8 best cash advance apps like FloatMe
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Updated: June 22, 2022
Maybe you need a bit of extra cash to cover an upcoming phone bill or trip to the grocery store. Or, perhaps you could use the money to avoid painful bank overdraft fees since your paycheck is just a few days away.
Whatever the case, cash advances can sometimes help people get out of sticky situations. And compared to predatory payday loans with horrendously high interest rates, using low-fee cash advance apps can be a better alternative.
FloatMe is one of the most popular cash advance apps out there. But it only offers $50 in cash advances and charges a $1.99 per month membership for that luxury.
If you need higher limits or want to explore some other options, you're in luck. Here are some of the best alternatives to FloatMe you can use to hold yourself over until it's payday.
The best apps like FloatMe right now
Some FloatMe alternatives just specialize in cash advances. Other competitors also offer credit building tools and even banking features.
Start by outlining just how much money you need and which features are most important to you. Then, pick an option from our list or another company you know about once you know exactly what you need.
Chime
Chime
Quick Facts
Best for: lack of fees, high-yield savings account, and ease-of-use
Why we chose Chime: Chime isn't an online bank, but rather a fintech company that's known for its lack of fees, high-yield savings account, and ease-of-use. But we like Chime® as a FloatMe alternative since it lets you get paid up to two days early, which can really help out if money is tight.
And with its SpotMe feature, Chime spots you up to $200 on debit card purchases and cash withdrawals and doesn't charge overdraft fees. You need qualifying direct deposits to be eligible, and limits depend on account activity and history.
Finally, you can use Chime's free credit builder tool to gradually improve your credit without worrying about interest or credit checks.
Cost: Chime doesn't charge any monthly fees or overdraft fees, and SpotMe is free as well.
Pros
-
No fees for cash advances and few other fees
-
A competitive high-yield savings account and other bank-like features
Cons
-
Qualifying for Chime SpotMe can take longer than using FloatMe
Chime Disclosure - 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.1Save When I Get Paid automatically transfers 10% of your direct deposits of $500 or more from your Checking Account into your savings account.^Round Ups automatically round up debit card purchases to the nearest dollar and transfer the round up from your Chime Checking Account to your savings account.
Empower
Empower
Quick Facts
Best for: borrowing small amounts of cash
Why we chose Empower: Like FloatMe, Empower makes it easy to borrow small amounts of cash to hold you over until you get paid. You can borrow $25, $50, $75, or $100 instantly through Empower's Cash Advance. There's no credit check, interest, or late fees either just like with FloatMe.
And if you use the free Empower Debit Card, you can get paid up to two days early. There's also plans to launch Empower Thrive, a 0% APR credit-building tool that starts with a $200 line of credit that increases up to $1,000 as you make payments.
Cost: You pay $8 per month for an Empower subscription.
Pros
-
Get fast cash advances in similar amounts to FloatMe
-
Credit building tool grants up to $1,000 in a credit line
Cons
-
More expensive monthly fee than FloatMe
Empower Disclosure - *Empower is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provide by nbkc bank, Member FDIC.¹ Eligibility requirements apply.² Early access to paycheck deposit funds depends on the timing of the employer's submission of deposits. Empower generally posts such deposits on the day they are received which may be up to 2 days earlier than the employer's scheduled payment date. Cashback deals on Empower Card purchases, including categories, merchants, and percentages, will vary and must be selected in the app. Cashback will be applied automatically when the final transaction posts, which may be up to a week after the qualifying purchase.
Earnin
Earnin
Quick Facts
Best for: not charging fees or interest
Why we chose Earnin: If you want an app like FloatMe with a higher cash advance limit, Earnin is for you. This app provides cash advances from your paycheck of up to $500 with its Cash Out feature. Like Brigit, you can also set up automatic cash advances to prevent overdraft fees. Just note there's a $100 per day limit, up to $500 per paycheck period.
