9 Apps Like MoneyLion 

MoneyLion is one of the most popular finance apps for securing cash advances. You can access extra funds on short notice, which can then be repaid by the time your next paycheck arrives. MoneyLion has also expanded its product menu beyond just being a cash advance app, and now offers services such as credit cards, personal loans, managed investing, cryptocurrency, and credit-building.

But it’s not the only cash advance app out there. And some of its competitors offer similar additional services. Here are some other apps like MoneyLion that may better suit your financial needs.

	Best for	Advance Amount
	Fast funding	$50 to $250	Learn more
	Budgeting	up to $500	Learn more
	Larger advances	up to $750	Learn more
	Building credit	$200	Learn more
	Paycheck integration	up to net pay	Learn more
	Goal Setting	$200	Learn more
	Additional Services	$250	Learn more
	Repayment Options	up to $1,000	Learn more
	Saving	$500	Learn more

Brigit

Best For: Fast funding

Cash Advance Limit: $50 to $250 | Interest: None | Time Frame for Funds: 20 mins for a fee, otherwise 1 day

Brigit offers its Instant Cash advance. To qualify, you must have at least three recurring deposits from the same employer or deposit source. The advance is generally repaid on your next payday, though you can set other dates as well.

The cash advance limit starts at $50 but can eventually be increased to $250. There are no penalties or late fees if you are unable to repay by the repayment date. You must participate in one of the two premium plans offered to take advantage of Instant Cash.

Funds are delivered on the same day if initiated before 10:00 AM (Eastern time) on a business day. If the request is initiated after 10:00 AM or on Saturdays or Sundays, delivery will occur the next day. However, for a small fee, you can take advantage of Express Delivery and have your funds within 20 minutes.

Brigit also offers a credit-builder program as well as their Earn & Save plan, which helps you find side gigs to earn more money, as well as to reduce expenses.

How Brigit is an app like MoneyLion:

• Cash advances with no fees or interest
• Credit-builder program

Read our full review of Brigit here.

Best for Budgeting: Dave

Best For: Budgeting

Cash Advance Limit: $500 | Interest: None | Time Frame for Funds: 5 mins for a fee, otherwise 3 days

Dave is a mobile banking app that provides a spending account, access to side hustles, and a goals account to help you track your savings progress. Through their ExtraCash account, they offer cash advances of up to $500 in five minutes or less, with no interest or monthly fees. There is no credit check and no fees — including no late fees — with the account.

The cash advance is offered between paychecks and must be repaid on your next payday. Funds from the advance can be used for just about any purpose.

Dave charges a $1 subscription fee and also allows users to leave an optional tip when taking an advance. Some of those tips will be allocated toward their Feeding America program, which has provided over 100 million meals so far.

A free transfer takes three business days to arrive in your account. For a 3% fee, with a minimum of $3, you can have the funds in a few minutes on your Dave debit card. If you want it on an external debit card, the fee is 5% with a $5 minimum, and the funds should arrive within the hour.

How Dave is an app like MoneyLion:

• Cash advances with no credit check, no fees, and no interest
• Mobile banking functions

Best for Larger Advances: Earnin

Best For: Larger advances

Cash Advance Limit: up to $750 per pay period | Interest: None | Time Frame for Funds: 5 mins for a fee, otherwise 1-2 days

Earnin offers its Cash Out cash advance program. You can get $100 per day, and a total of $750 per pay period for each advance. Not only are there no interest or fees, but Earnin also doesn’t require a credit check. To qualify, you must earn at least $320 each pay period. Like Dave, you can leave an optional tip for each advance you take.

Advances normally take one to three business days to reach your account. There is no fee for standard transfers, but you can have funds deposited into your linked bank account instantly by taking advantage of the Lightning Speed feature. There is a fee of $3.99 to $4.99 for this service, depending on the amount. However, transfers over $100 are only available for Earnin Card holders.

Earnin also offers free credit score monitoring. You can get instant access to your VantageScore 3.0 by Experian, and even receive fraud alerts.

