4 Paycheck Advance Apps to Get Your Paycheck Early

Finances would be simple if everything went according to plan. You work and make money, then you pay for what you need. But what if you’re living paycheck to paycheck and you have an unexpected expense?

According to a survey by the American Payroll Association, nearly 69% of Americans would experience financial difficulties if their paychecks were delayed for a week. You could turn to a payday loan or cash advance on a credit card to help get the money you need. But these options can be expensive and may end up being more trouble than they’re worth.

With some help from technology, you have a more favorable option. Paycheck advance apps can help you get the cash you need to make ends meet without the scary feeling of getting into high-interest debt. Here are four apps that can help you get a paycheck advance when you need it most.

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Rare Checking Account That Offers Cash Back

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Discover® Cashback Debit Benefits

• Earn 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month¹
• No minimum deposit, no minimum balance, and no account fees
• Easily switch direct deposit via the Discover mobile app or online for Early Pay (get your paycheck up to 2 days early!)
• 60K+ fee-free ATMs and make cash deposits at Walmart stores nationwide

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Best paycheck advance apps

• Chime®
• Empower
• Current
• MoneyLion

Best paycheck advance apps comparison

Best for early direct deposits: Chime®

Chime offers financial services through a mobile app that’s available on iOS or Android devices.³ Services include the Chime Checking account and Chime Savings account. The Chime savings account can't be opened without the Chime Checking account.⁴

We love Chime for those living paycheck to paycheck for two reasons: early direct deposits up to two days early with direct deposit, and SpotMe®, a way for eligible members to get an overdraft of up to $200.⁵⁶².

If you want to get money early with Chime, you need to open a Chime Checking Account and set up direct deposit. This will connect the account with your employer and potentially qualify you to get early access to your paychecks. Paychecks could arrive up to two days early with this feature. This may come in handy if you run into unforeseen circumstances or want to get a head start on paying for certain expenses.

Chime has no monthly fees — including no overdraft fees, minimum balance fees, monthly maintenance fees, and foreign transaction fees.⁷ Eligible accounts can use SpotMe to overdraft your account up to $200 without worrying about your card getting declined or getting penalized. SpotMe limits starts at $20, but can increase based on your account history and spending activity.

Visit Chime® | Read our Chime review for more details.

Get Your Paycheck Early

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Chime® Benefits

• Get fee-free overdraft up to $200²with SpotMe®
• Get paid up to 2 days earlier⁵than you would with some traditional banks
• 24/7 live support with a real human
• FDIC insured through The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC

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Best for instant funds: Empower

Empower offers Cash Advance, which can provide from $10 to $300 instantly,⁸⁹ with no interest or late fees, to help you get by. Empower will check your account history, account activity, and direct deposit information to see whether you qualify for Cash Advance.

If you qualify and need a Cash Advance, simply request it in the mobile app (available for both iOS and Android devices). We like that Empower can deposit money into your account for your immediate use — the majority of users will receive their funds within 15 minutes. The exact Cash Advance offer is decided by Empower, so you don’t get to select the number. Repayment occurs automatically on your repayment date, but you can reschedule this repayment if needed.¹⁰

Note that Empower is not available in all states, including Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, South Dakota, Vermont, and West Virginia. You also won’t find your typical banking accounts, but you can apply for a credit builder card with Thrive, which gives you a credit line of $200 to $400. You can also use the Empower debit card that allows you to get your paycheck up to two days early and rewards you 10% cash back for certain categories.

Visit Empower | Read our full Empower review.

Get Cash Advance From $10 to $300 Before Your Next Paycheck Comes

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Empower Benefits

• Cash Advance is available instantly
• No interest or late fees
• Easy automated repayment
• No credit score or security deposit required

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Best for unlimited access: Current

Current offers an account you can use through a mobile app that’s available for both Apple and Android devices.¹¹¹² This makes it easy to budget and manage your money and access your account balance while you’re on the go. We like Current's 24/7 customer service availability and ability to receive your paychecks early.

To potentially get access to your paychecks up to two days early, you need to open a Current account and set up direct deposit.¹³ This account comes with other perks too, like credit building and 40,000 in-network ATMs to withdraw from.¹⁴ You may also qualify for up to $200 in fee-free overdraft protection, along with the benefit of no minimum balance fees.¹⁵ You’ll also pay no minimum balance fees.¹⁶

One way Current stands out against its competitors is that it offers unlimited paycheck advance opportunities. As long as you qualify for an advance, you can request a fee-free paycheck advance for up to $500. Note that most advances can take up to three days to hit your account, but if you want the money quicker, you will have to pay a fee. Additionally, Current is not available in the following states: Connecticut, Maryland, and Nevada.

Visit Current | Check out our Current review.

