Cash-Advance Apps Court Users With Cute Mascots and Fast Payments — but Beware of the High Costs
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Download the Dave app on your smartphone, as millions of people already have, and you’ll be greeted by an anthropomorphic bear wearing thick-rimmed glasses and holding a pawful of cash.
The friendly, upright ursid wants to help you get your finances on track. To do so, the digital financial services app will let you take out a cash advance of payday loans Pennsylvania up to $250 with no interest. Asterisk. You’ll avoid overdraft fees. Asterisk. And get paid up to two days sooner. Asterisk.
Dave, founded in 2017 and backed by celebrity entrepreneur Mark Cuban, is expected to go public this quarter. It’s one of several fintech startups that offer “interest-free” cash advances, though the companies do make money through a combination of fees, tips or both, hence all the asterisks. The financial apps Earnin and Brigit work similarly, sans the animal mascots. The companies say they’re ushering in the end of predatory payday loans and overdraft fees, and they’ve been gaining popularity throughout the pandemic as cash-strapped users seek out fast funds.
Cash-Advance Apps Court Users With Cute Mascots and Fast Payments – but Beware of the High Costs
However, consumer experts warn their fees are just as bad as – if not worse than – traditional payday loan APRs, with rates that can easily top 300%. And, they say, the apps can actually trigger overdraft fees. Policymakers are caught in the middle, mulling over how exactly to regulate them. They’re taking a hands-off approach – at least for now.
Dave’s cash-advance service is just one of the app’s many financial features. The app itself is available for free. But the cash advance portion requires a membership fee of $1 per month, which the company says goes toward linking your bank account.
Once you take out a cash advance, the app prompts you to leave a tip, saying that Dave donates tip money to feed families in need. The recommended tipping amounts default to percentages – 5%, 10% or 15%. (“Tips are completely voluntary,” says Dave spokesperson Danny O’Keefe.)
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