9 Best Loan Apps in June 2025

Financial emergencies happen. One unanticipated expense could deplete your extra cash and put future purchases like groceries and gas at risk. Cash advance apps help you survive those moments by lending you money in advance of your paycheck, often in lump sums of $500 or less. While convenient, even the best borrowing apps have strengths and weaknesses. Below, we analyze some of the top cash advance apps, discuss how they work, note pros and cons, and cover alternatives.

9 top cash advance apps

Tip: Credible offers free credit score monitoring and debt tracking tools with no monthly subscription requirement. 

Chime's MyPay

Best cash app overall if you live in one of the 33 states MyPay operates in.

• Advance amounts: $20 to $500
• Membership or per-advance fee: None
• Fee for instant advances: $2

Chime MyPay's strengths are that it offers up to $500 in cash advances, doesn't charge a monthly membership fee, and your advance arrives within 24 hours for free. Chime's weaknesses are its limited availability — you can't use it in 17 states — and that you need a Chime checking account to get advances. If Chime is available where you live, it may be the right instant-money app for you if you don't want to pay monthly membership or instant delivery fees, want access to your advance within a day, and need more than $250 per advance.

Albert's Instant Advance

Best for frequent cash app users with an Albert account who need multiple instant advances monthly and can repay quickly.

• Advance amounts: $25 to $250
• Membership or per-advance fee: $11.99 to $29.99 monthly membership fee
• Fee for instant advances: Free to Albert accounts or $5.99 to $19.99 to external accounts

Albert's strength is that it offers budgeting and savings features you can use to track your finances, a feature that could be a valuable tool if you're trying to strengthen your finances and move away from cash advances. Also, the app lets you request a seven-day repayment extension.

On the downside, the app has a short six-day repayment period, and its cash advance maximum is lower than many competitors. Albert could be a good fit if you plan on taking out multiple advances a month, can repay your advance quickly, and don't mind opening an Albert debit card account to get free instant advances.

Related: Personal Loan Term Length: What You Need To Know 

Brigit's Instant Cash

Best for frequent cash app users who would benefit from optional due-date extensions and Brigit's credit-building and protection tools.

• Advance amounts: $25 to $250
• Membership or per-advance fee: $8.99 or $14.99 monthly membership fee
• Fee for instant advances: Free for $14.99 subscribers or up to $3.99 for $8.99 subscribers

Brigit's best features are its due date extensions and credit-building, budgeting, and credit and identity protection tools included with membership. The app's drawbacks are that it's one of just a few instant-money apps requiring a monthly membership fee. Brigit might be the right fit for you if you need smaller cash advance amounts, want the protection of due-date extensions, and will use the app's available tools.

EarnIn's Cash Out

Best for users who need frequent access to relatively large cash advances and don't mind waiting one to two business days to avoid fees.

• Advance amounts: Up to $150 per day each pay period, up to $750 per pay period; limits increase to $1,000 per pay period if you have an EarnIn deposit account
• Membership or per-advance fee: No, but the app asks for tips
• Fee for instant advances: $2.99 to $5.99

EarnIn was the only instant-money app in our research that gives you daily access to cash advances. Plus, it offers relatively high advance amounts, if you're eligible. Additionally, it doesn't require a membership or per-advance fee. EarnIn Cash Out's main drawback is that you pay a fee for instant advances even if you send the money to an EarnIn banking account.

Empower's Cash Advance

Best for users who plan to send their advances to an external account and want fee-free next-day access.

• Advance amounts: $10 to $300 for first-time customers, $10 to $400 for all others
• Membership or per-advance fee: $8 monthly membership fee
• Fee for instant advances: Free to Empower debit cards or up to $8 or 3% (for advances of $300 or more) to external accounts

One of Empower's advantages is that free advances to external accounts typically arrive within one business day, which was one of the quickest among the cash advance apps in our research. The app's drawbacks are its $8 monthly membership fee and the fact that new users are limited to cash advances of $300 or less.

MoneyLion's Instacash

Best if you need to advance more than $500 and don't mind paying a fee for instant advances instead of a possible multi-day wait.

• Advance amounts: $25 to $500 without MoneyLion checking, $25 to $1,000 if you have a MoneyLion debit card account with recurring direct deposits
• Membership or per-advance fee: None, but the app asks for tips
• Fee for instant advances: $0.49 to $6.99 to MoneyLion accounts, $1.99 to $8.99 to external accounts

MoneyLion's main benefit is that it provides cash advances of up to $1,000, which was tied for the highest among the eight cash advance apps we analyzed. Additionally, the app doesn't charge a membership or per-advance fee. MoneyLion's biggest disadvantage is that it can take up to five business days for your money to arrive if you don't pay for an instant advance.

