Checked 9 October 2026 · 11 apps · ratings from the US App Store and Google Play on that date
The closest apps similar to EarnIn are MoneyLion and Albert, which advance cash with no subscription required, and Chime MyPay if you already bank with Chime. [6] [17] [10] MoneyLion goes up to $500, or $1,000 with qualifying direct deposits [6]; Albert ranges from $25 to $1,000, though few customers qualify for the top amount [17]. Dave, Brigit, Tilt, Cleo, FloatMe and Vola also work, but each charges a monthly fee or a fee on every advance [20] [24] [28] [32] [38] [40].
Quick picks
Pick by what matters most: MoneyLion needs no membership for Instacash [6], Albert has the highest stated ceiling at $1,000 [17], Chime MyPay suits Chime checking customers [10], and Vola charges no fee for instant transfers [41].
How EarnIn works today
EarnIn lets you take pay you have already earned before payday [1], then takes the amount back from your bank account on your next payday [4]. Its Cash Out feature gives up to $200 a day and $1,000 per pay period, and limits vary by user [1]. EarnIn’s own App Store listing gives a lower daily figure, up to $150 a day with the same $1,000 maximum, and says the app is available in select states [2]. Limits have changed over the years, so check any figure in an older review against the app.
There is no interest, no credit check and no membership fee [2]. Standard transfers are free and take 1 to 3 business days; Lightning Speed delivers in minutes for a fee starting at $3.99 [1] [2]. Tips are optional [1]. With direct deposit set up, Live Pay raises the ceiling to $1,500 per pay period [1].
The app is rated 4.79 from 461,012 ratings in the App Store [2] and 4.8 from 308K reviews on Google Play [3]. In November 2024 the Washington, D.C. Attorney General sued EarnIn, saying its Lightning Speed fees of $3.99 or $5.99 worked out to an average APR above 300%, and that it nudged users toward tips of $1 to $14 [4]. Those are the attorney general’s allegations, not a court ruling.
Compare at a glance
Albert and MoneyLion state the highest limits at $1,000 [17] [6], Vola charges $0 for instant transfers [41], and Dave and Varo charge a fee on every advance [20] [36]; EarnIn is on the first row for reference. New users usually start far below the maximum: Tilt’s average first offer was $96 in the third quarter of 2026 [28]. Ratings are store averages from 9 October 2026, never averaged together.
| App | Max advance | Monthly fee | Instant fee | App Store | Google Play |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 EarnIn | $150 to $200 a day, $1,000 a pay period [1] [2] | None [2] | From $3.99 [1] | 4.79 [2] | 4.8 [3] |
 MoneyLion | $500, or $1,000 with direct deposit [6] | None [6] | Turbo fee by amount [7] | 4.77 [7] | 4.5 [8] |
 Chime MyPay | $500 a pay period [10] | None; Chime checking needed [10] | $2 to $5 [10] | 4.83 [12] | 4.7 [13] |
 Klover | $750 [14] | None stated [14] | Express fee may apply [14] | 4.76 [14] | 4.6 [15] |
 Albert | $1,000 [17] | Not required [17] | Not stated [19] | 4.65 [17] | 4.4 [18] |
 Dave | $500 [20] | Up to $5, plus $5 or 5% per ExtraCash [20] | Fee to an external card [20] | 4.80 [21] | 4.7 [22] |
 Brigit | $500 [24] | $8.99 or $15.99 [24] | Free on Premium [24] | 4.84 [25] | 4.8 [26] |
 Tilt | $500 [28] | $8 after a trial [28] | Optional fee [28] | 4.85 [29] | 4.6 [30] |
 Cleo | $250, or $500 on Builder [32] | $5.99 to $14.99 [32] | $4.49 to $14.99 [32] | 4.68 [33] | 4.6 [34] |
 Varo | $250, up to $700 over time [36] | No account fee [36] | Flat fee per advance [36] | 4.86 [36] | 4.5 [37] |
 FloatMe | $200 [38] | $6.99 [38] | $1 to $10 [38] | 4.79 [38] | 4.5 [39] |
 Vola | $500 [40] | Subscription [40] | $0 [41] | 4.64 [41] | 4.6 [42] |
The apps
MoneyLion Instacash
★★★★★ 4.77 from 329,603 ratings on the App Store [7]
- Advance
- iOS · Android
MoneyLion’s Instacash is the nearest match to EarnIn’s model: no monthly fee, no interest and no credit check [6]. The free transfer is slow, 2 to 5 business days; the Turbo fee buys speed, and the listing’s own example is $4.99 on a $40 advance, so you repay $44.99 [6] [7].
