Would a little extra cash make a big difference in your life?
Maybe you need to pay off your electricity bill, buy groceries, or just top up your account to keep you going until payday.
The good news is that a new breed of cash advance apps makes it easy to request the funds you need in a few taps. The problem is that most of these apps look and sound the same, with the promise of fast cash and no credit check. Dig deeper, and you’ll see hidden costs and eligibility hurdles that make it expensive (or impossible) to get the money you need.
To help you borrow money right now, we hand-tested the most popular cash advance apps (and read the terms and conditions so you don’t have to), so read on for the best apps to borrow $200.
Where can you borrow $200?
If you need $200 fast, here’s where you can go:
- Lowest Fees: Dave
- Best For Overdrafts: Chime
- Multiple Advances Per Pay Period: Albert
- Qualify For More Than $200: MoneyLion
- Best for Gig Workers & Freelancers: Cleo
- Highest Limits and Most Options: PockBox
#1 – Get $200 (or more) from Dave
| Advance Amount: Up to $500 |
| Funding time: Up to 3 business days (Free) | Immediately (Paid) |
| Repayment: Automatically taken from your next direct deposit |
Dave’s $1 per month subscription fee puts it among the cheapest cash advance apps available – with a high borrowing limit.
For your one dollar monthly fee, you can access ExtraCash™, Dave’s cash advance feature offering up to $500 in 5 minutes or less (this isn’t a far-fetched claim, we got approved and cash in 10 minutes during our test).
Expect your advance in your bank account within three business days but if you need your money ASAP, Dave charges an express fee based on how much you’re advancing:
- 3% ($3 minimum) for instant transfers to a Dave Spending Account
- 5% ($5 minimum) for instant transfers to an external debit card
As one of the original cash advance apps, Dave’s security, reputation and low costs make it one of the top apps we’ve reviewed with over 6 million people already using Dave to request 97 million advances.
Get up to $500 instantly >>> Check out Dave 👈
#2 – Chime SpotMe
| Advance Amount: Up to $200 |
| Funding time: Instantly |
| Repayment: Automatically taken from your next direct deposit |
SpotMe is Chime’s protection against overdraft fees. You can overdraft your Chime account by up to $200 on debit card purchases with no fees. It’s not wonder that Chime is the most popular mobile banking app in the U.S.!
To activate SpotMe, you’ll need a Chime account and at least $500 in direct deposits over the past month. Once you qualify, SpotMe is automatically turned on to protect you against overdrafts and NSF fees – there’s no need for extra steps.
Use your Chime debit card for purchases and SpotMe will kick in to complete the purchase. SpotMe is only for everyday debit card purchases so you can’t use it to withdraw cash from the ATM or send money to your friends.
While banks generate billions of dollars a year in overdraft fees, Chime has continued to grow in popularity with over 13 million users.
Why is Chime so popular? >>> See how you can get a quick $200 👈
#3 – Albert
| Advance Amount: Up to $250 |
| Funding time: Up to 3 business days (Free) | Immediately (Paid) |
| Repayment: Automatically taken from your next direct deposit |
Albert offers up to $250 in fee-free overdrafts through Albert Instant.
To get started, download the Albert app and tap “Instant.” Follow the prompts to set up your account and Albert will determine your eligibility. Once you’ve been approved, you can opt-in to use the Instant feature on ATM withdrawals, purchases using your virtual Albert debit card (or a physical card sent to your address a week or two later), or transfers.
There’s no monthly fee to use Instant although you will need to pay an Instant Transfer Fee for transferring funds to an external linked account (from $5.99 – 14.99).
Albert Instant limits are likely to start around $25 for new users (though the average approved overdraft limit is closer to $95), and can increase to $250 based on your ongoing account history and activity.
You will need an Albert Cash account with basic plans starting at $11.99/month.
On the plus side, our review found you can use Albert Instant to request extra cash up to three times per pay period where most apps limit you to once (while Money App implements a forced “cooling off” period which can stretch your wait time even further).
Get up to $250 with no credit check >>> Create an Albert account in two minutes 👈
#4 – MoneyLion
| Advance Amount: Up to $500 |
| Funding time: Up to 2 business days (Free) | Immediately (Paid) |
| Repayment: Automatically taken from your next direct deposit |
MoneyLion’s Instacash offers up to $500 with no interest, no credit check and no mandatory fees.
To borrow $200, download the MoneyLion app and link a qualifying checking account to instantly find out if you’ve been approved.
Most new users will unlock $10 or more (we were approved for $150 during our hands-on test). With recurring deposits, you can increase your limit to $50 and up to $500 (though this can take up to 8 weeks of activity to reach the maximum borrowing limit).
If you’re happy to wait, MoneyLion will transfer funds to your account within 48 hours. If you need your money immediately, express fees range from $0.49 to $8.99 depending how much you borrow.
💡 Need More Cash? Become a RoarMoney customer and set up qualifying direct deposits to unlock up to $1,000 in Instacash.
Get cash advances up to $500 with no interest >>> Check out MoneyLion 👈
#5 – Cleo
| Advance Amount: Up to $250 |
| Funding time: Up to 2 business days (Free) | Immediately (Paid) |
| Repayment: Automatically taken from your next direct deposit |
Cleo offers cash advances up to $250 without minimum recurring deposits or proof of employment so it’s the ideal option for gig workers and freelancers.
An AI-powered assistant, Cleo won’t check your credit and it’s easy to sign up in as little as 2 minutes. Once you’ve downloaded the app and created an account, Cleo uses a few ways to determine your eligibility for a “Cover Me” advance, including:
- Connecting your bank accounts (even accounts without income)
- Making your subscription payments on time
- Making less cash withdrawals
- Setting up a budget to help predict future negative balances
Since Cleo works out how much you’re eligible for by looking at your transactions, deposit history, and spending patterns, new users are likely to qualify for $20 – $35 to start.
While some Cleo services are free, you’ll need to pay Cleo’s $5.99/month subscription fee (Cleo Plus) to request advances. There’s also an express fee of $3.99 if you want your money right away, otherwise you can wait up to three business days and skip the fee.
Although Cleo offers a way to borrow up to $200, it stands out with an AI-powered assistant that is unlike any other cash advance app. Ask for praise when your savings are on point, ask to be roasted when you’ve spent more than you should, enjoy budgeting and credit building tools – there’s a ton of ways to improve your money management inside an app that will have you laughing out loud.
Get Started in 2 Minutes (And Borrow up to $250) >>> Check Out Cleo 👈
#6 – PockBox
| Advance Amount: Up to $2,500 |
| Funding time: In most cases within 1 business day |
| Repayment: Varies from lender to lender |
PockBox is a handy way to borrow $200 (and much more) if you need to pay rent, bills or other larger expenses
Skip the time-draining process of applying for loan offers individually by entering a little information about yourself and you’ll be able to compare lenders via PockBox within 5 minutes. There’s no obligation to choose a lender and comparing your options won’t affect your credit score.
PockBox compares many lenders specializing in borrower’s with subpar credit so you can get a $200 loan quickly with low (or no) credit. Get matched with a loan offer in 2 minutes with funds available in less than one hour or as soon as tomorrow.