Lenme is a peer-to-peer (P2P) lending service that matches borrowers with lenders through its app. It offers loans up to $5,000 and having bad credit is no problem. While this sounds good on paper, the service is plagued with bugs and user complaints. It’s also not cheap to use, with some customers complaining about sky-high interest rates and high monthly fees.
Our 9 top cash advance alternatives to Lenme also cater to bad credit borrowers – but have a better track record with customers and you can likely get your funds faster.
Our 9 top picks for apps like Lenme
Here are 9 instant money apps that could work better for you than Lenme:
If you're looking to track your spending better and save more every month, Cleo has your back. Cleo's nifty AI assistant packs a plethora of features including a bill tracker, payment reminders, overdraft alerts and a spending tracker with an optional “roast mode” to improve your financial self-control.
In addition to these features, Cleo's paid version offers cash advances on its app with no minimum income requirement – which makes it good for freelancers. As long as you have consistent money coming in, you could qualify for cash advances starting at $20 to $70 and potentially increasing to $250 over time.
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 or more than $150 per day to an EarnIn card. Regular transfers are available in one to three business days or in minutes for a fee.
EarnIn is not a bank. Access limits are based on your earnings and risk factors. Available in select states. Terms and restrictions apply. Visit EarnIn.com for full details. Expedited transfers available for a fee. Visit Earnin.com for full details.
Pros
No credit check required
No interest or mandatory tipping
Free credit score tracking included
Cash Out more than $150 per day with an EarnIn card
Cons
Verification of employment earnings required
Same-day (Lightning) transfers attract a fee
Can only qualify with employment income
Not ideal for gig workers
Loan amount
Up to $150/day, with a max of $750 between paydays
Loan Term
1 to 4 weeks
Turnaround time
1 to 3 business days or within minutes for a fee starting at $2.99 per transfer
Loan amount
Up to $750
Turnaround time
1 to 3 business days or within minutes for a fee starting at $2.99 per transfer
Albert is a financial services and banking app that offers up to $250 cash advances between paychecks. Unlike Lenme, it doesn't charge interest on advances and there's no monthly fee. It also has tools for saving, budgeting and investing – and offers advice on these topics through its Genius service.
Genius is an AI- and human-supported service that lets you ask questions about credit cards, student loans, investing and more. Provide Genius with a few details and it can even create a custom investment portfolio for you. But Genius costs $16.99 to $16 a month, and you must sign up for a free 30-day trial if you want cash advances.
Available in all states
Pros
No set repayment date on cash advances
Paid membership not required for advances
No late fees or inactivity fees
Cons
Must sign up for a free trial of Genius
Instant transfer fees not listed
No phone support
Loan amount
$25 to $250
Loan Term
Within 6 days of overdraft, with possible 7-day extension
Brigit is cash advance app that lets eligible users borrow up to $250 per pay cycle. Unlike Lenme, it doesn't charge interest on advances, but you must pay a $8.99 to $14.99 monthly membership fee monthly fee for this service. But include in this fee are some add-ons, including a credit builder program, free overdraft protection and ability to extend your payment date.
To get a payment extension, you need to have at least two prior consecutive, on-time payments. And you can store up to three extensions at a time for use a later date. But as with most other cash apps, you'll pay extra for instant transfers to an external bank account.
Available in all states
Pros
$1 million in identity theft protection including in monthly fee
Monitors your bank account for low balances
Budgeting tools to help track your spending
Cons
Monthly subscription fee of $8.99 to $14.99 monthly membership fee
Not everyone will qualify for $250 advances
Some users report it's hard to cancel the service
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.
Cash App Borrow is a pilot feature inside of Cash App offering short-term loans up to $200 for a 5% financing fee. While Borrow isn't available to all Cash App users right now, Cash App states that selection for the program depends on your state of residence, your credit score, if you have a Cash Card and your Cash App usage.
Users online report getting access to the feature after uploading money to the app and sending payments. Others claimed they got access even though they don't get regular deposits from an employer. For this reason, Borrow could be a good option for people who get paid in cash, since most cash apps require that you have direct deposits to qualify for advances.
Dave is one of the cheapest options out there, charging a low monthly membership fee of Undisclosed and offering cash advances up to $500 per pay period. It also notifies you when you're about to run out of funds, helping you stay on top of regular expenses like rent and utilities.
With Dave, there are no tips or additional fees required to use it, and it has a free standard three-business-day turnaround. If you choose express delivery, you can have funds on your debit card within eight hours, but fees range from $1.99 to $13.99 depending on if you send funds to a Dave spending account or external account.
MoneyLion is free banking and cash advance app that offers up to $500 per pay period. Unlike Lenme and Brigit, you don't have to pay a monthly fee to get cash and you can potentially increase the amount of your advances to $1,000 by opening a RoarMoney bank account.
But if you need money same-day, its instant transfers are pricey and fees can add up quickly, depending on how much you need to borrow. But unlike Lenme, MoneyLion has other features, including an investment account, a crypto trading feature and credit builder program for Free (or $1 to $5 for RoarMoney account) a month.
