B9 B9 Cash Advance
Independent cash-advance app testing

Free tool

Cash Advance Cost & APR Calculator

⚡ Why this matters

  • Flat fees hide the real cost — a $6 fee repaid in 14 days ≈ 156% APR.
  • Cash advance apps typically land between credit cards (~24%) and payday loans (~400%).
  • Use the calculator below, then compare against the fee-free options.

Cash advance apps quote flat fees, not interest — which can hide how expensive a small, short-term advance really is. Enter the numbers below to turn any advance into an equivalent APR so you can compare it fairly.

Hands using a small desk calculator beside a phone with a green glow and a blank receipt
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Add the membership you're using this month + any instant-transfer fee or optional tip.
Usually the number of days until your next payday.
Estimated APR —
Total fees
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Fee vs advance
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Cost per $100 borrowed
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See your options

How the calculator works

It converts the flat fees you pay into an annual percentage rate using a standard approximation: APR = (fees ÷ advance) × (365 ÷ days) × 100. That lets you line a $6 fee up against a credit card, a payday loan, or another app on the same scale.

Why APR matters for a cash advance

A few dollars sounds harmless, but because you repay in days rather than a year, the annualised cost is often far higher than a credit card. Seeing the APR helps you decide whether an advance is genuinely cheaper than the alternative you're avoiding — like an overdraft or a late fee.

This is an estimateCash advance products aren't legally quoted as APR, and real costs vary with tips, instant-transfer fees, and how you use a membership. Use this as a comparison tool, not an official rate. Always check the provider's current fees in-app.

Read next

See where these fees come from on our B9 fees & plans page, compare cheaper setups in apps like B9, or read the full B9 breakdown.

Frequently asked questions

Do cash advance apps have an APR?
Most don't advertise one because they charge flat fees or a membership instead of interest. But you can still convert those fees into an equivalent APR to compare the true cost — that's what this calculator does.
Why is the APR so high on a small advance?
APR annualises the cost. A small flat fee over just a few days looks cheap in dollars but represents a very high yearly rate. The shorter the repayment window, the higher the APR for the same fee.
Is a lower APR always better?
Usually, but not always — a membership app can be cheaper per advance if you borrow often, while a per-advance fee can be cheaper for one-off use. Compare the dollar cost for how you'll actually use it, not just the APR.
Tested & written by the Advance Audit testing team Hands-on testing · Advance Audit. We open and test the apps we cover.