Sometimes you need your money sooner than your next payday. Maybe you have an unexpected expense or want to treat yourself to something special.
Whatever the reason, a few great apps like DailyPay can help you get your hands on your hard-earned cash a little sooner.
DailyPay gives employees the ability to receive their salary sooner, by allowing them to access their earnings on a daily basis. The app is free to use, and it’s available on both iOS and Android devices. It is different from the typical payday loan because it is not a loan.
There are no fees or interest charges associated with using DailyPay. Instead, the app simply allows you to access your earnings early. You only need to pay a competitive rate for the convenience of using it.
However, DailyPay requires employers to sign up for the service in order for employees to use it. So, if your employer doesn’t offer it, or you’re looking for an alternative solution, there are a few other apps like DailyPay worth considering.
Best Apps Like DailyPay
1. Payactiv
Payactiv is an app that allows you to get paid for the hours you’ve already worked, instead of waiting for your next payday. It’s a great option for workers who need their money sooner rather than later.
The app allows you to withdraw up to $500 or 50% of your earned but unpaid wages, per pay period. There is no fee for using Payactiv, and you can access your funds as soon as they’re deposited into your account.
Although like DailyPay, your employer needs to sign up for Payactiv in order for you to use it, and there are over 10,000 employers already using the app.
However, even if your employer doesn’t offer Payactiv, you can still use the app to access your earned wages but not more than two days before your payday.
Payactiv does not require any minimum card balance, and there are no maintenance fees, but there may be some other fees depending on your employer’s agreement with Payactiv.
The app also provides multiple ways to receive funds, including through a Payactiv debit card, direct deposit, or ACH transfer.
You can also choose to pick up your funds at Walmart or use the cash on the app to cover bills or make purchases directly.
Payactiv lets you send money to friends and family just like the traditional Venmo or Cash App. All you need is their phone number and they would get the cash straight away.
Since Payactiv isn’t exactly a lender, using the app does not affect your credit score.
2. FlexWage
FlexWage, like DailyPay, is an employer-sponsored program that allows workers to receive their wages on a more frequent basis.
If the employer offers this benefit, then the workers can get up to 80% of their unpaid earnings deposited onto a rechargeable card. The final fees are determined by the employer.
Besides offering an advance on your unpaid wages, you can also get an advance on other compensation benefits that are not part of your regular paychecks, such as bonuses, tips, or holiday pay.
For these other advances, FlexWage gives you up to 100% of the value of the benefit, and you can repay it over time.
Even better, you can use FlexWage to set up a recurring deposit schedule so you don’t have to think about it every payday.
For example, you could have 10% of your paycheck deposited into your FlexWage account every Friday, giving you access to those funds as soon as the following Monday.
The platform also features a financial wellness service to coach you on money management and budgeting.
Besides working for an employer that offers FlexWage, there are no other requirements to use the service.
The app has taken reasonable steps to ensure that customers’ data is well-protected. It does this by encrypting all customer information, both in transit and at rest.
3. Empower
Empower is an app that does much more than just help you get paid faster. It also gives you the ability to manage your money, set goals, and stay on top of your budget. It’s a great all-around financial management tool, and it’s totally free to use.
You only need to connect a checking account to the app to start using it. From there, you can track your income and expenses, set goals, and even get a personalized financial plan.
Unlike DailyPay, Empower does not require that your employer be a partner. This means that you can use Empower with any employer, no matter how big or small they are.
The app does not carry out credit checks like typical loan companies. It merely checks your bank account for patterns to see if you are eligible for early access to your paycheck.
If you are, then you can get from $25 to $250 deposited into your account as early as the next day or two. The amount you can get depends on how much you earn and how often you get paid.
There are no charges on interest fees attached to this service. The app would simply take back the advance amount the moment your next paycheck lands in your account.
Other than getting advance money, you can also set up the autosave feature within the app to help you save up for future goals.
This is unlike other autosaving features that other apps offer as this one analyses your spending and income patterns to help you come up with the best amount of money to save automatically from your paycheck.
