What does earned wage access really cost?
Quick answer
Count the delivery fee, any tip, and any monthly plan charge. Some choices have no fee, but check the terms. Then count how often you pay. Compare the full dollar cost with other ways to cover the bill, and check what repayment leaves for your next pay period.
Which costs belong in the total?
Count what you actually plan to pay. A tip still costs money if you choose it. Include a monthly plan even if its bill arrives on another date.
A $200 advance can have more than one charge
Here is a made-up example. You take $200 for 10 days. Fast delivery costs $4. You leave no tip. A $6 monthly plan covers two advances that month, so each use gets a $3 share of that charge.
Scroll across to see all columns.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Advance received | $200 |
| Fast delivery | $4 |
| Tip | $0 |
| Share of monthly plan | $3.00 |
| Cost for this use | $7.00 |
| Advance plus its share of costs | $207.00 |
At two uses a month for 12 months, these fees add up to $168.00. That includes all 24 delivery fees and all 12 monthly charges. It does not count the $200 advances as fees.
The $207 total spreads the monthly charge across two uses. It may not be one debit on payday. Check when each charge leaves your account. A plan fee may still be due in a month when you take no advance.
The tool also shows a yearly rate for comparison. That rate is not a lender’s disclosed APR. Start with the dollars you pay and the cash left for bills. Read the fee method.
Repayment changes the next check
Suppose your usual take-home pay is $1,200. You get a $200 advance now, and $200 plus a $4 fee comes out on payday. You have $996 left from that check. If bills due before the next check total $1,050, you are $54 short.
This example has no tip, plan fee, or other deduction. A real product may collect charges on other dates. List each date and amount so you do not count the same repayment twice. Check your next paycheck.
Use the terms you were offered
Count the fees for your expected use, then check the next payday. If repayment leaves bills short, compare a bill-date change or payment plan.
Questions about cost
Is the annualized fee rate APR?
No. Rung shows a simple comparison rate, not a statutory disclosure APR.
Should I include an optional tip?
Yes, if you plan to pay it. Enter zero if you will not.
How do I count a subscription?
Divide it across your expected monthly advances, then include the full subscription in yearly cost.
Should I use the CFPB average?
Use your terms. The CFPB figures describe a past sample, not your price or behavior.
Make the small fees visible
Enter the amount, days, charges, and your actual monthly pace.
Sources and method
Sources checked August 28, 2026. See our editorial policy for how we check the work.
Read the sources and limits
- CFPB: Developments in the Paycheck Advance Market. 2021–2022 employer-partnered transaction data, fee patterns, repeat use, and illustrative annualized cost.
- CFPB: 2025 earned-wage-access advisory opinion. Current federal treatment of Covered EWA, fast-delivery fees, and tips.
- Rung cash-advance cost method. Per-use and repeat-cost method cash-advance@2026-08-28.4.
The sources cover different products and dates. Check your own fees and repayment terms. The tools estimate cost and cash left on payday; they do not predict credit or approval.