Best Payday Loan Apps

Payday loan apps can let you borrow up to $750 without a credit check. And most of them are free. So what's the catch?

Get up to $500

• No interest, credit checks, or late fees
• No lengthy application process or waiting period
• Sign up in minutes

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Cash Advance up to $250

• Up to $250 cash advance from your next paycheck
• No interest
• No late fees
• No credit check

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Get up to $250 in minutes with Instant Cash

• No interest, late fees, or tipping
• No credit check
• Just $9.99/mo. Cancel anytime

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The middle of the week can be frustrating. You're so close to your payday you can almost taste it. But your rent is due today and your bills can't wait!

A quick solution: Payday loan apps. These are apps that can get you your earnings before your payday. Plus, there's no interest and no credit check needed.

Let's first talk about how a payday loan works. Then, keep reading to learn about the best apps and their features, loan amounts, and pros and cons.

How a Payday Loan Works

Payday loan apps get you up to $750 of your earned wage before your payday. They have no credit check, so you don't have to worry about your credit score. And you can repay it on your next payday with no interest!

You read that right. Payday loan apps charge ZERO INTEREST fees. It beats credit cards and lenders that charge from 15% to 35%^[1] on interest.

On top of zero interest, payday loan apps have hassle-free requirements. For most apps, they only ask for an active bank account and a consistent income.

10 Best Payday Loan Apps

Payday loan apps have different selling points. Some charge their services with a subscription fee from $1.00 to $9.99. But most apps are free.

Let's look into their different loan amounts, processing times, and features to see which payday loan app is best for you.

Dave: Best for small amount advances

CREDIT DAVE

Let's say you only need an extra $10 to fix a flat tire. Nothing crazy, just $10. Do payday advance apps let you borrow that little?

Dave lets you take an advance from less than $5.00 to $500.00. It works great for when you pop a tire or run an errand. But this small advance comes with a small catch.

Dave charges a small monthly subscription fee of $1.00.^[4] It is the lowest subscription fee from payday advance apps on this list. (Stay tuned to see which app charges the most!)

Here's what you can get with Dave:

• Advance Amount: Up to $500.00 per transaction
  
• Processing Time: 1-3 days; you can pay for express delivery and get your advance within seconds to your Dave Spending account and within an hour to external accounts.
  
• Repayment Date: On your next payday or the nearest Friday when you had the transaction with no late fee; there are also no late fees if you need more time to repay

Features

• ExtraCash
  ExtraCash offers a payday advance of below $5.00 to $500.00. There's no credit check, no interest, and no late fees.^[6]

  To qualify for Dave ExtraCash, you need 3 or more recurring deposits and a total deposit of $1,000 or more per month.^[7]

  To set up an external account, Dave checks your account's 60-day history and possible negative balance.

Get up to $500

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• No interest, credit checks, or late fees
• No lengthy application process or waiting period
• Sign up in minutes

Albert: Best for no late or overdraft fees

Similar to Chime, Albert can spot you up to $250 with no overdraft fees. You also don't need to worry about late fees or interests.

Within 2-3 days, you can access the cash in your bank account. But you can get your money faster for a fee.

Here are the terms:

• Loan Amount: Up to $250.00 cash advance; up to 3 times per pay period (as long as you've repaid your previous advance)
  
• Processing Time: 2-3 days
  
• Repayment Date: On your next paycheck

Features

• Albert Instant
  This can spot or get you up to $250 in cash advance with no credit check needed.

  To qualify for Albert Instant, you need:^[9]
  

  • A bank account that has been active for 2 or more months with no negative balance
    
  • At least 2 months of consistent income from the same employer
    
  • Your income deposited in your connected bank account
    
  • Your recent paycheck on time and be able to access it a day after your payday
  Is Albert a legit app?
  Yes. Albert's banking services are from Sutton Bank, which is a member of the FDIC. Savings accounts on Albert are in FDIC-insured banks.
  

• Albert Budgeting
  Track your spending and savings as well as get updates on hidden fees, bill increases, and overdrafts.

