Nov 30, 2020

Payday Loans in Baltimore MD – 0% APR Options With Instacash

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People often turn to payday loans when they need quick cash or don’t have good credit. Unfortunately, payday loans are a predatory lending practice that can cause significant financial harm. You could find yourself paying triple digit APR’s, additional fees, and hurting your credit score. For this reason, they’re illegal throughout Maryland. 



Even though payday loans are illegal, tribal loans aren’t. Oftentimes, tribal loans can be just as dangerous as payday loans. The good news is that there are safer lending alternatives to tribal loans and payday loans in Baltimore, MD. Keep scrolling to learn more!

Payday loans and tribal loans are not your best option for fast cash. They charge excessive APR’s that can reach as high as 700%! There are safer and cheaper short-term lending alternatives you can access just as easily. One example is cash advances. Here’s our take on the best cash advances in Baltimore, MD. 

Max Advance Amount: $250

APR: 0%

Credit Affects: None

Instacash is a cash advance from MoneyLion that is a safe alternative to tribal loans. While tribal loans put you in debt for money you don’t have, Instacash is an advance on your next paycheck at 0% APR. 

That’s right. Instacash doesn’t charge you interest on the money you borrow – making it a much more affordable option than tribal loans. 

You can get your Instacash funds deposited into your RoarMoney account or external bank account in a couple of days for free. In case you need your money right now, you can pay a small fee for instant deposits.

How to Qualify: 

  • 18 years or older

  • Have a history of steady income or deposits 

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

  • Have a positive balance in your checking account



Max Loan Amount: $500

APR: As high as 725% or more

Credit Affects: Tribal lenders may or may not pull your credit. 

Tribal lenders are represented by the Native American Financial Services Association (NAFSA). These loans are not regulated by the state of Maryland and often come with high APRs and fees. It’s not unheard of for borrowers to have to pay 725% APRs on top of additional fees. For this reason, tribal loans are not a recommended lending option. 

It’s best to explore other opportunities for help such as friends, family, local charities, nonprofits, side jobs, and other opportunities for financial assistance before turning to a tribal lender. 

If you do decide to borrow money from a tribal lender, make sure to read the fine print and understand exactly what you are signing up for. You’ll want to know how much money you’ll owe including interest so you can prepare to pay it off as soon as possible. You can read more about tribal loans and payday loans in Baltimore here

How to Qualify: 

  • 18 years or older

  • American citizen or permanent resident

  • Have a history of steady income or deposits 

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

  • Active checking account

There’s more than one way to access safe cash quickly. Have you looked into instant loan options in Baltimore? Take a look at our top choice for instant loans in Baltimore. 



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

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

Credit Builder Loan is a loan from MoneyLion that’s a safe alternative to tribal loans. Tribal 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. These loans feature a competitively low APR that won’t burden your finances. In fact, it’s easy to make your payments on-time. 

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!

Looking to compare your options for cash advances in Baltimore? Here’s what you can expect. 

Instacash

Credit Builder Loan

Tribal Lender

How Much Can You Borrow?

$250

$1,000

$500

Fees & Interest

Free0% APR

Competitive APR, $19.99/month fee

Can be as high as 725% or more

Impacts Your Credit?

No

Yes, it builds your credit score.

Depends on the lender

Availability

Online & Mobile

Online & Mobile

Online

Wait Time

Instantly*

Instantly

Usually within the next business day

Next Steps

Sign Up

Sign Up

Payday loans and tribal loans are predatory lending practices that cause detrimental harm to your finances. They can hurt your credit score and leave you worse off financially than when you applied. MoneyLion is a safe alternative you can use to avoid tribal loans altogether. 

MoneyLion offers more than just low-cost, fast, and affordable lending options. There’s an online bank account that lets you get paid up to 2 days early and even offers cash back on debit card purchases. You can also access personalized weekly spending reports to help you monitor your finances.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.