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The free tool below runs entirely in this browser — no account, nothing stored or transmitted. Redact anything you would not want kept before you type it.
Open the companion tool →Why the per-$100 figure is the honest measure
The federal regulator has said covered EWA is not credit; consumer advocates disagree. Either way, the fee is real and the comparison is arithmetic, not legal interpretation.
Twelve states have EWA laws and two treat it as credit — so what applies to you depends on where you live and how the product is structured.
The protocol
- For one month, record every advance, fee, tip, and expedite charge.
- Total the cost and divide by the amount advanced, then scale to $100.
- Compare that with the overdraft you were avoiding and with every alternative you have.
- Check whether your state treats EWA as credit and what that requires.
- Write the decision, and set a rule for the next time you are short.
What the tool does
Build an early-wage-access cost check It runs locally in this browser and sends nothing.
Limit first: This is a record-keeping and dispute-drafting aid, not legal or financial advice. It cannot cancel a debt, stop all collection calls, or guarantee that a dispute is upheld.
Open the companion tool →Cost and free path
Cost: Free: one complete run in this browser, no account. Optional $4 one-time unlock allows unlimited runs of this tool on this browser. The free path and safety guidance never require payment.
Rule status (mixed route): Status, 2026-10-03: the CFPB's December 2025 advisory opinion treats covered earned-wage access as not credit under TILA, while 12 states have EWA laws and at least two treat it as credit — the fee is real either way.
Automated decision this documents: automated payroll-data underwriting and fee assessment
Free path, in order (no cost):
- Your credit union or community bank's small-dollar or payroll-advance product
- 211 for local emergency financial assistance
- CFPB's consumer tools on small-dollar credit and complaint route
What this cannot do: It cannot cancel a debt, stop all collection calls, or guarantee that a dispute is upheld.
Sources checked 2026-10-03 · source bank reviewed against the live pages listed in metadata.
One human next step
If the cost per $100 is higher than the alternative you were avoiding, look for a credit union small-dollar loan or a payment plan before using the app again; both are usually cheaper.
Research log and safety checks
AI-assist path: not used for a verdict. This builder organises the reader's own documents and names an independent source; it does not infer authenticity, eligibility, or legal rights. §6.9/§6.10/§6.11 disclosed in the batch report; §6.12 status line carried in metadata as `status_line`.
§0.5 protection result: category is debt-credit-and-collections; crisis-adjacent: no; fear/urgency/scarcity toolkit used: no. The protective function is free and the paid feature is convenience only.