Chime might have millions of customers, but my personal experience with their security left me frustrated and concerned. After dealing with account issues and feeling let down by their fraud protection, I started looking for better alternatives.
If you’re here, you might be in the same boat—whether it’s security concerns, customer service frustrations, or just wanting more features from your bank.
Thankfully, plenty of other digital banks, cash advance apps, and financial institutions offer similar (or better) services without the hassle. Below, I’ve put together a list of the best Chime alternatives, whether you’re looking for a solid checking account, a high-yield savings option, or a credit-building account that actually has your back.
Let’s dive into the best alternatives to Chime.
10 Chime Alternatives
1. Axos Bank
Similarities to Chime
- Allpoint ATM locations are free
- Checking and savings accounts are free
- Round up transactions to boost savings
Differences to Chime
- No credit builder account
- High-yield money market accounts and CDs
- Savings account interest rates aren’t as competitive
Opened in 2000, Axos Bank offers three checking accounts:
- Essential Checking: This account has no minimum balance requirements or monthly fees.
- Rewards Checking: Have at least $1,500 in direct deposits to qualify for 3.30% APY on your balance.
- Cashback Checking: Earn up to 1% cashback on select debit card purchases.
You can also open a high-yield savings account without committing to monthly fees. However, you must make a $250 initial deposit to open this high-yield savings account.
Axos doesn’t offer a credit builder account. However, its savings and money market accounts have competitive APYs comparable to online banks like Chime.
Which Should You Choose?
Go with Chime if your main priority is building credit through online banking. However, if you want more flexibility, better account options, and the ability to earn interest on your balance, Axos is the smarter choice.
- No monthly fees, overdraft fees, or ATM withdrawal fees
- Earn up to 3.30% APY on your balance
- Cashback rewards on debit card purchases
- No credit check required to open an account
- Unlimited free mobile deposits, FDIC-insured up to $250,000
2. Brigit
Similarities to Chime
- Offers a credit-building option
- No monthly fees or interest payments
Differences to Chime
- No checking or savings accounts
- Credit-builder loan requires a $9.99 monthly fee
- Instant Cash feature requires a third-party checking account
If you need cash now, Brigit Instant Cash can help. This payday-type loan connects with your third-party checking account and enables you to build your credit.
A Brigit Instant Cash loan has terms from 12 to 24 months. You must have a separate checking account at another bank to access this feature.
There are no monthly fees or interest payments with Brigit Instant Cash. You can also access the overdraft advance feature if you are short on cash for the month.
Brigit also offers some of the best credit-builder loans with no interest. Signing up for this type of loan only costs you $9.99 monthly.
You won’t find deposit accounts listed under Brigit’s services. However, the Instant Cash feature can help you improve your payment history and build your credit if you need a loan to cover bills.
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Brigit if you need a loan to cover expenses. If you want a more comprehensive set of online banking features, choose Chime's online bank accounts.
- 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"
3. Cash App
Similarities to Chime
- Free checking account with no minimum balance requirements
Differences to Chime
- No credit builder or savings account
- Investment accounts for stock and bitcoin
- Get paid up to two days early
- Money transfer services
Cash App offers a free checking account that allows you to get paid up to two days early. You can also quickly transfer money between friends and family with this account.
Though Cash App doesn’t offer credit-building accounts, you can invest in stocks and cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. All you need to start is $1.
Non-network ATM fees are $2, but Cash App reimburses you up to $7 monthly for these types of fees. You can also get free fractional share options with a CashApp investment account.
Which Should You Choose?
Chime offers both high-yield savings accounts and credit-building options. Cash App allows you to get paid up to two days early and invest in stocks and cryptocurrency.
Cash App is a mobile payment service available in the United States and the United Kingdom that allows users to transfer money to one another using a mobile phone app.
4. Dave
Similarities to Chime
- Free checking account with no minimum balance requirements
- Non-interest-bearing accounts
Differences to Chime
- No savings or credit-builder accounts
- Report on-time payments to all three bureaus without having to open a separate account
- Side hustle feature to find odd jobs
As far as payday loan apps go, Dave is one of the most popular. Cash advance apps like Dave make bridging the gap between paychecks easier, so you can pay less in overdraft fees.
Dave is a fintech company that offers a free Spending account. With this account, there are no minimum balance requirements, but you don’t earn interest on your balance.
For $1 per month, you can access notifications, budgeting, account monitoring, and linking an external checking account. You can also use Dave to build credit when the app reports your on-time payments to all three credit bureaus.
Dave is also known for its side hustle feature. With this feature, you can find side hustles in your area to make extra money.
Which Should You Choose?