How Earnin is an app like MoneyLion:

• Cash advances with no interest or fees and no credit check

Best for Credit Building: Chime

Best For: Credit building

Cash Advance Limit: $200 | Interest: None | Time Frame for Funds: 5 mins to the Chime debit card

Chime differs somewhat from MoneyLion in that it is primarily an online banking app. Since they require no credit check, it’s an excellent choice for those who are either looking to build credit or rebuild it after a rough patch.

Chime offers their SpotMe overdraft feature, providing you with up to $200 on debit card purchases. No overdraft fees apply. Your overdraft balance will be covered by your next account deposit. You can even have your credit limit increased through “Boosts” from other Chime members.

Like some of the other apps on this list, Chime works with optional tips, which you can make after repaying the negative balance in your account. You can qualify for the SpotMe feature if you receive $200 or more in qualifying direct deposits over the preceding 34 days, and have activated your Chime debit card.

Chime also provides a credit-builder plan and high-yield savings account.

How Chime is an app like MoneyLion:

• Cash advances with no interest or fees and no credit check

Read our full review of the Chime Checking Account here.

ONE@Work (formerly Even)

Best For: Paycheck integration

Cash Advance Limit: up to net pay | Interest: None | Time Frame for Funds: Instantly for a fee, otherwise 1 day

Known for a long time as Even, this app is now ONE@Work. It partners with major employers, like Walmart, to provide tools to help you to manage your pay better. In fact, to take advantage of the service you must be employed by a company that offers the service as an employee benefit. And since it is a benefit, it’s free to use.

ONE@Work offers cash advances through its Instapay service. The amount of cash advances is based on your net pay, not on any predetermined flat amount. However, most employers will limit how much of your net pay can be advanced, which is usually no more than 50%. Cash advances are typically dispersed within one business day, and delivery options are free.

ONE@Work also enables you to save a percentage of your pay automatically, provides budget assistance when you connect your bank account, and enables you to track and project your earnings each pay period. The service is used by more than 800,000 employees nationwide.

How ONE@Work is an app like MoneyLion:

• Cash advance with no fees or interest

Klover

Best For: Goal setting

Cash Advance Limit: $200 | Interest: None | Time Frame for Funds: Instantly for a fee, otherwise 3 days

If there’s a significant difference between Klover and any other financial apps in this guide, it’s that they offer cash advances with no specific name. They simply refer to them as Klover advances. And unlike other apps that charge no fees but request optional tips, Klover admits they make money off the ads they display to you on the app. 

You’ll be eligible for a cash advance after you have had three consistent direct deposits from your employer. Standard deliveries are free and can take up to three business days. But you can also request an immediate debit with a fee of between $1.49 and $20.78.

Klover also offers the ability to earn points for taking surveys and watching ads, which can be cashed out for a bigger advance. They also offer a budgeting capability, to help you create spending and savings goals. You can also opt in to track your credit score.

How Klover is an app like MoneyLion:

• Cash advance with no fees or interest

Albert

Best For: Additional services

Cash Advance Limit: $250 | Interest: None | Time Frame for Funds: Instantly

Albert may come the closest to matching MoneyLion in the range of services it offers. That’s because you can bank, save, and invest on the same app. Rather than offering a cash advance provision, they provide up to $250 in overdraft protection. There is no interest, but a monthly fee (as listed above) is charged for being part of the Albert Cash program.

As a member of Albert Cash, you’ll have access to banking services, which will include a cash back debit card with access to more than 55,000 fee-free ATMs nationwide, as well as a savings account, complete with FDIC insurance of up to $250,000. There are no account minimums required, and no transfer or ATM fees.

Albert also offers access to financial professionals, budgeting capabilities, and credit score monitoring. You can also invest through Genius, starting with just $1. You’ll be provided with a custom portfolio composed of hundreds of stocks and ETFs, with an auto-invest feature to enable you to accumulate funds steadily and quietly. If you like, you can even choose your own investments.

How Albert is an app like MoneyLion:

• Overdraft of up to $250 with no fees or interest
• Provides an investment service, complete with portfolio design and a savings accumulation capability

Read our full review of Albert here.