A Smarter Way To Manage Your Money

Current Benefits

• Online-only banking service¹¹ offering individual and teen accounts
• Get paid up to 2 days faster with direct deposit¹³
• Saving Pods offering earnings up to 4.00% (as of Nov. 21, 2023) bonus¹⁷ and automatic roundups
• $0 monthly fees¹⁸
• FDIC Insured through Choice Financial Group

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Best for cash boosts: MoneyLion

MoneyLion offers the largest variety of financial products on our list, including mobile banking, managed investing, and cash advances.¹⁹ Its cash advance feature is called Instacash, which never charges interest and paying back the borrowed amount is straightforward. MoneyLion will automatically deduct the Instacash amount from your linked bank account according to your paycheck cycle.

Our favorite feature of Instacash is that it allows for cash boosts, which means you can increase the limit of your advance when you complete actions through the MoneyLion app or participate in promotions. Additionally, you can boost five of your friends’ limits for the month, and they can boost you back. This is a helpful option for months when you need a little more borrowing wiggle room.

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Alternative options to consider

Mobile Banking With Cash Back & High Yield Savings

Earn up to 5% cash back²⁰and 4.35% APY²¹on Savings with eligible deposits. FDIC insurance through Coastal Community Bank.²²

Visit One

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Borrow up to $250²³ with no interest or late fees

No credit check. Set your own payback date (up to 4 weeks away).

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Paycheck apps for employers

Employers can also use apps to help their employees get the money they need between paychecks. If you’re an employer, you may want to look into these apps for your employees. If you’re an employee, ask your human resources department if any of these apps are available.

Here are some apps to help employers provide additional financial benefits to their employees:

• FlexWage: Employees get instant access to earned wages and can use wages to pay anywhere Visa or Mastercard are accepted.
• DailyPay: Employees get instant access to earned wages, including tips and gratuities, and can use savings features to put away money.
• PayActiv: Employees get instant access to up to 50% of earned wages and can pay for Uber or Amazon expenses, or online bills, directly through the PayActiv app.
• Branch: Employees get instant access to earned wages, whether you’re a W-2 or 1099 employee.

However, these apps didn’t make the list because you can’t access them as a stand-alone app. Your employer needs to make the first move.

FAQs

Products that didn’t make our list

When it comes to paycheck advance apps, most of the companies in our list offer similar services. And remember, choosing a paycheck advance app is a personal preference. However, there are some companies that fell short during our selection process.

Brigit

To qualify for Brigit Instant Cash, you need to sign up for a Brigit Plus account (there is a $8.99 monthly fee) or Brigit Premium account ($14.99 per month) and meet all bank and deposit requirements. You will also need to have an open account for more than 60 days to qualify. We think the fees are high when you can find the same banking services, such as credit builder loans and credit monitoring for free with other companies.

Additionally, the FTC settled an allegation with Brigit in November 2023 for $18 million. The FTC found that Brigit’s plans were hard to cancel and that only 1% of users qualified for the full $250 advance while another 20% were denied altogether.²⁴

Get up to $250 when You Need It

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Brigit Benefits

• Get a cash advance up to $250
• Find full or part-time jobs to increase your income
• Track your spending and earning trends over time
• Start building your credit

4.6

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Download the app

Avant

Another option for a quick advance is through the AvantCard, since you can get cash as quickly as going to an ATM. However, with this option you can only pull up to 25% of your credit line, and you will have a $3 or 10% fee — whichever is greater. Additionally, the cash advance will be like other credit card purchases and will incur interest charges if you don’t repay it within the billing cycle. Because of the high fees and interest, we don’t recommend this cash advance option.

Featured Checking Account

4.5

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Discover®️ Cashback Checking

Earn 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month.¹ No minimum deposit or balance. FDIC Insured.

Learn More

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Earn up to $450

When you open a new U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking account and complete qualifying activities. Subject to certain terms and limitations. Offer valid through December 30, 2024. Member FDIC. Offer may not be available if you are an existing U.S. Bank customer or live outside of the U.S. Bank footprint.

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Bottom line

Paycheck advance apps can help provide you with needed financial assistance when the unexpected happens in the middle of a pay cycle when you don’t have cash. There are some things even the best banks can't do for you. So it makes sense to use these online banking apps when you need them, as everyone needs extra cash sometimes. But don’t become too reliant on borrowing your own money.

Remember that focusing on the short term won’t necessarily help you achieve your financial goals in the long run. If you borrow money from future paychecks, those paychecks immediately arrive with less money. This can become a vicious cycle where you have less and less money to work with over time.

Instead of falling into this cycle, use these paycheck advance apps when you need them. Then focus on how to make extra cash on the side or learn how to manage your money more efficiently. This can help you escape from living paycheck to paycheck and constantly stressing over your finances.

Rare Checking Account That Offers Cash Back

4.5

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score products and companies on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence our ratings.

Discover® Cashback Debit Benefits

• Earn 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month¹
• No minimum deposit, no minimum balance, and no account fees
• Easily switch direct deposit via the Discover mobile app or online for Early Pay (get your paycheck up to 2 days early!)
• 60K+ fee-free ATMs and make cash deposits at Walmart stores nationwide

4.5

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score products and companies on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence our ratings.

Open Account