Dave doesn’t have a credit-building account specifically, but you can report your payments to all three credit bureaus. However, Chime offers more traditional deposit accounts.
5. Digit
Similarities to Chime
- No minimum balance required
- Checking and savings accounts
Differences to Chime
- $9.99 monthly fee (less if you pay upfront)
- 30-day free trial
- No credit-building account
- Lower APY than Chime
- Investment account
Our Digit review includes all the nitty-gritty details about the various accounts you can open with this fintech company. Digit offers to help you invest, budget, spend, and save so you can make better financial decisions.
When you open a spending account, you’re not limited to depositing or maintaining a minimum balance. However, Digit requires a $9.99 monthly membership fee.
If you pay for a year upfront, you can save up to 20%. You can also use a 30-day free trial to test Digit’s features.
While Digit doesn’t offer a credit-building account, you can open an investment account. Digit will either save or invest any income it determines is extra based on your preferences.
Which Should You Choose?
Digit offers investing options on top of checking and savings accounts. However, many online banks like Chime don’t charge annual or monthly fees or have a minimum balance requirement.
6. MoneyLion
Similarities to Chime
- Checking and credit-builder account
- No monthly fees or minimum account balance requirements
Differences to Chime
- No saving account option
- Credit-builder account comes with a $19.99 monthly fee
- Offers an investment account
Apps like MoneyLion make building your credit and managing your funds easy. MoneyLion is a fintech company like Chime that offers similar products with a twist.
MoneyLion’s RoarMoney account has no minimum account balance requirements or monthly fees. You can also round up your debit card transactions and transfer those funds into your linked investment account.
A MoneyLion investment account comes with no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements. You can also customize your investments to fit your risk appetite.
MoneyLion’s CreditBuilder Plus loan helps you build credit for $19.99 monthly. MoneyLion stores your funds in a type of savings account, but you get immediate access to a portion of those funds.
MoneyLion doesn't offer a savings account option. Learn more about this fintech company in our MoneyLion review.
Which Should You Choose?
MoneyLion lacks a savings account, but you might pick it over Chime because it allows you to invest.
MoneyLion is a money app that offers a membership program that includes online banking services, cash back rewards, credit-builder loans and more. You can create a MoneyLion account for free, which will give you access to a zero-fee checking account and an investment account.
7. Self
Similarities to Chime
- Credit-builder account option
Differences to Chime
- No checking or savings account
- Credit-building accounts require a monthly fee ranging from $25 to $150
- Credit-builder loans and credit cards incur interest
- $100 minimum balance requirements
Self focuses solely on building your credit with two options: a Self Credit Builder account and a Self secured Visa credit card. Both come with monthly fees ranging from $25 to $150.
With the Self Credit Builder account, you deposit the balance you’d like to use with your secured Visa credit card. A $100 minimum balance is required, and your minimum balance limits how much you can spend.
Interest rates vary but can be high compared to Chime. Learn more about Self in our Self credit-builder review.
Which Should You Choose?
Chime and Self offer credit-building accounts, but Chime offers deposit accounts and more traditional banking services. The Chime Credit-Builder account works like a secured credit card, but Self offers an actual secure Visa credit card with a $100 minimum balance.
A Self Credit Builder Account boosts credit and savings with on-time payments. No credit check required, and you receive your money at the end of the term. It can also fund a Self Visa® Credit Card with a $100 minimum deposit—one of the lowest in the industry.
8. Capital One 360
Similarities to Chime
- Free checking and savings accounts
- No minimum balance requirements
- Competitive APY on savings accounts
- Free ATM usage
Differences to Chime
- No credit-building account
- Offers loans and other traditional banking products and services
The Capital One 360 Free Checking account is an interest-bearing account with no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements. It also grants you access to over 70,000 free ATMs nationwide.
The Capital One 360 Performance Savings account has no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements. It offers a competitive APY compared to Chime.
Capital One also hosts several Cafe locations throughout the country. Here, you can find tasty coffee and in-person help for all your financial questions.
Unfortunately, Capital One doesn’t offer a credit-builder account. However, it does provide loan services and other traditional financial products.
Which Should You Choose?
Chime offers credit-building features but lacks a full suite of banking products. Choose Capital One 360 if you want access to those products and services.
9. Ally
Similarities to Chime
- Allpoint ATM locations are free
- Checking and savings accounts are free
- Round up transactions to boost savings
Differences to Chime
- No credit builder account
- High-yield money market accounts and CDs
- Savings account interest rates aren’t as competitive
Ally is one of the best digital banks you can use to do all your banking online and through the mobile app. This digital bank was founded in 2001 and offers checking and savings accounts, CDs, and money market accounts.
