surprises, just apply here and link your checking account (no monthly fee). Plus, you can get your paycheck up to two days early with RoarMoney – plus easy ways to borrow, save, invest, and earn. All in one app.
- The maximum advance is $250
- No interest. No monthly fee. No credit check
- Link your checking account to qualify for 0% APR cash advances
7. Current
Current is the future of mobile banking. This bank account has a bunch of compelling features where you can get spotted $200 at any time, get paid up to 2 days faster, and all with no minimum balance or hidden fees. Its Overdrive feature is similar to Chime's SpotMe — where qualified members get fee-free overdraft up to $200. Current doesn't run a credit check when you open an account, so you don't have to worry about your credit history or FICO scores being impacted.
- Get Paid Up to 2 Days Faster
- Fee-Free Overdraft up to $200 with Overdrive
- 40,000 fee-free Allpoint ATMs in the U.S.
- No minimum balance or hidden fees
8. Chime SpotMe
Traditional banks took $11 Billion in overdraft fees in 2019. At Chime, they do things differently. Instead of charging you an overdraft fee, they allow you to overdraft up to $200* with no fees. So if you need to pay for something but don't have any money, you can still buy it with Chime SpotMe covering you. There are a ton of apps that work with Chime so it's a flexible option for any consumer.
- Qualify for up to $200 overdraft without paying any fees with SpotMe*
- No monthly fees and no minimum opening balance
- Get paid up to 2 days early with direct deposit*
9. Earnin
With Earnin, you get paid today and can access up to $100 per day from the pay you've already earned, without hidden fees or interest. With Earnin there are no mandatory monthly fees or interest. You choose what you want to pay to support the service. This is a radical change from the way the American financial system typically functions by using apps like Earnin.
- Access to your hard-earned cash right when you need it
- No hidden fees, no penalties, no waiting
- Get up to $500 of your paycheck per pay period
10. Branch
Apps like Branch offer a mobile digital wallet for working Americans. An on-demand hub that helps them meet their everyday financial needs, this get paid today app allows any employee to receive a payroll advance (up to $500 in earned wages per paycheck), manage their cash flow, and spend anywhere – all from their smartphone.
11. Dave
Apps like Dave pride themselves on being banking for humans. Meet the banking app that puts your financial mind at ease. Get paid up to two days early, build your credit history and get up to $500 advances without paying a fee. 7 million members and counting consider Dave one of the top reliable cash advance apps.
- Dave is an app that provides an advance of up to $500 on your next paycheck
- Only required fee is a monthly $1 subscription fee
- An optional express fee from $1.99 to $13.99 to receive funds within an hour (instead of the standard two to three days)
12. Klover
Klover can give you some extra cash before payday. Just have at least three consistent direct deposits within the past two months with no gaps in pay with the same employer; once you meet those requirements feel free to apply and request a boost of a $200 cash advance.
Apps like Klover offer small cash advances without any obligatory fees; however, the funding process may take longer compared to certain competitors, and the optional express fees associated with expedited service are relatively high.
- Klover is an app that provides an advance of up to $200 on your next paycheck
- No mandatory fees
- An optional express fee from $2.99 to $20.78 to receive funds faster
Cash Advance FAQs
When you're facing an unexpected expense your bank account can't handle, one way to come up with extra cash is by getting a cash advance or using payday loans. Here are frequently asked questions about these two ways to get quick cash and borrow money:
There are payday apps like Empower that can help you get your paycheck early so you get paid today. When you need cash to make it to payday, these apps can be a huge help. All these payday apps are listed in this article.
There are websites where you can get paid instantly by completing online activities. You essentially get paid to do something on sites like Swagbucks or InboxDollars.
There are a few apps that will you free money, which we've listed in this article.
Yes, you may borrow money for a short time using one of these cash advance applications. They're available to download and use from your smartphone, so the cash can be distributed quickly and from anywhere.
You should submit your application for a cash advance using the chosen app. To receive the cash you want, provide your personal and banking details.
A checking account must be linked to the app of your choice for every borrower. Otherwise, the borrow money app won't be able to deposit money for you to meet your demands.
You may pick the applications that allow you to borrow money from your future salary. This way, before the next payday, you will get the funds you have already earned and return them automatically once your wages are paid into your account.
