Finder makes money from featured partners, but editorial opinions are our own. Advertiser disclosure
Vola Finance

Vola Finance isn't available on Finder right now.

Max. Amount
$500
Turnaround time
Within 5 hours or instant to Vola card

Our verdict

This provider recently raised its advance limits, but it’s not transparent about membership fees.

Vola recently raised its advance limits from $300 to $500, making it a more competitive choice for customers seeking larger advances. Plus, it never charges for transfers, which is fairly unusual in this space. It also offers budgeting tools, overdraft alerts, spending analytics and other financial services. But it’s not transparent about subscription fees and has a longer-than-usual cooling-off period between advances.

Best for: People who want to borrow up to $500 between paychecks, with an option to extend the due date if needed.

Pros

  • Advances up to $500
  • Free fund transfers
  • Ability to change repayment date

Cons

  • Not transparent about subscription fees
  • Five-day cooling-off period between advances
  • No “instant” transfers without Vola card

In this guide

  • Our verdict
  • Your reviews
  • Ask a question

Is Vola legit?

Vola is a legitimate cash advance provider that’s been in business since 2017 and has partnerships with other legit organizations, such as Experian, Plaid and Patriot Bank. It has physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to protect personal information and encourages customers to use SSH and SCP programs to further safeguard their data.

What makes Vola shine?

We love that Vola doesn’t charge transfer fees — no matter how you choose to receive the funds. Funds typically arrive in your external bank account within five hours or less, or you can get them instantly to a Vola card.

It’s also convenient that Vola allows you to extend your payment date when needed. You can request extensions by email or through the mobile app as soon as 10 days before your existing due date.

Where Vola falls short

One of the biggest drawbacks of Vola is its membership structure and fees. First, it doesn’t reveal what its membership levels (or “tiers” as it calls them) are, what they offer and how much they cost. It only states that membership fees start at $1.99. However, third-party and customer reviews say fees could be as much as $29 a month, which is on the high side for these apps, some of which don’t charge subscription fees at all. Reviews also suggest that the more you want to borrow, the more you’ll pay per month.

Some users complain about the five-day cooling-off period between advances, which is longer than most apps. Some competitors will provide another advance as soon as you repay the last one. Vola claims the wait is because its payment provider takes up to five days to confirm the repayment, but it may lose customers due to that delay.

Vola cash advance app details

Product nameVola Advance
Loan amountUp to $500
Loan termUntil next payday, but can extend
Turnaround timeWithin 5 hours or instant to Vola card
CostsSubscriptions start at $1.99
RequirementsAt least 18 and legal US resident, active bank account that’s 3 months old, average balance of $150

Vola contact info

Phone number877-398-8652
Customer service hoursWeekdays: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET
Emailhello@volafinance.com
X, formerly Twitter@VolaFinance
FacebookVola

How to qualify for Vola cash advances

Here are the criteria needed to qualify for Vola advances, as stated on its website.

  • Be at least 18 and a legal US resident
  • Have a bank account that’s at least three months old
  • Have banking activity most days of the week
  • Carry an average bank balance of $150
  • Have proof of regular income/deposits

Other features

Aside from cash advances, Vola offers the following services and features:

  • Expense tracking
  • Budgeting tools
  • Credit building
  • Low balance alerts

Vola reviews and complaints

BBB accredited No
BBB rating B
BBB customer complaints 22 customer complaints
App Store Score 4.5 out of 5 stars, based on 22,800 customer reviews
Google Play Score 4.1 out of 5 stars, based on 4,520 customer reviews
Customer reviews verified as of 26 December 2024

Vola has a B rating on the Better Business Bureau (BBB) based on how it handles customer complaints. However, it’s not accredited and doesn’t currently have a star rating. Complaints on the BBB cite unresponsive customer service, difficulty canceling subscriptions and longer-than-expected transfer times.

It appears to have higher marks on both Google Play and the App Store, with more than four stars on each platform. Happy customers say the app is easy to use and customer service is helpful, although even positive reviewers mention small loan amounts at first and the five-day cooling-off period. Negative reviewers had complaints similar to those on the BBB, plus billing issues or inability to qualify for advances even after paying the membership fees.

