Editor’s Note: Overdraft Apps provides detailed product reviews and recommendations based upon extensive research and our own hands-on testing. We may earn a referral fee when you sign up for or purchase products mentioned in this article.
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.
- Current App: Cash Advances up to $500 PLUS No Fee Overdrafts - August 9, 2024
- Empower App Review: Instant Cash Advances Up to $300 (With No Credit Check) - June 11, 2024
- Kikoff Review: A Credit-Building App For Just $5 Per Month - June 10, 2024
Kikoff offers a revolving line of credit (and reports payments to Equifax and Experian) to help you build credit safely and responsibly. With products designed to target the five major credit factors, there’s no credit check and you can open an account in minutes. Kikoff boasts that it has helped over 1 million people get a better handle on their credit, with customers seeing their credit scores increase by an average of 28 points after the first month of signing up!2
Kikoff Credit can help you build your credit with no credit check and no costly long term commitment.
On average, Kikoff customers with credit scores under 600 increase their credit scores by 58 points, with consistent on-time payments during the account lifetime. Many Kikoff customers have been able to qualify for better car loans, mortgages, credit cards, personal loans, and more.3
Kickoff has helped over 1 million people build credit and costs just $5/month!
BACKGROUND
After moving from China to the United States to attend college, Kikoff Co-Founder and CEO Cynthia Chen realized how many of her classmates had credit cards – when she didn’t.
Seeing how important credit scores were in accessing better lending products and terms, she founded Kikoff in 2019 with the mission to help others on the same path as her who lacked credit history or had poor credit scores.
Today, Kikoff is used by over a million people to build credit with plans starting at just $5/month.
WHAT IS KIKOFF?
Kikoff is a credit-building app that offers two main credit building products.
- Kikoff Credit Account: a $750 revolving line of credit with no interest or fees
- Secured Credit Card: Deposit a minimum of $50 a month to build your credit
You can use your line of credit to buy items from the Kikoff store (your line of credit may not be used anywhere else). By using your line of credit to purchase items and making monthly payments, your payment history is reported to Equifax and Experiean.
You do not have to purchase anything from the Kikoff store as your $5 monthly fee will help build your credit – though you may see better results by utilizing your line of credit more. Items in the Kikoff store start at $10 and cost an average of $20. A $10 purchase can be paid for at $2/month over five months.
There is no credit check (and you are instantly approved for a Kikoff Credit Account after signing up) so you can start building credit right away.
Build your credit for just $5/month >>> Check out Kikoff Credit 👈
KIKOFF PROS AND CONS
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| ✓ No credit check | ✗ Credit Account only used in the Kikoff Store |
| ✓ No annual fees, late fees or interest (0% APR) | ✗ Phone service not available (email only) |
| ✓ Dedicated mobile app for iOS and Android | ✗ $5/month for Credit Account membership |
| ✓Available in all 50 states |
HOW MUCH DOES KIKOFF COST?
Kikoff charges a flat $5 monthly fee for a Kikoff Credit Account.
This fee is payable over twelve installments, so you’ll be spending $60. Payment can be made via credit or debit card.
With Kikoff’s Credit Account there are no administrative fees, annual fees, late fees or annual finance charge. The maximum APR is 0% – you’ll only pay your flat $5 monthly fee (plus repayments on anything you buy from the Kikoff store).
CAN I USE MY KIKOFF LINE OF CREDIT ANYWHERE?
No. The line of credit is NOT a credit card and Kikoff will not send you a physical card.
The purpose of your Credit Account addresses three key factors that affect your credit score:
- Payment History
- Credit Utilization
- Average Account Age
If you’re keen to use Kikoff to make everyday purchases like groceries, gas or shopping, you’re better off using Kickoff’s Secured Credit Card. The Secured Credit Card works like a debit and checking account meaning you deposit money upfront to set your credit limit.
Kikoff’s Secured Credit Card has no annual fees, 0% interest and no credit check.
Features include:
- Cash back rewards: Claim cashback on groceries, shopping and dining
- Fee-free overdraft protection: Overdraw up to $20 per month with qualifying direct deposits. This can be increased to $200 per month over time
- Early pay access: Access your paycheck up to two days early
- Credit building help: Deposit a minimum of $50 per month for credit reporting to the three major credit bureaus
- In-network fee-free ATMs: Withdraw cash at 55,000+ Allpoint ATMs worldwide
| 🤓Overdraft Apps Tip: If you’re looking for a more substantial boost to your credit score and can confidently manage the payments, using Kikoff and a credit builder loan at the same time will have a significant impact for most consumers since you would add both a revolving account and an installment loan to your credit file |
How much can Kikoff Credit help your credit score?