External resources, so you don’t have to do the research:
1) Have you lost your job? You can file for unemployment. Apps like Brigit also have automatic advance extensions for any user who has filed for unemployment. No questions asked.
2) Need some government help? Smarts is tracking everything to do with the government's two trillion dollar stimulus package. Are you eligible? How much will you get and do you need to file? It’s all here.
3) 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).
4) Worried about bills? Here is an article from our team on ways to save money on groceries. Credit card companies and some banks are also delaying payments, waiving fees, and removing interest charges. Read about it here. You can get out ahead of these problems.
5) 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.
5 Ways to Level Up Your Finances
Once you built some cushion in your bank account — you're on the right path. Cash advance apps can only get you so far, it's time to think about longer-term financial goals. What’s the next step you should take? Here are ways to take your finances to the next level:
Leave Your Family $1M
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While we don't all have trust funds waiting for us, there is still a way to provide protection for your loved ones with up to $1 million in term life insurance.
Wouldn’t it be great if you could do this for as little as $8 a month without dealing with all the hassle of wasting your time or money?
You don't have to have money in your pockets to get a free quote from the best life insurance companies:
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- Term life insurance, disability insurance
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Get Paid to Save (We're Serious)
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Having money in the bank for emergencies can help you improve your financial standing. You'll want three to six months' worth of expenses in your emergency fund. Be sure to stash your money in the right savings account that'll grow your money.
This is another way to invest your 1,000 dollars. It’s much more profitable than the normal savings account. Your money can sit in there and accrue some interest until you are ready to invest in bigger and more profitable ventures.
Most experts recommend Axos Bank’s High Yield Savings, where you can earn a very impressive 0.61% annual percentage yield which is an APY that’s 6X the national average. Comes with zero monthly maintenance fees and zero minimum balance requirements.
- Extensive ATM network
- Few fees
- Very competitive APY on balances of less than $25,000
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- Requires a $250 minimum deposit to open
- Other banks and credit unions may offer higher APY
Evaluate Your Checking Account
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As an eco-friendly financial company, Aspiration puts your savings to work as more than just rainy day money. In fact, you can choose to “plant a climate change-fighting tree with every purchase you make” if you open an Aspiration account.
There are two different types of savings accounts at Aspiration: Basic and Plus. The basic savings account allows you to pay what is fair, which can be $0 per month if you choose. You will earn 3% APY on the first $10,000 you save, but the real savings begin with the Plus account which offers a 5% interest savings account.
This bank account is legit and only takes two minutes to sign up for an account.
There's a good chance your bank is using your money to fund oil projects that destroy the climate. Put your money where your values are. Join Aspiration today.
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While you're at it, why not increase your net worth with a free stock?
Robinhood is a free investing app for your phone. I really mean free all around – free to join and they don’t charge any fees to buy or sell the stock.
Better yet, if you join through this link you can get a free stock like Apple, Ford, or Sprint when you join (must complete signup).
The value of the free share may be anywhere between $2.50 and $200 and fluctuates based on market movements. You’ve got nothing to lose.
Robinhood is a free-trading app that allows you to trade stocks, crypto, and more without paying commissions. Plus, they'll give you a free stock worth between $5 and $200 for joining.
Start Building Passive Income
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Arrived is a great real estate investing platform to use if you want a low minimum investment threshold for real estate investing. You can get started with as little as $100!
It’s an especially useful tool to use if you want to diversify your portfolio and have someone else handle all the work that comes with being a landlord. All you really need to do is sign up, and collect your rental income each quarter.
The management fee is a modest 1% asset management fee, but it's worth it considering how easy it is to get started. You can sign up for free and view the different properties available to invest in. Buy shares of properties, earn rental income and appreciation — let Arrived take care of the rest.
Then you can literally beat the stock market year after year and start making money in your sleep. If you want to earn the big bucks then you can learn how to get started by getting more information from Arrived here.
Arrived Homes lets you invest in residential real estate and vacation rentals with only $100. It's an excellent option for anyone looking to earn passive income with rental units. And the platform is available to non-accredited investors.
Borrow Responsibly when Using Cash Advance Apps
If you're like most people, any new financial need or demand makes you irritated and tense. Most cash advance apps can help you meet your immediate demands without delay or having to seek secured 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 getting a cash advance 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!
