Home Best Payday Loan Apps – Easy Ways to Borrow Money in 2021
Vidal Arias

Have you ever needed cash urgently, but don’t want the hassle of approaching a bank?

Thanks to payday loan apps, you can now apply for a loan from your phone.

In this article, we list the best conventional loan apps along with payday loan apps (in case you need a same day loan). We compare lender fees, eligibility and customer support, and explore the pros and cons of each app.

Here are the top 5 payday loan apps for 2021:

Reviewers Choice
Viva Loans
Rating
Available Loan Amount
$100 - $5,000
Available Term Length
3 months
Representative APR
5.99% to 35.99%
Rating
Visit Now
Fundsjoy – Personal Loans
Rating
Available Loan Amount
$100 - $5,000
Available Term Length
2 weeks to 12 months
Representative APR
4.99% - 1386%
Rating
Visit Now
Loan Solo
Rating
Available Loan Amount
$100 - $1,000
Available Term Length
6 - 9Months
Representative APR
200% - 2290%
Rating
Visit Now
Extra lend
Rating
Available Loan Amount
$100 - $ 3,000
Available Term Length
6 months - 2 years
Representative APR
4.99% - 1386%
Rating
Visit Now
Get Funds ASAP
Rating
Available Loan Amount
$100 - $5,000
Available Term Length
Varies
Representative APR
Varies with the lender
Rating
Visit Now

How do you increase your chances of getting higher loan advances?

Pro Tip: To increase the speed of your cash request and the opportunity to get larger amounts, come prepared to the application process with proof of income, valid identity documentation, and bank details. The amount that you can borrow will generally be based upon your credit history or trustworthiness with the loan provider. You can build up trust for future applications by paying back the initial amounts within the terms of your agreement.

What are the pros and cons of payday loan apps?

Pros

  • Same day funding: Payday loan apps have the fastest loan processing speeds. You will complete the loan application process in minutes and have the funds deposited to your account in less than 24 hours
  • Easy online application: The payday loan app lets you have immediate access to your loan in an easy and straightforward application process
  • The loan is unsecured: Payday loans don’t need to be securitized with a physical asset as they are taken against your next paycheck.
  • Helps rebuild your credit: Some payday loan apps providers will help build or rebuild your credit score by sharing your loan repayment progress with the credit reference bureaus
  • Gradual increase in loan limits: The more you borrow from the loan app and repay on time, the greater your chances of unlocking even higher payday loan limits

Cons

  • Attract high-interest: Most states across have set up payday loan interest limits, but it is still likely to see a lender charging as much as 100% APR on a one-month loan.
  • Penalties on missed and delayed payments: Payday loan providers impose punitively high penalties on missed and delayed payments. They also have very crude collection strategies.
  • Can trap you in a debt cycle: Over-reliance on the high-interest payday loan apps can trap you into a debt cycle where you use all your incomes to pay existing loans before requesting for some more.

Here are the top 9 payday loan apps for 2021:

1. Viva Payday Loans | Best for extended repayment periods

Viva Payday Loans is among the top-rated payday loan apps you can possibly apply for a payday loan. This app prides itself on offering instant loan approvals and next day deposit into your bank account. The entire application process is online and takes less than five minutes to complete.

You can choose the loan amount that you wish to apply for from the website’s homepage. The lender has included innovative tools on this page to help you select a loan amount between $100 and $5,000. The repayment terms range between 90 days and six months for any of the loans offered.

Viva Payday Loans has APRs that range between 5.99% and 35.99%. It will cost you between $6 and $36 dollars for every $100 that you borrow. However, this will vary greatly on the region you are making the request from. Additionally, the loan amount will also greatly influence the cost of the loan.

Our Rating

  • It is available in all the states.
  • Fast application and instant approval.
  • Fast application and instant approval.
  • Due to its presence in all states, the cost of the loans vary greatly from one state to the other.

2. Funds joy personal finance | Best for high credit limits

Funds Joy features here because of the ease with which it makes loans available to all borrowers regardless of their credit rating.

Importantly, we like their relatively high credit limit that avails up t0 $5,000 in loans. Here, loan application and processing is wholly online and takes only no more than a few minutes with the funds (once approved) deposited into your bank account within 24 hours.

