Best Cash Advance Credit Cards of 2026

It’s comforting to have one or more of the best cash advance credit cards in your wallet when you need some money right away.

A cash advance is a quick loan against your credit card, accessible without any approvals or paperwork. While cash advances aren’t cheap, they offer convenience.

If you are one of the almost 1 million members of Digital Credit Union, you can get the DCU Visa® Platinum Credit Card and enjoy cash advances without a transaction fee. This card also has one of the lowest starting APRs for cash advances (12.75%) that we’ve seen.

DCU Visa® Platinum Credit Card

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DCU Visa® Platinum Credit Card

4.0/5.0

About this rating

Our experts rate credit card offers based on factors like rewards, APRs, signup bonuses, fees, and approval rates, with a focus on benefits that provide the best value. We also consider cardholder needs such as credit-building potential, issuer reputation, and customer service. Our ratings are unbiased, updated regularly, and not influenced by issuers.

Ashley Fricker Senior Editor

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★★★★★ 4.0/5.0

at the issuer’ssecure website

• Extended Warranty With Warranty Manager Service
• No annual fee, foreign transaction fee, balance transfer fee, or cash advance fees
• Must meet eligibility criteria to join Digital Federal Credit Union
• Fraud notifications and the ability to freeze/unfreeze your credit card
• When you add your DCU credit or debit card to your Mobile Wallet and make a purchase, your personal information is encrypted – so even if retailer is hacked, your cards won’t be compromised

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Intro (Purchases) N/A

Intro (Transfers) N/A

Regular APR As low as 12.75%

Annual Fee $0

Credit Needed Average/Good

What’s more, the card charges no annual fees, balance transfer fees, or foreign transaction fees. The card is compatible with major mobile wallets and offers optional overdraft protection when the cardmember also has a DCU checking account.

Navy Federal Platinum Credit Card

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Navy Federal Platinum Credit Card

4.4/5.0

About this rating

Our experts rate credit card offers based on factors like rewards, APRs, signup bonuses, fees, and approval rates, with a focus on benefits that provide the best value. We also consider cardholder needs such as credit-building potential, issuer reputation, and customer service. Our ratings are unbiased, updated regularly, and not influenced by issuers.

Ashley Fricker Senior Editor

Close

★★★★★ 4.4/5.0

at the issuer’ssecure website

• You could save on interest with balance transfers—transfer your non-Navy Federal balances within 60 days of getting a Platinum card, and you’ll pay a 0.99% intro APR on the balance transfer for 12 months from account opening. After that, a variable APR applies.
• Collision damage waiver and travel and emergency assistance
• No annual, balance transfer, foreign transaction, or cash advance fees
• Must qualify for Navy Federal Credit Union membership to apply
• If you’re already a member, you can find out if you prequalify for a credit card before you submit an application. This won’t affect your credit score.

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Intro (Purchases) N/A

Intro (Transfers) 0.99% for 12 months

Regular APR 10.99% – 18.00%

Annual Fee $0

Credit Needed Average to Excellent Credit

You’ll notice that credit union cards are the main theme here. Credit unions are famous for their low fees, including those on cash advances. This Navy Federal card features a cash advance APR of 18.00%, which is lower than what you’d find with major banks.

You don’t need perfect credit to get this card, but you must be a member of Navy Federal Credit Union, which is exclusively for military members and their families.

First Tech Choice Rewards World Mastercard®

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First Tech Choice Rewards World Mastercard®

4.4/5.0

About this rating

Our experts rate credit card offers based on factors like rewards, APRs, signup bonuses, fees, and approval rates, with a focus on benefits that provide the best value. We also consider cardholder needs such as credit-building potential, issuer reputation, and customer service. Our ratings are unbiased, updated regularly, and not influenced by issuers.

