5 Cash Advance Apps Like EarnIn

Apps like EarnIn can provide you with small advances until your next paycheck when you’re short on cash. However, with so many apps available today, it can be difficult to choose one.

EarnIn is a particularly popular fintech company because of its higher cash advance limits. This cash advance app allows you to borrow up to $750 per pay period without mandatory monthly subscription fees or financing charges.

If you need a paycheck advance, this guide has our top five recommendations based on their features, fees, and borrowing limits.  

5 Apps Like EarnIn

If you’re looking for other apps like EarnIn that offer advances with minimal fees, consider these five best cash advance apps. We compared the top 12 apps based on factors like their features, membership prices, fees, borrowing limits, and processing time.

1. Dave

• Advance Limit: $500
• Monthly Fee: $1/month
• Processing Time: 2-3 business days. Instant processing for an extra fee of $0.99-$3.99
• Repayment: Next Payday

Dave’s cash advance feature allows you to borrow up to $500, which is lower than EarnIn’s $750 but higher than many other apps. Cash advances are available for a monthly membership of $1/month. You can also set up a direct deposit with a Dave checking account to get your paycheck early. There are no ATM fees, overdraft fees, or minimum balance fees.

If you’re trying to build credit, Dave partners with LevelCredit to report rent payments to credit bureaus. This service is available for free.  

Pros

• No minimum balance fees, overdraft  fees, or ATM fees
• Early access to paycheck direct deposits
• Very low monthly membership fee
• Rent reporting to credit bureaus for free

Cons

• Monthly membership required for cash advances
• Higher instant advance processing fees
• Card transfer fees of up to $13.99 may apply

2. MoneyLion

• Advance Limit: $500
• Monthly Fee: N/A
• Processing Time: 1-2 business days. Instant processing for an extra fee of $0.49-$8.99
• Repayment: Next Payday

MoneyLion cash advance app offers no-fee advances of up to $500 without a credit check if you meet eligibility requirements ($1,000 for customers paying a monthly membership fee). However, unlike EarnIn, which requires you to have an income of at least $320/pay period, there are no specific income requirements to access advances.

It also has a Credit Builder Program for a cost of $19.99/month. The program gives you access to a loan of up to $1,000 so you can make on-time payments and improve your credit score.

Pros

• Advances of up to $1,000 for some borrowers
• No mandatory fees or interest charges
• Offers credit-building products

Cons

• High monthly subscription fee for the Credit Builder Program
• Larger advances are only available to those who qualify
• Cash advances are disbursed only in $100 increments

3. Chime

• Advance Limit: $200
• Monthly Fee: No fee
• Processing Time: Immediately
• Repayment: Next Payday, 14-day extension available

While Chime doesn’t offer a typical cash advance, it offers overdraft protection of $20 to $200. The SpotMe feature also allows you to make purchases on your debit card without overdraft fees, even when you overdraw your account.

The SpotMe feature is available for free. However, you’ll need to have qualifying direct deposits of at least $200 over the last 34 days to be eligible.

Pros

• Up to $200 in overdraft protection
• No monthly membership fees
• Instant transfers of cash advances
• No credit checks 
• Offers many banking features
• Credit builder program

Cons

• Initial advance limits are low
• Only available for existing users with direct deposit
• You may have to pay third-party fees like ATM charges

4. Albert

• Advance Limit: $250
• Monthly Fee: N/A
• Processing Time: 2-3 business days. Instant processing with an extra fee
• Repayment: Next Payday

With the Albert cash advance app, you can borrow fee-free advances of up to $250 without any hassles. Another benefit is that you can borrow up to three advances per pay period if they don’t exceed the overall limit of $250, unlike EarnIn, which only allows one advance at a time.

New users will usually start with low advances, but you can borrow higher amounts once you’ve established a good repayment history.  While there are no mandatory membership fees or late fees, you’ll need to pay $96/year for the “Genius” membership, which offers the additional features that make this provider a standout in many areas.

Pros

• Fee-free advances of up to $250
• Genius membership offers added perks like cash-back on debit card purchases and fee-free ATM withdrawals
• No mandatory fees
• Early access to direct deposit funds

Cons

• Membership cost is quite steep ($12.49 to $14.99 a month)
• Income verification is required for qualification
• Only one advance at a time

5. Brigit

• Advance Limit: $250
• Monthly Fee: $9.99 to $14.99/month
• Processing Time: 1-3 business days. Processing within 20 minutes for an extra fee
• Repayment: Flexible repayment

The Brigit cash advance app offers access to small advances of up to $250 for a monthly membership fee.

While the membership cost is steep, you also get access to budgeting tools to track and analyze your spending habits. If you want to improve your credit profile, there’s also a credit builder loan without any interest charges.

Pros

• No-interest cash advances
• Interest-free credit builder loan
• No credit checks, late fees, or interest charges
• Identity theft protection of up to $1 million

Cons

• Access to banking information required
• Membership fees are higher than most others
• Monthly fees are mandatory for advances

Things To Consider When Comparing Apps Like EarnIn

Apps like EarnIn can be helpful when you need money quickly for emergencies. However, with so many apps available, it's even more important to compare them carefully. Here are a few key factors to consider when comparing cash advance apps.

Fees and Interest Rates

Apps like EarnIn are less expensive than payday loans, but they do cost money. Some apps may only offer advances to users with a paid monthly membership. While most apps don’t charge interest, there may be hidden fees like an express fee, late fee, or ATM charge.

If you’re not careful, you may end up paying a lot in fees for every $100 you borrow.  Add to that the very short borrowing period (typically 2-3 weeks at most), and the costs can get very expensive if you take advances frequently.  Carefully compare the costs of different apps to make sure you’re not borrowing money on unaffordable terms.

Repayment Options

The main drawback with cash advance apps like EarnIn is that you’ll have to repay the money you borrow when you get your next paycheck. The app will automatically withdraw the amount from your bank account.

If you’re not comfortable with this short repayment term, it's best to avoid cash advances. Depending on the app you choose, there may be an additional overdraft fee if you don’t have sufficient balance in your account on the repayment date.

User Reviews and Ratings

Be sure to check the app’s review on Trustpilot as well as on Android’s Google Play and Apple’s app stores. Read what existing users have to say about fees, experience, and customer service offered by the company.

Ask friends and family for recommendations, and be sure only to use a mobile app that is reputable and has high ratings.

Do Your Due Diligence When Comparing Apps Like EarnIn

When comparing apps like EarnIn, it's important to pay close attention to all the fees you may have to pay. App users are often not aware of lesser-known fees, such as fees for transferring funds to specific bank accounts or express fees for instant transfers.

Before you use an app like EarnIn, take stock of your financial situation and the loan amount you need. Compare other borrowing options available to you, such as a personal loan, credit card, or short-term loan. Use a loan calculator to estimate payments and total interest charges to find the most affordable loan option.