Note however that Funds Joy isn’t a direct lender but a loan marketplace that links sellers to buyers.

Our Rating

  • Maintains fairly extended borrowing limits – from $100-$5,000
  • A wide range of loan options available and instant processing
  • Maintains relatively fast loan application processing and approval
  • Not a direct lender
  • High loan APRs of up to 1386%

3. Loan solo | Best for easy application process

LoanSolo is a credit access that connects borrowers with different payday loan lenders. Here, loans are available to you regardless of your current credit rating or income level.

You also get to borrow between $100 and $1000 and enjoy the benefit of same-day or the next business day processing. One of the key benefits of getting a payday loan on LoanSolo is the fact that you get multiple offers and decide on one that appeals most to your financial needs.

The average loan APR here ranges from 4.99% to 1386%, and you only need to be above 18 years and in gainful employment to qualify for a loan here.

Our Rating

  • Most of the lenders on the platform look beyond credit scores in approving loan requests
  • Easy and straightforward online application process
  • The large base of lenders increases your ability to qualify for a loan
  • One may consider the $1,000 loan limit quite low
  • You need a stable source of income to qualify for the loan

4. ExtraLend | Best for ease of qualification

Extralend is a loans marketplace that maintains a huge database of lenders. It connects borrowers to lenders who offer unsecured installment loans of between $100 and $3000 with flexed repayment periods of between 6 and 24 months.

The application process is wholly online and the cash is disbursed the same day or during the next working day. To qualify for the loan, you only need to be 18 years old with a bank account and gainful employment.

The loan terms like interest rate for the loan and actual repayment period will, however, be determined by your lender.

Our Rating

  • Offers fairly extended loan repayment periods of up to 24 months
  • You get your loan deposited into the bank account within the same day or the next
  • The large base of lenders makes it possible to qualify for loans
  • One may consider the lender’s 1386% APR quite expensive
  • You will not always qualify for the $3,000 maximum loan limit

5. GetFundsAsap | Best for ease of qualification

Get Funds ASAP maintains some of the friendliest loan application and processing terms. You, for instance, only need to be an American Citizen, above 18 years with a regular monthly income of $1,000 to qualify for a loan here. The loan application process is wholly online and both application processing and funds disbursement relatively fast (1-2 days).

You do not need a stellar credit history to qualify for a loan here since most of the lenders on the platform won’t pull your credit report. They also maintain a relatively high loan limit – up to $5,000.

  • Lenders don’t pull your credit report
  • Wide range of lenders
  • Maintains a highly interactive user interface
  • Only available to borrowers with $1,000 minimum monthly income
  • The maximum $5,000 is only available to creditworthy borrowers

6. Credit Clock | Best for the most straightforward application process

Credit Clock is the trading name of London-based Payday Ventures Limited. It is more of a middleman than loan services provider as it doesn’t advance loans to its clients. Rather, Credit Clock provides a platform that links loan applicants to loan service providers with most of these lenders offering loans of between $100 and $5,000.

Among the unique features of applying for a loan through Credit Clock is their higher than average maximum loan, the same day processing services, and the fact that you do not need a perfect credit history to qualify. You have up to 6 months to repay the loan at an APR of between 5.99% to 35.99%.

Their three-step loan application process is also easy and straightforward where you start by filling a detailed loan application form, agree to the terms and conditions of the loan application, and waiting for one of the lenders in their database to fil it up. Most of these lenders will also not perform a hard credit check on you and, therefore, wouldn’t hurt your credit score.

Our Rating

  • Repay the advanced amounts in affordable installments over the loan period
  • The large lender database maintained by Credit Clock increases your chances of qualifying for the loan
  • Credit Clock services are free and don’t increase the cost of your loan
  • There is no guarantee that the lender won't perform a credit check
  • The maximum $5,000 is only available to individuals with a stellar credit score

7. Check Into Cash | Best for their presence across the country

It is most likely you have seen this around, especially if you live in a state where the service is availed. Check Into Cash traditionally operated ‘cash stalls ’where you would go and request for financing. However, they have moved onto the online space to compete with other payday loan apps.

