Loans Like Moneytree: 6 Cheaper Alternatives Compared (2026)
Last updated 09/27/2026 by
Andrew Latham
Summary:
Moneytree’s payday loans cost $15 to $18.50 per $100 borrowed in most of its states, which works out to about 391% to 508% APR on a two-week loan. If you want something cheaper, a credit union payday alternative loan (PAL), Possible Finance and OppLoans are the strongest loans like Moneytree. Below we compare six alternatives on cost, amount, term and which of Moneytree’s five states they serve.
The best loans like Moneytree in 2026 are a credit union PAL (best for the lowest cost, capped at 28% APR), Possible Finance (best for payday-sized cash repaid in four installments) and OppLoans (best for larger amounts over several months). People look for alternatives to Moneytree mostly over cost: a two-week payday loan there carries an APR between 391% and 508%, depending on the state. Others live outside its five states: California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada and Washington.
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Moneytree at a glance
| What it is | A family-owned storefront and online lender founded in 1983 near Seattle. It offers payday, installment, signature and title loans plus check cashing |
| States | California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada and Washington. The store locator lists 52 branches |
| Payday loan amount | Up to $255 in California, $700 in Washington, $1,000 in Idaho and $5,000 in Nevada. No payday loans in Colorado |
| Payday cost | $15 per $100 (Washington) to $18.50 per $100 (Idaho). A $100, 14-day loan runs 391.07% APR in Washington, 460.16% in California, 482.32% in Idaho and 508.39% in Nevada |
| Other loans | Installment loans in CO, ID, NV and WA. Title loans in ID and NV (up to $25,000 in Nevada), and auto equity loans in Idaho |
| Credit check | Yes. Moneytree says it may use your consumer credit report, your Moneytree history, your income and state database records |
| Funding speed | Cash the same day in a branch. Instant funding to an eligible debit card usually takes 30–45 minutes; ACH can take up to 5 business days |
| Requirements | Government ID and an SSN or ITIN, proof of income, and a checking account for payday and installment loans. Signature and title loans don’t need a bank account |
Is Moneytree legit?
Yes. Moneytree is a licensed lender in each state it serves; for example, California’s Department of Financial Protection and Innovation licenses its payday loans. It has one federal enforcement action on record. In December 2016, the CFPB ordered Moneytree to pay about $255,000 in refunds and a $250,000 civil penalty. The CFPB said its tax-refund check-cashing ads were misleading and some collection letters threatened to repossess cars on loans that weren’t secured by a car. It also found that Moneytree debited some Washington customers’ bank accounts without proper authorization. That order ran for five years. We found no federal or state enforcement action against Moneytree since then.
6 best loans like Moneytree in 2026
1. Credit union payday alternative loan (PAL) – Best for the lowest cost
How it works: Federal credit unions can offer two kinds of small-dollar loans. PAL I loans run $200 to $1,000 over 1 to 6 months, after at least a month of membership. PAL II loans go up to $2,000 over 1 to 12 months and are open to new members. Interest is capped at 28% APR through at least September 2027, and the application fee can’t exceed $20. A PAL can’t be rolled over, and each one is repaid in full installments. It’s the cheapest option here and the only one available in all five of Moneytree’s states.
✅ Pros:
- Costs a fraction of any payday or installment loan on this list
- Fully amortizing payments, no rollovers
- PAL II is open to brand-new members
❌ Cons:
- You have to join a credit union, and not every one offers PALs
- Approval and funding are usually slower than a storefront lender
2. Possible Finance – Best for payday-sized cash repaid in installments
How it works: Possible lends up to $500. You repay it in four biweekly payments over 8 weeks instead of one lump sum. It charges $15 to $25 per $100 in many states. Its sample schedules show 151.70% APR on a $500 Washington loan and 200.56% in Idaho and Nevada. There are no late fees, and you can move a payment up to 29 days. Possible reviews your bank data rather than your FICO score and reports payments to TransUnion and Experian. It serves Washington, California, Idaho and Nevada, but not Colorado.
