MoneyLion
Depends
Confidence: Medium
Worth it only if you need a small payday advance and have no cheaper option . use free features, avoid paid memberships.
New check
Comparison
MoneyLion vs EarnIn
MoneyLion and EarnIn both land on Depends.
EarnIn
Depends
Confidence: Medium
Reasonable occasional bridge for hourly workers with steady direct deposit who need small amounts before payday.
| Compare | MoneyLion | EarnIn |
|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Depends | Depends |
| Best for | Gig workers and hourly earners awaiting payday | Hourly workers with steady direct deposit |
| Who it's not for | Anyone averse to recurring membership fees | Anyone already short every month . advances become a cycle |
| Privacy | 2021 credential-stuffing attacks locked accounts; a 2022 CFPB enforcement action and a Massachusetts breach filing exist.⁷ | One known Nov 2025 breach: encrypted personal info inadvertently exposed; law-firm investigations ongoing. |
| Support quality | Advertised 24/7 care; users report slowness | Chat support exists; quality unproven in sources |
| Public sentiment | App-store reviewers largely praise the experience, while Reddit and Trustpilot users complain about fees, slow support, and borrowing loops.¹ | App-store and Trustpilot reviewers praise fast access to pay, while Reddit threads describe reliance cycles and legitimacy doubts. |
| Biggest gotcha | Class action alleges interest disguised as fees; compute the full cost of any advance⁶ | Optional tips pressured; regulators argue the model masks high-cost lending |
Pick MoneyLion when
- Gig workers and hourly earners awaiting payday
- First-time cash-advance users
- People wanting banking and investing in one app
When MoneyLion is not a fit
- Anyone averse to recurring membership fees
- Borrowers who qualify at a credit union or bank
- Consumers avoiding lenders with CFPB enforcement history
- Anyone expecting advances to build credit
Pick EarnIn when
- Hourly workers with steady direct deposit
- Occasional pre-payday cash gaps
- Retail and service workers
- People avoiding storefront payday lenders
When EarnIn is not a fit
- Anyone already short every month . advances become a cycle
- Privacy-sensitive users after the 2025 breach
- Anyone unwilling to grant bank and timesheet access
- Borrowers who cannot repay by payday . costs stack
Sources
- MoneyLion Reviews: 29,908 User Ratings (WalletHub)wallethub.comreview
review
review
- MoneyLion cash advance app reviews (App Store)apps.apple.comreview
- CFPB enforcement action: MoneyLion Technologies, ML Plusconsumerfinance.govofficial
- MoneyLion accused of disguising loan interest as feescourthousenews.comnews
- MoneyLion locks customer accounts after credential-stuffing attacksbleepingcomputer.comsecurity
security
- MoneyLion pricing pagemoneylion.comofficial
- MoneyLion Onemoneylion.comofficial
- MoneyLion roars with $160m fundingfintechfutures.comnews
- Get Instacash Cash Advance up to $500moneylion.comofficial
- EarnIn homepageearnin.comofficial
- Cash Out product pageearnin.comofficial
- Lightning Speed feeshelp.earnin.comofficial
- EarnIn Products on G2g2.comreview