CLEARBORROW · PUBLISHED NOVEMBER 12, 2026
Apps like MoneyLion: Instacash alternatives
If you want an alternative to MoneyLion Instacash, EarnIn and Chime MyPay have free standard routes, Current offers up to $1,000 for its account holders, and Tilt and Albert charge subscriptions or plans. Grant (our partner) has no required subscription but charges for Express delivery. Compare the fee for your amount and speed, not the maximum advance.
How this list works. Grant is a ClearBorrow partner and is marked; the other apps are not, and we earn nothing from them. Facts come from each developer’s App Store listing or official pages; we did not open accounts or take advances.
The alternatives at a glance
MoneyLion Instacash itself has no monthly administrative fee and charges for Turbo delivery (MoneyLion ↗). These apps are the closest alternatives:
| App | Advance | Cost to know | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| EarnIn | Up to $200/day, $1,000/pay period | Optional tips and Lightning Speed (EarnIn ↗) | Needs verified earnings |
| Dave | $25–$500 | 5% fee, $5 min; membership up to $5 (Dave ↗) | Overdraft product |
| Chime MyPay | $20–$500 | $2 instant or free within 24h (App Store ↗) | Chime direct deposit |
| Current | Up to $1,000 | Instant Access fee shown in app (Current ↗) | Current account |
| Tilt | $10–$500 | $8/month after a 14-day trial (App Store ↗) | Formerly Empower |
| Albert | $25–$1,000 | Plans $19.99–$39.99; not required for advances (App Store ↗) | Few get $1,000 |
| Grant (our partner) | $25–$500 | Optional $9.99/month Plus; $2–$21 Express (App Store ↗) | Not a loan; average first-time advance $66 |
How to choose
- Do you already have direct deposit at a bank or app? Banking apps (Chime, Current, Varo) unlock advances only with deposits there.
- Can you wait a day or more? Several apps have a free standard route; pay for speed only when the bill cannot wait.
- Count the monthly fee. A subscription is part of the cost even in months you take nothing.
- Check the first amount, not the maximum. Most apps start lower; see average offers where they publish them.
Lowest-cost options
If you can wait, EarnIn’s standard route and Chime’s 24-hour MyPay route cost nothing in the sources we checked. MoneyLion’s own standard delivery to Spend is also free. Speed is where the cost appears.
Fees on an advance are not interest, but they are real money: a $5 fee on a $100 advance repaid in two weeks is 5% of the amount. See the APR calculator to compare a fee with a loan’s APR.
Questions
What is the best app like MoneyLion?
It depends on where your paycheck lands. If it goes to Chime or Current, their built-in advances are the simplest. Otherwise EarnIn or Grant work with an outside bank.
Do apps like MoneyLion check credit?
The advances above are not priced on a credit score in the sources we checked; Tilt states no credit check for its advance.
Sources and limits
- MoneyLion: pricing (checked October 24, 2026) ↗
- EarnIn: Cash Out product page (checked October 24, 2026) ↗
- Dave: ExtraCash fee schedule ↗
- Chime on the App Store (developer description and disclosures) ↗
- Current: Paycheck Advance page and FAQ ↗
- Tilt on the App Store (developer description and disclosures) ↗
- Albert on the App Store (developer description and disclosures) ↗
- Grant Cash Advance on the App Store (checked November 12, 2026) ↗
Developer information checked November 12, 2026 (MoneyLion, Dave and EarnIn: October 24, 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.