MoneyLion and MoneyLion Plus are mobile banking finance app that gives you access to services like cash advance, loans, and other services that can be more nimble than going through traditional banks. In this article, we cover MoneyLion alternatives – apps like MoneyLion that you can check out to see if they work for your purposes.
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Earnin
Earnin is most popular as a paycheck advance app. This means you can get paid before your official payday.
To prove your paycheck is coming, Earnin requires you to upload your timesheet of the number of hours you worked.
Earnin is free – there’s no monthly fee or interest rates. They only ask for tips, which are voluntary.
MoneyLion won’t require you to upload your timesheet to get a cash advance. But it costs $29 per month (for the cash advance service among other services).
Earnin is a good option compared to MoneyLion Plus if you’re working and have no issue uploading your timesheets.
It is available on Apple iOS and Android.
SpotMe by Chime
SpotMe by Chime is a type of next-gen banking app that can provide you cash advances before your next paycheck. The plus is that they are interest-free.
Once you sign up, you get a free checking account with plenty of quality features.
There are no fees, including overdraft (within limits). Members who are eligible for overdraft protection can overdraw up to $100 on debit card purchases without triggering a fee. (Anything more than this will be declined.)
They also provide interest-free cash advances on paychecks up to two days before payday with direct deposit.
Eligibility criteria for SpotMe – SpotMe is only available to US residents age 18 or older. All Chime members with total monthly direct deposits of $500 or more are eligible for the SpotMe service.
PockBox
PockBox is an online lender that enables you to borrow higher amounts of money (up to $2,500) compared to MoneyLion.
There is no monthly subscription charge with PockBox. It just requires loan repayments.
Just ensure that for any loan you take on you read the terms and agree to the interest.
HonestLoans app
HonestLoans is a loan aggregator. This means it’s connected to various different lenders and will, according to your request and qualifications (it has about a 5-minute application process), let you borrow money.
You can ask between $100 and $2,500.
HonestLoans doesn’t involve any monthly fees to help you borrow, unlike MoneyLion Plus.
But HonestLoans is more one-dimensional. It is a cash advance app and not a more all-around financial app.
HonestLoans can be a great solution if you need cash quickly.
And just like any app dealing with money, just be aware of the terms and conditions you are agreeing to before you borrow money.
Dave App
Dave App allows you to borrow up to $75 until your next paycheck.
As the name suggests Dave App is a true app, available only on Android and iOS and not through a web browser.
Dave costs $1 per month even if you don’t borrow anything. Cash advances are a strong point of the app.
If you are looking to borrow small amounts multiple times per year, a Dave App loan can be a great MoneyLion Plus
MoneyLion Plus will cost you $29 per month in order to borrow $500 at a low interest rate.
Avant
Avant is a lender and not a financial planner app like MoneyLion. Avant is a highly trusted lender in the US – they have issued billions in loans since their founding.
The Avant app goes beyond the cash advance and micro-loan focus of some of the others. It will let you borrow anywhere from $2,000 to $35,000 (and as low as $2,000).
Their maximum APR is 36%.
The application process takes only about 5 minutes.
There are no monthly fees associated with borrowing (like there are with MoneyLion Plus). You will only need to make the monthly principal and interest payments.
If you need larger sums of money beyond simple micro-loans and cash advances, Avant may be an alternative worth checking out.
CashNetUSA
CashNetUSA offers payday and installment loans throughout the US.
Payday loans serve as CashNetUSA’s core business. Normally, CashNetUSA loans have to be repaid when you receive your next paycheck or direct deposit. But in some states extensions on loans may be accepted.
The rates and terms of loans vary depending on what state you’re from. Accordingly, you’ll have to have a look at CashNetUSA’s website to determine what kind of loan options are available to you and at what rate.
CashNetUSA also doesn’t look at your credit score, so this is a plus for those with lower credit scores, those wanting to avoid a credit inquiry, or just a basic convenience matter.
CashNetUSA also doesn’t report loan information to three credit bureaus – Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion – so your credit score will not be affected, which can be a minus for those looking to improve their score.
MoneyLion and MoneyLion Plus Alternatives Recap
In this article, we covered the following MoneyLion alternatives:
- Earnin
- SpotMe by Chime
- PockBox
- HonestLoans App
- Dave App
- Avant
- CashNetUSA
All have their pros and cons depending on the individual – whether that be fees, loan amounts, availability by location, credit checks, and so on.
Consider trying these personal finance apps out for yourself and seeing what works best for you.
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