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
Standard transfers are free
Can potentially borrow up to $1,000 per pay period
Automatic round-up feature with debit card
Cons
Standard transfers take three to five business days
Instant advances cost $1.99 to $8.99 per a set amount borrowed
Funds delivery to an external account takes 2 to 5 business days
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
Possible Finance is a lender that offers same-day, short-term loans up to $500 through the Possible app. But like Lenme, its loans can be pricey. Possible Finance charges a $10 or $15 financing fee for every $100 borrowed, depending on where you live. That's as expensive as a payday loan.
But unlike payday lenders, Possible Finance reports your repayments to two of the three major credit bureaus, which could help boost your credit score. But due to its high fees, it's best to limit the amount of loans you take out with Possible Finance. And some users report their credit scores decreasing after taking out too many loans.
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
Pros
No credit check required
More flexible loan repayment terms
Reports activity to the three major credit bureaus
Cons
APRs can reach up to 460%
A history of negative customer reviews
More costly than using a cash advance app
Loan amount
$50 - $500
APR
150% to 460%
Interest rate type
Fixed
Loan Term
2 to 8 weeks
Turnaround time
As fast as 1 business day
Loan amount
$50 - $500
APR
150% to 460%
Turnaround time
As fast as 1 business day
Alternative for users with no bank account: Branch
Branch is an employer-sponsored app with a free digital wallet that lets workers access up to 50% of their earned wages before payday. Unlike Lenme or other cash apps, you don't need a bank account to use it. Instead, just order a Branch card and funds are sent to the card after you request them. Or you can use a virtual debit card that comes with the Branch app.
With Branch, there are no monthly fees like other cash apps, and it doesn't cost money to transfer funds off your Branch card to an external bank account. However, as an employer-based app, your employer must be partnered with Branch in order for you to use the cash advance service.
Available in all states
Pros
No bank account required
Get up to 50% of wages already earned
No membership fee
Cons
Limited information on website
Must work for eligible employer
Loan amount
Up to 50% of paycheck, up to $1,000
Loan Term
Varies
Turnaround time
Within 3 business days, instant with delivery fee
Loan amount
Up to $1,000
Turnaround time
Within 3 business days, instant with delivery fee
How does Lenme compare?
Lenme is an expensive alternative compared to most cash apps. In addition to charging a monthly fee with no guarantee you’ll get a loan, you may also have to pay a high APR on the loan itself. And because Lenme doesn’t technically fund your loan, there’s no guarantee that you’ll get the funds you need in time.
If you do get funded, it can take up to five days for your loan to process and transfer into your bank account. While cash advance apps can also take up to a few days for regular funding, you can pay an extra fee and get your funds same-day to a debit card or external bank account.
One advantage with Lenme is that its borrowing amounts are much higher than a cash advance app. However, you may be better off applying for a personal loan instead of trying to use Lenme to get cash, especially if you have fair to good credit.
Pros
Borrow up to $5,000
Wide range of loan amounts
Extensions on payback period available
Cons
Overwhelmingly negative reviews on App Store and Google Play
Reports of extremely poor customer service
Limited information about cost
No guarantee of funding
More alternatives to payday and installment loans.
We haven’t included payday and installment loans as alternatives to Lenme here — as they’re often predatory and, like Lenme loans, may come with triple-digit interest rates that can hurt borrowers over the long run.
Did you know?
A typical $375 payday loan may attract $520 in fees due to repeat borrowing.
The average APR on a payday loan can reach a massive 650% in states with no protections against predatory short-term lenders.
Most payday loan borrowers stay in debt for nearly a year.
Cash advance apps usually don’t charge interest and are a more affordable option to high interest payday loans. Compare cash advance apps to find one that works for your job situation and budget.
How else can I get cash fast?
If you prefer not to use a cash advance app or don’t have regular direct deposits, consider these other options for accessing cash:
Alternative short-term lenders. While typically more expensive than a personal loan, providers like LendUp offer short-term loans for less than payday lenders, with a chance to build your credit.
Credit card cash advances. While fees can run high, credit card cash advances are a quick and convenient way to access cash at an ATM or bank counter. Compare the best credit cards of 2023.
Personal loans. If you need to borrow more than $500, personal loans are a better option than a cash app. Compare loans with Monevo to narrow down the best offers from multiple lenders based on your credit score.
Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) apps. BNPL apps let you purchase essential items you need today and pay them off later. Discover the best BNPL apps offering low fees and interest.
CDFI loans. Some local banks or credit unions are Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) that can offer small-dollar, short-term loans for a lower cost than payday lenders. They often have a longer turnaround, however.
Payday loans. While not cheap to use, payday lenders can get you cash as soon as the same day. APRs on these loans can run into the triple-digits, so it’s best to use this option for emergencies only.
Employer advances. If you need funds before payday, your employer may be willing to advance part of your paycheck.
Our payday loan alternatives guide offers even more low-cost options to Lenme for accessing funds to cover emergency expenses.
Kat Aoki was a personal finance writer at Finder, specializing in consumer and business lending. She’s written thousands of articles to help consumers make better decisions on their home loans, bank accounts, credit cards, cryptocurrency and more. Kat is well versed in working with leading brands in the real estate, mortgage and personal finance industries, and her expertise has been featured on Forbes Advisor, Lifewire and financial comparison sites like iSelect and realestate.com.au. She holds a BS in business administration from California State University, Sacramento and enjoys hiking and yoga in her spare time. See full bio
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