Ashley Fricker Senior Editor

Close

★★★★★ 4.4/5.0

at the issuer’ssecure website

• Get 20,000 bonus points when you spend at least $3,000 in your first 60 days.
• Earn 2x rewards points on gas, groceries, household goods, and more. Earn one reward point on all other purchases.
• Protect your purchases from damage and theft for 90 days with Mastercard Purchase Assurance.
• Enjoy exclusive discounts from Doordash^®, Hello Fresh^®, Lyft^®, Fandango^®, and more. Take advantage of a suite of special Mastercard Benefits, including Mastercard ID Theft Protection™, MasterRental Coverage, and Master Global Service™.
• First Tech Federal Credit Union membership is required to apply.
• $0 Annual fee

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Intro (Purchases) N/A

Intro (Transfers) N/A

Regular APR As low as 12.50%, based on creditworthiness

Annual Fee $0

Credit Needed Average to Excellent

This card also features an 18% interest rate on cash advances, which isn’t too bad. While it’s not in the single-digit range, it’s certainly better than the hefty 35.99% rate you’ll find on other cards.

If you don’t want to join a credit union just to apply for a credit card, we provide some alternative options below.

Cash advances are convenient, but you pay for that convenience with a high interest rate and fees. A small personal loan may be a better option, especially if you have good credit.

Personal loans often have lower APRs compared to credit cards, making payments more predictable. You have a flexible repayment period, ranging from at least three months to as long as 84 months if needed. The number of monthly payments matches the loan term.

In addition to personal loans, the following three loan networks may be able to get you a short-term online cash advance that you repay all at once when you next get paid. Online payday loans may cost less than those available from storefronts and can be funded as soon as the next business day.

It takes only a few minutes to prequalify for an unsecured loan arranged by MoneyMutual®. That’s all the time it takes to fill out the company’s short loan request form.

To prequalify, you must have a reliable income of at least $800 a month. After you prequalify, MoneyMutual® will transfer you to one of the direct lenders on its network, where you finish the application process before receiving an instant loan decision.

CashUSA can instantly prequalify you for a fast cash loan if you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, 18 or older, with an after-tax monthly income of at least $1,000.

You must also have an active checking account in your name, as well as a valid email address and phone number.

CashUSA serves consumers with all types of credit. Its large lender network can approve your loan immediately and fund your bank account as soon as the next business day.

BillsHappen® can instantly prequalify you for a personal loan that you repay in as few as three equal monthly payment installments. Its network of direct lenders offers loans of various sizes, making it easier to find the right size loan for your needs.

You must have a Social Security number and be employed, self-employed, or receiving benefits to prequalify. The BillsHappen® website utilizes advanced encryption protocols to ensure your privacy and security.

A cash advance is a handy perk that is available on most credit cards. In fact, only cards aimed at consumers with bad credit may omit cash advances from their benefits.

Getting a credit card cash advance is quite easy, but first, you’ll need a credit card. We venture to say that most consumers don’t choose their credit cards based on cash advance policies. Still, if you often find it necessary to borrow small amounts for short periods, you’ll want to consider competing cash advance APRs when choosing a card.

As far as obtaining a cash advance, you have a few ways to collect the money. Perhaps the easiest path to a cash withdrawal is to go to an ATM on your card’s network to get your advance. You can also get one at a bank branch, and many cards offer online advances wired to your bank account.

The nice thing about a credit card cash advance transaction is that you don’t have to jump through hoops to get one. You did all the hard work when you applied for the card, and your cash advances won’t require any new applications or approvals.

Just bear the following in mind:

• Limits: The size of your advance is limited by your cash advance credit line, which is usually up to 80% of your available credit limit.
• Interest: You will begin accruing interest at the stated APR starting from the first day of the cash advance. Contrast this to the interest-free grace period of 21 or more days on eligible purchases offered by almost all credit cards. The Interest rate on cash advances is usually higher than that for net purchases, although the DCU Visa® Platinum Credit Card offers a remarkably low cash advance APR.
• Fees: Almost all credit cards charge a 3% to 5% upfront charge on each cash advance. A 5% fee can mean a $50 charge on a $1,000 cash advance transaction on top of the APR.
• Credit quality: Your credit score plays a big role in which credit cards you can get and what credit limits you’ll receive. If you have bad credit and want access to bigger cash advances, you’ll have to improve your credit score. That means paying your bills on time every month and keeping your unpaid balances in check.