✅ Pros:
- Much lower APR than a Moneytree payday loan in the same state
- On-time payments can help build credit
- No late fees; payments can be moved
❌ Cons:
- Smaller amounts than Moneytree offers in Idaho or Nevada
- App-only, with no branches for cash pickup
3. EarnIn – Best for a small bridge with no required fee
How it works: EarnIn isn’t a loan. It advances wages you’ve already earned: up to $150 a day and $1,000 per pay period, repaid automatically on payday. There’s no monthly fee ($0) and no interest. Standard transfers are free and take 1–2 business days. Instant Cash Out transfers cost $3.99 - $8.99, depending on the amount. For more apps like this, see our comparison of apps like Dave.
✅ Pros:
- No interest and no required fee
- No credit check
❌ Cons:
- Needs a regular paycheck by direct deposit; benefits-only income won’t work
- Colorado’s attorney general sued EarnIn in August 2026 under state lending laws
4. OppLoans – Best for larger amounts over several months
How it works: OppLoans arranges installment loans of $500 - $5,000 with terms of 9 to 18 months. APRs run 129% to 195% in California, Idaho and Washington, and top out at 179% in Nevada. For example, $2,000 at 160% APR over nine months means nine payments of $394.58. Checking your offer uses a soft Experian pull, though OppLoans does a hard inquiry with Clarity, a specialty bureau. Funding can arrive the same business day if you’re approved by noon Central. It isn’t available in Colorado.
✅ Pros:
- Lower APR than Moneytree’s installment loans in Idaho and Nevada
- Soft-pull prequalification: Yes
- Reports to all three credit bureaus
❌ Cons:
- Still very expensive; a long term means more total interest
- Loans come from bank partners. The DC attorney general settled with OppLoans in 2021 over that model, and California’s regulator is appealing a 2026 court ruling in OppLoans’ favor
5. Speedy Cash (Rapid Cash in WA and NV) – Best like-for-like payday lender
How it works: Speedy Cash is the closest match to Moneytree, with stores and online payday loans. Amounts run $50 to $255 in California, $50 to $700 in Washington and up to $1,500 in Nevada. In Washington and Nevada it operates as Rapid Cash. It lists a 17.65% fee for California online payday loans and 15% in Washington, both in line with Moneytree. In Idaho it offers only an online line of credit, and it doesn’t serve Colorado. Funds can go instantly to a debit card or by direct deposit, typically within one business day. Its parent, CURO, went through a prepackaged Chapter 11 in 2024 and emerged that July.
✅ Pros:
- Stores and online, like Moneytree
- Instant debit-card funding
❌ Cons:
- Costs about the same as Moneytree, since state law sets the fees
- Refunded about $700,000 to California borrowers in a 2018 settlement with state regulators
6. Advance America – Best for bigger credit lines in Idaho and Nevada
How it works: Advance America offers cash advances of $100 to $255 in California, and installment loans and lines of credit up to $5,000 in Idaho and Nevada. It has stores in California, Idaho and Nevada, but none in Washington or Colorado. Loans approved before 10:30 a.m. Eastern on a weekday are typically funded by 5 p.m. Eastern the same day. Fees and APRs aren’t on its state pages, so ask before you sign.
✅ Pros:
- Larger lines of credit than Moneytree’s payday loans in Idaho
- Same-day funding for early approvals
❌ Cons:
- Not available in Washington or Colorado
- Pricing isn’t published up front
Moneytree alternatives compared
| Lender | Amount | Cost | Repayment | Moneytree states served | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moneytree (payday) | Up to $255 (CA) to $5,000 (NV) | 391%–508% APR on a 14-day loan | One payment, next payday | CA, ID, NV, WA (CO: installment only) | Comparison baseline |
| Credit union PAL | Up to $2,000 | Up to 28% APR + up to $20 fee | 1–12 months | All five | Lowest cost |
| Possible Finance | Up to $500 | About 152%–201% APR | 4 payments over 8 weeks | CA, ID, NV, WA | Payday-sized cash in installments |
| EarnIn | Up to $1,000 per pay period | $0 monthly; instant transfer $3.99 - $8.99 | Next payday | Check the app for your state | Small bridge, no required fee |
| OppLoans | $500 - $5,000 | 129%–195% APR | 9–18 months | CA, ID, NV, WA | Larger amounts |
| Speedy Cash / Rapid Cash | $255 (CA) to $1,500 (NV) | 15%–17.65% fee per loan (CA, WA) | Next payday | CA, NV, WA (ID: line of credit) | Like-for-like payday |
| Advance America | $255 (CA) to $5,000 (ID, NV) | Not published | Varies by product | CA, ID, NV | Bigger lines in ID and NV |
Places like Moneytree by state
If you want a store you can walk into, here’s what we could confirm on each lender’s own site. Credit unions with PALs exist in every state, so they aren’t listed here.
