Many or all companies we feature compensate us. Compensation and editorial research influence how products appear on a page. Personal Loans Cash Advance Varo Advance 2025 Review: How It Works, Who’s Eligible, and How It Compares Updated Jul 02, 2025 9-min read Written by Rebecca Safier Written by Rebecca Safier Expertise: Student loans, personal loans, home equity, credit, budgeting Rebecca Safier is a personal finance writer with nearly a decade of experience writing about student loans, personal loans, budgeting, and related topics. She is certified as a student loan counselor through the National Association of Certified Credit Counselors. Learn more about Rebecca Safier Best for Current Varo Bank Customers Get Cash We think Varo Advance is best for existing Varo banking customers who need an instant small-dollar cash advance. However, if you want lower fees, Chime MyPay may be the more affordable choice. Varo Advance Instant cash advances from $20 to $500 Get up to 30 days to repay your advance Transparent fees Must have a Varo bank account Initial advance amounts limited to $250 Fees as high as $40 Amounts$20 – $500 Speed of advanceInstant Fees$1.60 – $40 Repayment time15 – 30 days Varo is a mobile banking app offering checking, savings, and credit-building products – including Varo Advance, a small-dollar line of credit to help cover short-term cash needs. While its cash advance fees are higher than many competitors, Varo also offers a personal line of credit (PLOC) with larger limits ($600 to $2,000) if you qualify. Here’s how Varo Advance works, what it costs, who can qualify, and how it compares to other mobile banking apps with cash advance features, such as Chime MyPay®. Need $100, like, right now? EarnIn offers a free, instant $100 cash advance to all qualifying first-time users. Table of Contents Varo Advance at a glance What Is Varo Advance? How does it work? Advance limits Fees How to qualify What if you need more than $500? How does Varo compare to Chime MyPay®? Pros and cons Does EarnIn work with Varo? How to get a Varo cash advance Customer reviews FAQ Varo Advance at a glance Borrow amountFeeRepayment time$20 – $500$1.60 – $4015 – 30 days Speed: Instant deposit into your Varo Bank account. Requirements: Active Varo account with $800+ in qualifying direct deposits (current or previous month). Credit check: None (Varo Advance does not affect your credit score). Best for: Current Varo customers needing fast cash What Is Varo Advance? Varo Advance is a small-dollar line of credit that deposits funds instantly into your Varo Bank account. You can borrow between $20 and $500 (though new users start with $250 max) and repay within 15 to 30 days. Other Varo products Varo Bank Account: No monthly fees, early direct deposit. High-Yield Savings Account: Competitive APY. Varo Believe Card: Secured credit card to build credit. Varo PLOC: Personal line of credit ($600 – $2,000) for larger borrowing needs. How does it work? Check your available limit. Viewable in the Varo app home screen. Choose your advance amount. Limits range from $20 to $500 based on your account history. Select repayment date. Between 15 and 30 days (auto repayment). You can repay early anytime in the app. Receive funds instantly. Deposited to your Varo Bank account with no wait time. You can take out as many advances as you want, but you can only have one advance outstanding at a time. Repayment details Auto repayment: Varo withdraws repayment on your chosen date. Manual repayment: You can pay back early via Varo Advance > Repay Advance in the app. Missed payments: If you don’t repay by the final 30-day due date, Varo will deduct from incoming deposits until fully repaid. You aren’t required to wait 15 days to repay. That’s just the earliest autopay date. What happens if you can’t repay Varo? If you can’t repay your Varo Advance by your chosen auto-repayment date, you still have until the final 30-day due date to pay it back. After 30 days, Varo will automatically deduct the remaining balance from any incoming deposits to your Varo Bank account until the advance is fully repaid. Not repaying on time could reduce your future advance limits, but Varo doesn’t charge late fees or report to credit bureaus. Varo Advance limits Your advance limit depends on: Account balances and activity Direct deposit history ($800+ monthly required) On-time repayments of past advances New users start with limits up to $250, increasing to $500 over time with consistent positive account history. Limits and eligibility are reviewed daily and may change at any time. Fees Here is Varo’s fee schedule: Cash advance amountFee $20$1.60$50$4$75 $6$100$8$150$12$200$16$250$20$300$24$400$32 $500$40 How to qualify To be eligible, you must: Have an active Varo Bank Account (not closed or suspended) with balances above $0. Receive at least $800 in qualifying direct deposits in the current or prior month. Repay all prior Varo Advance balances. Agree to Varo’s terms and conditions (new users). Disclosures Varo Advance is a small-dollar line of credit. Initial limits range from $20 to $250; you can work your way up to $500 over time. A Qualifying Direct Deposit is an electronic paycheck, pension, or government benefit deposit that Varo can identify. Tax refunds, Venmo, or peer transfers do not count. You can only have one outstanding advance at a time, but you can take out as many advances as you qualify for sequentially. What if you need more than $500? Varo PLOC: Varo offers a personal line of credit from $600 to $2,000, though rates and qualifications differ from Varo