You don't pay fees for using Cash Out, which is the same system as FloatMe. And with Earnin Express, you can get your entire paycheck two days early and also get a cash advance of up to 80% of your paycheck or $1,000 per pay period, whichever is less.
Cost: Earnin doesn't charge fees or interest for its Cash Out tool and relies on tips to make money. It doesn't charge fees for Earnin Express either.
Pros
-
One of the highest cash advance limits out of all apps like FloatMe
-
Earnin Express helps you get even more cash faster
-
No fees
Cons
-
There's a $100 daily cash advance limit
Brigit
Brigit
Quick Facts
Best for: free plan for budgeting tools and spending insights
Why we chose Brigit: Brigit is one of the most popular apps like FloatMe and is backed by popular names like Ashton Kutcher and Kevin Durant. But celebrity endorsements aren't why Brigit is an excellent FloatMe alternative.
Rather, we like Brigit because it provides up to $250 in cash advances; much higher than FloatMe's limit. This doesn't significantly increase the risk of overborrowing but can help cover slightly more expensive emergencies. And like FloatMe, there's no credit check or fees.
One unique feature of Brigit is that it also has a gigs and jobs section where you can look for side hustle opportunities. It also has an overdraft alert and suggests a cash advance to avoid overdraft fees from your bank.
Cost: Brigit has a free plan that includes budgeting tools and spending insights. But the Plus plan costs $9.99 per month and is how you unlock cash advances, Brigit's credit builder tool, and other perks.
Pros
-
Higher cash advance limit than FloatMe
-
Gig and part-time jobs section to help you find more cash opportunities
Cons
-
Expensive monthly plan
Dave
Dave
Quick Facts
Best for: high cash advance limits
Why we chose Dave: Another leading app like FloatMe with high cash advance limits is Dave. With Dave, you can get up to $500 with its ExtraCash feature. There's no interest, credit checks, or late payment fees either. And if you pay your bill on time, you gradually build your credit.
The app also uses a tipping system like Earnin to make money. And like Brigit, you can explore the Side Hustles by Dave section to find gig work to make fast cash.
Cost: A Dave membership costs $1 per month. You also pay an express cash advance fee if you want your money instantly that ranges from $0.99 to $11.99 depending on the dollar amount and if you're sending money to your Dave Spending account or an external debit card.
Pros
-
Low monthly membership cost
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High cash advance limits
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A useful side hustles section
Cons
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Instant cash transfers can get pricey
MoneyLion
MoneyLion
Quick Facts
Best for: lots of extra features
Why we chose MoneyLion: If you want a more comprehensive app like FloatMe with extra features besides cash advances, MoneyLion is for you. This fintech app stil lets you get no-interest cash advances of up to $250, and you can get paid up to two days early as well. There's also a credit builder tool like many FloatMe alternatives offer.
However, MoneyLion also has more bank-like features, including its RoarMoney account. This free mobile banking solution doesn't charge fees and lets you get up to $1,000 in cash advances if you add recurring direct deposits to your account. It can also help you save by rounding-up spare change into more savings similarly to microsaving apps like Acorns.
Cost: A MoneyLion membership costs $1 per month. Standard delivery for cash advances is free and takes one to two business days. Instant cash advances cost $0.99 to $7.99 depending on the amount and if you're moving money to your RoarMoney account or an external debit card.
Pros
-
Variety of useful features besides cash advances
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Low monthly membership fee
Cons
-
Instant cash transfers can get pricey
Cleo
Cleo
Quick Facts
Best for: users who like a little humor with their finance
Why we chose Cleo: This AI-powered budgeting assistant is best known for its quirky sense of humor and the fact that it even roasts you about your bad spending habits. However, Cleo is also an excellent FloatMe alternative since it provides $20 to $100 in cash advances depending on your account history and payment history.
You don't pay interest or fees for cash advances like FloatMe, and there's no credit check. Cleo also has a credit-building Visa card like Chime. Plus, its robust budgeting tools help you track your spending, and you can also set up automatic saving rules and financial goals.