| State | Storefront and online lenders like Moneytree |
|---|---|
| California | Speedy Cash, Advance America, ACE Cash Express, Check Into Cash (stores only), Check City, Money Mart, plus Possible and OppLoans online. Payday loans are capped at $255 by state law. |
| Washington | Rapid Cash (Speedy Cash), plus Possible and OppLoans online. Payday loans are capped at $700 or 30% of gross monthly income, whichever is less. |
| Nevada | Rapid Cash (Speedy Cash), Advance America, Check City, plus Possible and OppLoans online |
| Idaho | Advance America, Check City, Cash Store, Speedy Cash (online line of credit), CashNetUSA (line of credit), plus Possible and OppLoans online |
| Colorado | Very few. None of the lenders we checked make payday loans there, and even Moneytree offers only installment loans. A credit union PAL or a paycheck-advance app is the practical option. |
Payday loans like Moneytree
If you specifically want another payday loan, Speedy Cash (Rapid Cash), Advance America, ACE Cash Express, Check Into Cash and Check City all offer them in at least one of Moneytree’s states. Don’t expect big savings: California and Washington cap payday fees by law, and Moneytree already charges at or near those caps. The real savings come from moving off a single-payment payday loan: to a PAL, an installment loan like Possible, or a fee-free wage advance.
How to choose an alternative to Moneytree
- Compare the dollar cost, not just the APR. On a $300 loan, $15 per $100 is $45 for two weeks. The same $300 as a PAL at 28% APR, repaid over three months, costs about $14 in interest plus any application fee (up to $20).
- Check whether you can afford one payment. A payday loan is due in full on your next payday. If that would leave you short again, choose something with installments.
- Confirm your state. Most lenders here serve only some of Moneytree’s states, and Colorado has the fewest options.
Compare similar lenders: loans like ACE Cash Express, loans like Speedy Cash, loans like Advance America, and loans like Advance Financial 24/7
FAQs
Does Moneytree do a credit check?
Yes. Moneytree says the amount you can borrow depends on your Moneytree history, your income and your application. It may also use information from your consumer credit report and state lending databases. It doesn’t advertise “no credit check” loans.
What is the easiest loan company to get approved for?
Paycheck-advance apps like EarnIn don’t check credit; they look at your pay deposits. Among lenders, Possible reviews your bank data rather than your FICO score. PALs from credit unions are also designed for people with thin or damaged credit. The easiest approvals usually cost the most.
How can I borrow $500 immediately?
Storefront lenders like Moneytree and Speedy Cash can hand you cash the same day, and several lenders here fund to a debit card within minutes. Possible lends up to $500 and repays over 8 weeks, often at a far lower APR. If you already belong to a credit union, ask whether it can fund a PAL the same day.
Does Moneytree offer payday loans in Colorado?
No. Moneytree offers only installment loans in Colorado: $100, $325 or $525 for first-time borrowers. Its example is $325 over six months at 100.92% APR.
Is the Moneytree app the same company?
Not always. The Moneytree budgeting app is made by an unrelated Tokyo fintech, and “Money Tree” payday lenders in Canada are separate businesses too. This article covers Moneytree, Inc. (moneytreeinc.com), the U.S. lender.
SuperMoney may be compensated by some of the providers listed. This doesn’t change how we evaluate them. Terms are as of September 2026 and can change; check the provider’s site before you apply.
Key Takeaways
- Moneytree operates only in CA, CO, ID, NV and WA. Its two-week payday loans run about 391% to 508% APR.
- A credit union PAL (28% APR cap) is the cheapest alternative and the only one we found in all five states.
- Possible (up to $500, four payments) and OppLoans ($500 - $5,000) spread repayment out at lower APRs.
- Other payday lenders, such as Speedy Cash and Advance America, cost about the same as Moneytree, because state law sets the fees.
Andrew is the Content Director for SuperMoney, a Certified Financial Planner®, and a Certified Personal Finance Counselor. He loves to geek out on financial data and translate it into actionable insights everyone can understand. His work is often cited by major publications and institutions, such as Forbes, U.S. News, Fox Business, SFGate, Realtor, Deloitte, and Business Insider.
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