We’ve all found ourselves with barely a few dimes in our bank account – and sometimes considerably less than that. This site is dedicated to helping you figure out how to still pay a bill, make a small purchase or access some cash – while hopefully avoiding the punitive fees that most banks charge you for doing so.
Yeah, maybe you’ve spent a bit recklessly or really need to start sticking to a budget.
Or maybe you have an unexpected or unavoidable expense that can’t be put off.
You could be having a good time and figure what the hell, let’s spend a little extra and sort it out later.
Or life has simply happened – you weren’t paying attention.
No matter how you got there, your bank account is on the wrong side of zero, which can create a multitude of problems for you including prohibiting you from making a purchase or getting cash that you need and incurring high fees from bounced payments. And if you access your bank account’s overdraft protection features, you’ll often incur overdraft fees that can quickly swell to a couple hundred dollars or more for simply overspending by a fraction of that amount.
Having your account overdrawn is not a good place to be. There is some good news, though. Increased scrutiny and regulatory pressure have forced banks to become much more transparent about their overdraft policies, and they’ve created some loopholes (and a few new products) that can help you reduce or even avoid fees if you know how to work the system. There is also a new generation of fin-tech apps built around overdrafts that makes it easy to access some extra cash for a few days, at low or no cost.
Overdraft Apps is dedicated to helping you identify the tools and tricks that can help you conveniently get the cash that you need, often with low or no fees.
When most financial websites “review” an app or product, they simply regurgitate and summarize what you could find on the provider’s website. Not us. We download and try every product that you see on this site. (Yup, we’ve applied for many dozens of loans and taken out quite a few as well so we can discuss the pros and cons of the experience firsthand!). In addition, we comb through the terms and conditions with an expert’s eye so we can present the true costs, requirements and occasional Gotcha! in plain English.
Knowledge is power, and if you understand how overdrafts work you’ll know the best routes to accessing funds even when your account is below zero.
Our ultimate guide is the place to start – What is an overdraft?
Recently open a new account and don’t yet have much in your emergency fund? Learn which banks will let you overdraft right away.
Overdrawn but need some cash? Here are ATMs that let you overdraft.
Banks don’t want to make it easy for you to understand why they’re charging sky-high fees. Allow us to decipher part of the code, such as the cryptic tot odp swp cr memo.
Looking for an alternative to costly bank overdraft fees? Discover how you can quickly access some extra cash, sometimes at low or no cost, with our roundup of cash advance apps.
Frustrated by a low credit score? Dive in to a fast growing product category that can help you improve your score while you also sock away from savings in our overview of credit builder loans.
Mitchel Harad has over 20 years or experience in financial services at both banks (JP Morgan Chase) and upstart lenders (Lending Club, SocietyOne). He is passionate about educating consumers on how financial systems work to empower them to make informed and cost-effective decisions. During some challenging financial times, he paid thousands of dollars in overdraft fees at a time when he could least afford them – an experience he hopes to help others avoid. Mitchel holds a Bachelors of Business Administration in Finance from The Goizeta School of Business at Emory University and a Masters of Business Administration from The Haas School of Business at The University of California.
Alexander J. Porter is an accomplished copywriter with over a decade of experience writing in the fin-tech, business, and technology space, and the Senior Editor of Overdraft Apps. Following a BA from the University of Sydney, he has worked as a writer and editor across a range of marketing, business, and finance platforms including Flying Solo (Australia’s largest community of solo business owners), and Empowered Finance.
Nick Gallo is a Certified Public Accountant and seasoned digital marketer who works with businesses in and around the financial services industry. He aims to leverage his subject matter expertise and passion for spreading financial independence to create content that’s as valuable to his readers as his clients. Nick has a wealth of experience writing in a variety of niches, including consumer and commercial credit, accounting and tax strategy, and business ownership.
Alexa M. is a contributor and app tester. She is a creative photographer and model who has been in the photography industry for 8+ years! She is a driven (but casual) business woman who strives to bring creative ideas to life.
Throughout this website, you’ll see recommendations and links to various products and companies. In some cases, we may earn a small fee if you use the links on our site to purchase or learn more about these products. We strive to list the positives and negatives of any products that we mention on this website, but you should note that sometimes money does change hands if you follow our recommendations.
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