Possible Finance

Best if you need more than two weeks to pay the money back.

• Advance amounts: Up to $500
• Membership or per-advance fee: Per-advance fee of $10 to $25 for every $100 borrowed or a percentage of your advance, depending on your state
• Fee for instant advances: None

Possible Finance's payday loan alternative has two strengths: You can repay your cash advance in four installments over approximately eight weeks, and advances are typically available instantly (but can take up to five days). The downside is that the app charges very high fees for advances compared to other apps we researched.

If you don't need money instantly but want to pay back your advance in installments instead of all at once, Possible Finance could be a fit. However, it's not advisable for ongoing advances due to high fees.

Varo's Varo Advance

Best for existing Varo customers who don't frequently request advances but need more than two weeks to pay the money back.

• Advance amounts: $20 to $500 (new users limited to a max of $250)
• Membership or per-advance fee: 8% of your advance amount
• Fee for instant advances: None

Varo's top advantage is that you can receive your advance the same day without paying an extra fee. Additionally, Varo allows you to repay your advance within 30 days. But the app has drawbacks. Its per-advance fees can be as high as $40 for a $500 advance. New users are limited to a maximum of $250 per advance. And you have to have a Varo banking account that has received at least $800 in qualifying direct deposits in the current or previous month. If you're already a Varo banking customer, the Varo Advance could be a seamless way to access funds with a longer repayment period than most competing apps.

Dave's ExtraCash

Best if you have a Dave checking account.

• Advance amounts: $25 to $500
• Membership or per-advance fee: Up to a $5 monthly membership fee and per-advance fee that is the greater of 5% or $5 of your advance amount
• Fee for instant advances: Free to Dave checking accounts or 1.5% of the amount sent to an external account

One of Dave's top features is that it provides advances of up to $500, and instant advances are free if you send them to a Dave checking account. However, Dave's main drawbacks are that not all members qualify for ExtraCash, few members qualify for a $500 advance, and you have to pay both membership and per-advance fees. Dave might be a good fit if you only need cash advances once or twice a month, as the app's per-advance fee can become costly compared to other options if you need frequent advances.

How to compare money-borrowing apps

Comparing money-borrowing apps can help you find a platform with features that best meet your needs. For example, if you know you'll need a cash advance in a week, how quickly an app can send you your advance may not be important. However, if you need money today, you'll want apps that offer instant or same-day advances.

Here are four criteria you should use to compare cash-advance apps:

• Borrowing limits: The maximum amount of money you can borrow might change depending on the app you use. And, in some cases, your maximum amount will be limited at first and increase over time.
• Fees: Money-borrowing apps typically charge you a monthly or per-advance fee to get cash advances. If you're paid weekly and think you'll need at least a few advances per month, it makes sense to use an app with a monthly fee that's lower than what you'd pay in total for advance fees each month.
• Funding time: There's a wide range of funding times among cash advance apps. If you have a set plan for when you're taking out a cash advance, longer funding times may not be an issue. However, if you tend to use cash advances without any planning, apps offering same-day or affordable instant advances may make more sense.
• Borrower requirements: Just like borrowing limits, fees, and funding times, cash-advance apps have varying borrower requirements. These requirements typically focus on the frequency and/or amount of your paycheck direct deposits, which state you're in, and, in some cases, whether you've paid off an existing advance from the app. Also, some apps require you to open a deposit or debit card account with their service.

What are cash advance apps?

Cash advance apps are lending platforms that offer cash advances to borrowers who qualify. They can be a temporary solution for borrowers who need small amounts of cash from time to time. In general, the apps are not banks but fintech companies that partner with banks. For example, Albert partners with Sutton Bank. Cash advance apps usually don't offer advances of more than $500 at a time, and repayment is typically due on your next payday.

How do money-borrowing apps work?

The first step in using a money-borrowing app is to sign up — you'll typically need to link your bank account so the app can determine how much you're eligible to borrow. Most cash advance apps limit their advances to $500 or less, although there are some exceptions. MoneyLion allows advances of up to $1,000 for customers with a MoneyLion RoarMoney checking account. Other apps may limit your advances to, say, $250, but increase the limit over time if you prove to be a responsible borrower.