- Max advance
- $500; $1,000 with qualifying direct deposit [6]
- Monthly fee
- None for Instacash [6]
- Instant fee
- Turbo fee by amount; $4.99 on $40 in the store example [7]
- Free transfer
- 2 to 5 business days [6]
- Credit check
- No [6]
- Google Play
- 4.5 from 220K reviews, 5M+ installs [8]
In April 2025 the New York Attorney General sued MoneyLion and DailyPay, saying their fees often equalled annual rates of up to 750% [9]. These are allegations, not a court finding.
Chime MyPay
★★★★★ 4.83 from 1,612,543 ratings on the App Store [12]
- Bank feature
- iOS · Android
MyPay lets Chime checking customers take part of their next paycheck early, up to $500 per pay period, free within 24 hours or instantly for 3% of the amount, at least $2 and at most $5 [10] [11]. You need a Chime checking account with direct deposits of $200 or more, and it is not offered in every state [10]. Chime’s own MyPay page was not accessible on 10 October 2026, so these terms come from Finder’s review, updated 29 September 2026 [10], and NerdWallet’s [11]; check the app before you rely on them.
Klover
★★★★★ 4.76 from 390,827 ratings on the App Store [14]
- Advance
- iOS · Android
Klover advances $25 to $750, with an average of $170 [14]. It pays its way with your data: you opt in to share anonymised data, and points from surveys and ads can raise your advance [14]. Its website showed both “up to $200” and “up to $750” on 9 October 2026 [16], so expect to start low.
Albert Instant Advance
★★★★★ 4.65 from 336,712 ratings on the App Store [17]
- Advance
- iOS · Android
Albert’s Instant Advance has the highest stated ceiling on this list, but Albert itself says few customers qualify for $1,000 [17]. The advance needs no subscription and carries no late fees or interest [17] [19]; the rest of the app is a paid budgeting and banking service [17].
- Max advance
- $25 to $1,000; few qualify for $1,000 [17]
- Monthly fee
- Not required for the advance; plans $19.99 to $39.99 [17]
- Instant fee
- Not stated on its site or listing [19]
- Free transfer
- Not stated on its site or listing [19]
- Credit check
- Not stated for Instant Advance [19]
- Google Play
- 4.4 from 162K reviews, 10M+ installs [18]
Dave ExtraCash
★★★★★ 4.80 from 916,783 ratings on the App Store [21]
- Overdraft
- iOS · Android
Dave’s ExtraCash is an overdraft account, not a wage advance [20]. Each ExtraCash carries an overdraft fee of $5 or 5% of the amount, whichever is greater, on top of a membership of up to $5 a month [20]. You must open both an ExtraCash account and a Dave Checking account [20]. For more options in this style, see our list of apps like Dave.
- Max advance
- $25 to $500; few qualify for $500 [20]
- Monthly fee
- Up to $5, plus $5 or 5% per ExtraCash [20]
- Instant fee
- Express fee to an external debit card, ready within 1 hour [20]
- Free transfer
- Up to 3 business days to an external bank [20]
- Credit check
- No [20]
- Google Play
- 4.7 from 633K reviews, 10M+ installs [22]
Brigit
★★★★★ 4.84 from 573,335 ratings on the App Store [25]
- Subscription
- iOS · Android
Brigit’s average advance from 2018 to July 2025 was $73 [24]. Premium, at $15.99 a month, adds free Express Delivery and a credit builder to the $8.99 Plus plan [24]. Brigit’s help centre says you can ask for an advance without a plan by emailing its terms team [24]. It is not available in all states [24].
- Max advance
- $25 to $500; $250 in Maine [24]
- Monthly fee
- $8.99 Plus or $15.99 Premium [24]
- Instant fee
- Small fee on Plus; free on Premium; most arrive within 20 minutes [24]
- Free transfer
- Standard option shown before you confirm [24]
- Credit check
- No [25]
- Google Play
- 4.8 from 405K reviews, 10M+ installs [26]
In November 2023 Brigit agreed to an FTC order and $18 million in refunds over promises of “instant” advances up to $250 that few received and a membership that was hard to cancel [27].
Tilt (formerly Empower)
★★★★★ 4.85 from 465,247 ratings on the App Store [29]
- Subscription
- iOS · Android
Tilt is the app many lists still call Empower: it was renamed in August 2025 [31], and its Google Play package still carries the old name [30]. Tilt publishes its average offers: $96 for first-time customers and $178 for others in the third quarter of 2026 [28]. Returning customers pay the $8 monthly fee at once, with no trial [28].
Cleo
★★★★★ 4.68 from 264,856 ratings on the App Store [33]
- Subscription
- iOS · Android
Cleo is an AI money assistant you chat with, and its advances come with a plan: Plus at $5.99 and Pro at $8.99 offer up to $250, and Builder at $14.99 offers up to $500 if you direct deposit at least $750 a month [32]. First advances are $20 to $100, and same-day transfers cost $4.49 to $14.99 depending on the amount [32]. Cleo also says you can request an advance without subscribing [32].
