Pay advance apps like Beforepay offer a way to access a small amount of money quickly. They can help bridge the gap between paydays when unexpected expenses come up. If you need cash at short notice, it’s worth understanding how Beforepay and alternatives work, what fees they charge and if it’s the best option for your situation.
What is Beforepay and how does it work?
Beforepay is a pay advance provider that allows you to borrow up to $2,000. Once you receive your advance, you can repay it in instalments aligned with your pay cycle over a period of up to two months.
The amount you’re able to borrow, like any other loan, is dependent on factors such as your income, debts and your recent spending behaviour.
Their big sell is not only the amount you can borrow but also the ease of application. With cash-out limits tailored to your profile, you can access your funds in as little as five minutes.
Beforepay’s service is different from payday loans in several key areas:
- Payday loans come with an establishment fee of up to 20% of your loan amount and an ongoing monthly fee of 4%, while Beforepay charges a single flat 5% fee. There are also no late or default fees charged on a Beforepay Pay Advance, which are often present on payday loans.
- You can take up to 12 months to repay a payday loan with either weekly, fortnightly or monthly payments. Beforepay only allows you to pay over up to 62 days in up to four instalments.
- Payday loans usually can’t be processed, approved and funded in the space of five minutes. It may take up to a day to do this in some cases, though there are lenders that can send your funds within the hour.
According to Beforepay’s site, they don’t report cash out activity of their customers to credit agencies and their Pay Advance products don’t require a credit check.
Is Beforepay legit?
Beforepay is a licensed credit provider in Australia and operates under Australian credit laws. It’s a well-established provider with a strong reputation among its users. As of December 2025, Beforepay holds an Excellent 4.6-star rating on Trustpilot based on thousands of user reviews, and has tens of thousands of positive reviews for its app on Google Play and the App Store.
However, experiences can vary. On other review platforms such as ProductReview, user ratings are lower, though they’re based on a much smaller number of reviews.
As with any financial product, it’s important to read the terms and conditions carefully before signing up, so you understand the fees, repayment rules and how using the service may affect your finances.
What fees will I have to pay with apps like Beforepay?
Like Beforepay, most pay advance apps will charge fees based on a percentage of the amount you borrow. Here’s a list of other providers and the fees they charge:
- Mypayfast: 5% flat fee
- PressPay: 5% flat fee
- TodayPay: 5% software fee
- Wagepay: 5% flat fee, 24.00% p.a. interest
- Wagetap: 5% withdrawal fee, 24.00% p.a. interest, $0.40 to $0.90 processing fee
What alternatives to apps like Beforepay are available?
There are several options to choose from if you’re looking for a Beforepay alternative. These include:
- Other wage advance apps: apps like the ones mentioned above all offer a largely similar service to Beforepay. However, some of them will restrict your borrowing to 25% of your wage, which is then automatically deducted from your next payslip.
- Cash loans: by applying for a small cash advance loan, you can take out a loan of up to $5,000 and take as long as two years to repay it. These loans come with higher fees (the payday loan fees discussed earlier for loans up to $2,000 and a $400 establishment fee and 48% p.a. interest for loans above $2,000) but allow you to space out your repayments over a longer period.
- NILs: a No Interest Loan is a special loan product offered by Good Shepherd. These loans are designed to help you pay for essential purchases. They’re available for up to $2,000 for things like appliances, furniture, car repairs and electronics, up to $3,000 for things like rental bonds and up to $5,000 for a new vehicle. As the name suggests, they don’t have any interest.