EarnIn
- Best for: Workers who can wait a day or two for a free advance
- What Sets It Apart: As much as $1,000 a pay period with no monthly fee and no direct-deposit switch
- Loan Amounts: Up to $200 a day and $1,000 a pay period ($150 a day in Maryland); new members’ daily limit averages $85
- Terms: Repaid by automatic withdrawal on payday; no collections or credit reporting if a repayment fails
- Features: Free delivery in 1 to 2 business days; Lightning Speed within 30 minutes
- Monthly Fee: $0
- Rates: No interest
- Cost: Lightning Speed $3.99 up to $75, $5.99 up to $150, $8.99 above (5%, $3.99 minimum, in FL, IL, IN, OH, PA and TX; $4.99 to $9.99 in CO and WI); optional tip; no late fees
- Credit Needed: None; no credit check
- Eligibility: A regular direct-deposit paycheck of $320 or more a pay period and a verifiable work email or location; not in Connecticut
- Pros: Free with standard delivery and a $0 tip; no monthly fee; no collections
- Cons: Steep instant fees on small advances; Cash Out Link members pay $1.99 each; payday withdrawals can overdraw you
Use EarnIn if your paycheck arrives by direct deposit on a regular schedule and you can wait a day or two for your money. Its Cash Out advances cost nothing when you choose the free standard transfer and set the optional tip to $0. Instant delivery costs $3.99 or more.
EarnIn lets workers cash out part of the pay they’ve already earned before payday, then takes the money back from their checking account when the paycheck lands.
Key Features
- Up to $200 a day and $1,000 a pay period, or $150 a day in Maryland
- Lower limits at first, with an $85 average daily limit for new members and an increase within two pay periods for most, EarnIn says
- Free delivery in 1 to 2 business days, or within 30 minutes through Lightning Speed for $3.99 to $8.99 in most states
- No monthly fee, interest, or credit check, and an optional tip that can be $0
- Repaid by an automatic withdrawal from your checking account on payday
Pros
- Costs nothing if you take the standard transfer and tip $0
- No need to move your direct deposit to EarnIn
- No collections or credit reporting if a repayment fails
- Tips refunded on request within 30 days of repayment
Cons
- $5.99 for instant delivery of a $100 advance, 6% of the amount
- Needs a regular direct-deposit paycheck of at least $320 a pay period and a work email or work location EarnIn can verify
- A payday withdrawal that can overdraw your account, with the bank’s fee yours to pay
- $1.99 per advance for members using Cash Out Link, an overdraft account at Lead Bank
- A tip or a fee on more than 92% of its Colorado advances from January 2023 to July 2025, the state’s attorney general says in a lawsuit
Workers paid by direct deposit on a steady schedule can cover a one-time gap here for $0, as long as they wait a day or two and skip the tip. Gig workers with uneven deposits, and anyone who would cash out every payday, do better with a credit union’s payday alternative loan, which can be repaid over several months instead of in one payment on payday.
Learn more about EarnIn or see how it compares to the best cash advance apps.
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