Jan 28, 2021

Payday Loans in Fresno- Get Instacash, The Safe Payday Loan Alternative

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You might feel tempted to turn to payday loans if you need quick cash or don’t have good credit. Unfortunately, payday loans are predatory loans and can cause severe financial harm. It’s easy to find yourself paying triple-digit APRs, additional fees, or even hurting your credit score. 



Payday loans are legal in California, however, there are some restrictions on how much you can borrow from a payday lender. The good news is that there are other safe and affordable lending alternatives that you can access right from your phone. Take a look at our guide for everything you need to know about payday loans in Fresno.  

Payday loans may seem like a fast and easy option for cash, but they come with unfavorable terms and conditions that can leave your finances worse off. There are safer short-term lending alternatives that are just as accessible as payday loans. Take cash advances for instance. Here’s our take on the best cash advances in Fresno, CA. 

Max Advance Amount: $250

APR: 0%

Credit Affects: None

Instacash is MoneyLion’s very own cash advance feature that’s also a safe alternative to payday loans. Payday loans can put you in debt for money you don’t have, but Instacash is an advance on your next paycheck at 0% APR. Instacash won’t charge you interest on the money you borrow and won’t report you to credit bureaus either – which means it’s safer and more affordable than payday loans. 

Instacash deposits your cash advance into your RoarMoney account or external bank account within a couple of days for free. However, you can also access the money instantly by opting for a small fee. 

How to Qualify: 

  • At least 18 years old

  • A history of steady income or deposits 

  • A checking account that’s been open for 60 days or more

  • A checking account with a positive balance



Payday lenders have a reputation for high APR and unclear terms. It’s best to avoid payday lenders because of the terms and risks outlined below. 

Max Loan Amount: $300

APR: As high as 460% plus additional fees

Credit Affects: Will harm your credit score if you miss a payment but won’t ever improve your credit score. 

Payday loans are a relatively fast lending option but also incredibly dangerous. For starters, you need to pay the entire amount you borrow plus interest by the set due date – which is usually around your next payday. These terms might sound reasonable, but when you take into account that APRs can be as high as 460%, it becomes a lot harder to meet the loan’s obligations and still have funds left over for personal expenses. If you are unable to pay back everything you owe when it is due, you could face additional fees and even harm your credit score. 

Payday loans also make it easy to get caught up in a cycle of high-interest debt. Getting caught in a cycle of debt can take months or years to get out of and significantly harm your credit. This is why payday loans are not a recommended lending option and it best to explore other ways to borrow cash – such as friends, family, local charities, nonprofits, side jobs, and other opportunities for financial assistance. 

How to Qualify: 

  • At least 18 years old

  • Be an American citizen or permanent resident

  • A history of income or frequent deposits 

  • Name, date of birth, Social Security number, and a valid ID

  • A checking account that’s active



Along with cash advances, instant loans are safe and more affordable than payday loans. Take a look at our top choice for instant loans in Fresno. 

Loan Amount: You could qualify for up to $1,000

Credit Affects: A majority of Credit Builder Loan members boost their credit score by 60 points in just 60 days! 

Credit Builder Loan is an instant loan from MoneyLion that could give you access for up to $1,000 at a competitively low APR. Payday loans are designed to exploit your finances, but MoneyLion’s Credit Builder Loan is designed to get you cash and build your credit at the same time. It’s easy to make your payments on-time because MoneyLion won’t overcharge you but will provide resources to help you budget and pay off your loan. In the end, if you pay on-time and consistently, your credit score will go up!

How to Qualify:

  • 18 years or older

  • American citizen or permanent resident

  • You’ll have to provide your name, date of birth, Social Security number, and a valid ID

  • Have an active bank account, debit card, or prepaid card to make payments

  • NO credit checks or credit history required!

What’s Included?

  • A loan for up to $1,000 paid over the course of 12 months

  • Weekly credit score updates

  • Your Credit Reserve Account acts as a built in savings account by earning interest 

  • Your credit score could go up by 60 points in 60 days!

  • Instacash benefits

Looking to compare your options for cash advances in Fresno? We’ve done the research so take a look!

Instacash

Credit Builder Loan

Payday Lender

How Much Can You Borrow?

$250

$1,000

$300

Fees & Interest

Free0% APR

Competitive APR, $19.99/month fee

Up to 460% APR plus additional fees

Impacts Your Credit?

No

Yes, it builds your credit score.