What do people on Reddit say?

There isn’t a ton of talk about Vola on Reddit — there’s more general talk about a variety of cash advance apps. But one poster says the app is a little confusing when choosing a membership tier and being assigned a score that determines how much you can borrow.

Another person complained that Vola doesn’t have an instant option, but someone else pointed out you need a Vola card to get an instant advance. Otherwise, it can take a few hours to a day. One Redditor said if you email Vola to ask for an advance, you might be able to have the membership fee waived.

>Compare Vola to other apps

Product USFSL Finder Score Max. amount per pay period Turnaround time Costs
EarnIn logo
Finder score
Up to $150/day, with a max of $750 between paydays
1 to 3 business days or within minutes for a fee starting at $2.99 per transfer
Free to use or within minutes with a fee as low as $2.99 per transfer
Access up to $150 per day, with a max of $750 between paydays. Subject to EarnIn terms & conditions.
Chime logo
Finder score
Up to $500
Within 24 hours or instant for a fee
No subscription fees
Access up to $500 of your pay before payday fee-free within 24 hours. See Chime terms and conditions.
Current
Current logo
Finder score
$50 to $750
Get instant access to your paycheck in advance for a fee, or get it fee-free within 3 business days
N/A
Get up to $750 before payday, once you qualify. Paycheck Advance is an earned wage access service and is not a loan or credit product. Subject to Paycheck Advance Terms and Conditions.
Go to site
Cleo logo
Finder score
Up to $250
3 to 4 days or instant for a fee.
$5.99 monthly membership fee to access cash advances
Automatically monitor your spending plus access cash advances up to $100 at a time.
OppLoans logo
Finder score
$500 to $4,000
As soon as the same business day
160% - 179% APR
Not available in: CO, CT, GA, IA, MD, MA, NY, SD, VT, WA, WV. Comes with the option to change your due date so you won’t fall behind on repayments.
Varo logo
Finder score
Up to $500
Instant but charges a fee
No membership fee, instant transfer fee up to $40
Fast cash advances starting at just $20. Up to 30 days to pay back advance.
loading

What is the Finder Score?

The Finder Score crunches 3+ types of short-term loans across 65+ lenders. It takes into account the product's interest rate, fees and features, as well as the type of loan eg investor, variable, fixed rate - this gives you a simple score out of 10.

To provide a Score, we compare like-for-like loans. So if you're comparing the best short-term loans for all credit types, you can see how each short-term loan stacks up against other short-term loans with the same borrower type, rate type and repayment type.

Read the full Finder Score breakdown

Frequently asked questions

Does Vola require direct deposit?

No. Vola is one of the few apps that don’t require direct deposit to qualify for advances. You will need to demonstrate regular income or deposits, though.

What kind of bank accounts are supported by Vola?

Vola supports over 6,000 banks and credit unions, but you’ll have to download the app to find out if your bank can connect with this provider.

What is a Vola score?

The Vola score helps you to see how well you’re doing with your finances. You can improve your score by using the Vola app, avoiding NSF fees, raising your average bank account balance and repaying your advances on or before the due date. You’ll also become eligible for larger advance amounts and additional benefits as your score goes up.

Can I make partial payments or repay the advance early?

Yes, you can repay your advance at any time or make partial repayments before your due date. In the app, select Make payment on the active advance, then Custom Amount to choose how much you want to pay.

Your reviews

Not enough reviews Write a review

Ask a question

Ask a question
Avatar

Lacey Finder

Writer

Hi there, looking for more information? Ask us a question.

Error label

You are about to post a question on finder.com:

  • Do not enter personal information (eg. surname, phone number, bank details) as your question will be made public
  • finder.com is a financial comparison and information service, not a bank or product provider
  • We cannot provide you with personal advice or recommendations
  • Your answer might already be waiting – check previous questions below to see if yours has already been asked
Accept and continue

Finder only provides general advice and factual information, so consider your own circumstances, or seek advice before you decide to act on our content. By submitting a question, you're accepting our finder.com Terms of Use and Privacy and Cookies Policy.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Go to site