Many or all companies we feature compensate us. Compensation and editorial research influence how products appear on a page. Personal Loans Cash Advance Apps That Work With Chime Updated Aug 21, 2024 9-min read Expert Approved Expert Approved This article has been reviewed by a Certified Financial Planner™ for accuracy. Written by Geoff Williams Written by Geoff Williams Expertise: Credit cards, mortgages, insurance, saving money, managing cash flow, loans, retirement, estate planning Learn more about Geoff Williams Reviewed by Catherine Valega, CFP® Reviewed by Catherine Valega, CFP® Expertise: Financial planning, retirement planning, education planning, insurance planning, investment planning Catherine Valega, CFP®, CAIA®, founded Green Bee Advisory LLC to help women, impact givers and investors, and small businesses build, manage, and preserve their financial resources. She's been practicing financial planning for more than 20 years. Learn more about Catherine Valega, CFP® Cash apps are mobile payment systems that allow people to transfer money to and from individuals and companies, and Chime is a financial technology company offering banking services, such as a free checking account and debit card, a free high-interest savings account, and credit cards. Known for no monthly fees and minimum security deposit requirements, Chime is popular. Here’s a closer look at the cash advance apps that work with Chime. AppLimitsFees?Empower$250/advance$8/mo. Brigit$250/advance$9.99/mo.MoneyLion$1,000/advance*$19.99/mo. (req’d to access higher limits & add’l. features)Current$200/advance$4.99/mo.EarnIn$100/day; $500/pay periodNone (“tips” optional)*Amount depends on your MoneyLion membership and direct deposit history What cash advance apps work with Chime? Ideally, you’ll always have money put away and not need your paycheck early. But life happens. Sometimes, the car breaks down, the rent is due, or your dog needs surgery. Maybe this all happens in the same week, and suddenly you need to borrow money. If you have a Chime checking account and find yourself in a financial pickle, several cash advance apps work with Chime. Here are several of the most popular cash advance apps and what you can expect from them. Empower Get Cash How it works Empower will instantly give you anywhere from $10 to $350 in cash with no interest or late fees. The catch? After a 14-day free trial, Empower deducts an $8 subscription fee from your checking account every month. This fee allows you to get cash advances whenever needed. Empower also provides a $200 to $400 line of credit and other services, such as tools to help you save more and track your spending and credit monitoring. Empower and Chime are compatible. To link the two apps, set up your Empower account and follow the instructions. Features Fees$8 a month subscription fee; no late feesLimits$300 cash advance; regular customers may get $350RequirementsYou’ll need a checking account; Empower looks at your transaction history to determine whether it will give you a cash advance.Compatibility with ChimeEmpower and Chime are compatible. Just set up your Empower account and follow the instructions to link the two apps. Brigit Get Cash How it works Brigit is a cash app with three pricing tiers, including a free version. The free version lets you get your cash advance in one to three business days. The other two tiers are subscriptions that offer customers other services, such as identity theft monitoring. The Federal Trade Commission released a consumer alert on Brigit last year after the government agency settled a lawsuit with the company. Brigit ended up returning $18 million to customers. Brigit is compatible with Chime, but customers reported issues connecting the two apps; however, many advised that the problems are fixed. Features Fees$0, $8.99 a month, & $14.99 a monthLimitsUp to $250RequirementsYou’ll need a checking account that has been active for at least 60 days, has a balance over $0, and has had three recurring deposits from the same source.Compatibility with ChimeBrigit is compatible with Chime in theory, but many customers reported having trouble connecting the two apps. Many customers have also reported that the problems are fixed. MoneyLion Get Cash How it works MoneyLion is a cash advance app, but it’s more than that. It’s a money app that offers cash advances, banking services, credit-building services, and personal loans. Cash advances are free and have no fees, but you may wait up to five business days. If you need immediate cash, you can get it instantly for a fee. MoneyLion and Chime are compatible. Features Fees$1 monthly admin fee for banking services; $1.99 – $8.99 for instant cash advancesLimits$500RequirementsYou’ll need a checking account that has been open for 60 days and at least three direct deposits.Compatibility with ChimeMoneyLion and Chime are compatible. Go to “transfers” on the MoneyLion app and tap “add account.” After that, look for and add Chime. You can also use your Chime app and add MoneyLion. Current Get Cash How it works Current is a cash advance app that grants a paycheck advance of up to $500. As with many cash advance apps, you can get your money for free if you wait one to three business days. Need your money faster? The fee for an instant advance varies depending on the amount of money you request; you won’t know until you apply for an advance. Chime and Current work well together. Features FeesNo monthly or overdraft feesLimitsUp to $500RequirementsThe main requirements to get a paycheck advance: You’ll need a checking account and be doing direct deposits from your employer.Compatibility with ChimeChime and Current can be synced up and work well together. Just link your Chime account with Current, or visa versa. They are compatible because both companies use Plaid, which specializes in allowing banking customers to connect their financial accounts to apps and services