Home › Cost data

What a $100 cash advance really costs

We read the fee pages and terms of 15 US cash advance apps and worked out what an instant $100 advance costs in dollars, membership included. Each row links the app's own fee page and shows the date we checked it.

In short: across the 12 apps that publish their fees, an instant $100 advance costs $0–$20.98. The median is $8.25, about 215% a year as a rate if repaid in 14 days. 10 of the 15 apps send the money free if you can wait a few days. Fees checked October 30, 2026.

Key findings

• Speed is what you pay for. 10 of the 15 apps charge nothing for a standard transfer (usually 1–3 business days). Unless the app requires a membership, the instant fee is the whole cost, and it is optional.
• Free instant advances exist, with conditions: Gerald, Possible Finance. Read their pages for the catch, such as a store purchase first, a smaller limit, or a fee in some states.
• Memberships are the hidden cost. 4 apps (Brigit, Cleo, Dave, Tilt (formerly Empower)) need a monthly membership for an advance. That fee counts in full for one month, even if you borrow only once.
• Some memberships can be skipped. FloatMe, Grid: their own terms say you can get an advance without the subscription by asking by email. Few users would learn this from the app.
• Fees change without notice. At our check of October 30, 2026, MoneyLion had changed fees since the check before (see what changed, below).
• 3 apps don't publish the fee for a $100 instant advance (Albert, Current, Varo); you only see it in the app.

The data

Sorted by the cost of an instant $100 advance. † means the figure is not on the app's own pages: we took it from a secondary source, or the app gives only a range.

Download the data (CSV) · Full comparison with limits and states · Work out your own figures

Method

• Cost of an instant $100 advance = the app's fee for getting $100 within minutes or hours, plus one month of membership when the app requires one. Optional memberships and tips are left out: tips are optional with every app that asks for them.
• Yearly rate = cost ÷ $100 × 365 ÷ 14 days × 100, the same way an APR compares a short loan's fee with a year of interest. It shows the price of speed, not interest the app charges.
• Where an app gives a range rather than one fee for $100, we show the range and sort by its middle. Where fees differ by state, we use the standard schedule and note the states on each app's page.
• Sources: the apps' own fee pages, terms and help articles, read on October 30, 2026 (Chime: September 26, 2026). Chime's site blocks automated reading, so its figures are read by hand. The page text we read is kept, so every figure can be traced.
• We check every app at least every two months, and record what changed below.

What changed

Check of October 30, 2026

• MoneyLion (changed): Turbo (instant) delivery is now a percentage of the advance: 9% to an outside bank, 7.5% capped at $14.99 into a MoneyLion Spend account. In September it was a flat $1.99–$8.99 per $100. Free standard delivery now goes only into Spend; an outside bank gets Turbo only. Source
• FloatMe (now confirmed on its own pages): FloatMe's terms give the instant fee table ($7.50 on $100) and let you get a Float without the $6.99 membership by emailing [email protected]. Source
• Grid (now confirmed on its own pages): Grid's terms confirm the $2.99 expedited fee and say an advance doesn't need the Grid+ subscription (ask by email). Source
• Tilt (formerly Empower) (now confirmed on its own pages): Tilt's terms give the instant fee table: $5 on $100 to your own bank; free onto the Tilt debit card. Source
• Klover (now confirmed on its own pages): Klover's pricing page gives express fees by amount: up to $9.49 on $100. Source
• Brigit (now confirmed on its own pages): Brigit's terms confirm express fees of $0.99–$5.99. Source

Using this data

Quote or republish the figures freely, with a link to this page. Suggested credit: Tight Month, "What a $100 cash advance really costs", fees checked October 30, 2026, tightmonth.com/cash-advance-costs/. Questions, corrections or an app we should add: hello (at) tightmonth.com.

Tight Month is independent and not a lender or broker. Some apps' links on our comparison pages may pay us a referral fee; this page has none, and payment never changes the order (how we rank). General information, not financial advice.