Cash Advance up to $250

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• Up to $250 cash advance from your next paycheck
• No interest
• No late fees
• No credit check

Brigit: Best for flexibility to choose repayment date

CREDIT hellobrigit

With no credit check needed, you can borrow up to $250 with Brigit. But their subscription fee costs $9.99.^[10]

It is the highest fee compared to other apps. Does it mean it's better? Well, that depends.

Brigit has a flexible repayment date with free repayment extensions. To improve your credit score, Brigit also has a credit builder. If that's what you need, then the fee could be worth it.

Here are the terms with Brigit:

• Loan Amount: Up to $250.00
  
• Processing Time: Brigit takes 1-3 business days but with instant delivery, you can get your loan within 20 minutes.^[11]
  
• Repayment Date: You can pay earlier or get an extension if you need more time. Brigit can also set an automatic repayment on your payday.

Features

• Instant cash
  You can get a payday loan of up to $250. It comes with no credit check, no interest, no late fees, and free repayment extensions.

  But to unlock instant cash advance, here are Brigit's requirements:^[12]
  

  • Checking account that has been active for at least 60 days
    
  • Balance greater than $0
    
  • 3 recurring deposits from the same source

• Credit Builder
  You can improve your credit history by applying for a loan and keeping it in a deposit account. As you pay off the loan, you build your credit score.

Get up to $250 in minutes with Instant Cash

Click Here to Learn More

• No interest, late fees, or tipping
• No credit check
• Just $9.99/mo. Cancel anytime

Chime: Best for overdraft protection

credit chime

Overdraft occurs when there are insufficient funds in your account to cover a transaction. Your bank pays for the expense but charges you an overdraft fee.

With a Chime Debit Card, however, you can get immediate spotting up to $200 without overdraft fees. They also won't be performing a credit check.

Here are the terms:

• Loan Amount: $20.00 to $200.00
  
• Processing Time: Immediately
  
• Repayment Date: Next deposit or payday

Features

• Chime SpotMe
  Get spotting up to $200 in overdraft from cash withdrawals or debit card purchases. There are no monthly fees or credit checks.^[14]

  Chime's only requirements are:
  

  • At least 18+ years in age
    
  • A deposit account connected to Chime
    
  • Activated Chime Visa Debit Card
    
  • A qualifying deposit of $200 and above, 34 days before you request an overdraft spotting.

• Chime Checking Account
  This lets you to access your earnings up to 2 days earlier than your payday.

It only gets better from here, as more apps on the list have a higher loan amount.

Earnin: Best for hourly wages loan

CREDIT earnin

You can take a cash out from Earnin of up to $750 per payment period. It is one of the highest loan amounts from payday loan apps. But this depends on your work hours.

Unlike Chime, Earnin works with your current bank account. So there's no hassle with opening a separate debit card.

They have no fees, interest, or hidden costs. Tips are also optional. When you are in a tight situation, you can trust Earnin cash out.

You can get:

• Loan Amount: Up to $100 per day and $750.00 per pay period
  
• Processing Time: 1 to 2 banking days; for a small Lightning Speed transfer fee, you can cash out within 1-30 minutes.
  
• Repayment Date: On or after your payday

Features

• Cash Out
  Cash Out is Earnin's cash advance feature. To release your earned wage, Earnin verifies your employment through a few requirements:
  
  • More than 50% of your direct deposit sent to a checking account
    
  • A regular pay schedule
    
  • A permanent work location, an electronic timekeeping system, or a PDF timesheet to track your hourly earnings

  Setting up your account will only take a few minutes and verification takes about 2-3 business days.^[15]

• Balance Shield
  This can give you access to a $100.00 advance when your account balance is low.

Want more features? Check out our next apps.

MoneyLion: Best for multiple features

No subscription fee, no problem. MoneyLion offers a free payday loan of up to $500 with no credit check required.

And if you're looking to make the most out of your money, they've got you covered. MoneyLion has plenty of features that can help you learn about building your credit and making investments such as crypto.

Generally, MoneyLion offers:

• Loan Amount: Up to $500
  
• Processing Time: Standard delivery takes about 12 to 48 hours. But with Turbo delivery, you can get your money within minutes.
  
• Repayment Date: Next payday

Features

• Instacash
  This lets you take a cash advance of up to $500 with no membership requirement. It doesn't require a credit check or a subscription.