Advance. Other apps: You can use additional apps compatible with your Varo account, such as EarnIn, Empower, or Dave, to access higher total advance amounts. How does Varo compare to Chime MyPay®? Varo AdvanceChime MyPay®Borrow amount$20 – $500$20 – $500Fee$1.60 – $40Free (24 hours) or $2 instantRepayment15 – 30 daysNext direct depositRequirementsVaro Bank account + $800 direct depositsChime Checking account + direct depositsOther banking featuresPLOC ($600 – $2,000), Believe CardGet Paid Early, secured credit builder card Bottom line: While Varo offers higher borrowing flexibility long-term (via PLOC), Chime MyPay has a simpler, cheaper fee structure for advances under $500. Pros and cons Here are the pros and cons of a Varo cash advance. Be sure to consider both before you borrow. Pros Instant funding with no wait Clear fee structure Builds eligibility for higher limits over time No credit check required Cons High fees (up to $40 for $500) compared to other apps Must use Varo Bank account Initial limits capped at $250 Risk of overdrawing your account (no overdraft fees, but can hurt finances) Does EarnIn work with Varo? Yes. EarnIn, Empower, and Dave all work with Varo Bank accounts, allowing you to supplement your Varo Advance with additional cash advances as needed. How to get a Varo cash advance Here are the steps you can take to get a Varo cash advance. Download the Varo app: You can download the app on your mobile device from Google Play or the Apple Store. Have or open a Varo bank account: You’ll need to be a Varo banking customer to access a Varo cash advance. Look for a cash advance offer in the app: If you qualify for a cash advance, Varo will show you an offer in the app. Tap the offer, confirm your advance amount, and choose a repayment date to borrow. Pay back your advance: Varo will withdraw funds from your account on the repayment date you chose. It will continue to check your account balance and activity and provide cash advance offers within the app to qualifying customers. Varo customer reviews PlatformRatingNumber of reviewsGoogle Play4.7/5243KApp Store4.9/5233KTrustpilot4.0/53.5KBetter Business Bureau (BBB)2.63/5164 Collected on July 2, 2025. Varo earns quite favorable ratings from customers on Google Play, the Apple App Store, and Trustpilot. Its reviews on BBB are lower (and fewer). Customers there mention suspended accounts, lack of communication, and unfair charges. You can find reviews specific to Varo’s cash advances on Reddit. In one thread, several customers say their cash advance amount went down with no explanation, even though they always paid their advances on time: Advance byu/RealCheezer inVaroMoney FAQ Can Varo give me instant cash? Yes, all of Varo’s cash advances are instant. To borrow from Varo, you’ll pay a fee of up to $40 (for a $500 advance). How long is the waiting period for a Varo advance? The waiting period for a Varo Advance depends on your eligibility and how often you use your Varo account for direct deposits. Once eligible, you can access a cash advance on the same day you request it. However, Varo may need additional time to approve your request in certain cases, especially for newer accounts. Why can’t I get a Varo Advance? You might not be able to get a Varo advance for several reasons. A common issue is not meeting Varo’s direct deposit requirements. The bank typically expects a minimum amount in direct deposits to qualify for an advance. You may not meet the eligibility criteria if your Varo account is inactive or you don’t use it much. You could also be restricted if you have reached your current advance limit or had repayment issues, such as unpaid or late payments on a previous advance. Our take on Varo Advance Varo Advance can be convenient for existing Varo customers needing instant cash, but fees are higher than most advance apps. Consider your repayment ability, and compare options like Chime MyPay or EarnIn to find the most affordable way to access your wages early. Company Best for… Get Cash Current Varo customers Get Cash Issuer statement: Varo Advance is a small-dollar line of credit provided by Varo Bank, N.A. Eligibility requirements: To qualify, you must have: An active Varo Bank Account (not closed or suspended) with a balance over $0 in all Varo accounts At least $800 in total qualifying direct deposits in the current or previous calendar month No outstanding unpaid Varo Advances (all prior advances must be repaid) Advance limits: Initial limits range from $20 to $250 Limits may increase up to $500 over time with continued positive repayment and account activity Only one outstanding advance is allowed at a time; advances must be repaid in full before requesting another Fees: Fees range from $1.60 to $40 based on your advance amount. No interest is charged. Your current limit and applicable fees can be viewed in the Varo app. Repayment terms: You can choose an auto-repayment date between 15 and 30 days after receiving your advance You can repay early at any time in the Varo app If your advance is not repaid by the final 30-day due date, Varo will deduct any remaining balance from incoming deposits until fully repaid Qualifying Direct Deposit definition: Includes electronic deposits of paychecks, pensions, or government benefits identifiable by Varo Does not include tax refunds, person-to-person payments (such as Venmo or Varo to Anyone), or funds deposited using Varo’s routing number Note: Varo Advance does not affect your credit score. Eligibility and limits are evaluated daily and may change at any time. Additional qualifications may apply.