Updated September 28, 2026 · BorrowCue Editorial Team
Dave vs MoneyLion
Dave vs MoneyLion: the differences
| Compare |  Dave |  MoneyLion |
|---|---|---|
| Loan amount | $25 to $500 | up to $500 |
| Arrangement fee | Overdraft fee equal to the greater of $5 or 5% per ExtraCash overdraft; optional 1.5% fee for external debit card transfers | $0 (no origination or monthly fee on Instacash; optional tip $0 and up and optional Turbo delivery fee $0.49-$8.99) |
| Funding time | Typically authorized within 5 minutes | Within minutes with optional Turbo delivery fee, or 1-5 business days at no cost |
| Lender type | Direct lender | Marketplace |
| Eligibility | US members with a Social Security Number and a linked bank account; must open an ExtraCash overdraft deposit account and a Dave Checking account; not all members qualify | Legal resident of the United States, at least 18 years old (age of majority in state of residence); service availability varies by state |
| Origination fee (%) | 5% | 0%Lower |
| Loan types | Cash advance | Personal, Debt consolidation, Cash advanceCovers more |
| Free early repayment | Yes | Not confirmed |
| Use cases | Not confirmed | Home improvement |
Same on both: APR (0%), Credit check (None), Credit needed (Poor).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- Origination fee (%) is lower at MoneyLion: 0% vs 5%.
- Support channels: only Dave offers Chat.
- Support channels: only MoneyLion offers Community.
- Loan types: only MoneyLion offers Personal, Debt consolidation.
Our verdict on each
Dave
Dave suits US members who need a small advance with no credit check. ExtraCash overdrafts run $25 to $500 at an APR of 0%, typically authorised Typically authorized within 5 minutes. Each overdraft carries a fee set at the greater of a flat charge or 5% of the amount.
MoneyLion
MoneyLion suits US adults who need a cash advance without a credit check or a fee, and its 0% APR is the same whoever applies. The marketplace side widens the choice of loan, but lender set pricing and a up to $500 cap on the cash advance keep it out of reach for anything larger.
Score breakdown
| Area | Dave | MoneyLion |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.1APR of 0% keeps interest at nothing, but each overdraft costs the greater of a flat charge or 5% of the amount. | 9.7HigherInstacash is listed at an APR of 0%, and the cash advance carries an origination charge of 0% and no monthly fee. |
| Offer | 9.0 | 9.8Higher |
| Trust | 9.2Higher | 8.1 |
Side by side, item by item
| Loan types | Dave | MoneyLion |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | No | Yes |
| Debt consolidation | No | Yes |
| Cash advance | Yes | Yes |
Ranges side by side
| Fact | Dave | MoneyLion |
|---|---|---|
| Loan amount | $25 to $500 | up to $500 |
How they place
| Ranking | Dave | MoneyLion |
|---|---|---|
| Loans for bad credit | 114 of 275 | 121 of 275 |
| Cash advance apps | 13 of 53 | 15 of 53 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Dave | MoneyLion |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Same day funding | Same day funding |
| Legal entity | Dave Operating LLC | MoneyLion Technologies Inc. |
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
| Support channels | Help centre, Chat, Phone, Email | Phone, Email, Help centre, Community |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Dave | MoneyLion | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| APR | 0%lowest quarter | 0%lowest quarter | 8.99% |
| Loan amount | $25 to $500lowest quarter | up to $500lowest quarter | $35,000 |
| Origination fee (%) | 5%highest quarter | 0%below the median | 0.25% |
Median across 834 listed lenders.
Pros and cons
Dave
Pros
- No credit check: the listed credit check is none, so a poor credit file is not the obstacle.
- An APR of 0%, so the cost is carried by the overdraft fee rather than interest.
- Same-day funding: same day funding, with authorisation typically Typically authorized within 5 minutes.
Cons
- Overdraft fee on every advance: the greater of a flat charge or 5% of each overdraft, plus an optional percentage fee on external debit card transfers.
- Approval is not automatic: eligibility needs a US Social Security Number, a linked bank account, an open ExtraCash overdraft account and a Dave Checking account.
- Advances stop at $25 to $500, well under the €346.97 typically borrowed in the bad-credit category.
MoneyLion
Pros
- The cash advance carries a credit check of none, so a poor credit file does not stop a draw.
- Money can land within minutes on the paid delivery route, and same day funding is among the features the brand is listed under.
- personal, debt consolidation and cash advance run through the same marketplace, which widens choice beyond a single funder.
Cons
- The 0% headline describes the cash advance only. Pricing on a personal loan or a consolidation loan comes from the partner lender inside the marketplace, so the figure does not carry over.
- A single draw is capped at up to $500, which leaves a home improvement project dependent on the marketplace side.
- The optional Turbo delivery fee sits on top of the 0% APR for anyone who wants the money within minutes.
Who each suits
Dave
Who it suits
- US members with poor credit who want an advance with no credit check.
- Members ready to bank through Dave, since the advance requires both an ExtraCash overdraft account and a Dave Checking account.
- Anyone covering a short gap, given the $25 to $500 limit.
Who should look elsewhere
- Creduma ES, for anyone borrowing a larger sum, since its amounts start at from €12,000.
- Cashspace, for members who prefer a stated APR of PHP 12 to PHP 36 over a fee-based overdraft.
- Sofkredit, for members who want a stated rate of 10.74% to 18.06% and a term loan rather than a cash advance.
MoneyLion
Who it suits
- US adults who need a cash advance quickly and cannot pass a credit check.
- Borrowers with poor credit who want short term cash at an APR of 0%.
- People comfortable with a marketplace, where the funder behind the loan is set by the match rather than by the app.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone after a large home improvement loan. Monzo Flex quotes 10% to 23% on a personal loan, a different product from a up to $500 cash advance.
- Borrowers who want one lender and one published price. Monzo Flex shows 10% to 23% up front, while MoneyLion's personal loan pricing follows the marketplace.
- Borrowers in another market. Cashspace quotes PHP 12 to PHP 36 and Cashspace ES lends €100 to €5,000, and MoneyLion's service is limited to the United States.
Current offers
MoneyLion
Current offer
Bonus
Shake 'N' Bank Cash Back Promotion: Cash back from $0.01, cap $500 per transaction, up to 5 shakes per month
MoneyLion member in good standing; qualified purchases of $10 or more in a single transaction with the MoneyLion Debit Mastercard or Spend Virtual Card; unlimited shakes with an active WOW membership
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Dave | MoneyLion |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Yes | Yes |
Questions about each
Dave
How much does an ExtraCash advance cost?+
The advance itself carries an APR of 0%, so the charge is the overdraft fee rather than interest. That fee is set at the greater of a flat amount or 5% of each overdraft, and an optional percentage fee also applies when the money is transferred to an external debit card.
How quickly does the money arrive?+
Authorisation is typically quick: Typically authorized within 5 minutes, and same day funding is listed among the product's features. The advance reaches the linked bank account and behaves like an overdraft, so the balance sits on the account until it is repaid rather than arriving with a separate bill.
MoneyLion
What does a MoneyLion cash advance cost?+
The Instacash cash advance is listed at an APR of 0%, with an origination charge of 0% and no monthly fee. Two extras sit on top if you want them, an optional tip, which you can leave at free, and the optional Turbo delivery fee that comes with money within minutes. Nothing else is charged for the account.
Is there a credit check on the Instacash cash advance?+
The cash advance carries a credit check of none, so there is no file to pass before the money is released, which is the point for anyone whose credit is thin. The personal and debt consolidation side works differently, running through a marketplace where the partner lender sets its own requirements and MoneyLion is placed at poor.