Most loan apps have an almost identical application process, and it is true with Check Into Cash as well. You will need to provide them with details such as phone number, work address, and email. Then need to agree to their terms and conditions digitally. Once this is done, the company will look into your application and respond. If approved, your funds will take up to two business days to be credited into your bank account. You will then be expected to repay this amount in full on your payday.

Check Into Cash offers loan amounts of between $50 to $1000 depending on your credit score. Their fees range between $13 and $25 per $100 borrowed depending on the state you are in.

Our Rating

  • Check Into Cash has a presence in up to 30 states in the country.
  • They offer flexible loan amounts of between $50 and $1000.
  • It is one of the most reliable pay advance apps that has been around for about 30 years.
  • Although it has what may look like favorable loan fees, this can increase significantly depending on the state you live in.

8. CashNet | Best for instant approvals

CashNet is a Payday lending service that avails short-term loans. They pride themselves on being able to provide instant approvals and next day cash payments.

CashNet does not discriminate and according to their website, work with people with all credit scores. This can come in handy if you are looking for finances urgently and your credit score is not that high. All you need to do is log on to their website and furnish them with your details. These will include your date of birth, your name, address, email, phone number, social security number, and any other relevant work details.

The application process is a 5-minute process, and approval decisions are sent you via email. You will then have the funds deposited in your bank account the next day. This will, however, depend on just how soon the loan is approved. Once you have received the funds, the loan will be repaid in full on your payday.

CashNet avails loan amounts of between $255 and $500 and their loan fees range between $10 and $45 per $100 borrowed. Additionally, their APR ranges between 205% and 800% with a repayment term of between two weeks and 15 months.

Our Rating

  • Flexible repayment periods of between two weeks and 15 months.
  • Early repayment earns you refunds on the loan fees.
  • 5-minute application process and next day cash payment.
  • Not available in all states.
  • They share your information with third-party advertisers.

9. Rise | Cash advance app with flexible repayments

If you are looking for a personal loan app that offers large amounts, then Rise is the option for you. This particular payday loan app offers up to $5,000 in loans with flexible repayment periods. Unlike many other lenders that have a high APR, some going as far as 400%, with Rise, that is set at 299%. Higher loan amounts, therefore, mean you will pay less in interests. On average however, a regular payday loan on Rise will be charged about $12 for every $100 borrowed.

The application process is quite simple, and you will be required to submit your details and be at least 18 years in most states. In Alabama, however, Rise works with an age limit of 19 and above. Once your loan has been approved, it will be credited to your bank account on the same day or in one business day.

The fee to be paid for each loan you take will vary according to the state that you are in. However, the lender offers excellent incentives for anyone that makes timely payments consistently. For example, 24 consecutive monthly on-time payments will earn you a 50% interest rate on your next loan. Continue this up to 36 months and your next loan will cost just 36% interest.

Our Rating

  • Offer large loan amounts of up to $5,000.
  • Have relatively low APR of about 299%.
  • Offer flexible repayment plans.
  • Only available in 17 states throughout the country.

Here are a list of personal loan apps and cash advance apps 

1. Earnin App | Best for workers with hourly wages

Earnin's loan app has become one if not the most famous lenders in the market. The main reason for this is that the firm allows individuals who are paid by the hour to book the hours worked and get their money paid in advancements when needed. This is a great option on loan apps for individuals who are living paycheck to paycheck and that can not wait till the end of the month to get paid.

Even though the limit for advance loans is only $500 a month, millions of Americans have appreciated the service from this app during its time operating. Another important aspect of the app is the fact that instead of being charged a regular fee or a commission, the company allows individuals to tip for their service. Leaving the amount to be paid to their own personal judgment. While the entire market has taken a very minimalistic approach to their applications, not all of the firms have actually reached the level needed for it to work. Earnin has to be one of the few that truly mastered the simply layout without making the entire platform look and operate cheaply.

Just like most of the other names from this list Earnin allow for full integration of your bank accounts and the app. This will help you manage everything you have and what you owe directly within one single application. It is one of the main reasons why individuals who are not interested in payday loans take advantage of the app.

