6 Earnin App Alternatives for 2024
Saturday, November 23, 2024
Several cash advance apps like EarnIn can be better at providing you early access to your paycheck. You still avoid high-interest payday loans and can enjoy several banking perks that make it easier to pay bills and save money.
Best For: Instant cash advances
Chime is an online financial technology company offering a free checking account and a savings account. Enjoy cash advances of up to $500 with its MyPay feature. This limit is lower than EarnIn’s $750 maximum.
Instant deposits only cost $2 per transaction, which can be lower than EarnIn. Free standard transfers process within 24 hours.
You can also enjoy several fee-free banking features, including:
The banking app lets you send money to friends for free, even if they don’t use Chime. Additionally, you have 24/7 live support access.
Unfortunately, Chime’s MyPay cash advances are inaccessible in CO, CT, GA, HI, ID, IL, MA, MD, ME, MN, MT, NC, NJ, NM, NV, OH, OR, SC, SD, VT, WA, WI, or WY.
Read our Chime checking review for more.
Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC. The Chime Visa® Debit Card is issued by The Bancorp Bank or Stride Bank pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. Please see back of your Card for its issuing bank.
^Early access to direct deposit funds depends on payer.
˜Out-of-network ATM withdrawal fees may apply except at MoneyPass ATMs in a 7-Eleven location, or any Allpoint or Visa Plus Alliance ATM.
*Eligibility requirements and overdraft limits apply.
Monevo is a marketplace where you can find a low-cost personal loan in just 60 seconds. Enter in how much you need (as little as $1,000 and as much as $100,000) along with your personal details and you’ll get an answer in just a few minutes.
Checking will NOT affect your credit score.
Best For: Earning checking rewards
Current Bank provides cash advances up to $500 without any monthly service fees, although you can leave an optional tip. Standard transfers take up to three days, which is on the slower side. Instant transfers are available and the fee depends on the advance amount.
This is a great banking app when you want a rewards checking account with budgeting tools for the whole family. For instance, you can earn rewards points on debit purchases at over 14,000 merchants redeemable for cash back. The app also removes gas station holds and has over 40,000 in-network ATMs.
Its teen banking access is notable too with customizable parental controls. Assigning chores, blocking merchants, and transferring money instantly is also possible.
Other banking perks include:
Read our Current Bank review for more.
Best For: High first-time cash advance limits
The Varo Money platform offers free online banking and up to $250 in first-time cash advances, which is substantially higher than the $25 to $100 limit for most. You can eventually qualify for up to $500 advances, which is the industry norm, but it remains lower than EarnIn for well-qualified earners.
Unfortunately, Varo cash advances incur a fee between $1.60 and $40. This service is pricey. Thankfully, the funds are immediately available. You also have as long as 30 days to repay the balance which can be longer than other cash advance apps.
Other reasons to consider this service include:
Read our Varo Money review for more.
Best For: Cash advance and line of credit funding
Empower offers a $300 maximum cash advance and an instant delivery fee applies to deposit the funds in a linked banking account. Thankfully, you can effortlessly waive this fee and receive your advance within minutes to your Empower debit card. Free standard transfers typically settle within 24 hours.
You may also be interested in the Empower Thrive line of credit, which initially ranges from $200 to $400 and gradually increases up to $1,000. Your flexible repayments help build a credit history to increase your credit score.
Since you encounter an $8 monthly subscription fee after the 14-day free trial, you will also want to take advantage of these other neobank money management features:
Best For: Building credit
Consider using Brigit if you want tools to help build credit, avoid bank fees, and get cash advances up to $250. Free Instant Cash standard transfers take two or three business days. Express Delivery advances arriving within 20 minutes are available with paid memberships, although you must upgrade to the top-tier Premium plan ($14.99/month) for complimentary free express delivery.
The free membership plan pairs as a budgeting app providing financial insights to improve how you earn and save money. Expedited cash advances are unavailable and you must wait for the standard 2–3-day delivery speed instead.
There are two paid plans with different personal finance features:
The credit builder feature lets you set aside as little as $1 per month into a 12-month credit builder loan that can boost your score by reporting on-time payments to each credit bureau.
Check out our Brigit review to learn more.
Best For: High-interest banking accounts
The Dave Banking app charges a $1 monthly fee for several perks, including up to $500 in paycheck advances. Standard deliveries are free but take up to three business days to arrive in your external bank account.
Express cash advances arrive within seconds to an FDIC-insured Dave Spending account with a 3% fee or to linked debit cards within an hour for a 5% fee.
You can also maximize your membership with the following perks:
Check out these other apps like Dave with multiple money tools.
Comparing these features to the best Earnin alternatives helps you find the best mixture of tools to improve your finances:
This platform is currently fee-free and doesn’t charge interest for any service. You can leave optional tips to help pay their operating expenses. Instant “Lightning Speed” deposits charge a small fee between $0.99 and $5.99.
Your initial cash advance limit is $100. However, this threshold can increase once you establish a consistent income history and complete a minimum number of monthly activities (i.e., debit card transactions, minimum deposit thresholds, etc.). Other platforms have similar policies that incrementally increase your advance limit.
Related: Best Credit Score Apps for Monitoring Your Credit
Cash advance apps like EarnIn verify your paycheck history to determine a reasonable advance limit you can quickly repay without late fees or interest. They don’t impact your credit history and won’t check your credit score to make a funding decision.
Below is a step-by-step glimpse at how to avoid high-interest payday loans:
Depending on the app, you pay a monthly membership fee or can leave an optional tip if it’s a free service.
Several excellent EarnIn alternatives exist, with paycheck advances as a core feature plus budgeting tools and fee-free banking accounts as common secondary perks. Chime is one of the most well-rounded alternatives as it has fast and affordable advances, interest-earning banking accounts, and no monthly fees.
Choosing the best EarnIn alternative is easier by utilizing these comparison factors:
There are many apps like Earnin that offer a variety of banking services. These services can make getting paid early, maximizing your purchases, and earning a high interest rate on your savings much easier. When comparing services, compare the borrowing and monthly service fees as you decide which platform best fits your money needs.
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