securely. EarnIn Get Cash How it works EarnIn allows you to access up to $100 per day and up to $750 per pay period. The cash advance app is unique because you won’t pay fees or interest to get your money. EarnIn encourages users to tip, but it’s optional: you can type in $0. Your money will arrive in one to two business days. If you need it faster from Earnin, you can get it immediately for a fee. At the time of writing, EarnIn only allows a small test group of people who bank with Chime to use EarnIn. When you select Chime from the bank list, the app will notify you whether it can support your Chime account. Features FeesTechnically there are no fees with Earnin, but you will be encouraged to tip; if you use the Lightning Speed program, you’ll pay $2.99 to $3.99, depending on how you get your cash.Limits$100 a day; $750 per pay periodRequirementsYou’ll need to have a checking account that accepts direct deposits.Compatibility with ChimeRight now, compatibility with Chime is hit-or-miss for borrowers. The app allows a small group of people who bank with Chime to use it—but it’s easy to know whether you’re in that group when you select Chime from EarnIn’s bank list. Free cash advance apps that work with Chime You can often use cash advance apps for free with Chime if you can wait one to three business days to get your advance. If you need an advance on your paycheck right away, you’ll likely pay a fee. Review the terms and conditions before accepting cash advances from an app. Cash advances may seem appealing, but you must repay them. With additional fees, they can become expensive. Our expert’s advice Catherine Valega CFP® I encourage and help my clients accumulate an emergency savings bucket of funds equal to at least six months of expenditures, and possibly up to 18 months depending on your industry and how well the economy is performing. Accessing cash early is a slippery slope, and I don’t encourage it. However, some of the above options appear relatively low-cost if you must use them in a one-off bind. Loan apps that accept Chime vs. cash advance that works with Chime Consider a personal loan instead of a cash advance if you need money. While a cash advance is a type of personal loan, lenders offering personal loans often provide larger amounts and longer repayment periods. You’ll repay personal loans in monthly installments over several months or years, whereas cash advances are usually due by your next pay period or within a month. Some cash apps compatible with Chime offer personal loans. For example, MoneyLion offers up to $50,000, and SoFi offers up to $100,000. If you need more than cash advance apps provide, getting a personal loan could make more sense. Be sure to review the terms and conditions before borrowing. Pros and cons of using money-borrowing apps with Chime As is the case whenever you borrow money, consider the benefits and drawbacks. Pros You can get money fast. For a fee, many apps can deliver money instantly. You may save money. While you may pay fees to borrow money, the money you borrow could help you avoid late fees tied to your bills. No credit check. If you have regular deposits in your account, that matters to cash advance apps—not credit scores. Cons Fees. You may avoid fees if you don’t need instant funds. Otherwise, you will likely pay a fee. You could create a cycle of debt. While the fees to these cash advance apps are often low, you must pay the cash advance back—plus a fee. If you continue to struggle, you might need to take out another cash advance as soon as you get paid. You may not get as much as you think. Sometimes, cash advance apps say you can get “up to” a certain amount, so you might think you’ll get a $500 cash advance. But instead, you’ll get approved for $100. FAQ Is Chime a cash app? Chime is not a cash app. It’s an online bank offering various financial services, including spending accounts, savings accounts, and credit-building tools. While it doesn’t provide direct cash advance services, you can link it to the cash advance apps we mentioned. What fees are associated with using cash advance apps that work with Chime? Fees for using cash advance apps with Chime vary by app. Some apps may charge a flat fee, a percentage of the advance amount, or subscription fees. It’s important to review each app’s fee structure before using it. How fast can I get funds using a cash advance app with Chime? The speed of receiving funds depends on the cash advance app you use. Many apps offer instant transfers, while others may take one to three business days. Check the specific app’s funding times for accurate information. Is my personal and financial information safe when using cash advance apps with Chime? Reputable cash advance apps use encryption and other security measures to protect your personal and financial information. However, it’s essential to research and choose well-reviewed and trusted apps to ensure your data’s safety. Can I simultaneously use multiple cash advance apps with my Chime account? Yes, you can link multiple cash advance apps to your Chime account at once. However, managing multiple advances and repayments can be challenging, so keeping track of your obligations is crucial to avoid financial difficulties. What happens if I can’t repay the cash advance on time? If you can’no’t repay a cash advance on time, the specific consequences depend on the terms of the cash advance app. Common repercussions include additional fees, higher interest rates, and potential negative impacts on your credit score. It’s important to contact the app’s customer service to discuss your options if you foresee repayment difficulties. Recap of the best cash advance apps that work with Chime AppLimitsEmpower$250/advanceBrigit$250/advanceMoneyLion$1,000/advance*Current$200/advanceEarnIn**$100/day; $500/pay period*Amount depends on your MoneyLion membership and direct deposit history; **Not yet available to all Chime users