Cleo is a budgeting app that offers free personal financial management services and allows you to request cash advances ranging from $20 to $70 at first, then up to $250, if you establish a payment history to qualify. While you can request cash advances for free through Cleo’s customer service email, to make that request through the app, you have to subscribe to one of Cleo’s membership tiers, the lowest of which costs $5.99 monthly.
Cleo charges an express fee starting at $3.99 to fund the advance the same day. If you don’t want to pay that, you’ll have to wait three to four days for the money to hit your account. And to access credit builder tools through Cleo’s cash advance app, you’ll need to pay $14.99 monthly, which is higher than other apps.
If you’d rather find a cash advance app with lower membership fees or higher advances, consider our list of apps similar to Cleo to find what might work better for you.
EarnIn is a cash advance app that lets you borrow up to $750 of your earned wages before payday with its Cash Out feature. This borrowing limit is significantly higher than most cash advance apps, and unlike payday loans, there are no interest or financing fees to use Cash Outs.
To qualify for EarnIn Cash Outs, you need to be employed, have regular direct deposits and earn a minimum of $320 each pay period. You can transfer $150 a day to a linked bank account. Regular transfers are available in one to three business days or in minutes for a fee.
Albert is a newer banking app, offering cash advances up to $250. But what sets Albert apart is that qualifying users can take out multiple cash advances per pay period — provided they maintain a good repayment history. Plus, you won't pay any late fees, required tips, inactivity fees, interest charges or membership fees.
Albert's paid membership, Genius, costs $96 per year and gives you access to additional features, such as investing options. However, when you create an account with Albert, you're automatically enrolled in the Genius free trial, which you must cancel after 30 days if you don't want Albert to automatically charge you the $96 yearly fee. Most negative reviews for Albert revolve around the inconvenience of the free trial, so it's something to be aware of.
Available in all states
Pros
No membership required
Multiple advances per pay period
No late fees or interest charges
Most features accessible with free membership
Cons
$96 yearly Genius membership
Automatically enrolled in Genius free trial
Loan amount
$25 to $250
Loan Term
Within 6 days of overdraft, with possible 7-day extension
Brigit offers advances within 20 minutes of the request if you're enrolled in the membership, have a linked card and pay an extra fee. You can get up to $250 per pay period with no late fees and extend your due date up to three times. However, Brigit may only be worth it if you need advances often, since the paid membership costs $8.99 to $14.99 monthly membership fee per month.
Like Cleo, Brigit has additional features, like a credit-builder program and budgeting and monitoring tools. You can also sign up for overdraft protection. Additionally, Brigit has earned recognition from the BBB for having a 100% response rate but has a B rating with the BBB over the high volume of complaints filed against the business. It has also received poor reviews on Trustpilot.
Available in all states
Pros
Delivery as soon as 20 minutes
Competitive advance amount
No interest or late fees
Option to extend due date
Cons
$8.99 to $14.99 monthly membership fee monthly membership
Mixed customer reviews
Loan amount
$50 to $250
Loan Term
Until your next payday, but can extend
Turnaround time
2 to 3 business days or instant with a Premium subscription or for a fee.
Loan amount
$50 - $250
Turnaround time
2 to 3 business days or instant with a Premium subscription or for a fee.
Dave offers cash advances through its ExtraCash advance product, up to $500, with no interest charges or late fees. Dave does require a Undisclosed monthly membership to access ExtraCash, but it's still much more affordable than many other cash advance apps. And like other apps, tipping is optional.
Dave offers two delivery speeds. The instant speed can cost $1.99 to $11.99, depending on the size of your advance. The standard delivery comes with no extra fee but a turnaround time of two to three days. Dave also offers extra perks, such as a gig connection service and budgeting features.
MoneyLion doesn't require a monthly membership fee, and users may be eligible for advances up to $500. Several other paid membership options are available, such as RoarMoney for $1 per month, which may increase your max cash advance to $700 per pay period. MoneyLion's Credit Builder Plus program is more expensive than Cleo's, costing Free (or $1 to $5 for RoarMoney account) per month. But with that membership tier, you can get an advance as high as $1,000. Keep in mind that qualifying for the highest cash advance amounts can take a few weeks.
