CLEARBORROW · PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 12, 2026

Branch app review: on-demand pay for hourly workers

By Petrov Andriy, founder and editor · AI-assisted desk research

QUICK ANSWER

Branch lets employees of participating companies access up to 50% of earned wages before payday. Advances to your Branch account are free, ACH transfers out are free, and instant transfers to another debit card cost $2.99 to $4.99 for consumer accounts. Branch is not a bank; its banking services come through partner banks.

Independent review. Branch is not a ClearBorrow partner and we earn nothing from it. Facts come from the developer’s own App Store listing or official pages; we did not open an account or take an advance.

On this page

How Branch On-Demand Pay works
What it costs
Is Branch a bank?
Who can use it
Branch vs DailyPay vs Payactiv
Questions
Sources and limits

How Branch On-Demand Pay works

Branch offers free, on-demand access to a portion of wages before payday, up to 50% of earned wages, through employers that use it (Branch ↗). There are no fees to get an advance to your Branch account; from there you can spend with the Branch Card, transfer by ACH at no cost, or make an instant transfer to another debit card for a fee where eligible (Branch ↗).

What it costs

Route	Cost
Advance to your Branch account	Free
ACH transfer to another bank	Free
Instant transfer to another debit card	$2.99–$4.99 by amount for consumer (W-2) accounts (Branch ↗)

Our arithmetic: on a $100 transfer, a $2.99–$4.99 fee is 3% to 5% of the amount. Spending from the Branch Card avoids it.

Is Branch a bank?

No. Branch says it is not a bank and that banking services, including money transmission, are provided by Lead Bank, Member FDIC (Branch ↗). Its legal page also refers to Evolve for some account terms (Branch ↗).

Who can use it

On-Demand Pay depends on your employer using Branch; the company describes earned wage access as a benefit employers set up, with no pre-funding required (Branch ↗). If your employer is not a Branch partner, compare EarnIn or DailyPay, depending on what your employer offers.

Branch vs DailyPay vs Payactiv

	Branch	DailyPay	Payactiv
Access	Up to 50% of earned wages	Earned pay after your shift	Up to $500, per Payactiv
Free route	To Branch account; ACH out	To DailyPay Card with direct deposit	ACH 1–3 days; real time to its card
Instant elsewhere	$2.99–$4.99	Fee shown in app	Small fee

Questions

Can I use Branch without my employer?

You can open a Branch account through a partner, but On-Demand Pay depends on your employer offering it (Branch ↗).

Is Branch On-Demand Pay a loan?

Branch describes it as access to wages you have already earned, not a loan.

YOUR NEXT STEP

Explore the selected cash-advance partner

Grant is the selected commercial advance partner in our directory. Other apps discussed in this guide have their own separate requirements and terms.

Partner links. We may earn a commission if you continue and complete an eligible action. Selected partners only; no approval or funding guarantee. Advertising disclosure.

Cash advance

Grant Cash Advance

Published amount: Amount depends on current eligibility
Cost: No interest; fees can apply

Plus and optional express delivery can add costs. First-time amounts and state access must be checked directly.

Visit Grant Cash Advance (partner website, opens in a new tab)Read costs and limitations

Alphabetical order, not a ranking. Confirm state availability with the provider. You can review an offer and decline it.

Sources and limits

Developer information checked November 12, 2026. Terms change often and the amount you are offered is set in the app. Examples are our own arithmetic, not offers. How we use sources.