Alternatives · 2026

Loans like Lendly, sorted by how they work.

Three families of lenders serve the same person Lendly serves: someone with a paycheck, imperfect credit and a bill that can't wait. They differ in cost, size and how you pay them back. Here they are side by side, cheapest first within each group.

Cheaper first stops.

Try these before any triple-digit APR. They're slower or narrower, but the price difference is enormous.

Credit union PAL

Payday alternative loans from federal credit unions.

Amount
$200–$1,000
Cost
APR capped at 28%
Catch
Membership, often a month of history
Best for: anyone who can join a credit union and wait a few weeks.

Provider payment plan

Ask the hospital, mechanic or landlord to split the bill.

Amount
The bill itself
Cost
Often 0%
Catch
Not every provider offers one
Best for: medical bills and repairs, before any loan.

Employer loan programs

Payroll-deduction loans offered as a workplace benefit.

Amount
$500–$12,000 (BMG Money)
Cost
19.99%–35.99% APR
Catch
Your employer must participate
Best for: anyone whose HR benefits list includes one.

Repaid from your paycheck.

Lendly's closest relatives. The paycheck does the paying, which is why they approve people banks decline.

Lendly

CC Connect installment loan and CC Flow line of credit, issued by Quill Bank.

Amount
$1,000–$2,000 loan; $300–$1,500 line, grows to $5,000
Cost
175%–225% APR; flat fee per cycle on the line
Speed
1 hour (line), 24 hours (loan)
Employer
Any employer whose payroll splits deposits
Best for: speed, and when your employer has no loan benefit.

BMG Money

LoansAtWork, repaid by payroll deduction; loans by WebBank.

Amount
$500–$12,000
Cost
19.99%–35.99% APR; many loans carry a 5% origination fee
Speed
1–2 business days, instant available
Employer
Must be a participating employer or federal/retiree program
Best for: anyone who qualifies; far cheaper than Lendly. Head-to-head

FinFit and similar

Financial-wellness platforms with employer-sponsored loans.

Amount
Varies by employer program
Cost
Typically far below Lendly
Speed
Days
Employer
Must be offered through your workplace
Best for: checking your benefits portal before borrowing anywhere.

Bank-partner installment lenders.

Online lenders for subprime borrowers, repaid from your bank account. Bigger amounts than Lendly, no payroll link, still expensive.

OppLoans

Installment loans from OppFi, positioned as a payday alternative.

Amount
$500–$5,000
Cost
99%–195% APR (commonly 160%–195%)
Speed
Same or next business day
Credit
No hard inquiry to apply; reports payments
Best for: larger amounts and a lower rate than Lendly, if your state is covered. Head-to-head

NetCredit

Online installment loans and lines of credit.

Amount
Higher limits than Lendly
Cost
Varies widely by state; some below Lendly
Speed
Next business day
Credit
Credit check; reports payments
Best for: comparing a state-specific quote against Lendly's.

RISE Credit

Installment loans, in some states also made through Quill Bank.

Amount
Wider range than Lendly
Cost
High; rates can step down with on-time payments
Speed
Next business day
Credit
Credit check; reports payments
Best for: borrowers who expect to reborrow and want a rate that improves.

Cash advance and earned wage apps.

Small amounts, repaid next payday. Cheapest for a short gap, useless for a $1,500 transmission.

EarnIn

Access wages you've already earned before payday.

Amount
Up to $150/day, $1,000 per pay period
Cost
No mandatory fees; instant transfer $1.99–$5.99; optional tips
Speed
Minutes (with fee) or 1–2 days
Credit
No check, no reporting
Best for: a few hundred dollars to bridge to payday. Head-to-head

Dave

Small advances plus budgeting tools.

Amount
Small advances, typically a few hundred dollars
Cost
Membership and express fees rather than APR
Speed
Minutes with express fee
Credit
No check
Best for: occasional small gaps if you'll use the tools too.

Brigit

Advances bundled with a fixed monthly subscription.

Amount
Small advances
Cost
Fixed monthly fee, no tips
Speed
Minutes
Credit
No check
Best for: predictable cost if you'd use it most months.

Competitor terms change often and vary by state. Figures are from public rate pages and reviews checked in September 2026; confirm on each lender's site.

Pick by your situation, not by the ad.

The right lender depends on three things: how much you need, how fast, and what your employer offers. Match yourself to a card.

Under $500, paid next paydayEarned wage app

EarnIn or Dave. Skip the tip and the express fee if you can wait a day.

Lendly vs EarnIn
Your employer has a loan benefitEmployer program

BMG Money or FinFit at a fraction of Lendly's rate. Check HR first, always.

Lendly vs BMG Money
$1,000–$2,000, today, no employer benefitLendly

The fastest of the group, with payments that come out of your paycheck automatically.

CC Connect loan
$2,000–$5,000, can wait a dayOppLoans

Bigger loans and a somewhat lower rate, repaid from your bank account.

Lendly vs OppLoans
A woman comparing options in a store

Alternative questions, answered.

What loans are most like Lendly?

The closest matches are other payroll-deduction lenders such as BMG Money's LoansAtWork, which repay through your employer, and bank-partnership lenders for subprime borrowers such as OppLoans, NetCredit and RISE, which repay from your bank account.

What is the cheapest alternative to Lendly?

If your credit union offers a payday alternative loan (PAL), it is capped at 28% APR for $200 to $1,000 and is the cheapest option here. Employer loan programs like BMG Money (19.99%–35.99% APR) are next, if your employer participates.

Are cash advance apps cheaper than Lendly?

For a few hundred dollars repaid on your next payday, usually yes: EarnIn has no mandatory fees, with optional instant-transfer fees of a few dollars and optional tips. They don't scale to $1,000+ needs the way an installment loan does.

Which alternative is best for bad credit?

OppLoans doesn't run a hard credit inquiry to apply and funds as soon as the same business day; BMG Money doesn't use FICO scores at all but requires a participating employer. Lendly weighs your paycheck over your score.

Can I have Lendly and another lender at the same time?

Lendly allows one CC Connect loan at a time, but doesn't restrict loans elsewhere. Stacking high-cost loans is the fastest way into a debt spiral; compare and pick one.

Decided Lendly fits? Check your offer in five minutes.

See your amount and the full cost before you sign. No employer benefit required.