Empower also offers a debit card that is connected to your account within the app. The card has no fees whatsoever and gives you 10% cash back on some purchases that you make.
4. Albert
Albert is yet another app like DailyPay that does not require an employer’s permission to access your earnings. You can link your bank account or debit card to the app and set up automatic payments so you can get paid as soon as you’ve worked.
The app was launched in 2015 which was before many fintech companies started offering on-demand pay.
It offers cash advances of up to $250 and does not attract any interest, late fees, or credit checks.
You can create a free bank account on the platform, but this is optional and you will get a debit card which you can use to withdraw cash from up to 55,000 ATMs without any fees.
You can also set up automatic savings with Albert. The app does this by analyzing your spending patterns and setting aside money that you can afford to save. You will get an annual bonus on your savings, and you can withdraw your money at any time without penalty.
There are also stock and cryptocurrency options with Albert. You can invest in a variety of stocks and cryptocurrencies and earn rewards when the value of your investment goes up.
You can invest in these options with as little as $1 and there are no fees or commissions.
The app also offers money advice and tips on how to save money and make better financial decisions.
Compared to other apps like this, Albert’s financial tips are from real humans, so you know they actually care about you and want to help you improve your financial situation.
Check out this post that talks about the alternative apps to Albert.
5. Earnin
Earnin is an app that allows you to get paid as soon as you leave work. There are no fees, and you can cash out your earnings whenever you want.
The major difference between Earnin and DailyPay is that the former asks users to provide tips for using the service. This is optional and is done in place of charging a fee for each transaction.
Earnin needs to verify that you go to work, so it requires a timesheet. You can either submit an electronic one or capture and upload a photo of one. If you do not have access to a timesheet, Earnin can still find out your location by using your phone’s GPS.
The app also requires your checking information not just to send money but also to adjust your withdrawal limit and check for overspending.
There is an overdraft feature that it calls Balance Shield Alert. This is a great way to get notified when your account balance falls below a certain amount. You can set this feature to receive money from Earnin when your balance drops below $100.
The app also assists you to negotiate medical bills and set up a payment plan for them.
To set up an Earnin’s account is pretty easy. For one, you do not need an employer’s approval to do so as with DailyPay. As long as you receive your paycheck via direct deposit, then you are good to go.
Once you download the app and create your profile, Earnin tracks the work that you do to ensure that you are getting paid for the number of hours that you work.
Interestingly, on-demand workers can also get advance payments from Earnin. They simply need to upload receipts of the completed tasks and they are set.
Find out similar apps to Earnin here.
6. Chime SpotMe
Chime SpotMe is different from DailyPay being that it is somewhat of an actual bank.
Chime is a digital bank that is based out of San Francisco, CA. It still has the usual checking and savings account that traditional banks provide, alongside a credit card, but its modus operandi is unique.
For one, it has no physical branches- all transactions are done online or through a mobile app. Second, it offers its SpotMe feature to select customers.
To start with, Chime gives you $20 to cover your overdraft fees. Let’s say you want to make a purchase of $10 and you have only $5 in your bank account. Your traditional bank account would read -$5 after you make that purchase, but not Chime.
Chime would front you some money to cover the extra cost and your account would not read a negative amount. Depending on how much the app decides to give you, your account would now read $0 or more.
Eventually, the amount that Chime can spot you grows as long as it deems your account as healthy.
It makes this decision based on a few factors: how often you use SpotMe, how much money is in your account, and whether you’ve been making regular deposits. The app also says it looks at “other data points” as well.
If you use Chime regularly and keep a good amount of money in your account, you could potentially never have to worry about overdraft fees again.
Explore the best apps like Chime in this post.
7. Brigit
Brigit is an app that offers short-term loans to help you cover unexpected expenses or bridge the gap between paychecks.
You can apply for a loan of up to $250 and receive the money in as little as one business day. There are no hidden fees or prepayment penalties with Brigit.