If you’ve made on-time payments to Kikoff (and any other creditors) after your twelve month membership is complete, you should have achieved a noticeable and valuable bump in your credit score.
According to Kikoff, customers enjoyed an average of 28 point increase after the first month of Kikoff4
On average, Kikoff customers with credit scores under 600 increase their credit scores by 58 points with regular on-time payments during their account lifetime!5
Kikoff can deliver a fast jolt to your credit score while 58 points can have a substantial impact on a fair or poor credit score. This increase could make you eligible for unsecured credit cards and loans, help you get approved for a larger amount of credit, and substantially reduce the interest rate and fees that you need to pay.
That’s a valuable return on investment for just $5/month!
Kikoff could help improve your credit by 58 points! >>> Check out Kikoff Credit 👈
| 🤓Overdraft Apps Tip: You’ll need to make regular on-time payments to Kikoff and any other lenders to help build your score. If you’re late or miss payments, or apply for a bunch of additional credit over a short period of time you could see your credit score fall. |
Is Kikoff Credit legit?
Yes. Kikoff is a legit and safe lender. Kikoff was founded in 2019 and boasts over 1 million customers. The company has raised $42.5 million from notable venture capital funds and boasts NBA star Steph Curry as one of its investors.
Unlike most credit builder apps like Kikoff Credit, your account is not a loan issued by a bank. However, since there is no savings account component to Kikoff, you do not have funds at risk.
Kikoff has received 736 complaints with the Better Business Bureau over the past three years,and currently has a B- rating. The majority of complaints relate to alleged reporting issues with credit bureaus. Kikoff has responded to 100% of complaints.
Build your credit for just $5/month >>> Check out Kikoff Credit 👈
KIKOFF REVIEWS
Overall, many users report seeing significant boosts to their credit scores in a short amount of time. As of June 2024, the platform boasts an impressive 4.9 out of 5 stars in the Apple App Store (113.3k ratings) and an equally impressive 4.9 out of 5 stars on Google Play (53,375 votes).
Here’s a roundup of recent Kikoff reviews.
Watch: Build credit fast with Kikoff
P.S. If you’re one of the 2 out of 3 Americans forced to dip into their savings to handle inflation, it’s nice to know you can borrow fast cash without jumping through endless hoops.
WAIT! Why borrow quick cash when you can earn it?!
Cash advance apps can be a great tool for getting a little extra cash when you need it, but you’ll need to repay it – plus fees – wihtin a week or two. Did you know there’s an easy way to earn extra cash that’s yours to keep?
KashKick is a wildly popular service that lets you earn money for playing games, completing surveys, signing up for trial offers and more. (You’ll even earn cash for just completing your profile!) You can earn cash today and withdraw your earnings through PayPal once you’ve reached $10. You can earn over $100/month with KashKick – and you don’t need to spend a dime or take out your credit card to do it.
There are dozens of high-paying offers available on KashKick, and if you’re into playing new games on your phone, you can earn some serious cash for doing what you love. Though offers change regularly, there are currently1 more than three dozen offers available where you can earn cash – sometimes over $100 – just by downloading and playing popular games like Coin Master, Monoply Go, Bingo Blitz, and more. These games are all free to download, and no in-app purchases are required to earn with KashKick.
Get paid to play on your phone >>> Check out KashKick
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.
- Current App: Cash Advances up to $500 PLUS No Fee Overdrafts - August 9, 2024
- Empower App Review: Instant Cash Advances Up to $300 (With No Credit Check) - June 11, 2024
- Kikoff Review: A Credit-Building App For Just $5 Per Month - June 10, 2024
- As of February 13, 2024. Offers may change and may not be available to all users. Eligibity requirements apply. See KashKick's Terms of Service for full details.
- Based on real Kikoff members who made a purchase with the Kikoff Credit Account between January 2021 and March 2024 with starting scores below 600 and made their first payment saw an average Equifax Vantage 3.0 score increase of 28 points after their first month. Late payment may negatively impact your credit score. Individual results may vary.
- Credit Score Increase: Based on Kikoff customers that used the Credit Account product and made consistent on-time payments during account lifetime. This data is based on observed VantageScore 3.0 credit score changes. Payment behavior can have an impact on your credit score, and individual results may vary. Data current as of March 2022.
- Based on real Kikoff members who made a purchase with the Kikoff Credit Account between January 2021 and March 2024 with starting scores below 600 and made their first payment saw an average Equifax Vantage 3.0 score increase of 28 points after their first month. Late payment may negatively impact your credit score. Individual results may vary.
- Based on real Kikoff members who made a purchase with the Kikoff Credit Account between January 2021 and March 2024 with starting scores below 600 and made their first payment saw an average Equifax Vantage 3.0 score increase of 28 points after their first month. Late payment may negatively impact your credit score. Individual results may vary.
