How to Get Your Paycheck Early

If your bills constantly fall on a day that doesn’t quite work with your pay schedule and you’re wondering how to get your paycheck early, good news: “Friday payday” has become a thing of the past.

With cash advance apps, setting up direct deposit to get your paycheck early can be much simpler than you think. See how each app matches your life’s schedule and financial needs with our deep-dive on three of the best apps for getting paid early.

Apps that help you access your paycheck early 

Cash advance apps EarnIn, Dave, and Empower each offer early paycheck access to ease users’ minds and help them better manage their financial responsibilities. 

EarnIn grants early access to a decent portion of your paycheck, Dave promises a user-friendly, hassle-free process, and Empower enhances users’ lives with practical financial advice. Here’s a closer look.

EarnIn

Best Overall

5 _/5

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How EarnIn helps you get early paycheck access

EarnIn allows you to access your paycheck early by giving you cash advances of up to $750 per pay period. The app links to your bank account and tracks your hours worked, making it easy to access earned wages before your official payday. 

EarnIn offers advances up to $100 per day, with funds available within one to three business days at no additional cost, or instantly for a small fee ranging from $1.99 to $4.99. 

The app doesn’t charge interest or require a subscription, making it a cost-effective choice compared to other apps, especially if you can wait a few days for the funds to process. 

EarnIn is an excellent option for workers who need flexible access to their wages without worrying about full-time employment requirements or the hassle of credit checks. However, daily and per-pay-period caps could limit access to larger advances when needed.

Cash advance details

Funding	$100/day and up to $750/pay period
Speed of advance	1 – 3 business days
Fees	$1.99 – $4.99 for instant cash advances

Dave

Best Early Payment Benefit

4.6 _/5

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How Dave helps you get early paycheck access

Dave stands out as the best app for early payment benefits, allowing you to access up to $500 of your paycheck before payday with minimal hassle. You can take advantage of Dave’s early paycheck access feature by opening an ExtraCash account and paying a $1 monthly subscription fee.

Standard advances arrive in two to three business days with no extra charge, but if you need instant access, the app offers a fast transfer option for a fee ranging from $1.99 to $13.99, depending on the amount. 

Dave focuses on providing easy, early access to your funds, helping you avoid the stress of waiting for your official payday. This early payment benefit can be crucial for managing unexpected expenses or staying ahead of bills, making Dave a reliable option for those who prioritize getting paid faster without hidden fees or high costs.

Cash advance details

Funding	Up to $500
Speed of advance	2 – 3 days; Instant (with fee)
Fees	$1 monthly membership; $1.99 – $13.99 instant funding

Empower

Best Overdraft Reimbursement

4.6 _/5

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How Empower helps you get early paycheck access

Empower allows you to access your paycheck early with cash advances ranging from $10 to $300. The app charges no interest or late fees, but an $8 monthly subscription fee applies after a 14-day free trial. 

Standard advances typically take about a day to process, but if you need instant funds, Empower charges a fee between $1 and $8, depending on the transfer amount. In addition to early access to your paycheck, Empower provides helpful tools such as credit monitoring and automatic savings to help reduce the need for future advances.

Empower is a solid choice for those who value additional financial tools alongside early paycheck access. However, the monthly fee and potential risk of overdrafts are worth considering, especially for those who often rely on instant advances.

Cash advance details

Funding	$10 – $300
Speed of advance	15 minutes – 5 days
Fees	$8/month for subscription; $1 – $8 for instant transfer

Be sure to learn more about how cash advances work, including how they differ from personal loans and can potentially affect your credit before you sign up with any of these apps. 

If you want to try Earnin, Dave, or Empower, you can learn more about each and a few others, in our full review of the best cash advance apps available. 

Ask the expert

Michael Menninger

CFP®

Paying a monthly subscription depends on how often you intend to utilize the service.  Compare that cost to the interest it costs for cash advances. If it’s only a small amount and you use it frequently, then do it.  If it’s a rare event, then pay interest when you use it.  Or else, establish overdraft protection (with no fee except interest) at your bank where your paycheck is deposited.

Best banks for early direct deposit

Unlike typical cash advance apps, as a bank customer, you may get your entire paycheck early. This can make a huge difference for full-time employees or when your paycheck is substantially greater than an app’s limit.

Banks typically require setting up a checking account and direct deposit before granting early payday perks. Some may require a minimum account balance or number of direct deposits per month, but in general, there aren’t any of those subscription or instant transfer fees typically associated with cash advance apps. 

Ally, Capital One, Chime, Discover, and SoFi are five of the best banks offering early direct deposit. They’re primarily non-traditional, with no physical branches to visit during your commute or running errands on the weekend; but access to at least 50,000 ATMs across the country, instead. 