  To get cash advance from MoneyLion, here is their criteria:^[17]
  

  • An active account for two or more months
    
  • A history of recurring income deposits in the account
    
  • A positive balance on the account
  What's the easiest app to get a cash advance?
  Albert and MoneyLion are easy apps to get a cash advance from. They don't need a subscription fee, no credit check, no insurance, and they don't require a high minimum account balance.
  

• Financial Heartbeat
  This monitors your credit health, savings, and spending for free.

Empower: Best for instant cash advance

Money comes and goes so fast. And sometimes, the standard processing time for your payday loan can't keep up. But Empower can.

Empower can send your loan within a minute up to 1 business day. It has a quick loan processing time which comes in handy for emergencies.

You can even get your money in an hour. Just pay for the instant delivery fee.

Here's an overview of what Empower offers:

• Loan Amount: Up to $250.00
  
• Processing Time:^[19] 1-minute instant delivery with an Empower card; for other paycheck accounts, there's a 1-day processing time
  
• Repayment Date: Next payday

Features

• Empower Cash Advance
  You can borrow up to $250 without the hassle of waiting for days. Receive your loan the same day without the interest, late fees, and credit checks.

  You can even access Empower Cash Advance without the subscription fee. Just email help@empower.me and say that you want to use cash advance without subscribing.

• Empower Card
  This is a debit card feature that has no overdraft fees. It gets your payday loan delivered within 1 minute for free. And to top it off, you can get up to 10% cashback deals.

  Keep in mind that there's a monthly subscription worth $8.00 for its banking and budgeting services.^[20] But unlike other apps on the list, Empower offers a 14-day free trial. It's a great way to test out one of the fastest payday loan apps in the market.

If you prefer getting your cash at Walmart, however, this next app's more suited for you.

PayActiv: Best for financial coaching

PayActiv gives you access to up to 50% of your earnings per pay period. For only $2.99 per transaction, you can receive it instantly through your debit card or Walmart Cash Pickup.

The app also has practical features. It can help you manage your spending, plan your finances, and improve your savings.

Here's what you can get with PayActiv:

• Loan Amount: Because it is an employer-sponsored program, your employer determines the maximum loan. They can set it to up to $500.^[21]
  
• Processing Time: ACH bank transfers take 1-3 business days with no extra charge. But you can receive it instantly through your debit or payroll card, or Walmart Cash Pickup for $2.99.^[22]
  
• Repayment Date: On your next paycheck

Features

• Earned Wage Access
  This lets you take up to 50% of your earnings. You can also use it to pay your bills using the app.

  Keep in mind that this is an employer-sponsored payday advance program. That means you can only use this feature if your employer uses PayActiv.

• Financial Counseling
  You can talk to a certified credit counselor with PayActiv. Learn how to build your credit, manage your debt, etc.

Sit tight, we're down to our last 2 apps.

Vola: Best for same-day cash advance

Vola is at the top when it comes to processing time (while Empower comes at a close second). It can process a cash advance of up to $300 within 5 business hours. And it comes at no extra cost.

Cash advances don't require a credit check. They also don't charge interests.

To help with your finances, they even have budgeting tools and income and expense tracking that you can use for free.

Here are the terms:

• Loan Amount: Cash advance of up to $300 twice within 30 days (as long as you've repaid your previous advance)
  
• Processing Time: Around 5 business hours.
  
• Repayment Date: Repay on your payday or choose a repayment date using the app^[23]

Features

• Advance Now
  Take a cash advance of up to $300 with no interest and no credit checks. As long as you connect your Vola to your bank account that:^[24]
  
  • Has been used for 3 months
    
  • Is active on most days of the week
    
  • Has a balance of $150+
    
  • Has incomes or deposits

• Vola Card
  This is a buy now and pay later option with no extra fees.

If you feel safer with employee-sponsored apps, here's another option for you.

FlexWage: Best for reloadable debit card

Like PayActiv, FlexWage is an employer-sponsored cash advance. It comes with a FlexWage debit card so there's no need for a checking account.

You can get instant access to your pay whenever you need it. And you can use it in stores that accept Visa or Mastercard.

