FloatMe is a cash advance app, and its competitors include Dave, MoneyLion, Chime, and Empower. Each platform has its own maximum cash advance limit and its own terms, so it’s best to choose an app that fits your specific needs.
Cash advances have become more popular than ever, especially for those who want to avoid credit checks and overdraft fees. FloatMe is one of the earliest and most popular choices, but there are plenty of alternative cash advance apps on the market.
Are you in need of some fast cash? Let’s take a look at FloatMe and other cash advance apps currently available.
What is FloatMe?
FloatMe is believed to be the first cash advance app. It was primarily designed to help people avoid overdraft fees, and it is still one of the most popular cash advance apps today.
FloatMe offers a maximum cash advance — known as a “Float” — of only $50, but that comes with no interest fees or credit checks. Simply link the app to your bank account, and whenever you need money, you can have FloatMe send you up to $50. You can then repay that advance after you receive a direct deposit on your payday.
As of 2022, FloatMe has a membership fee of $1.99 a month.
Pro Tip
Best cash advance apps like FloatMe
While FloatMe might be the original cash advance app, its monthly membership fee may not be so appealing in a time of high inflation or recession. Fortunately, there’s now a wide variety of similar apps that offer cash advances, so you have plenty of other options to choose from. Here are some of the best apps like FloatMe:
Brigit
Brigit is pretty much “FloatMe on steroids.” This handy app has a cash advance limit of $250, and it also teaches you how to improve your credit score. You have two options for when to get your money: within three days or within seconds.
All you need to do is link up your current bank account using Plaid, and you’re ready to try one of the most popular cash advance apps on the market. For quick cash, you can also connect your debit card to the app.
Brigit is one of the few apps like FloatMe that will have slightly higher requirements than usual. To sign up, you will need a checking account that has at least 60 days of activity, three or more deposits from the same employer, and a positive balance.
Brigit is free to use, but it also offers a Plus plan with extra features for $9.99 a month.
Chime
Chime is not a payday loan app, nor is it quite the same as other apps like FloatMe. Instead, Chime is an online bank where you can open your own checking account and savings account (complete with a debit card).
Chime offers a service called SpotMe, which gives you extra cash to spend every time you receive a direct deposit into your Chime checking account. You can earn additional SpotMe dollars by referring friends and keeping direct deposits in your account.
With Chime, you can earn payday cash advances and save money, all without paying monthly fees!
Pro Tip
Klover
Contrary to popular belief, some people do have a hard time getting approved for payday loans. Sometimes it’s due to a lack of pay stubs, a weak credit history, or even problems with banking services, but whatever the reason you can’t get a payday loan, you still need money for paying bills.
Enter Klover. This app uses a proprietary algorithm to approve more people for cash advances than most other similar apps. And best of all, it comes with no hidden fees, no credit check, and no interest! All you need to do is link Klover to your bank account, then you can get a cash advance of up to $100 through the app.
Earnin
Earnin is probably one of the best apps like FloatMe for regular wage earners. This app gives you early access to a paycheck you’ve already earned by sending you the money before it arrives in your bank account on your payday. With the app’s Cash Out feature, you can receive as much as $500 from your upcoming paycheck.
Aside from a cash advance app, Earnin is also a money management app with plenty of financial planning features. There are no mandatory fees for using the app, but you can leave a “tip” for the service whenever you cash out.
Dave
Thanks to social media, Dave became something of a celebrity among cash advance apps, and it’s easy to see why: not only is the app’s cartoon bear one of the cutest financial app mascots around, but the app itself offers instant cash advances of up to $500.
With the Dave app, you get your money fast and pay it back on your next payday, and you don’t have to deal with any interest fees or credit checks. With instant cash advance and budgeting services for only $1 a month, it’s no wonder over 10 million people love Dave!
Empower
Empower is all about giving you control over your money, and with a name like that, it’s clear that cash advances are only the start of what this app can do. When you first sign up, you can get cash advances of up to $250, but over time you can get a credit line of up to $1,000.
Unlike other apps on this list, Empower isn’t a traditional payday loan or cash advance app. Instead, it’s a credit app that allows you to pay off the borrowed money after your next pay period.
