Many or all companies we feature compensate us. Compensation and editorial research influence how products appear on a page. Personal Loans Empower Review 2025: Best Cash Advance App for Overdraft Reimbursement Updated Mar 25, 2025 9-min read Reviewed by Lindsay VanSomeren Reviewed by Lindsay VanSomeren Expertise: Mortgages, personal loans, student loans, auto loans, banking, budgeting, debt, insurance, credit cards, credit Lindsay VanSomeren is a personal finance writer living in Suquamish, Washington. She's passionate about helping people learn how to manage their money better so that they can live the life they want. In her spare time, she enjoys outdoor adventures, reading, and learning new languages and hobbies. Learn more about Lindsay VanSomeren Best Overdraft Reimbursement 4.6 /5 Get Cash Cash Advance No late fees No credit check Offers a free trial Doesn’t charge interest Bank account overdraft risk Monthly subscription fee Not available in Connecticut Free cash advances are slow Funding$10 – $300Speed of advance15 minutes – 5 daysFees for standard advance$8 (monthly subscription)Added fees for instant transfer+ $1 – $8 Need a little breathing room before payday? Empower might be worth a look—especially if you’re tired of getting hit with overdraft fees. This cash advance app offers interest-free advances with no credit check, plus a standout feature: It can automatically reimburse overdraft charges from your connected bank account. The app isn’t completely free—for one, it comes with a monthly fee—but it could still be a helpful tool in a pinch. In this Empower review, we’ll break down how it works and whether it’s the right fit for your finances. Table of Contents How the Empower cash advance app works What other services does Empower offer? AutoSave Credit Monitoring Spend Tracking Empower Thrive Who’s eligible? Costs Alternatives to Empower FAQ How the Empower cash advance app works Here’s more about Empower’s cash advance feature. Advance amount Empower offers cash advances ranging from $10 to $300. The exact amount you qualify for depends on your bank account activity, including your income, spending habits, and account history. Funding time If you opt for instant delivery, which comes with a small fee, you can get your funds in as little as 15 minutes. Otherwise, standard delivery takes two to five business days. Interest rates Empower doesn’t charge interest on its cash advances, which sets it apart from traditional payday loans. Cost and fees The app requires an $8 monthly subscription. If you want your funds instantly, an added fee ranges from $1 to $8, depending on the amount and your delivery speed. Credit score impact Empower doesn’t perform a credit check to determine eligibility, and using the app won’t affect your credit score. Repayment schedule and terms Cash advances are typically repaid automatically on your next payday. You’ll need to link a bank account so Empower can track your deposit schedule and deduct the repayment when it’s due. Use of funds There are no restrictions on how you use your advance. You can apply it toward groceries, bills, transportation, or anything else you need to cover before your next paycheck. Read More Personal Loan vs. Cash Advance What other services does Empower offer? Beyond cash advances, Empower includes several tools to help you manage your money. The three features included with your monthly subscription and aim to support your broader financial health are AutoSave, Credit Monitoring, and Spend Tracking. AutoSave Empower’s AutoSave feature helps you build savings automatically, without thinking about it. You can set a savings goal, and Empower will analyze your income and spending to move small amounts of money to savings when it makes sense. This “set it and forget it” approach can be a game changer if you struggle to save consistently on your own. Credit Monitoring The app includes basic credit monitoring tools that let you keep tabs on your credit score and track any changes. While it won’t replace a full credit report service, it gives you a snapshot of your score and alerts you to key changes, helping you stay informed and proactive about your credit. Spend Tracking Empower automatically categorizes your transactions so you can see where your money is going. The app shows trends in your spending habits, breaks down expenses by category, and offers personalized tips to help you budget more effectively. Empower Thrive Empower Thrive is a separate product from Empower’s standard cash advance feature. It offers longer-term, higher-limit credit lines—up to $1,000—with fixed monthly payments. Thrive is designed for users who want more predictable borrowing options and are ready to commit to a structured repayment plan. Who’s eligible for an Empower cash advance? Empower keeps its eligibility requirements quite simple. Here’s what you’ll need to qualify: RequirementDetailsEmployment statusNo job required, but consistent deposits helpState of residenceAvailable in most states*Min. age18 years oldMin. credit scoreNone requiredMin. incomeNo published amount, but you’ll need regular income*Not available in Connecticut, Maryland, or Washington, D.C. Empower doesn’t run a credit check, so you can qualify even if your credit isn’t in great shape. Instead, it reviews your connected bank account to assess your income and spending habits. That means consistent deposits—whether from a job, gig work, or benefits—can help you qualify. Compared to other cash advance apps, Empower’s requirements are in line with industry norms. Many similar apps also skip credit checks and instead look at cash flow. However, not all offer as much flexibility when it comes to employment type or income sources. What are the costs of an Empower cash advance? Empower doesn’t charge interest, but that doesn’t mean it’s free. Here’s what goes into the cost: Monthly subscription fee: $8, billed regardless of whether you take an advance that month. Instant delivery fee: $1 to $8 if you want your funds within minutes. Standard delivery: Free, but takes 2 to 5 days. Costs are assessed at the time of service—for example, if you opt for instant delivery, that fee is added immediately. The monthly subscription is charged automatically. Some competitors offer smaller or less frequent fees—for example, EarnIn doesn’t require a monthly subscription—but few other cash advance apps provide overdraft reimbursement as part of the package. Example 1: Standard delivery Advance: $100 Delivery: 2 – 5 days (free) Total cost: $8 monthly fee Example 2: Instant delivery Advance: $100 Delivery: 15 minutes Instant fee: $5 Total cost: $8 subscription + $5 instant fee = $13 How do you repay Empower’s cash advance? Repayment is simple and automatic. When you receive your cash advance, Empower sets your due date based on your expected payday. On that date, the app will automatically withdraw the advance amount from your linked bank account. Here’s how it works: Repayment method: Automatic withdrawal from your linked account Manual payment: Not supported—you can’t choose to pay early or manually Adjusting the due date: Not currently an option Overdraft risk: If your account doesn’t have enough funds, you could be hit with an overdraft fee—unless Empower steps in with reimbursement Tip If you’d prefer the option to adjust your due date, Brigit’s cash advance app earns our “best repayment flexibility” designation. Empower monitors your account and may reimburse overdraft charges if its withdrawal causes the issue. Still, it’s smart to make sure you have enough in your account on your repayment date to avoid unnecessary fees or complications. Pros and cons of Empower’s cash advance app Consider these risks and drawbacks below before you take out a cash advance from Empower. Pros No late fees If you don’t pay back your cash advance as agreed, Empower will simply prevent you from future borrowing opportunities until you repay the debt. No credit check If you have a bad or non-existent credit score, it won’t hold you back from getting a cash advance. Instead, Empower checks your banking history to see if you can repay it. Offers a free trial Your first 14 days are free. Make sure you’ll be paid before then so you can cancel Empower’s service if you won’t use it. Doesn’t charge interest You won’t pay high interest charges with Empower—but you will pay other fees, outlined above. Other benefits and money tools Empower can also track your spending and credit score, and you may qualify for a line of credit to help you build credit. Cons No desktop support You’ll need a mobile phone that can accept SMS text messages. $8 monthly subscription fee Empower may not charge interest, but if you pay an $8 monthly fee and take out one average-sized $145 advance during the month, you’re paying an effective interest rate of 144%. Not available in Connecticut, Maryland, or Washington, D.C. It’s available in all other U.S. states. Free cash advances are slow It takes two to five days to see your cash advance show up in your bank account, which defeats the purpose of a quick-turnaround loan—unless you pay a fee, of course. Limited customer support hours A common customer concern is that getting help over the phone is difficult, especially since phone lines are only open weekdays from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pacific. Payments don’t help build credit Empower doesn’t report your payment history to the credit bureaus, meaning you—quite literally—will not get any credit, no matter how many times you repay it on time. Fuzzy banking history requirements Empower doesn’t specify exactly what type of banking history you’ll need to qualify other than vague wording like “a consistent source of income.” Other apps are more clear. Alternatives to Empower Here’s how Empower compares to two of our other highest-rated cash advance apps: EmpowerEarnInBrigitOur rating4.6/55.0/54.6/5Funding$10 – $300Up to $750$50 – $250Standard funding time2 – 5 days1 – 3 days1 – 3 daysInstant funding timeIn minutesIn minutesIn minutesMonthly subscription$8None$8.99 or $14.99 Empower falls on the low end of the spectrum when it comes to borrowing limits. While some people can borrow $300, according to the company, “In February 2025, the average offer was $96 for first-time customers and $167 for all others.” Subscription fees are one of the major ways cash advance apps earn money. Empower falls about in the middle regarding subscription fees ($8)—more than EarnIn, which doesn’t charge a subscription fee at all, but less than the $8.99 to $14.99 Brigit charges. Read More Apps like Empower How to get an Empower cash advance It’s fairly easy to apply for an Empower cash advance. Here’s how to do it: Download the Empower app: It’s available in the Google Play or App store. Link your bank account: Empower uses Plaid to securely connect to your bank account, which it will scout through to get an idea of your banking habits. View and accept your cash advance offer: If Empower likes what it sees, you’ll see a cash advance offer in the app. It will outline the full terms of the cash advance, including how much you can get, how soon you can get it, and how you’ll repay it. Repay the advance: Empower will set up an automatic withdrawal on your next paycheck date to repay the cash advance in full. Is Empower legit? SourceRatingNumber of reviewsTrustpilot1.9/542Better Business Bureau1.06/531App store4.8/5282KGoogle Play4.3/523KCollected on March 25, 2025. Empower earns many positive ratings on app stores, where you can download it. It’s possible this is because most users are eventually prompted to rate the app, so it’s getting a more accurate picture compared to other review sites you must go out of your way to find. Ratings on these review websites are quite mixed. Many users note that getting ahold of customer service over the phone can be frustrating, especially in cases of fraud or snags in the money transfer process. In addition, most complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau note payment problems. FAQ Will Empower’s advance cause an overdraft fee? Empower does not charge overdraft fees for its cash advances. The company refunds the following: Overdraft fees caused by its cash advance repayment attempts The first overdraft fee caused by an Empower subscription fee The first overdraft fee caused by an AutoSave debit. This helps ensure that you don’t incur additional costs from overdrafts associated with Empower transactions Does Empower give you money instantly? Yes, Empower offers instant cash advance for a small fee, which can allow you to get your money within an hour. Without the instant delivery option, funds may take up to fiv business days to clear into your external account. Can you have more than one Empower cash advance at a time? No, Empower allows only one cash advance at a time. You must repay the current advance before you can request another one. This approach helps manage and track repayments, ensuring that users can build a positive credit history with each successful repayment. What happens if you don’t pay Empower back? If you don’t repay Empower, it doesn’t charge late fees or interest on the overdue amount. However, failure to repay can damage your account standing and future eligibility for cash advances.