Fees for using FlexWage depends on the employer, but it is guaranteed to be lower than overdraft and short-term loans.

For a quick overview, here's what to expect:

• Loan Amount: Determined by your employer
  
• Processing Time: Instant
  
• Repayment Date: Next payday

Features

• FlexWage Visa Pay Card
  This is a reloadable debit card that's loaded by your employer every payday.^[25]

• OnDemand Pay
  You can get your pay earlier in your FlexWage card.^[26]

Pros and Cons of Payday Loans

If you're still on the fence of whether to apply for payday loans, these pros and cons might help you out.

Pros:

• No credit check
  Payday loan apps are a good source of cash for those who have a bad credit score.

• Fast processing time
  It can take 1-3 days to receive your money. There are also express delivery options which are great for emergencies.

• Learn about money
  Some apps offer finance tools and resources. They can help you learn more about managing your money.

• Low fees
  Depending on your lender or bank, payday loan apps can offer lower fees.

Cons:

• Debt cycle
  Making a habit out of taking payday loans from apps is dangerous. It makes you depend on money you don't have yet. As much as possible, use it only when needed.

• Fees add up
  Low subscription fees and low express delivery fees add up to a high expense. But this expense is avoidable.

  If you can stretch your money a little more, it will be worth it. That way, you can save the money for the fees for emergencies.

• Loan amounts vary
  Ultimately, the amount you can borrow depends on your qualifications. For employer-sponsored apps, it will depend on your employer.

How can you be sure that the payday loan app is not a scam? Keep scrolling to find out.

How to tell if it's a scam

The payday loan apps in this article are legit and not scams. But you could be interested in other payday loan apps.

If so, here's what you can do to ensure the lenders are trustworthy:

1. Check their websites
   The apps in this list have clear websites where you can read all of their privacy policies and terms and conditions.

2. Check if they are FDIC-insured
   Legit finance companies are backed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). So check if their services are FDIC-insured.

3. Read the reviews
   There are plenty of reviews on payday loan apps you can read to see how safe these apps are.

Other ways to get a quick loan

Here are some other options for when you're cash strapped.

• Buy Now, Pay Later Apps
  Apps like Klarna and Affirm let you buy now and pay later. They let you pay in installments to spread out your big purchase.

• Personal Loans
  These are unsecured, short-term loans you can pay within 2-5 years. Compared to payday loan apps, lenders have a higher loan amount of $5,000 - $100,000.

• Ask a friend or family
  If you are lucky to have reliable friends and family, ask if you can borrow money from them. It could be tricky, but at least there's no interest fee.

But some of these are BAD alternatives you should avoid.

• Payday Loans
  These are loans with a high-interest rate of around 391%. This loan is paid in a lump sum and lenders secure the loan by gaining access to your bank account. In short: it's a trap.

• Credit Card Advances
  These are loans from your credit card you can take from an ATM. Credit card cash advance charges a fee and very high interest rates - often from the moment you take it out until it's paid off.

  You should only use a credit card advance as a last resort if you really need cash fast. And it's only suggested if you can pay it off right away.

How we came up with the list

In choosing what apps to add to the list, we looked for payday loan apps that were inexpensive. It was important that they were free or had low fees to make sure they were practical for our readers.

The article also includes what you would need to get a loan. We made sure that these payday loan apps would not need a bunch of paperwork that takes a lot of time.

We also considered finance tools. That way, these apps don't only give you access to a loan. They can also help you make better money moves.

Bottom Line

There are many payday loan apps that come in handy for a rainy day. You don't have wait for your payday to buy your groceries. And you don't have to worry about a bad credit score or interest.

Get up to $500

• No interest, credit checks, or late fees
• No lengthy application process or waiting period
• Sign up in minutes

Learn More

Cash Advance up to $250

• Up to $250 cash advance from your next paycheck
• No interest
• No late fees
• No credit check

Learn More

Get up to $250 in minutes with Instant Cash

• No interest, late fees, or tipping
• No credit check
• Just $9.99/mo. Cancel anytime

Learn More

Each app will have its pros and cons. While some apps come with subscription fees, others are free to use. Be sure to compute for the total cost of the loan before applying.

References