Need money now? Every option priced

Need money now? Every option, priced cheapest first

Short on cash before payday? Enter how much you need and when you can pay it back to see what each way of covering it costs, from asking for more time to a car title loan, cheapest first.

What you need

How much you need

When you can pay it all back

Your state

Some states limit or ban payday and title loans.

Active-duty military, or a dependent?

Covering $500 for 30 days, cheapest first

1.Ask for more time or a payment plan
$0 to ask
Call the company you owe, like a utility, landlord, card or medical office, and ask to move the due date or split the bill. Asking costs nothing; a late fee may still apply.
Write a hardship letter
2.Paycheck advance through your employer
$3.188% APR
Some employers let you get pay you've already earned early. When workers paid a fee, the CFPB found it averaged about $3.18.
Price a cash advance app
3.Small installment loan at 36% APR
$15.0036% APR
Repaid in monthly payments. 36% is the most the Military Lending Act allows for covered service members; many online loans charge more.
Check a loan offer
4.Credit union payday alternative loan (PAL)
$31.6779% APR
Federal credit unions offer $200 to $2,000 at no more than 28% APR, repaid over 1 to 12 months, with an application fee of up to $20.
Check PAL limits
5.Credit card cash advance
$37.9592% APR
Interest starts the day you take the cash. Priced here with a 5% fee ($10 minimum) and 30% APR; your card's terms may differ.
Use your card's terms
6.Car title loan
$125304% APR
Priced at a 25% monthly fee, which the FTC says comes to about 300% APR. Your car is the collateral.
See what's at stake
7.Payday loan
$225391% APR
Priced at $15 per $100 for two weeks, renewed until you can repay. State limits range from $10 to $30 per $100, and some states don't allow these loans.
Price a payday loan

Costs are what borrowing this amount for this long would cost at the rates shown. Lenders set real rates and fees.

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How this works

Every option is priced for the same amount over the same number of days, then sorted from cheapest to most expensive.
Asking the company you owe for more time or a payment plan is shown as $0 to ask; a late fee may still apply.
The paycheck advance uses the average fee the CFPB found when workers paid one: about $3.18.
The credit union loan uses the payday alternative loan limits: $200 to $2,000, at most 28% APR plus an application fee of up to $20, repaid over 1 to 12 months.
The card cash advance assumes a 5% fee with a $10 minimum and 30% APR, with interest from the first day. The cash advance calculator uses your card's own terms.
The installment loan is priced at 36% APR, the Military Lending Act cap for covered service members, repaid monthly.
The payday loan uses $15 per $100 for 14 days, renewed with fee-only payments until the day you can repay.
The car title loan uses a 25% monthly fee.

Sources

Awaiting expert reviewEstimates only; not financial, tax or legal advice.

Common questions

What's the cheapest way to get money fast?

Usually asking the company you owe for more time or a payment plan, which costs nothing to ask. After that, a paycheck advance through your employer or a credit union payday alternative loan often costs less than a card advance, a payday loan or a title loan. The tool prices each for your amount and timing.

How much does a payday loan really cost?

A typical fee is $15 per $100 for two weeks, which the CFPB says comes to almost 400% APR. Renewing the loan charges the fee again while you still owe the full amount.

What is a payday alternative loan?

A small loan from a federal credit union, $200 to $2,000, at no more than 28% APR with an application fee of up to $20, repaid over 1 to 12 months.

Why does the tool ask about active-duty military?

The Military Lending Act limits the rate on many kinds of credit for covered service members, including payday and car title loans, to 36%.

Does DebtCheckUSA get paid for what this tool shows?

The costs are the same no matter what. Some short-on-cash tools can show loan offers from a paid partner, labeled Paid partner and placed below the cheaper options. Nothing you type is sent to them.

Is the information I enter saved or sent anywhere?

No. What you type stays on this page. It isn't saved or sent anywhere, and it clears when you leave or reload the page.