Available in: Alabama, Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Pros
Higher cash advances than Cleo
Paid membership not requiredMultiple financial services available
Cons
Costly $19.99 credit-builder membership
Benefits not entirely clear with all membership tiers
May take weeks to qualify for max cash advance
Loan amount
Up to $500 or $1,000 with RoarMoney account
Loan Term
Due by your next pay date
Turnaround time
Up to 5 days or instant for a fee of $0.49 to $8.99
Loan amount
$50 - $500
Turnaround time
Up to 5 days or instant for a fee of $0.49 to $8.99
Like Cleo, Possible Finance is a mobile app, but it offers short-term installment loans instead of cash advances. You can borrow up to $500 without a monthly membership fee, and Possible reports your activity to two of the three credit bureaus. So, there's a chance to build your credit with timely payments.
However, Possible is not cheap. It charges $15 to $20 per $100 borrowed, depending on your state, with rates reaching 460% APR in some cases. This rate makes it significantly more expensive than Cleo, even if you pay a fee for instant funding. However, the loan term can be much longer than a cash advance, with up to eight weeks to repay the loan. Most cash advance apps automatically deduct the repayment when your next paycheck clears.
Available in: Alabama, California, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington
B9 offers cash advances of up to 100% of your earnings, which is one of the largest advances offered by apps. To qualify, you must have a positive account balance and direct deposit set up, and when you're deemed eligible, it alerts you in the app that you have an available advance. B9 also accepts an ITIN instead of an SSN and offers customer support in English and Spanish.
While B9's advances don't have fees, it still isn't free — you'll have to enroll in a $9.99 or $19.99 monthly membership, one of the most expensive memberships compared to other apps. For people who don't need cash advances that often, the monthly membership fee may not be worth the cost. And there aren't many reviews for B9, so there's little insight into its customer experience.
Available in all states
Pros
Advance up to 100% of your paycheck
Instant delivery available
No SSN required
English and Spanish customer support
Cons
$9.99 or $19.99 monthly membership fee
Not many customer reviews
Loan amount
$30 to $500
Loan Term
Not Stated
Turnaround time
Instant
Loan amount
$30 - $500
Turnaround time
Instant
How does Cleo compare?
If you only need cash advances for small amounts and like using Cleo’s different budgeting tools, it may be worth paying the $5.99 monthly membership fee. But other apps may offer higher cash advances and lower fees than Cleo.
But compared to predatory payday loans — which charge extremely high interest rates and fees — Cleo is likely a cheaper option since it doesn’t charge any interest on balances owed.
Pros
No credit check required
No interest on cash advances
Tools to help you save money and build credit
Cons
$5.99 monthly membership fee
$3.99 express transfer fee
Three to four business days for regular transfers
Alternatives to cash advance apps for Cleo customers
Cash advances aren’t for everyone. You typically only get the money until your next payday, and most apps only offer small amounts of money — some as low as $20 — until you’ve used the app enough to earn more.
If those terms won’t help enough when you need emergency funds, consider the following alternatives:
Credit card advance. Most credit cards allow you to withdraw cash when you need it. You’ll probably be allowed to withdraw more than you can get through a cash advance app, though you’ll have to pay a transaction fee and a special interest rate. But not all credit cards treat advances the same. If you think you’ll use this feature more than once, you may want to consider a card like the PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card that offers a lower-than-average cash advance rate.
Local resources. Check local government programs at the city, county and state level that might help you cover monthly bills, such as your rent or utilities. This can also be a way to get out of a cash advance cycle if you find yourself needing help more months than not.
Credit counseling. If you find yourself in a cycle of constantly taking out cash advances to keep your bills paid, you may consider credit counseling. A counselor can help establish a budget to make sure your bills are paid and your spending is in line with your income.
These cash advance apps that work like Cleo aren’t your only means of getting a short-term loan when you need it. Compare other cash advance apps or payday loan alternatives before you make a final decision.
Heather Petty was a personal finance writer at Finder, specializing in home and personal loans. After falling victim to a disreputable mortgage broker when buying her first home, she’s on a mission to help readers avoid similar experiences when managing their own finances. A self-proclaimed word nerd, her writing and analysis has been featured on MSN, Credit.com and MediaFeed, among other top media. Heather previously worked as a technical writer and editor for the casino systems industry and is an internationally published young adult mystery author. She earned a BA in English with a minor in journalism from the University of Nevada, Reno. See full bio
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