While Brigit has a free version that you can use, there is also a premium version for $9.99 per month that offers additional features like early access to your paycheck and extended payment terms.
The premium version has several features that are lacking in DailyPay, but the most significant of them is that the credit-building feature only exists in the premium version.
Brigit also does not require your employer to sign up for the service in order for you to get paid, which is something that DailyPay does require. It determines if you are qualified by looking into where your checking account is located and how often you are paid.
You can see your credit score and get notified on things that can affect your ratings, like late payments, with Brigit.
Brigit also protects against identity theft and fraud with their monitoring services. In the event that your identity is stolen, it would cancel and reissue all of your cards, and help you to recover your lost funds.
8. MoneyLion
MoneyLion is an excellent alternative to DailyPay for workers who are looking for a way to get paid faster.
MoneyLion offers a similar service to DailyPay, but with some added benefits. For example, MoneyLion has a feature that allows you to round up your spare change and invest it.
This is a great way to save money without even thinking about it. MoneyLion also has a great rewards program that allows you to earn cash back on your everyday purchases.
9. Cleo
Cleo is the answer to your cash flow prayers. It’s like having a financial assistant in your pocket that helps you stay on top of your spending, mindless subscriptions, and bills. Cleo also offers instant cash advance loans so you can get your paycheck before payday.
The app also offers a free credit score so you can keep tabs on your financial health.
You can get an advance of up to $100 if you qualify. Unlike DailyPay, this one does not require you to wait for your next payday before you make a repayment.
The repayment date can be set to 3-28 days after you receive your loan. It does not affect your credit score, but it does come with a monthly subscription fee of $5.99.
10. Klover
Klover is a great alternative to DailyPay for workers who are looking for a way to get paid faster.
Klover offers many of the same features as DailyPay, including instant payouts, direct deposit, and more. However, there are some key differences between the two apps.
For one, Klover charges a flat fee of $1 per transaction, while DailyPay charges a percentage of the transaction amount. Klover also offers a more robust set of features, including the ability to track hours worked, schedule payments, and more.
Klover does not require your employer to be signed up for their service. As long as you have at least three direct checking deposits from the same employer, you qualify to use Klover.
Also Read: Best Sezzle Alternatives
11. Branch
Branch is a suitable app to use in place of DailyPay for workers who are looking for a way to get paid faster.
You can get up to $500 deposited into your account within minutes, and there are no fees for using the service. There is also a great referral program where you can earn $20 for each friend you refer to Branch.
It offers a variety of features that make it a great choice for workers, including the ability to set up direct deposit, instant payouts, and more.
Branch is also a good choice for workers who want to be able to track their earnings and see their pay stubs in one place.
Also Read: Best BNPL Websites
12. Dave
Dave is an app that allows you to get paid for the work you do on a daily basis. It’s a great alternative to DailyPay, and it offers some great features that make it worth considering.
You are eligible for up to $100 two days before your pay period starts. Funds are available instantaneously once you sign up and you can withdraw your earnings at any time with no fees
Dave offers a different way to get paid than DailyPay. With Dave, you can choose to be paid on a weekly or monthly basis. This can be a great option for people who want to get paid more frequently.
The app also has a feature that allows you to “boost” your earnings. This means that you can earn more money by doing extra work or taking on more assignments. This is a great way to make more money if you’re looking for ways to get paid faster.
Finally, Dave has a referral program that allows you to earn more money by referring friends to the app. This is a great way to make even more money with Dave.
Discover apps like Dave in this post.
Conclusion
Now that we’ve looked at a few of the best apps like DailyPay, it’s time to choose the one that’s right for you.
If you’re looking for an app that will allow you to get paid faster, then DailyPay is a great option. However, if you’re looking for an app that will give you more control over your finances, then one of the other options might be a better fit.
Our pick is Payactiv which gives you the power to access your earnings anytime, get paid up to two days early, and even save money. However, all of the apps on our list are great options, so be sure to choose the one that’s right for you.