- Max advance
- $20 to $250; up to $500 on Builder [32]
- Monthly fee
- $5.99 to $14.99 [32]
- Instant fee
- $4.49 to $14.99 for same day [32]
- Free transfer
- Not stated on the pricing page [32]
- Credit check
- No [33]
- Google Play
- 4.6 from 154K reviews, 5M+ installs [34]
On 8 October 2026 the FTC said it was sending more than $15.8 million to 2,124,796 Cleo users misled about its cash advances [35].
Varo Advance
★★★★★ 4.86 from 233,485 ratings on the App Store [36]
- Bank feature
- iOS · Android
Varo is a chartered bank, Varo Bank N.A., member FDIC, and its advance lives inside the Varo account [36]. You can borrow up to $250 at first and work up to $700 over time with direct deposit, for a flat fee per advance [36]. The listing does not give the fee amounts [36], and Varo’s fee page was not accessible on 10 October 2026, so check the fee in the app before you accept.
FloatMe
★★★★★ 4.79 from 158,012 ratings on the App Store [38]
- Subscription
- iOS · Android
FloatMe is for small gaps: first Floats are $10 to $50, the ceiling is $200, and the average Float was $53 on 1 July 2026 [38]. Membership costs $6.99 a month, though its terms allow a Float without paying it [38]. There is no credit check, interest or tip [38].
Vola
★★★★★ 4.64 from 41,237 ratings on the App Store [41]
- Subscription
- iOS · Android
Vola charges a subscription and nothing else, so instant transfers cost $0 [40] [41]. Most users start low and raise the limit with on-time payments [40]. Money arrives in seconds if your bank supports real-time payments, or within one business day if not [40]. The plan price is shown in the app, not on its website [40].
Which app for which need
For no subscription choose MoneyLion or Albert [6] [17], for Chime banking choose Chime MyPay [10], and for free instant money choose Vola [41]; the table covers five common needs.
| You want | Apps that fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| No subscription | MoneyLion, Albert, Chime MyPay, Klover, Varo | No membership needed for the advance [6] [17] [10]; none named by Klover [14]; Varo charges per advance [36] |
| The biggest amount | Albert, MoneyLion | Both state $1,000, with conditions [17] [6] |
| You bank with Chime | Chime MyPay | Built into Chime checking [10] |
| Instant money for free | Vola, Brigit Premium | $0 express fee, or free Express Delivery on the $15.99 plan [41] [24] |
| You use Cash App | B9 (see Apps we left out) | B9’s Basic plan names Cash App withdrawals, but needs a $9.99 membership [53] |
If Cash App is your main account, our guide to apps like Cash App covers the payment side.
Earned wage access, cash advance or loan?
EarnIn’s Cash Out is earned wage access, pay you have already worked for [1]; Brigit and Tilt are cash advances against expected income, behind a subscription [24] [28]; Dave’s ExtraCash is an overdraft on a Dave account [20]; and Possible Finance is a loan [46]. The model decides the cost.
The legal line is not settled. In December 2025 the CFPB said that earned wage access repaid through an employer’s payroll is not credit under the Truth in Lending Act, that apps repaid from your own bank account fall outside that definition, and that the opinion does not say those apps are credit [5]. State regulators read some of these fees as interest: the D.C. suit against EarnIn [4] and the New York suit against MoneyLion and DailyPay [9] both turn fees into an APR.
If your employer offers it
Ask payroll first, because some employer programs let you take earned pay with no fee: DailyPay is a voluntary employer benefit with a no-fee instant option to its own card [43], Payactiv’s wage access needs employer participation [44], and Branch lets you advance up to 50% of earned wages if your employer opts in [45]. DailyPay is also named in the New York suit [9].
If you need a loan instead
If you need longer than one payday to repay, a small instalment loan spreads the cost over several payments. Possible Finance lends up to $500, repaid in four instalments, and applying does not affect your FICO score [46]. For larger amounts, federal credit unions offer payday alternative loans of up to $2,000 over 1 to 12 months, available as soon as you join [47].
Apps we left out
We left out six apps that older lists still name, because their fees could not be confirmed, they are no longer in the stores, or they work differently from EarnIn. Current advertises advances up to $750 [48], but its advance terms page returned “404 Not Found” on 9 October 2026, so its fees are not confirmed here. Zirtue, on older lists, has no app in the US App Store or Google Play [49]. One Finance is now OnePay, and its listing shows no cash advance [50].
SoLo Funds is peer-to-peer lending of up to $650 [51], and in 2023 it settled with the D.C. Attorney General over loans averaging a 500% APR [4]; our SoLo Funds alternatives page covers it separately. Gerald requires a purchase in its own store before you can move the rest of an advance to your bank [52], and B9 requires a membership of $9.99 to $19.99 a month [53].
