Cash Advance Apps that Don’t Use Plaid

Plaid is considered a secure financial tech platform, using advanced encryption standards to protect your data. It also meets top security certifications, so your financial info is super protected. Plaid has 2-factor authentication too, for extra security.

Plaid says it puts user privacy and control over data sharing first. While no system is completely risk-free, Plaid’s encryption and commitment to privacy make it a good choice for financial data.

While Plaid provides secure and seamless connections between bank accounts and financial apps, some users don’t want to share their banking info with third-party services because of privacy concerns. Despite Plaid’s strong security measures, its involvement in a class action lawsuit over data handling practices raised concerns for some users. Although Plaid has since made changes and was acquired by Visa, the negative publicity around this lingers and many people are hesitant to use Plaid for financial services.

If you want more privacy or don’t want to use Plaid, there are cash advance apps that don’t use it. These apps let you access funds fast and securely without Plaid’s involvement, with an alternative verification process and the same convenience.

• Overview. Dave is a financial app that gives you cash advances through its ExtraCash™ feature. The app lets you link your bank account manually by entering your account info and confirming small deposits to verify. It’s a fast and simple way to get funds without credit checks, so many people with a steady income history can use it.

• Loan Limit. Dave lets you borrow up to $500 per pay period, depending on your bank account balance, income, and spending habits. If you have a good financial profile, you may be able to increase your advance amount.

• Fees. Dave charges a $1.00 monthly membership fee. There’s a $0.99-$3.99 fee for expedited cash advance processing. A $5 or 5% overdraft fee applies, depending on the situation. External debit card transfers have a 1.5% fee and a monthly fee of up to $5 for ExtraCash, Income Opportunity Services, and Financial Management Services.

• Repayment Terms. Cash advance repayment is due on your next payday. The amount borrowed must be repaid on demand and if you don’t repay on time you may incur additional overdraft fees. ExtraCash amounts are $25-$500 and repayment is due on the next pay cycle.

• Overview. Earnin is a paycheck advance app that lets you borrow from your already-earned wages without interest or mandatory fees. The app connects to your bank account and gives you access to the money you’ve already earned. Repayment is automatically deducted from your next paycheck. Earnin is a fast and simple way to avoid overdraft fees or manage cash flow between paychecks.

• Loan Limit. Earnin lets you borrow up to $150 per day and up to $750 per pay period, more than most other paycheck advance apps.

• Fees. Earnin doesn’t charge fees for using the app. But if you choose the Lightning Speed option to get funds immediately, there’s a $0.99-$4.99 fee per transaction. You can also leave a voluntary tip up to $13 per transaction.

• Repayment Terms. Repayment is due on your next payday, and Earnin will automatically deduct the amount you borrowed from your bank account. If you don’t use the Lightning Speed option, you can expect the funds to be available in 1-2 business days for free.

• Overview. MoneyLion is a financial platform that offers several services including Instacash which is a cash advance. The app lets you link your bank account via Plaid or manually with a debit card. MoneyLion offers free and premium services and Instacash advances are available to users who meet certain criteria such as regular direct deposits. With a membership fee and options for instant transfers, MoneyLion is flexible for users looking for fast cash.

• Loan Limit. MoneyLion cash advances are $25-$1,000 depending on your account activity and direct deposit history.

• Fees. MoneyLion charges a $1.00 monthly membership fee. There’s a 2.5% fee to add money to your account with an external debit card, with a minimum fee of $0.25. For instant processing, there’s a fee of $0.49-$8.99 depending on the urgency of the transfer.

• Repayment Terms. Repayment is due on your next payday but can be deferred up to 2 weeks through the app. You can set the repayment date within the app, so you can choose based on your cash flow.

• Overview. Current is a mobile banking app that offers cash advances through its Overdrive™ feature and gives you access to up to $200 without overdraft fees. The app also offers other financial tools including savings pods with competitive APY rates, a credit builder card, and early direct deposit. While it uses Plaid for account linking, Current also allows manual bank linking through debit cards so users who don’t want to use Plaid have options.

• Loan Limit. Current cash advances are $25-$500 depending on your account history and eligibility.

• Fees. No membership fee to use the app. But you must receive at least $500 in qualifying deposits in the last 30 days to be eligible for the Overdrive™ feature. Additional fees may apply if you go over the limits or need further assistance.

• Repayment Terms. Repayments are due in 60 days. The repayment schedule is flexible and can be managed within the Current app.

• Overview. Chime MyPay is a cash advance for existing Chime customers who receive direct deposits into their Chime checking account. You can access up to 50% of your anticipated paycheck. MyPay stands out for its low fast-funding fee and no overdraft fees. No tipping is required.

• Loan Limit. Chime MyPay loan limit is up to 50% of your paycheck with a max of $500.

• Fees. Chime charges a $2 fast-funding fee to get funds immediately. No additional fees or tipping are required.

• Repayment Terms. The cash advance is repaid with your next paycheck when it’s deposited into your Chime checking account.

• Overview. Cleo is a financial app for both Apple and Android devices that offers cash advances to eligible paying members. With no interest or additional fees for cash advances, Cleo is designed to help you bridge the gap between paychecks. But you need to be a member to access cash advances, and their website doesn’t have as much information on fees and terms as traditional financial institutions. The app also has budgeting and money management features, mostly through an AI-powered chatbot.

• Loan Limit. Cleo offers cash advances up to $250. First-time users are only eligible for $20-$100. After you repay an advance, you may be eligible to borrow up to the full $250 limit.

• Fees. No fees for cash advances if you’re a paying member. But you need to be a member to access the cash advance feature. Cleo Plus is $5.99/month or $72/year.

• Repayment Terms. Cleo doesn’t clearly outline the repayment terms, but it’s typically repaid by your next payday. You can access other features like budgeting and financial advice while using the app.

• Overview. Brigit is a cash advance app that offers advances up to $250 and budgeting and credit-building tools. It gives you fast funding and helps ensure repayment by looking at your banking history. Brigit is unique in that it doesn’t require tips like many other apps. But it charges a monthly subscription fee for the features.

• Loan Limit. Brigit offers cash advances from $50 to $250 depending on your banking history and account activity.

• Fees. Brigit charges a mandatory monthly subscription fee of $8.99 or $14.99 depending on the plan. There’s also an optional fast-funding fee of $0.99 to $3.99 if you need funds immediately.

• Repayment Terms. Repayment is automatically withdrawn from your bank account on the payday determined by Brigit. You can also repay loans through the app if needed.