Our Rating

  • The provider charges friendly fees and interest rates on borrowed amounts
  • Earnin provides an easy to use platform.
  • The maximum borrowing limit of $500 per month here may be considered limiting
  • It is not perfect for freelancers and self employed individuals as the amount you can borrow depends on the hours already worked

2. Brigit Loan App | Best for Fast Funding

Brigit is not your traditional Payday Loan provider, instead, it is the perfect example of a great idea beautifully executed. Instead of simply having to deal with a firm whose only intention is to charge you obscene fees and interest rates, Brigit has proven to be a name that will take care of you and your finances with this loan app.

The entire offering of products circles around their smartphone app, not only it is a minimalistic and well-developed platform, but it is also one of the best options fast cash offering with amounts up to $250. Another point where this firm excels is at execution, to put it into perspective requesting a loan might get your funds in your bank account in less than four hours. One might say that walking out of a branch or office with cash in hand can be faster but definitely not more convenient and safer.

Another point where Brigit truly destroys their competitors is the fact that it tracks your spending and also your income. This permits individuals to forecast the balance they will have in their bank account at the end of the month, allowing you on a high level to prognosticate the requirement of cash. In those scenarios, you might even program for money to be transferred automatically once the forecast is showing a negative balance before the end of the month or before your next paycheck.

Our Rating

  • No Interest or Late Fees: If you constantly require to borrow money this app might help save in terms of fees and also interest.
  • Payment Date Extension: This is an app that is flexible in terms of repayment. Any type of loan or advancement can easily be extended up to three times.
  • Monthly Fee: If you are planning on using this app as a last result option you might want to reconsider it since there is a monthly fee of almost $10.
  • Customer Support: Brigit fails at this since the only way of communication with the app requires emailing, making it incredibly inconvenient and slow.

3. PayActiv App | Best for high advancements

This is another interesting firm that is taking the loans and Payday market to the next level. Not only you will be able to access funds in a practical and also fast manner, but you will be able to request up to 50% of your paycheck in advancements via their app. While other firms offer a relatively similar model, receiving such a high amount of your check is simply unheard of in the market.

From an App perspective, PayActive is one of the best loan apps available and a great option for anyone who is also interested in managing their finances closely. In order to offer a more attractive service and to differentiate themselves, the firm has developed its own budgeting tools that will help you gain control of your finances and to improve your spending habits. More than just providing access to fast cash, the firm has become known for focusing on the dignity of their customers. Life is already too complicated to get more mixed up by dealing with an institution that does not have your best interest in mind. To prove the commitment to their clients the firm offers a fully automatic counseling product within their app, the idea behind it is to help to improve the financial literacy of their users.

It might not be the best-looking app from this list but it certainly deserves its place because of their platform and their service.

Our Rating

  • Cheap Advancements: Due to the agreements and contracts signed with the employer, most individuals will not have to pay any fees or commissions for the advancement.
  • High Amount of Borrowing limits: With this app, you will be able to borrow upto 50% of your paycheck.
  • Can trap you into a debt cycle, and even push you to over relying on debts.

4. Dave Loan App | Money loan app for Small Amounts

Dave loan app is probably one of the best payday loan apps overall that's available in the market in 2021, and the reason for this is the value you are receiving for its price. Instead of simply charging a fixed or variable interest rate for any loan, the firm only charges a monthly fee of $1 for the subscription process. The reason why they can do so is that the firm calculates the max loan based on your current income and it does not allow you to be carrying forward debt.

If you ever find yourself in the necessity of a small loan, this might be your best option today and especially if you don't have the most transparent credit score. The app will allow for loans up to $75 to be processed without requiring a credit check. Place note that the only requirement asked by the firm is to connect a checking account with the app, this is in order to ensure that they will be able to take back their money once your paycheck lands every month. Continuing with great service, the firm offers the ability to receive the funds in any state in less than 8 hours of time. This might not be as fast as other apps from this list but once you consider that you are not paying for small loans it is definitely worth waiting.

Please take into consideration that just like Brigit does, Dave offers full integration between your bank accounts and their budgeting tool. This allows for total control of your finances and also to forecast and predict when you might be in danger of not having enough money to finish the month or simply to afford something important like paying your utilities or your insurance.