How we rate
We list only apps that were live in the US App Store and Google Play on the date at the top. Limits and fees come from each app’s own page or store listing; where a review site is used instead, the card says so. Star ratings are the stores’ own averages, not our scores. The order is our judgement of how closely each app matches EarnIn: no required subscription first, then subscription apps, then bank features. Nobody pays for a place here, and none of the links earn us money.
For other guides in the same layout, see apps like TaskRabbit, which includes ways to earn on the side, and apps like Whisper.
Questions people ask
What app is better than EarnIn?
None is better for everyone. MoneyLion is the closest no-membership option [6], Albert has the highest stated limit [17], and Vola charges nothing for instant transfers [41].
Which apps like EarnIn have no subscription?
MoneyLion Instacash [6], Albert Instant Advance [17] and Chime MyPay for Chime customers [10]. Klover names no subscription in its listing [14], and Varo charges a flat fee per advance instead of a monthly fee [36]. Brigit [24], Cleo [32] and FloatMe [38] also allow an advance without a plan, on request or under their terms.
Which app like EarnIn works with Chime?
Chime’s own MyPay, up to $500 per pay period for Chime checking customers with direct deposit [10].
Is EarnIn a payday loan?
EarnIn calls Cash Out earned wage access with no interest [1]. The D.C. Attorney General’s suit argues its fees make it lending [4], and the CFPB’s 2025 opinion leaves apps repaid from your bank account outside its “not credit” definition [5].
Dave or EarnIn: which is better?
EarnIn has no membership and a free standard transfer [2]; Dave charges up to $5 a month plus at least $5 per ExtraCash [20]. Dave suits you if you want a Dave checking account anyway [20].
Sources (53)
These are the pages we used for the facts in this article, checked on 9 and 10 October 2026.
- EarnIn, Cash Out: earnin.com
- EarnIn, App Store: apps.apple.com
- EarnIn, Google Play: play.google.com
- Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, suit against EarnIn (November 2024), which also cites the May 2023 SoLo Funds settlement: oag.dc.gov
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, advisory opinion on earned wage access (December 2025): consumerfinance.gov
- MoneyLion, Instacash: moneylion.com
- MoneyLion, App Store: apps.apple.com
- MoneyLion, Google Play: play.google.com
- New York State Attorney General, suit against MoneyLion and DailyPay (April 2025): ag.ny.gov
- Finder, Chime MyPay review (updated 29 September 2026): finder.com
- NerdWallet, Chime MyPay review: nerdwallet.com
- Chime, App Store: apps.apple.com
- Chime, Google Play: play.google.com
- Klover, App Store: apps.apple.com
- Klover, Google Play: play.google.com
- Klover, official website: joinklover.com
- Albert, App Store: apps.apple.com
- Albert, Google Play: play.google.com
- Albert, official website and disclosures: albert.com
- Dave, ExtraCash: dave.com
- Dave, App Store: apps.apple.com
- Dave, Google Play: play.google.com
- Federal Trade Commission, action against Dave (November 2024): ftc.gov
- Brigit Help, “How much does Brigit cost?”: help.hellobrigit.com
- Brigit, App Store: apps.apple.com
- Brigit, Google Play: play.google.com
- Federal Trade Commission, Brigit refunds (November 2023): ftc.gov
- Tilt, official website and footnotes: tilt.com
- Tilt, App Store: apps.apple.com
- Tilt, Google Play (package finance.empower): play.google.com
- Finder, Tilt review (updated 29 September 2026): finder.com
- Cleo, pricing: web.meetcleo.com
- Cleo, App Store: apps.apple.com
- Cleo, Google Play: play.google.com
- Federal Trade Commission, refunds to Cleo AI users (October 2026): ftc.gov
- Varo Bank, App Store: apps.apple.com
- Varo Bank, Google Play: play.google.com
- FloatMe, App Store: apps.apple.com
- FloatMe, Google Play: play.google.com
- Vola, official website and FAQ: volafinance.com
- Vola, App Store: apps.apple.com
- Vola, Google Play: play.google.com
- DailyPay, App Store: apps.apple.com
- Payactiv, App Store: apps.apple.com
- Branch, App Store: apps.apple.com
- Possible Finance, App Store: apps.apple.com
- National Credit Union Administration, payday alternative loan rule: ncua.gov
- Current, App Store: apps.apple.com
- Zirtue, website and Google Play (listing not found): zirtue.com, play.google.com
- OnePay, formerly One Finance, App Store: apps.apple.com
- SoLo Funds, App Store: apps.apple.com
- Gerald, App Store: apps.apple.com
- B9, App Store: apps.apple.com
