Empower is a financial services company providing cash advances of up to $250 without credit checks or interest.
However, accessing these advances requires an $8 monthly fee. This fee includes standard bank transfers, which can take two to five days. For quicker access, instant transfers are available but come with an extra cost of $1 to $8, unless you hold an Empower Card.
While Empower is popular, it's not the only option for cash advances. There are similar apps like Empower that offer larger advance amounts, lower fees, and extra perks like free overdraft protection, potentially leading to more savings for you.
6 Best Apps like Empower
- Best overall: Dave
- Best payday membership: MoneyLion
- Best for gig workers: Cleo
- Best for saving on overdraft fees: Brigit
- Best overall: Chime
- Best all in one app: Albert
1. Dave: Best Overall
This friendly bear allows you to get up to $500 as an advance with no interest or credit check. With Dave, you can budget your upcoming expenses and be protected from bank fees for only $1/month. Dave can help you budget your personal expenses and avoid overdrafts with friendly announcements. Automatic payments for things like Netflix and insurance can make budgeting tricky, but he can help there too!
How Dave works:
- Instantly advance up to $500 from your next paycheck.
- No interest. No credit checks. Just pay your advance back on payday.
- Connect directly to your bank account to borrow money fast.
- Dave saves the average American an average of $500 a year.
Whether you’re hit by sudden expenses or need a little extra to make it to the next paycheck, Dave is here to help. Download Dave now for iOS or Android and to stay ahead of overdrafts and get a payday advance when you need it.
- Meet the banking app on a mission to build products that level the financial playing field
- Get paid up to 2 days early, earn cash back with Dave Rewards, and get up to $500 with ExtraCash™ without paying interest or late fees
- Join millions of members building a better financial future
Where to get it?
2. MoneyLion: Best Payday Membership
This payday loan app packs a big punch with a plethora of features that can help you. MoneyLion provides you with access to 0% APR cash advances, low-interest personal loans, helps track spending and savings.
The app also provides financial advice to help you improve and control your financial life. It is no surprise that the MoneyLion community has over 2,000,000 members.
How MoneyLion works:
- Download the MoneyLion app and enroll in free MoneyLion Core. Receive your new black debit card in approximately 7 days.
- Fund your MoneyLion Checking account with an instant transfer, and then use it everywhere you go with no fear of hidden fees, overdraft fees, or minimum balance fees!
- Add direct deposit of just $250 or more to your MoneyLion checking account to unlock instant 0% APR cash advances.
- Upgrade your membership to MoneyLion Plus to get any time access to a 5.99% APR credit-builder loan, $1 daily cashback, exclusive perks, and more.
Since this app has so many bells and whistles you can learn more in a comprehensive MoneyLion review that goes through each feature. MoneyLion is a wonderful choice for people who want to improve their financial situation, but cannot due to high-interest loan rates and many others. It helps them take control of their financial lives and improve their savings and can be downloaded for iOS or Android.
- The maximum advance is $250
- No interest. No monthly fee. No credit check
- Link your checking account to qualify for 0% APR cash advances
Where to get it?
3. Cleo App: Best for Gig Workers
Cleo is your AI pal that looks after your money. Budget, save and track your spending. It’s available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
After downloading the app and signing up for a free account — ask Cleo anything from ‘what’s my balance’ to ‘can I afford a coffee’, and she’ll do the calculations instantly. Drill down with personalized updates, graphs, and data-driven insights.
Let Cleo do the work, as she puts your spare change aside automatically, sets you a budget, and helps you stick to it.
If you upgrade to Cleo Plus, you can qualify for getting spotted up to $100* to stop you from going into overdraft. This money is given to you interest-free and without a credit check, so they are literally spotting you up to $250.
You can still get a cash advance as a gig worker as they don't check W2s or require proof of employment.
Keep in mind that cash advance is available to Cleo Plus ($5.99/month) and Cleo Builder users ($15.99/month).
- Borrow up to $250 instantly with no credit check or interest
- Personalized tips on how you can save more
- Get help creating and sticking to a budget
- Costs $5.99 per month for Cleo Plus
Where to get it?
*First timers can usually qualify for $20 to $70 to start with. Once you pay it back you'll unlock higher amounts up to $250.
4. Brigit Loan App: Best for Saving on Overdraft Fees
With the Brigit app, you can get up to $250 with no interest or credit check quickly. It's easy and fast relief when you need it and helps you avoid low balances.
If you have a low balance in your checking account, Brigit will see that your balance isn't enough for upcoming expenses and send you up to $250 to cover your expenses. You can save hundreds by avoiding overdraft fees with this app.
How Brigit works:
- No red tape. No hoops. Connect your bank account and that’s it!
- Brigit works with thousands of banks like Bank of America, Wells Fargo, TD Bank, Chase, Navy Federal Credit Union and 15,000+ more.
- Get paid up to $250 instantly.
