Do any cash advance apps work with Credit Karma?

If you have a Credit Karma Money Spend checking account and are looking for a cash advance app, you might wonder which apps work with a Credit Karma account. Unfortunately, Credit Karma doesn’t work with external cash advance apps at the moment. However, plenty of cash advance apps work with thousands of banks, credit unions and other financial institutions.

You can still get a cash advance app

Even if you have a Credit Karma checking account, you can still take advantage of cash advance apps, but you’ll need to do a little research to see which one is the right fit. First, you’ll need an eligible bank account, most commonly a checking account. If you already have another account, that will probably work. Or, you may need to open a new checking account to qualify for cash advances. A great place to start is at a local branch bank or credit union in your area.

Many cash advance apps require your account to be open for at least 90 days, although some apps have more laid-back requirements. You may also need to have qualifying direct deposits from your employer, although some apps — like Cleo, Dave and Vola — don’t require direct deposit, making those a good option if you’re self-employed or work in the gig economy.

Most apps have minimum deposit requirements, though — some as low as $150 — so see which ones work for you. Other common requirements to qualify include:

• Being over 18.
• Being a US citizen or permanent resident.
• Linking your external bank account to the app.
• Proof of regular banking activity.

Once your identity and bank activity are verified, you should be good to go. Advance amounts typically start low, and repayments are normally due on your next payday or when your next deposit drops. In most cases, there are no interest charges or late fees.

Must read: Best cash advance apps

Cash advance apps to compare

Compare loan amounts, fees and turnaround times to find the cash advance app that best fits your needs.

Cash advance app	Advance amount	Cost	Turnaround time
Albert	$25 to $250	$14.99 per month	Instant	Go to site Read review
Beem	$5 to $1000	$2.47 to $12.97 per month	Within 3 days or instant for a fee
B9	$30 to $500	$9.99 or $19.99	Instant	Read review
Branch	Up to 50% of paycheck, up to $1,000	No cost for 3-day option, $2.99 to $4.99 for instant deposit	Within 3 business days, instant with delivery fee	Read review
Brigit	$50 to $250	$8.99 per month to use the app, free requested through email	2 to 3 business days or instant with a Premium subscription or for a fee.	Go to site Read review
Cash App borrow	$20 to $200	5% fee	Same day	Read review
Chime	Up to $200	No cost, must be a Chime member	Instant	Go to site Read review
Cleo	Up to $250	As low as $5.99 to use the app, free requested through email	3 to 4 days or instant for a fee.	Go to site Read review
Credit Genie	Up to $100	$4.99 per month	Within 3 days or same day or instant for a fee
Current	$50 to $500	Free	Within 3 business days, instant with delivery fee	Read review
DailyPay	Up to 100% of earned wages, $1,000 daily limit	No fee, available for qualified consumers	Next business day or instant with a DailyPay card or for a fee	Read review
Dave	Up to $500	Undisclosed monthly membership fe	Up to 3 business days or instant for a fee	Go to site Read review
EarnIn	Up to $750 per pay period, but only $150 per day	No fee when you link your bank account	1 to 3 business days or instant for a fee	Go to site Read review
Empower	$10 to $300	$8 per month	Same day or instant delivery available ($1 to $8 for instant transfer to external bank account)	Go to site
FloatMe	$10 to $100	$3.99 per month	1 to 3 business days or within 8 hours for a fee	Read review
Go2Bank	Up to $200	$5 per month, no fees after eligible direct deposit, 26.99% interest charges	Instant from ATM or participating bank for $10 or 5%, whichever is greater
Grid	Up to $200	$10 a month	Within 8 hours for $2.99 or 1 to 3 days for free delivery	Read review
Klover	Up to $200	$3.99 a month	Within 3 days or within hours for a fee	Read review
MoneyLion	Up to $500 or $1,000 with RoarMoney account	Free for basic membership, $1 to $1 to $5 for RoarMoney	Up to 5 days or instant for a fee of $0.49 to $8.99	Read review
ONE@Work	Up to 50% of earned wages	Available to members employed at a company that offers the app as a benefit	Same day if employer has configured this benefit. If not, small fee applies	Read review
Payactiv	$200 minimum per pay period or 50% of earned wages, whichever is greater	Available to members employed at a company that offers the app as a benefit	Within 1 to 3 days or immediately to Payactiv card or for a fee	Read review
Possible finance	Up to $500, except in California, where max loan amount $250	No membership fee, but about $15 to $20 per $100 borrowed	As soon as same day	Read review
SoLo Funds	$20 to $575	No fees, but asks for (optional) tips and donations	As soon as same day, but instant transfers cost 1.75%	Read review
Super.com	$20 to $200	No fee, available for qualified consumers	Within 3 business days, instant with a small fee or Super Pay account
Varo	Up to $500	Free, available for qualified members	Instant turnaround, but fees up to $40	Read review
Vola	Up to $300	Starting at $1.99 for advances from app or free requests via email	As soon as same day or instant with Vola card	Read review
Wisely	Depends on wage and hours worked	No fee, available for qualified members	Instant to Wisely card	Go to site

Alternatives to cash advance apps for Credit Karma customers

If you want to stay with your Credit Karma account or don’t want to download yet another app, here are some alternative forms of quick funding.

• Credit card cash advances. Interest rates on credit card cash advances are higher than for regular purchases, but it’s a hassle-free way to get a fast influx of cash in an emergency.
• Personal loans. If you need a larger loan amount than cash advance apps offer, an online personal loan might be a good option. However, you’ll need a good credit score to qualify for the best rates.
• Payday alternative loans (PALs). Many federal credit unions offer small PALs to members at competitive interest rates and reasonable loan terms. You’ll typically need to be a member for at least 30 days to qualify.
• Secured loans. If you have something of value as collateral — such as a car, boat, home or other valuable — a secured loan may offer better interest rates than unsecured loans.
• Advance from employer. Check if your employer offers cash advances as a benefit to its employees. Even if it doesn’t, some bosses may advance small loans to workers and deduct it from their next paycheck.