Empower

Best For: Repayment options

Cash Advance Limit: $250 | Interest: None | Time Frame for Funds: Instantly for a fee, otherwise 2-5 days

Empower provides cash advances of between $10 and $250 through Empower Thrive. There is no interest or late fees, and no credit check is performed. Funds will arrive between 2 and 5 days, depending on your bank. You can have the funds immediately for a fee, which will be between $1 and $8.

The amount you can borrow is based on how much you are paid, in combination with an analysis of your recurring bills and your spending habits.

The funds can be used for just about any purpose. Empower charges $8 per month as part of the plan, which includes financial tools for budgeting, tracking spending, saving money, and monitoring your credit score — in addition to cash advances.

One of the benefits of an Empower Thrive cash advance is that you have a choice of repayment terms. You can choose repayment upon receipt of your next paycheck, through split payments, or even using manual payments.

Since Empower will report your payment history to the three major credit bureaus, you’ll also have an opportunity to build or improve your credit score as you take advantage of the advances.

How Empower is an app like MoneyLion:

• Cash advances with no interest, fees, or credit checks
• Banking services

Varo

Best For: Saving

Cash Advance Limit: $500 | Interest: None | Time Frame for Funds: Instantly

Varo offers cash advances through Varo Advance. You’ll start with small advances, usually $20, and work your way up to $500. When you take advantage of an advance it will appear in your bank account in a matter of seconds.

You’ll need a minimum of $800 in qualified direct deposits to qualify for an advance. However, you will need to open a Varo Bank Account or Savings Account to be eligible. Once you take an advance, you’ll have up to 30 days to repay.

Varo does not charge interest on cash advances, but they do have a fee of up to $40 depending on the amount borrowed.

Varo is an online banking app and also offers a high-yield savings account (paying up to 5.00% APY as of publishing on the first $5,000 deposited), with no fees and no minimum deposit requirement. They also offer a credit builder card to help you build or improve your credit score.

How Varo is an app like MoneyLion:

• Cash advances with no interest, but they do charge a fee for each advance
• Online banking and savings

Read our full review of Varo here.

What Are Cash Advances?

A cash advance is a small, short-term loan, typically around $200 to $500 that does not require a loan process or credit check (typically). Unlike personal loans or credit cards, which require an application process and credit check, cash advance apps like MoneyLion can grant you funds quickly regardless of your credit score.

While cash advances can also be made with a credit card, this isn’t a good option. When borrowing physical cash from a credit card, you’ll pay a transaction fee and hefty interest rates — typically much higher than your usual APR.

You’ve likely also heard about payday loans, which are fast loans that also don’t require a credit check. They typically have repayment terms of two weeks, hence the name “payday loan.” But they often come with predatory interest rates and should be avoided at all costs.

If you need money fast, you’re much better off with apps like MoneyLion instead.

How Does a Cash Advance App Work?

To use a cash advance app, you’ll need to first supply some basic information within the app, such as your employment status and bank account — the app will connect to your account for easy direct deposit and repayment.

While the process will assess your creditworthiness (for example, if you’re unemployed or have a bank balance of $0, you’re unlikely to have the funds to repay), these apps typically don’t require a hard credit check. The approval process is usually quite quick, and you don’t need to worry about getting a tick against your credit score like you would when applying for a bank loan or credit card.

Once your account is approved and set up, you can request funds. These will be directly deposited into your checking account within a few days, hours, or even minutes. Depending on the terms of your cash advance app, your repayments will be pulled out of your checking account on the due date, which typically coincides with your next paycheck.

Pros and Cons of Cash Advance Apps

Cash advance apps can feel like a lifeline when you need access to a small amount of cash fast. But they’re not perfect, and you shouldn’t rely on them to regularly spend beyond your means ahead of payday — that’s a recipe for creating bad financial habits.

If you’re considering using cash advance apps like MoneyLion, you’ll want to weigh the pros and cons of them before accessing funds.