You should expect the upfront fee to be subtracted from the loan proceeds when you get a cash advance. Also, there may be additional fees if you obtain your cash advance from an ATM cash withdrawal.

You can’t get a cash advance from a debit card. Any withdrawals from a debit card are from your bank account balance. For prepaid or gift cards, withdrawals come from the card account. Gift cards are usually not reloadable.

The impact of cash advances on your credit score depends on how much you borrow and how quickly you pay it back. Your FICO credit score depends on various factors, and 30% of the score hinges on the amount of credit card debt you use.

Specifically, FICO measures your credit utilization rate, which is the credit card balance you have compared with the amount of credit you have available. FICO deducts credit score points for cardholders who have a CUR above 30%.

Cash advances are included in the CUR calculation, so if you take advances that swallow up your available credit, you risk harming your credit score.

Don’t be fooled if you have a credit card with a 0% introductory APR. Just because your introductory APR is zero, your CUR will suffer if you rack up a high purchase balance.

You can easily rectify a high CUR by repaying the amount you owe. You should try to get your CUR back down below 30% if it suddenly spikes, such as when you take a cash advance.

More ominous to your credit score is failure to repay the minimum amount due each month. Late payments trigger fees and even card account cancellations. If you are 90 or more days late on payments, your credit card will report you to the major credit bureaus, thereby dropping your credit score and leaving a mark on your credit reports for up to seven years.

All that being said, an occasional cash advance that you repay quickly should have a minimal effect on your credit score.

You may as well ask whether it’s wise to let your family go hungry because you ran short of money this month. Cash advances are as wise a choice as the uses you put them toward.

For example, Las Vegas is probably not the place to get a cash advance, as the odds of a gambling win are always stacked against you.

But if you genuinely need some cash right away, a credit card cash advance can be a good idea. It will cost less than a payday loan and doesn’t need the approval necessary for a personal loan.

Poor management of credit card debt can be really damaging. If you often find yourself running low on funds, it might be time to think about whether deeper issues could be better resolved through credit counseling instead of taking out another loan.

You’re probably very familiar with your credit card credit limit. It’s the account’s total amount of credit available to you for net purchases, balance transfer transactions (a balance transfer fee applies), and cash advances. However, many cards set the cash advance limit well below the credit limit.

You can see your cash advance limit on your monthly statement under a heading like “Cash Access Line” or similar wording. That’s the total amount available. The next line, labeled something like “Available for Cash,” tells you your available cash advance credit, which considers your current cash advance balance.

You’ll find similar information on your online account page. If all else fails, you can call your account rep for all the details.

Quite possibly. The CARD Act of 2009 specifies that credit card companies must apply any payment amounts above the minimum payment in descending APR order, starting with the highest APR.

Since cash advances usually carry the highest APRs, they are likely to be paid first. But it’s not a slam dunk. Take, for instance, the DCU Visa® Platinum Credit Card, in which eligible purchases, balance transfers, and cash advances share the same low APR (no cash advance or balance transfer fee applies).

You would still want the card to repay the cash advances first, since they don’t have a grace period, unlike qualifying purchases.

If a situation leaves you in doubt, you can contact the credit card company and verify how your payments are being allocated.

Our review of the best cash advance credit cards may prove helpful if you worry about running short of cash until your next paycheck or benefits payment. You can find more information about the reviewed cards by clicking on the START HERE link, which will transfer you to the card’s webpage.

Be sure to check the card’s Schumer Box to verify its cash advance APR and fees. Also, read the fine print for other information pertaining to cash advances, such as any limits on their use.