Our Rating

  • Could not be cheaper: Paying $1 a month is just a steal compared to all the money you can save and also what you get.
  • Live Alerts: Since the app is already connected with your bank account, it allows the system to notify its users about the situation of their account at all times.
  • Slow Setup: Configuring the app can take long especially the first time users.
  • Possible Interest Rates: While the firm is not charging any fee right now, it has been publicly disclosed that they are planning on starting to charge an interest rate on all their loans.

5. MoneyLion | Best Payday Membership

Money Lion is another membership app that offers other things than just payday loans. This is probably one of the most complete payday loan apps and the most diverse name from this list since you can go for traditional personal loans and even some credit cards that offer up to 12% cashback.

From an app perspective, the firm allows for cash advancements of up to $250 in literally no time. The reason why it is so fast is that the company offer their own checkings and savings accounts. This allows employers to pay or deposit your paycheck directly with Money Lion. In other words, whenever you request an advancement the firm will simply credit the funds directly into your account, this will allow for almost immediate access to the funds.

Take into consideration that Money Lion offers an app that is definitely at the level of some of the ones offered by most traditional financial institutions. Don't forget that you can easily request your money to be deposited here in order to take advantage of the benefits of the firm, and still send your money to your regular bank account each month. Not every individual feels comfortable having savings and checkings accounts with relatively new firms. There is a risk associated with it, but once you see all the benefits and also the backing of the firm, it becomes more appealing.

Something worth mentioning is the fact that you can request a personal loan of up to $500 automatically from the app. Even though you will be charged an interest rate for borrowing in a period of 12 months, it is still one of the cheapest options in the market. Having to pay less than 6% for individuals with high risk is absolutely nothing when compared to the rest of the market.

Our Rating

  • Free Money Management App: Not only does the firm offers the ability to borrow money in a fast an easy way, but the app also offers money management capabilities.
  • Report to Credit Bureaus: the app lets you build your credit limit by reporting you repayment activity to the credit reference bureaus.
  • Minimum Credit Score 640: the high minimum credit score requirements acts as a barrier for many potential borrowers
  • The app is only available in some states

Differentiating between borrow money apps and payday loans

There is a slight difference between borrow money apps and payday loans. A borrow money app is, for instance, considered a small-dollar lender as they tend to offer lower cash advances in comparison to payday lenders. Borrow money apps are also less intrusive and consider your current financial situation and not the credit history in determining how much they can advance you, unlike most payday lenders that conduct a soft search of your credit report.

More importantly, while most payday lenders look into your creditworthiness to determine how much they can lend a client, a borrow money app adopts a graduated loan scale. They start by advancing small loan amounts but increase it with every subsequent loan application. 

Conclusion – Which is the best loan app?

Compared to all the other loan apps that have been reviewed in this post, Viva Payday Loans stands out for its presence in all states. Additionally, we recommend this particular lender because of the fast approvals that it makes and the favorable repayment terms. Viva Payday Loans also is a good lender if you are looking to borrow both small and large amounts as well.

And as you make this decision, you will do well to remember that just as reliability and speed of the payday loan apps come in handy in addressing urgent cash needs, it can also tempt you into unhealthy over reliance on debts that in effect traps you into a debt cycle.

Glossary Of Loaning Terms

FAQs

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See our full list of money loan app providers

References:

1. https://www.paydaynowforyou.com/rates-and-terms

2. https://www.michigan.gov/ag/0,4534,7-359-81903_20942-171016–,00.html

3. https://www.debt.org/credit/payday-lenders/

Vidal Arias

Vidal Arias

Vidal is an experienced Strategist and Portfolio Manager with a keen interest and passion for the financial markets and also writing. During his career, he has developed excellent market timing skills, focusing mainly on the macro analysis of the US Equity Market and the overall US Financial Market. He started his career as a financial analyst for a major American bank and continued his way into the trading desk as a Sr. Trader and later as a Portfolio Manager for an Offshore Hedgefund in Europe. Linkedin: vidalarias Email: [email protected]