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What does a cash advance actually cost?

Pick an amount and how fast you need it. We'll compare EarnIn, Dave, Brigit, MoneyLion, Cash App Borrow, and Kronos by total real cost — fees, tips, and express charges included.

Last updated: 2026-04-29
Inputs

Your advance

$50–$1,000. Most apps cap below $750 unless you've been a customer 6+ months.
3 days before your payout
Most drivers pick Instant — the apps charge a fee for it.
Frequency matters because subscription apps amortize their flat fee across each advance.
Methodology and assumptions detailed below. We use mid-range published values; your real cost varies.
Results

Total cost for this advance

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How we calculate each app's cost

Kronos

  • Free tier: $0 advance fee, no tip, $250 cap.
  • Pro: $9.99/mo subscription, $0 advance fee, $1,000 cap. Subscription is amortized across advances per the Frequency selector.
  • Lifetime ($199.99 one-time) and Annual ($99.99/yr) options are not modeled here — they make Pro effectively cheaper at scale.

EarnIn

  • Subscription: none.
  • "Tip": optional in name, but the prompt suggests up to ~$14 for a $250 advance. We use $5 as a typical mid-range driver tip.
  • Lightning Speed fee: $1.99–$4.99 for Instant. We use $4.99 (the cap) for Instant, $0 for Standard.
  • Cap: $150–$750 depending on tenure.

Dave (ExtraCash)

  • Subscription: $1.00/month.
  • Express fee: 5%–15% of advance for instant delivery. We use 5% (the floor) on $250+ advances.
  • Optional tip: prompted at checkout. We do not include tip in the calc to be charitable to Dave.
  • Cap: $500.

Brigit (Plus)

  • Subscription: $9.99/month.
  • Express fee: $0.99–$3.99 for Instant. We use $1.99.
  • Cap: $250.

MoneyLion (Instacash + RoarMoney+)

  • Subscription: $9.99/month for RoarMoney+ (required to maximize Instacash limit).
  • Turbo fee: 1%–5% of advance, $1.99 minimum. We use 4%.
  • Optional tip: prompted at checkout. Not included in calc.
  • Cap: $500.

Cash App Borrow

  • Subscription: none.
  • Fee: 5% of advance, fixed.
  • Late fee: 1.25% per week if not repaid within 4 weeks (not modeled — assume on-time).
  • Cap: $200 (most users); $1,500 for select users.

Frequently asked

Is EarnIn really free?

Technically yes — there is no subscription and the "tip" is optional. In practice, the app's UX strongly suggests a tip, and the Lightning Speed fee ($4.99 for instant funding) is functionally a fee. The DC Attorney General sued EarnIn in 2024 over the tip mechanic. Treat their advances as costing the suggested tip + Lightning fee.

Why does Dave look so cheap?

Dave's $1/month subscription is the cheapest in the category. Their cost shows up in the Express fee (5–15% of advance). For a one-off small advance Dave is genuinely cheap. For frequent borrowers, the Express fee compounds.

How is Kronos Pro $0?

Pro is a flat $9.99/month subscription with $0 advance fees, no tips, and no express charges. The calculator amortizes the subscription across your usage frequency: a once-a-month borrower attributes the full $9.99 to one advance; a weekly borrower attributes $2.50/advance. Either way, Pro pays itself back if you advance $500+ a month or earn $20+/month in cashback.

What's not in this calculator?

Late fees (Cash App, Dave), overdraft cascades (when an advance miscalculation triggers your bank's $35 NSF fee), and lost interchange (cards with worse cashback rates earn you less). This calculator only models the headline advance cost. Real total cost of carry tends to favor Kronos Pro further.

Can I get an advance with no credit check?

Yes — every app on this list (including Kronos) advances based on either gig earnings or direct-deposit history, not credit score. None of them perform a hard credit pull and none report your advance to credit bureaus.

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