Pros

• Quick cash: Cash advance apps are great for getting money quickly and efficiently. Many apps offer same-day funding — some even within a few minutes.
• No interest: While credit cards and loans can have high interest rates, this isn’t the case with the cash advance apps like MoneyLion noted above.
• Additional services: Many cash advance apps also include features like loans, savings accounts, and budgeting tools, giving you more value beyond just borrowing money.

Cons

• Fees: While most of the apps on this list don’t charge monthly fees, some do. Check whether you’re getting enough value out of the app beyond just cash advances to decide if it’s worth the fee.
• Small borrowing amounts: If you need more than a few hundred dollars, you’re unlikely to access it through a cash advance app. This means you’ll likely have to turn to a credit card or personal loan for a large purchase, both of which may charge high interest.
• Potential debt cycle: While we all need to access credit and loans at some point, you don’t want to make a habit of dipping into funds you don’t have. Cash advances can be easy, which may create bad habits.

What to Look for in Cash Advance Apps Like MoneyLion

As you’re comparing cash advance apps like MoneyLion, you’ll want to consider the following factors.

• Bank affiliations: Before anything else, you’ll want to check that the app actually works with your bank account so that you can connect for direct deposit. Or if you are ready to move your checking account to the app’s bank.
• Rates and fees: Do they charge a monthly fee or interest on the amount you borrow? Be sure to check for any hidden fees.
• Funding time: How quickly can you access your cash advance and is there a fee for faster funding?
• Repayment terms: How does the repayment process work and do you have any options on how and when to repay?
• Overdraft policy. Some apps won’t pull payment from your account if there are insufficient funds. Make sure you won’t get dinged with any overdraft fees.
• Ease of use: Since these are all mobile apps, they should be intuitive to use and easy to access.
• Additional features: Do they offer services beyond cash advances, such as credit-building and budgeting tools?
• Customer service: Check out some online reviews to see what other people think of the app itself and the support it offers.

How These Apps Compare to MoneyLion

Compared to the apps listed above, MoneyLion stands out for offering the highest cash advance limit — while it’s typically $500, it can be increased to up to $1,000. There’s also no interest, no monthly fee, and no credit check.

The standard delivery time for getting your funds is longer than some of the apps we’ve mentioned, at up to five days. Although you can reduce this to one or two days if you open a RoarMoney account, or you can get it within minutes for a fee (fee amounts are based on the amount you’ve requested).

Where MoneyLion stands out the most is with its Credit Builder Plus program. If you have poor credit or no credit, you can participate in this plan, with no credit check. You’ll be provided with a loan of up to $1,000 that will help you establish a 12-month payment history with all three major credit bureaus. Once you pay off your loan, the funds in the account will be all yours.

However, as several of the other cash advance apps we’ve listed also offer credit reporting and credit-building support, MoneyLion isn’t the only option on the market if that’s what you’re looking for.

Bottom Line

Financial apps like MoneyLion have only been around for a few years. Most started by offering only a single service, like providing cash advances. But many have expanded into offering other financial services. Because of this, not only can they help you secure some extra funds when you need them, but they can also help you build your financial future. 

They do this by providing diverse financial services, like credit and loans, spending and savings accounts, and even investments. If you’re new to the financial world, financial apps can help you along your journey.

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About Kevin Mercadante

Since 2009, Kevin Mercadante has been sharing his journey from a washed-up mortgage loan officer emerging from the Financial Meltdown as a contract/self-employed “slash worker” – accountant/blogger/freelance blog writer – on OutofYourRut.com. He offers career strategies, from dealing with under-employment to transitioning into self-employment, and provides “Alt-retirement strategies” for the vast majority who won’t retire to the beach as millionaires.

He also frequently discusses the big-picture trends that are putting the squeeze on the bottom 90%, offering workarounds and expense cutting tips to help readers carve out more money to save in their budgets – a.k.a., breaking the “savings barrier” and transitioning from debtor to saver.

Kevin has a B.S. in Accounting and Finance from Montclair State University.

Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank or financial institution. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.