Free loan-matching service. Zebra Finance is not a lender. We connect you with lenders. How we make money

Apps Like Cleo: Compare Limits, Fees and Speed

Updated 2026-10-25 · By the Zebra Finance editorial team · How we research

Cleo advances $20 to $250 on its Plus and Pro plans and up to $500 on Builder with qualifying direct deposits. Apps like Cleo include EarnIn, MoneyLion, Chime MyPay, Dave, Brigit, Tilt (formerly Empower) and FloatMe. If you need more than an app offers, one 3-minute form reaches lenders offering $100 to $5,000.

Request a payday loan

✓ Free to use✓ About 3 minutes✓ No obligation✓ Bad credit OK to apply
  1. 1 Choose an amount and fill out the form
  2. 2 Get matched with a lender in our network
  3. 3 Review your offer and get funded, often next business day

Tip: apply on a weekday morning for the best chance of funding by the next business day.

No hard credit inquiry on our end; lenders may check your credit. Not a lender; approval, amount and terms come from the lender. Example: $1,000 over 12 months at 35.99% APR ≈ $100.46/month.

Cleo advance$20–$250 ($20–$100 first time); up to $500 on Builder
No-monthly-fee optionsEarnIn, MoneyLion (standard)
Higher limitsEarnIn, Chime MyPay (up to $1,000)
FloatMeUp to $200; $6.99 membership
Need more?$100–$5,000 through our network
VerifiedOfficial sites, October 25, 2026

What Cleo offers today

Cleo's pricing page lists three plans. Plus ($5.99 a month) and Pro ($8.99 a month) include cash advances of $20 to $250, with $20 to $100 for first-time users. Builder ($14.99 a month) raises the ceiling to $500 for existing users, but only if you direct deposit at least $750 a month; first-time Builder users start at $150 to $180. Same-day transfers carry an express fee of $4.49 to $14.99 depending on the amount, and Cleo says you can request an advance without subscribing.

That makes Cleo a fit for small gaps, but the $250 ceiling on most plans and the direct-deposit rule for $500 are the two most common reasons people compare alternatives.

Why people look for apps like Cleo

Cleo combines a budgeting chatbot with small cash advances. People look for alternatives when they want a higher limit, want to skip a monthly subscription, need a free standard transfer, or simply weren't offered an advance. The good news: several apps work the same basic way, linking to your checking account and repaying from your next deposit.

Comparison table: Cleo and alternatives

AppAdvertised rangeMonthly feeDelivery notes
Cleo (baseline)$20–$250; up to $500 on Builder$5.99, $8.99 or $14.99 plans; can request without subscribingSame-day express fee $4.49–$14.99
EarnInUp to $200/day, $1,000 per pay periodNoneFree standard, 1–3 business days
MoneyLion InstacashUp to $500; $1,000 with Spend direct depositNone requiredFree standard to a MoneyLion account
Chime MyPay$20–$1,000 per pay periodNone listedFree scheduled advance within 24 hours
Dave$25–$500Up to $5Per-advance fee applies
Brigit$25–$500$8.99–$15.99Express optional
Tilt (formerly Empower)$10–$500$8 after 14-day trialFees may apply for instant
FloatMeUp to $200; first approvals $10–$50$6.99 (not required to request a Float)Free standard; instant optional

Advertised maximums are rarely where users start. Each app sets your limit from its own review of your account.

Zebra Finance isn't affiliated with any app named on this page and receives nothing for mentioning them. App figures come from each company's official site on October 25, 2026, and can change; confirm terms in the app before you accept.

Apps like Empower (now Tilt)

Searching for apps like Empower? Empower's cash advance now operates as Tilt. Its official site lists advances from $10 to $500, an $8 monthly subscription after a 14-day trial for first-time customers, and no credit check for the cash advance. Tilt says its cash advance isn't available in Connecticut, Maine or Washington, D.C. Close alternatives with no monthly fee include EarnIn and MoneyLion. We cover these in detail in apps like Empower.

Apps like FloatMe

FloatMe's site lists advances of up to $200, with first-time approvals of $10 to $50, a $6.99 monthly membership that isn't required to request a Float, free standard delivery and an optional paid instant Float. FloatMe says Floats aren't available in Connecticut, Nevada or D.C. People looking for apps like FloatMe usually want a higher ceiling: EarnIn, MoneyLion and Chime MyPay advertise larger maximums, though starting limits are often small everywhere.

Which alternative fits you

  • You don't want a subscription: EarnIn or MoneyLion's standard delivery.
  • You bank with Chime: MyPay, with an instant fee capped at $5.
  • You want budgeting tools too: Cleo, Brigit and Tilt bundle them with paid plans.
  • You need $300 or more right away: most new app users won't have that limit. A lender loan is the faster fit.

More comparisons: apps like Dave, apps like EarnIn, apps like Brigit.

How we compared these apps

We used each company's own website, pricing page or help center on October 25, 2026, and listed only figures the company publishes. Where an app doesn't publish a fee (some show instant fees only inside the app), we say so rather than guess. We don't rate or rank apps by quality, and we have no relationship with any of them. Limits and fees change often, so confirm what you're offered on screen before you accept an advance.

When you need more than $250

Cleo-style apps are built for small gaps. If your bill is bigger, our free form reaches multiple lenders in our network at once, with requests from $100 to $5,000 depending on your state. Many lenders focus on your income and may use alternative credit data instead of a traditional hard pull. If you're approved, the lender shows the amount, fee, APR and total to repay before you sign, and funds often arrive by the next business day.

Depending on your state, offers may be a payday loan repaid on your next payday or an installment loan with fixed payments. Zebra Finance is a matching service, not a lender, and approval isn't guaranteed.

See if you qualify — it takes about 3 minutes. Start your free request. There is no obligation to accept an offer.

Frequently asked questions

What apps are like Cleo?

EarnIn, MoneyLion, Dave, Brigit, Chime MyPay, Tilt (formerly Empower), FloatMe, Albert and Klover all offer small cash advances repaid from your next deposit. They differ on limits, subscriptions and instant-transfer fees, so compare those three things first.

Which app is better than Cleo for a bigger advance?

EarnIn advertises up to $1,000 per pay period and Chime MyPay up to $1,000 for Chime members, compared with Cleo's $250 on most plans ($500 on Builder with at least $750 a month in direct deposits). Actual limits depend on each app's review of your account and usually start lower.

Are there apps like Cleo with no subscription?

Yes. EarnIn has no monthly fee, and Cleo itself says you can request an advance without subscribing, and MoneyLion Instacash doesn't require a membership. FloatMe's membership isn't required to request a Float. Instant transfers on these apps may still cost a fee.

What are good apps like Empower?

Empower's cash advance is now Tilt. Alternatives include EarnIn and MoneyLion, which don't require a monthly fee, plus Dave, Brigit, Cleo and FloatMe. Compare advance limits and fees in each app before you accept.

What if no cash advance app approves me?

Apps rely on your bank deposit history, so a new account or irregular income can mean no offer. Lenders weigh income differently. Our free form reaches multiple lenders at once for $100 to $5,000, with no obligation to accept.

Sources

Related

Free · about 3 min · no obligationSee if you qualify