Note that if you don’t pay off your credit in full, the interest rate goes up to about 35%. The good news is that you don’t need a credit score or down payment to use Empower, which makes this service more lenient than many credit cards.
Payactiv
Unlike other apps like FloatMe, Payactiv is mostly marketed toward employers. If your employer participates in this service, you can get an advance on your paycheck for the hours you recently worked. However, your employer doesn’t have to participate for you to get some of the perks offered by the app.
Payactiv comes with no fees, no interest rates, and no credit checks. As soon as the hours you worked are logged, you can get access to the money you earned, which you can have sent to a bank account or to your own Payactiv card. The app also offers perks such as financial wellness counseling, budgeting tools, and tips on saving money.
Even
Even is another employer-sponsored app that allows you to get your pay in advance, making it a direct competitor to Payactiv. Unlike with Payactiv, however, your employer is required to use Even for you to gain access to its features.
Even is not an app that offers personal loans; rather, it’s an “earned wage access app” that acts as an instant cash advance app. Even also offers tools for budgeting, saving, and projecting your future earnings.
MoneyLion
MoneyLion is best described as a full-service financial technology company. They mainly offer cash advance payments of up to $1,000, but that’s not all. MoneyLion also helps you save money and offers an investment platform and a bank account with no overdraft fees. They even give you ways to earn money on the platform!
Whether you need to borrow money or you’re looking for a one-stop financial shop, you can find what you need on MoneyLion. They don’t offer only payday loans and “instacash” money transfers; they also have a full-fledged marketplace where you can shop around for the financial products you need.
FAQ
How much can I get from FloatMe?
You can get as much as $50 from FloatMe in one cash advance.
What app(s) will let me borrow money instantly?
Most cash advance apps on the market will approve cash advances instantly, but MoneyLion, FloatMe, Dave, and PayActiv are notable for letting you cash out almost immediately.
How many times can I use FloatMe?
You can use FloatMe only once per pay period if you are paid bi-weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly.
Why was I rejected by FloatMe?
There are multiple reasons why FloatMe may reject you, including a checking account not in good standing, a lack of approved deposits, and bad spending habits the day after a previous Float.
Key Takeaways
- FloatMe and similar apps allow one cash advance per pay period, often without a credit check or service fees.
- Popular alternatives to FloatMe include Dave, Chime, MoneyLion, Klover, and Earnin.
- Many apps that offer cash advances do not require you to pay interest but will automatically deduct the borrowed amount when you get paid.
- The best uses for cash advances from these apps are responsible financial decisions, such as overdraft protection and paying bills.
- Bad credit is not an obstacle to using cash advance apps like Empower or MoneyLion.
- Apps that offer paycheck advances can range from a run-of-the-mill banking app to a full-scale fintech platform.
- Each cash advance app comes with a maximum limit on cash withdrawals, ranging from $50 to $1,000.
Cash advance apps like FloatMe, Chime, and MoneyLion offer a convenient way to get fast cash when you need it, but they’re not your only option. While instant access to your upcoming paycheck can get you a little emergency cash in a pinch, the low limits of these early cash withdrawals make cash advance apps less reliable for bigger purchases.
If you’re in need of more money for a major expense coming up soon, you can pay for it with a credit card or take out a short-term loan instead. Check out SuperMoney’s guide on how to finance a purchase, and use our comparison tools to find credit cards or personal loans that are right for you!
View Article Sources
- FloatMe: Your Best Financial Friend – FloatMe
- Brigit: Get your finances on track – Brigit
- Chime: Banking with No Monthly Fees, Fee-Free Overdraft, Build Credit – Chime
- Klover: Money doesn’t have to be stressful – Klover
- Earnin: You worked today, get paid today – Earnin
- Dave: Mobile Banking App, Cash Advance, Budget, Build Credit – Dave
- Empower: Affordable Credit, Designed for Everyone – Empower
- Payactiv: Bringing Financial Wellness and Freedom to All – Payactiv
- Even: Earned wage access app, get paid on demand – Even
- MoneyLion: Finance App, Mobile Banking – MoneyLion
- How often can I receive a Float? – FloatMe
- Why can’t I Float right now? – FloatMe