Ally’s checking account comes with no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements. However, it is an interest-bearing account that you can link to your Ally savings account.
Likewise, savings accounts at Ally are free. The interest rates don’t quite compare to Chime, but you can also round up your debit card transactions to contribute to your savings account.
Ally also offers Booster savings deposits. When the banking software identifies extra money in your checking account, it automatically transfers it to your savings account.
Though Ally doesn’t offer a credit builder option, you can open a high-yield CD and money market account. Ally also offers free account access through Allpoint ATM locations.
Which Should You Choose?
If you’re looking for more investment options, choose Ally. However, Chime offers higher yields for savings account balances, a Credit Builder account, and the option to deposit cash.
10. Varo
Similarities to Chime
- Free checking and savings accounts
- Offers Believe credit-builder account
- Automatic savings features
- No minimum balance requirements
Differences to Chime
- Can open a Believe credit-builder account with a $1,000 monthly direct deposit
- Higher APY on savings account balances
Founded in 2015, Varo offers free checking and savings accounts. In-network ATMs are also free.
There’s no minimum balance needed to open the Varo savings account, which earns you up to 5% interest if you meet the minimum requirements. You must open a Varo checking account before you can open a savings account.
Varo savings accounts have no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements. You can also automatically save each time you receive a direct deposit or complete a debit card transaction.
You can open a Varo Believe account if you have at least $1,000 in direct deposits each month. With this account, you can build your credit with on-time payments reported to the credit bureaus.
Which Should You Choose?
Unlike Chime, Varo is a nationally-chartered bank. Both offer free checking and savings accounts, but Varo requires a higher direct deposit balance than Chime.
How Does Chime Work?
Chime is a financial technology company (fintech) offering several deposit accounts, including a Credit Builder account. You can use several cash advance apps that work with Chime to cover overdrafts since Chime doesn’t offer this protection directly.
Open a Chime checking account without paying any monthly fees or meeting minimum balance requirements. You can also use any MoneyPass or Allpoint ATMs for free.
When you open a Chime savings account, you can automatically round up your debit card transactions to transfer to your savings account. Chime savings accounts are free, with no minimum balance requirements and competitive annual percentage yield (APY) rates.
The Credit Builder account works like a secured credit card. Add funds from your checking account and then use the secure credit card attached to your Credit Builder account to pay for purchases.
You must have monthly direct deposits of $200 or more to qualify for a Credit Builder account. Chime doesn’t require a credit check to build your credit.
When you make a payment, Chime reports your transactions to Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. You can build a positive payment history with each on-time payment you make.
This Credit Builder account comes with no fees, and you don’t pay any interest. It’s a must-have if you’re looking to build your credit for free.
FAQs
Are there other apps like Chime?
Yes, there are other apps like Chime, including Ally, Axos Bank, Digit, Brigit, and MoneyLion. These accounts offer similar perks to the popular financial technology company, with some exceptions.
- 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"
What alternatives to Chime offer credit-building options?
Self, Varo, Dave, and Brigit offer credit-building options. Some include credit-builder loans, while others provide credit-building features to report your existing payments to all three credit bureaus.
A Self Credit Builder Account boosts credit and savings with on-time payments. No credit check required, and you receive your money at the end of the term. It can also fund a Self Visa® Credit Card with a $100 minimum deposit—one of the lowest in the industry.
Which cash advance apps work with Chime?
The best cash advance apps that work with Chime include Brigit, Dave, MoneyLion, and Albert. Cash advances can help you cover bills between paychecks and may not cost you much in interest with these apps.
- No monthly fees or minimum balance requirements
- Get paid up to 2 days early with direct deposit
- Access up to $250 in cash advances with no interest or credit check
- Smart budgeting tools and automated savings features
- Earn cashback rewards on everyday purchases
How can you use Chime to improve your credit?
You can report your secured credit card payments to all three credit bureaus with the Chime Credit Builder account. Positive payment history with this financial technology company can boost your score and help you demonstrate responsible credit behaviors.
Take Advantage of These Alternatives
Opening a Chime account might seem like a good option for managing your money, but it’s not the only choice—and for many, it’s not the best one. While Chime offers basic checking, savings, and a Credit Builder account, there are plenty of alternatives that provide better security, higher interest rates, and more flexible banking features.
We’ve put together this list to help you find a Chime alternative that better suits your needs. With so many digital banks and fintech options available, you don’t have to settle for a one-size-fits-all approach.
Whether you’re looking for stronger fraud protection, better customer service, or more ways to grow your money, these alternatives give you the flexibility and perks Chime may not. Which one will you choose?
