Are There 1-Hour Payday Loans? 7 Fast Direct Lender Loans Listed

Payday loans are designed to help you cover unexpected bills, repairs, and other emergency expenses that come up between paychecks. While you may not necessarily be able to get a payday loan within one hour, some direct lenders do offer quick loan processing, even for those with bad credit or who are unemployed.

Payday loans are generally short-term, unsecured loans. Maximum loan amounts vary by lender, but they are typically up to around $1,000 and require you to repay the loan within two to four weeks (or on your next payday).

Most legitimate lenders do not guarantee that you’ll receive the loan within a certain time frame — wait times typically vary by applicant. However, you may be able to receive a loan quickly after applying, whether you apply in person or online.

In an emergency, a fast payday loan could potentially save you money and keep your credit score intact by helping you avoid charges for things like bounced checks, overdraft fees, and credit card interest and late fees. However, payday loans come with high interest rates and their own set of fees — plus charges for not repaying the loan on time. Because of this, you may want to consider other loans or payment options as long-term financial solutions.

What We Recommend

Though all of the lenders we discuss below offer payday loans with fast approval, there are some options that are better than others in terms of the overall borrowing experience. ACE Cash Express and Check Into Cash both offer payday loan options online and in-store, and they have locations nationwide. They have flexible credit requirements and base loan approval on several factors. Furthermore, Money Mart is an option that does not require a hard credit check for loan approval, which can be a good option if you have little to no credit history or a poor credit score.

The List

Below, we list seven payday loan direct lenders to investigate when you need quick cash, ordered starting with the best overall options. Keep in mind that if you are unemployed, you may still need to show proof of some sort of income. Most lenders will also check your credit before issuing a payday loan, but there are a few that don’t run hard pull credit checks. We detail each lender’s requirements for employment verification and credit below.

ACE Cash Express

• Estimated wait time:
  • In-store, you should receive your cash within about an hour of approval.
  • Online, your cash will be deposited into your bank account as soon as the next business day, providing you apply before 6 p.m. CST Monday through Friday and by 2 p.m. CST on Sunday.
• Credit check required? Yes
• Minimum credit score: Varies depending on applicant profile
• Employment verification required? Yes, although you do not need to be employed to apply
• Application requirements:
  • In-store, you’ll need to provide a valid government-issued photo ID, proof of income, and proof of a checking account.
  • Online, you’ll need to provide a valid Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number; you also need to have a checking or savings account that’s been open for at least one month.
• Age requirements and/or restrictions: Must be at least 18
• Find out more or apply, or find an ACE Cash Express

Check Into Cash

• Estimated wait time:
  • In-store, you will receive your cash as soon as you receive approval.
  • Online, your cash will be deposited into your bank account as soon as the next business day.
• Credit check required? Yes
• Minimum credit score: None; approval is based on multiple factors
• Employment verification required? Yes
• Application requirements:
  • In-store, you’ll need a current pay stub or proof of some source of income, a state or federally-issued photo ID, your most recent active checking account statement, and a blank personal check. Oklahoma and Indiana residents must also provide a Social Security number.
  • Online, you’ll need your Social Security number, government-issued driver’s license or photo ID, checking account number, bank routing number, and proof of income.
• Age requirements and/or restrictions: Must be at least 21; 19 in Alabama
• Find out more or apply, or find a Check Into Cash

Money Mart

• Estimated wait time:
  • In-store, you will receive your cash within around an hour of applying.
  • Online, your cash will be deposited into your bank account within 48 hours.
• Credit check required? No
• Minimum credit score: None
• Employment verification required? No
• Application requirements:
  • In-store, you will need a valid checking account, a government-issued photo ID, proof of income, an email address, and an active phone number.
  • Online, you’ll need to reside in California, Hawaii, Kansas, or Louisiana and provide proof of income, a checking account bank statement, a personal check, and a valid email address.
• Age requirements and/or restrictions: Must be at least 18
• Find out more or apply, or find a Money Mart

Speedy Cash

• Estimated wait time:
  • In-store, you will receive your cash within about an hour of applying.
  • Online or over the phone, your cash will be deposited into your bank account within 24 business hours — unless you choose to pick it up in-store.
• Credit check required? Yes
• Minimum credit score: Varies based on applicant profile
• Employment verification required? Varies on a case-by-case basis
• Application requirements: You will need a valid phone number, an active checking account, and proof of income.
• Age requirements and/or restrictions: Must be at least 19 in Alabama and Delaware; 21 in Mississippi; or 18 in other states where Speedy Cash does business
• Find out more or apply, or find a Speedy Cash

Check City

• Estimated wait time:
  • In-store, you will receive your cash within about an hour of approval.
  • Online, your cash will be deposited into your bank account as soon as the next business day.
• Credit check required? No 
• Minimum credit score: None
• Employment verification required? Yes
• Application requirements: You will need a photo ID, a checking account, and proof of income.
• Age requirements and/or restrictions: Must be at least 18
• Find out more or apply, or find a Check City

Advance America

• Estimated wait time:
  • In-store, you should receive your cash within around an hour of approval.
  • Online, if you apply before 10:30 a.m. EST Monday through Friday, your cash will be deposited into your bank account the same day. Applications received between 10:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. EST are typically deposited the next business day.
• Credit check required? Yes
• Minimum credit score: None; approval is based on multiple factors
• Employment verification required? No
• Application requirements:
  • In-store, you will need an active checking account, government-issued ID, Social Security number, and proof of income.
  • Online, you will need an active checking account, government-issued ID, proof of income, and a valid email address.
• Age requirements and/or restrictions: Must be at least 18
• Find out more or apply, or find an Advance America

LendNation

• Estimated wait time:
  • In-store, you will receive your cash within around an hour of applying.
  • Online, your cash will be deposited into your bank account within one business day unless you choose to pick it up in-store the same day.
• Credit check required? Yes
• Minimum credit score: None
• Employment verification required? Yes
• Application requirements:
  • In-store, you will need a government-issued photo ID, a verifiable source of income, an active checking account, and two references.
  • Online, you will need an active checking account, a verifiable source of income, a valid telephone number, and an email address.
• Age requirements and/or restrictions: Must be at least 18
• Find out more or apply, or find a LendNation

If bad credit or lack of income is still an obstacle when you need financing, see our research on what to try if you need a loan and have been refused everywhere.