Cost: There's a $3.99 instant delivery fee for cash advances with Cleo, but you can also wait for your bank to process the payment if you want to avoid fees. However, Cleo Plus, which unlocks cash advances, costs $5.99 per month.
Pros
-
Comes with a variety of budgeting and saving tools
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A useful credit building tool
Cons
-
Expensive monthly fee for a low cash advance limit
Klover
Klover
Quick Facts
Best for: no interest fees or credit check
Why we chose Klover: One final app like FloatMe you can use to cover expenses when money's tight is Klover. For starters, its cash advance tool gives you up to $100 and doesn't charge any interest fees or require a credit check. You can also use Klover+ to enjoy credit monitoring, spending monitoring, and to optimize your tax savings. Plus users can even create savings goals and track their progress.
One unique aspect of Klover is that you can increase your cash advance limit by completing short questionnaires or short tasks like uploading receipts. However, $100 is still the limit, which is similar to FloatMe and a lower amount than apps like Earning or Dave offer.
Cost: Klover is free to use, but Klover+ costs $2.49 per month. Immediate cash advance delivery costs $1.99 to $14.98, and unfortunately, Klover doesn't break down the pricing tiers and says it largely depends on your bank.
Pros
-
Easy ways to increase your cash advance limits
Cons
-
Expensive monthly fee for a low cash advance limit
How does FloatMe compare?
FloatMe is one of the leading cash advance apps on the market. And we like FloatMe because it keeps cash advance limits to a low $50 to help prevent users from overborrowing.
However, paying $1.99 per month for such a low limit is pretty steep. And $50 isn't enough to cover larger bills or emergencies. So when choosing an alternative to FloatMe, consider its pros and cons and what features you're looking for.
Pros
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Easy-to-use app
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Receive cash very quickly
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You don't pay interest on cash advances
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No credit check requirement
Cons
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A low $50 cash advance limit regardless of your direct deposit info or account history
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FloatMe charges a $1.00 monthly membership fee, which is a high percentage of your $50 limit
Factors to consider when picking a FloatMe alternative
The cash advance and credit building app market is a competitive one. But this is excellent news for consumers since it means you have plenty of options to choose from.
But this choice can also be overwhelming. Here are some of the most important factors to consider when picking an app like FloatMe to use:
- 1.
Cash Advance Limits: How much money do you need to hold you over until your next paycheck? FloatMe is great in that it removes the risk of overborrowing, but you might need more than $50 to get by. Just don't go for the highest cash advance possible for the sake of borrowing as much as possible.
- 2.
Hidden Fees: One downside of cash advance apps like FloatMe is that you can pay high fees for instant deliveries. Read terms and services carefully to avoid these fees or other potential hidden costs.
- 3.
Membership Fees: One of FloatMe's largest cons is the $1.99 monthly fee, which is high since you can only borrow $50. Think of membership fees as a percentage of how much money you can borrow to determine if the fees are worth paying.
- 4.
Other Features: FloatMe alternatives like Chime and MoneyLion are some of our favorites because of the host of other features you get. But if you don't need these features, more simplistic cash advance apps work just fine.
Methodology
At Investor Junkie, our authors thoroughly research every company that makes our “best ofs” or “alternatives” lists. We also review other companies that don't make it to these lists, considering factors like fees, ease-of-use, and various features when selecting companies to include.
Companies that make these lists don't influence us in this decision making process, so you can be sure our editorial standards reflect our author's views and aren't sponsored. Additionally, there are some FloatMe alternatives that didn't make this list, so be sure to explore all of your options so you can make the best decision for you.
The bottom line
Financial practices like creating a budget and having an emergency fund help people avoid tricky financial situations. But life happens, and sometimes, a quick cash spot is what you need to get by for a few days.
This is where companies like FloatMe can be useful. You should still be careful with overborrowing, and always read terms and conditions so you know what you're getting into. But hopefully, one of these cash advance apps helps you cover your bills until payday without overpaying.
Tom Blake is a staff writer who specializes in cryptocurrency, investing, and passive income.
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