Yes, will harm your credit score if you miss payments

Availability

Online & Mobile

Online & Mobile

Online

Wait Time

Instantly*

Instantly

Usually within the next business day

Next Steps

Sign Up

Sign Up

Payday loans may seem like an easy solution but can actually leave you worse off financially. These loans charge excessive fees and can hurt your credit score. You should try to avoid payday loans altogether and turn to safer alternatives like MoneyLion when you need to borrow cash. 

MoneyLion offers low-cost and fast lending options, but also a ton of other financial products and resources. Take RoarMoney for instance – an online checking account that lets you get paid up to 2 days early and even offers cashback on everyday debit card purchases. Plus, you can access personalized weekly spending reports and use them to monitor your finances and keep your budget on track. 

MoneyLion is a financial membership designed to get you in control of your finances! Learn more here.


Jacinta Majauskas
Written by
Jacinta Majauskas
Jacinta Majauskas is a Content Marketing Manager and Copywriter. With a B.A. in Economics from New York University, she has been writing about personal finance since 2019. Her work has been featured on financial news sites like Yahoo! Finance and Benzinga. She's currently pursuing a part-time J.D. at Rutgers Law. In her free time, she can be found immersing herself in all the best New York City has to offer or planning her next travel adventure.

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Credit Builder Plus membership ($19.99/mo) unlocks eligibility for Credit Builder Plus loans and other exclusive services. This optional offer is not a Pathward product or service. A soft credit pull will be conducted which has no impact to your credit score. Credit Builder Plus loans have an annual percentage rate (APR) ranging from 5.99% APR to 29.99% APR, are made by either exempt or state-licensed subsidiaries of MoneyLion Inc., and require a loan payment in addition to the membership payment. The Credit Builder Plus loan may, at lender’s discretion, require a portion of the loan proceeds to be deposited into a reserve account maintained by ML Wealth LLC and held by Drivewealth LLC, member SIPC and FINRA. The funds in this account will be placed into money market and/or cash sweep vehicles, and may generate interest at prevailing market rates. You will not be able to access the portion of your loan proceeds held in the credit reserve account until you have paid off your loan. If you default on your loan, your credit reserve account may be liquidated by the lender to partially or fully satisfy your outstanding indebtedness. May not be available in all states. Credit Reserve Accounts Are Not FDIC Insured • No Bank Guarantee • Investments May Lose Value. For important information and disclaimers relating to the MoneyLion Credit Reserve Account, see Investment Account FAQs and FORM ADV.

Instacash® is an optional service offered by MoneyLion. Your available Instacash Advance limit will be displayed to you in the MoneyLion mobile app and may change from time to time. Your limit will be based on your direct deposits, account transaction history, and other factors, as determined by MoneyLion. Expedited delivery requires Turbo Fee. See Instacash Terms and Conditions for more information and eligibility requirements.

With direct deposit. Faster and easier access to funds is based on comparison of traditional banking policies and deposit of paper checks versus deposits made electronically and the additional methods available to access funds via a card as opposed to a paper check.

MoneyLion is a financial technology company, not a bank. RoarMoney℠ demand deposit account provided by, and MoneyLion Debit Mastercard® issued by, Pathward®, National Association, Member FDIC. RoarMoney is a service mark of MoneyLion. Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International. Funds are FDIC insured, subject to applicable limitations and restrictions, when we receive the funds deposited to your account.

Credit score improvement is not guaranteed. A soft credit pull will be conducted which has no impact to your credit score. Credit scores are independently determined by credit bureaus, and on-time payment history is only one of many factors that such bureaus consider. Your credit score may be negatively impacted by other financial decisions you make, or by activities or services you engage in with other financial services organizations. MoneyLion is not a Credit Services Organization.

Instacash is a 0% APR cash advance service provided by MoneyLion. Your available Instacash advance limit will be displayed to you in the MoneyLion mobile app and may change from time to time. Your limit will be based on your direct deposits, account transaction history, and other factors as determined by MoneyLion. This service has no mandatory fees. You may leave an optional tip and pay an optional Turbo Fee for expedited funds delivery. For a $40 Instacash advance with a Turbo Fee of $4.99, your repayment amount will be $44.99. Generally, your scheduled repayment date will be your next direct deposit date. An Instacash advance is a non-recourse product; you will not be eligible to request a new advance until your outstanding balance is paid. See Membership Agreement and help.moneylion.com for additional terms, conditions and eligibility requirements.