Saving on overhead costs helps keep pesky fees down, benefits up, and more satisfied customers. All of these options allow for access to your paycheck up to two days early with no monthly fees:

Bank	Overdraft protection details	Other benefits
Ally Bank Spending account	Automatic coverage from savings plus no-fee safety net up to $250	ATM fee reimbursements; user-friendly budgeting tool; 0.10% annual percentage yield (APY)
Capital One 360 Checking account	Zero overdraft or foreign transaction fees	Physical branches––and cozy cafes––disbursed across the U.S.available
Chime Online Checking account	No-fee overdraft protection up to $200	Up to $500 before payday
Discover Cashback Debit account	Fee-free transfers from linked Discover account; up to $200 free protection with direct deposit of $200+ per month	1% cash back on debit card transactions monthly up to $3,000; no charge for speedy debit card replacement
SoFi Checking account	Free auto transfer from savings with at least $1,000 direct deposits per month	Checking account automatically comes with a savings account; automatic debit transaction round-up transfers to savings; 0.50% APY on checking account balance

You may find yourself a little indecisive when choosing which of these banks to open a checking account with. They’re all great choices, so our best advice would be to focus on the added benefits that’ll offer you the most value given your current financial situation, lifestyle, habits, and preferences.

If you are accessing your paycheck early, make sure you aren’t abusing it. The risk is being able to grab money at will, rather than budgeting. In doing so, you could add extra, unnecessary costs or mismanage the money.

Micheal Menninger, CFP®

How to set up early direct deposit with your bank 

If you’re considering early direct deposit with your bank, here’s how to set it up:

1. Open a checking account

Go online and visit the bank of your choice’s website and sign up for a checking account. These days, most banks have mobile-friendly sites and apps that make the application process easy to complete using your phone. 

Setting up an account shouldn’t take more than five minutes with most banks. You’ll most likely need to provide the following information to set up your account:

• Full name and driver’s license number
• Date of birth
• Mailing address
• Social Security number
• Additional contact information––such as your email and phone number

2. Set up direct deposit

Once your account is set up and you log in, you should be able to view the routing and account numbers on the account page. You should also be able to locate a direct deposit section in your account view under “Manage” or “More features.” 

If you need help, call customer service and ask the representative to direct you. If your bank doesn’t have a direct deposit section online, they should be able to email or send you the document via a secure message.

After you fill out the form, give it to your employer’s payroll or HR department. Keep in mind your employer may have its own form or process to follow. 

3. Get paid early

Once your funds are deposited––which will be up to two days early––your bank should notify you via text, push notification, or email. However, make sure you read your bank’s terms carefully. Some require you to enroll in early pay, while this benefit is automatic with others.

FAQ 

How does early direct deposit work?

Early direct deposit allows you to access your paycheck up to two days before your scheduled payday. This works by your bank crediting your account as soon as it receives payment notification from your employer’s payroll provider rather than waiting for the official payday. 

The timing depends on when your bank processes the payment and when your employer submits payroll. This feature bypasses the typical processing times and is available with many banks and apps that offer early access as a benefit.

Will I pay a fee for accessing my paycheck early?

For many banks and apps, there is no fee for accessing your paycheck early through direct deposit. However, some cash advance apps may charge a fee if you need instant access to funds rather than waiting the standard one to three business days. 

These fees can range from $1.99 to $13.99, depending on the app and transfer speed you select.

Can I get my paycheck early with any bank account?

Not all bank accounts offer early direct deposit, so it’s important to choose an account that includes this feature. 

Many online and fintech banks offer early direct deposit with their checking accounts, but traditional banks may not provide this benefit. To ensure you can get your paycheck early, verify with your bank or consider switching to one that advertises early direct deposit as a feature.

What should I do if my paycheck isn’t deposited early as expected?

If your paycheck isn’t deposited early, confirm that your employer submitted payroll on time and that your direct deposit is set up correctly. Check your account and routing numbers to ensure there are no errors. 

If everything seems correct, contact your bank to see if there was an issue on its end, such as a delay in processing or a bank holiday that may have affected the deposit timeline. Verify that your account is eligible for early direct deposit; some banks only offer it for certain account types.

Read More

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How we chose the best apps for early paycheck access 

Since 2023, LendEDU has evaluated personal finance apps to help readers find the best cash advance solutions. Our latest analysis reviewed 180 data points from 9 apps and financial institutions, with 20 data points collected from each. This information is gathered from company websites, online applications, public disclosures, customer reviews, and direct communication with company representatives.

These star ratings help us determine which companies are best for different situations. We don’t believe two companies can be the best for the same purpose, so we only show each best-for designation once.

Recap of the best apps to access your paycheck early