This is best for those users who keep low balances in banking accounts and are prone to overdraft. You can learn more here.
- Tap to get an advance within seconds
- Get up to $250
- No credit check is required and no interest
- Pay it back without hidden fees or “tips"
Where to get it?
5. Chime: Best banking app
Chime is one of the best checking accounts we've reviewed and allows you to overdraw up to $200 on debit card purchases without charging a fee with SpotMe®.
If you set up a Chime account with direct deposit through them — you can get early access to your paycheck, up to 2 days earlier than some of your co-workers*.
Plus, they don't charge any overdraft fees, no foreign transaction fees, no minimum balance fees, or no monthly fees at all.
Top that off with 60,000+ fee-free ATMs at stores you love, like Walgreens, CVS, and 7-Eleven1.
This is the best app to get up to $200 spotted to you at any time. It's that simple.
- Experience fee-free overdraft up to $200* when you set up direct deposit with SpotMe.
- Let Chime spot you when you need that little extra cushion to cover an expense.
- Join the millions and make the switch today!
Where to get it?
6. Albert: Best All in One App
Albert can spot you up to $250 so you can make ends meet. No late fees, interest, credit check, or hidden hands in your pocket. As long as you have a paycheck and have repaid your past advances, you can request up to 3 cash advances per pay period.
Albert is a super app that offers:
- Checking account with debit card: Offers cash back on gas, food, delivery, groceries and more.
- Savings account: Set your schedule or let Albert analyze your spending and automatically move money into your savings account. (On average, they save people $400 in the first six months.)
- Cash advances: Up to $250
- Investing: Invest yourself or enable Robo investing
- Budgeting: AI-driven auto save feature is a big differentiator and very effective
- Genius: Text with a certified financial advisor anytime for a $6/month fee
There’s no catch. Albert is legit.
- Get spotted up to $250 instantly
- Pay a small fee to get your money instantly or get cash within 2–3 days for free
- Costs $14.99 per month after a 30 day free-trial
Where to get it?
How are Cash Advance Apps Different
Cash advances are sums of money taken from your pending paycheck to help you offset expenses. The most important characteristic of cash advances is that it’s your own money you’re borrowing, you just haven’t received it yet as the bank is still clearing the deposit. They can also be funds you borrow against your credit limit, albeit with a price.
Yes, cash advances do have caveats. If you initiate a cash advance through your credit card, you’ll pay higher APR fees than you would for traditional credit card balances. In addition, you may be subject to transaction fees and other charges along the way. The idea is that creditors are willing to lend you this type of emergency money, but not without paying the price.
Cash advance apps, on the other hand, provide a similar (if not better) service without all the unnecessary fees and repayment term restrictions. You’ll still have access to your funds (whether via paycheck or credit card) early, but you’ll pay zero interest in most cases. While these repayment terms last only so long in most cases, they can really help you get a leg up when you need it most.
In contrast to payday and personal loans, cash advance apps incorporate shorter repayment schedules into their fine print. In most cases, your repayment balance comes out of your direct deposit as soon as it hits your account. At the same time, some people may find this type of arrangement preferable to creditors who don’t care how much you rack up in expenditures. You’ll also receive your funds quickly, typically within 2-3 business days at most.
Pros
Here are some of the best features of cash advance apps:
- Receive the money you rightfully earned quickly
- Costs less in interest payments than payday loans
- Won’t negatively affect your credit score
- Zero-interest terms can help you pay back the advance without any interest
Cons
You should also consider the following if you’re contemplating using a cash advance app:
- It’s not a good idea financially to spend what you don’t have.
- Misuse of cash advances can exponentially increase your debt.
- It’s still possible to overdraft your account, even with a cash advance.
FAQs
Apps like Klover, FloatMe, Albert, Cleo, Dave, and Brigit provide members with an instant cash advance, albeit with a price. In some cases, you only have to wait 2-3 days to get your cash advance without having to pay an expedited fee.
The best cash advance apps are those that suit your needs. Features of the best cash advances include zero-interest terms, higher advance limits, and plenty of financial tools to get back on track.
Cash advances typically require an interest payment. However, cash advance apps do not always have an associated interest rate, as many of them offer free interest for a specific amount of time.
The best type of loan or advance for you will depend on your individual situation. However, you can expect lower interest rates and more flexible repayment terms with a cash advance, whereas personal and payday loans are more restrictive in their approach.
Apps Like Empower Can Help
We hope you’ve found this article useful in finding out how you can take out a cash advance on an app without agreeing to high-interest rates and long repayment terms. That’s why many individuals choose to download and use a cash advance app like Possible Finance over payday and personal loans.
The best cash advance apps, however, are those that ensure they’re simply one part of the financial journey their members are on. They often provide financial resources members can take advantage of to get back on track and provide a brighter financial future for themselves. How will you use your new knowledge of cash advance apps to achieve your financial goals?
