Empower App 2023 Review: Cash Advances

Empower is a mobile app offering cash advances to eligible users, which may include gig workers or freelancers. The app provides smaller advances than some competitors, but it funds them more quickly.

Fees are high with this app, but the company says they’re optional — including the $8 subscription fee, which users can cancel by emailing customer support.

Empower’s thin borrowing requirements mean the advances may be accessible to more users, but it also means the company may not scrutinize borrowers’ spending behaviors as much as other apps to ensure they can repay.

» MORE: Compare cash advance apps

Table of contents

Empower advance amounts, fees and repayment terms

Should you use the Empower app for cash advances?

How to qualify for an Empower advance

How Empower’s cash advances work

Other Empower features

Compare Empower to other cash advance apps

Empower advance amounts, fees and repayment terms

Should you use the Empower app for cash advances?

When used occasionally, Empower can be useful if you:

• Need to cover an emergency expense.

• Have a plan to repay the advance and cover other expenses.

• Are a gig worker or freelancer.

Empower might not be a good solution if you:

• Regularly spend more than you earn.

• Don’t want to use the banking or budgeting features.

Is the Empower app legit?

Empower is a real company based in San Francisco. It has offered cash advances since 2020. The app has 4.7 stars across more than 82,000 reviews on Google Play and 4.8 stars across more than 100,000 ratings on the Apple App Store.

Recent customer complaints with the Better Business Bureau focus on unauthorized debits.

» MORE: Cash advance apps vs. payday loans: Which is better?

How to qualify for an Empower advance

Like most cash advance apps, Empower doesn’t check users’ credit to determine eligibility. Instead, the app requires users to connect a bank account (or use an existing Empower bank account) so it can review your income, banking history, balances and transactions.

Unlike some of its competitors, Empower says gig workers and freelancers can qualify for a cash advance.

To use the Empower app, you must:

• Be 18 years of age or older.

• Have a bank account that’s more than 30 days old.

The company doesn’t disclose additional borrower requirements, but it says users don’t need a history of bank account transactions or regular bank deposits to get an advance. Though tighter requirements may make it harder to get an advance, they help ensure that users can repay.

How Empower cash advances work

Once you’ve downloaded the Empower app from an app store, here are the steps to get an advance.

1. Enter your phone number and the verification code Empower sends to you. Then, input your first and last name, email and birth date, and create a passcode.

2. Connect a checking account where you receive regular deposits.

3. Request a cash advance to see what you’re approved for. Users who are eligible for advances of $100 or more are given three borrowing amount options. For example, if you’re approved for a $200 advance, you can get $200, $150 or $100. Those approved for $75 or less can only borrow the approved amount.

4. Decide whether you want to pay an instant delivery fee to get your money within two hours instead of one business day.

5. If you don’t pay the express fee, decide if you want to add a tip.

6. Empower withdraws the advance amount, plus any fees, from your bank account on the due date.

Can I change my Empower advance due date?

Yes. Empower says users can contact customer support to reschedule their due date, as long as they reach out by 12 p.m. Pacific time one business day before the scheduled payment date.

Will Empower’s advance cause an overdraft fee?

If you don’t have enough money in your account when Empower takes repayment, your bank may charge an overdraft fee. However, Empower will reimburse users who send proof of the fee to customer support. Overdraft fees caused by the subscription payment are also eligible for a refund.

Still, if you don't have sufficient funds on the due date, the app may withdraw small amounts from your bank account until the advance is repaid.

How do I contact Empower’s customer service?

You can contact Empower’s customer service by phone, email or in the app.

Other Empower app features

Budgeting assistance

Empower uses bank account transactions to create a monthly income and expenses report from which users can assess their cash flow. The app also lets users set budgets for all types of expenses and get alerts about paychecks, bills and purchases. This feature is available to all users who connect a bank account — not just those with Empower bank accounts.

Automatic savings

The app’s automatic savings feature helps users save money manually or with Empower’s artificial intelligence.

• Manually: For the manual option, a user decides how much of each paycheck Empower should automatically put into savings. This feature is often available at banks and may be offered through your employer’s direct deposit system.

• AI savings: To have Empower save for you, set a weekly savings goal for the app to meet. The app will move money from your checking account to savings as often as it thinks you can afford without coming up short on any regular expenses.

Compare Empower to other cash advance apps

Empower offers a solid cash advance option. Though the app charges high fees, they’re all optional. The fast funding fee is high for the amount you can borrow, but users may not need to pay it because advances are sent in one day — faster than most other apps.

The app’s competitors say they try to avoid causing an overdraft fee, but Empower is the only app that provides a refund if it does.

The biggest drawbacks may be the borrowing amounts — which are limited compared to other apps that let users borrow in increments of $10 to $50 — and the app’s thin borrowing criteria.

Empower vs. other cash advance apps