From there, your lender will approve or deny your cash request. If approved, the app will tell you how much cash you qualify to advance, what fees you'll pay, and when you need to repay the advance. If you accept the advance, you'll have to wait anywhere from a few minutes to a few days to receive your money. How fast you get the money typically depends on whether you send it to a bank account run by the app or an external account and/or whether you pay extra to expedite funds.

Pros and cons of loan apps

Pros

• No late fees: Generally speaking, cash advance apps don't charge late fees. Additionally, some apps let you extend your repayment date if you can't pay your advance by its due date.
• No credit checks: You usually don't have to pass a credit check to get cash from a money-borrowing app. As a result, it may be easier for some applicants to qualify compared to getting a credit card or personal loan.
• Some apps may be more affordable than payday loans: Cash apps can be better than payday loans when it comes to cost, but not always. To keep costs down, avoid tipping and paying extra for instant money, if possible. The Center for Responsible Lending found that APRs for cash advance apps were nearly as high as payday loans — 367% for an advance repaid in 7 to 14 days.

Cons

• Subscription costs: Several leading cash advance apps charge a monthly membership fee to use their services. If you only take out one or two advances per month, these fees may not be worth it.
• Fees for same-day advances to external accounts: Cash advance apps typically charge a fee to send your advance instantly to an external account. If you get cash advances frequently, these fees can add up.
• More expensive than personal loans: While advances from a cash advance app are easier to get than personal loans, they tend to be more expensive. For example, a 30-day $500 cash advance from an app that charges a $15 monthly fee plus a $5 fast cash fee is essentially charging you a 49% annual percentage rate (APR) to borrow the money. Most personal loan interest rates top out at 36% APR (even if you have bad credit).
• May be as expensive as a payday loan: Depending on the app you choose and whether you expedite the money, you could end up paying as much as you would for a payday loan in some states.

Check Out: Current Personal Loan Interest Rates

How to get funding through a cash advance app

Once you've downloaded the app and created an account, you'll typically follow these steps to get an advance:

1. Request a dollar amount through the app.
2. Receive an approval or denial.
3. Receive funding — either instantly (often for an extra fee) or within one to five days for free, depending on the app.
4. Pay back the loan with your next scheduled paycheck, direct deposit, via installments, or before a certain deadline. How you repay the advance depends on the app.
5. Apps usually allow you to take another advance once your previous advance is paid off.

Eligibility

Instant money apps have different rules for cash advance eligibility. For example, an app may require that you've received a certain amount of direct deposits into your bank account, a history of on-time cash advance payments, or a certain number of consecutive deposits.

Related: What Are the Requirements for a Personal Loan?

Funding time

Most cash advance apps have two options for funding: free and paid. The free option usually sends your cash at least a day after your request is approved, with some apps taking as long as five days. The paid option typically gives you access to the fastest funding times. For example, existing EarnIn customers can get their advance in 30 minutes or less by paying $3.99 for an advance of $100 or less or $5.99 for an advance of more than $100.

Related: How Long Does It Take To Get a Personal Loan

Alternatives to cash advance apps

While cash advances can be helpful if you're in a tight financial spot, they aren't meant to be something you continually rely on to cover your expenses, said Dr. Severine Bryan, founder of financial education and coaching company Sev Talks Money.

If you need to borrow money but don't want to use cash advance apps, you have several other options. Most require a credit check, but even with bad credit, you could be eligible.

Personal loans

Personal loans typically provide low-interest access to a wide variety of funding amounts and repayment terms. Their repayment periods are typically two to seven years. Their combination of low rates and extended repayment terms (compared to advances from money-borrowing apps) usually leads to manageable monthly payments.

Personal loans tend to be a better fit if you're looking to borrow at least $1,000. Several lenders offer loan amounts starting at $1,000, and loans of up to $50,000 are typically available.

Credit cards

Opening a credit card gives you access to a revolving line of credit you can borrow from up to your card's limit. Credit cards tend to work best when you pay your entire bill in full. Otherwise, any leftover balance accrues interest. The average credit card interest rate was 21.37%, according to the Federal Reserve, making credit cards a potentially less expensive way to borrow money than cash apps.

Compare: Personal Loan vs. Credit Card: Which Is Better

Payday loans

Payday loans should be used as a last resort, as their fees can equate to a 400% APR or more, depending on where you live. Because the fees are so high, payday loan borrowers often find themselves taking a new advance to pay back their old advance, which creates a cycle of debt, says Nia Adams, executive director at financial wellness consultancy Perspectives.