How it works
How a today cash request moves from our form to a lender
One short form, a network of lenders, and an offer you are free to accept or decline. Below is what happens at each stage and roughly how long it takes.
The short version
You complete one free request form, we pass it to lenders in our network, and any lender that can help shows you its terms directly. You decide whether to accept, and the lender handles everything after that.
Our part ends once your request reaches the network. Credit decisions, rates, fees, loan documents and the deposit itself all come from the lender. Keeping that split in mind makes it easier to know who to ask when a question comes up later.
Five steps from request to funds
Most today cash requests follow the same five stages. The times below are estimates only, since each lender, bank and state works at its own pace.
- Check the basicsConfirm you are at least 18 (19 in Alabama and Nebraska) and have a steady source of income, a US address, an active checking account, a valid ID and a working phone and email. Our guide to basic eligibility requirements explains each item. Estimated time: a minute or two.
- Complete the request formChoose an amount between $500 and $5,000, say what it is for, and enter your contact, income and banking details. Accurate answers matter, because a lender may later compare them with pay stubs or bank records. Estimated time: about five minutes.
- We pass the request to the networkWhen you submit, our system sends your request over an encrypted connection to lenders in the network whose criteria may fit your amount, state and profile. Many lenders return a decision within minutes of a completed request.
- Review any offer on the lender's siteIf a lender can make an offer, you see its APR, fees, term, monthly payment and total cost. The lender may ask for documents, confirm your identity or run a credit inquiry at this stage. Take as long as you need to read the agreement.
- Sign and receive funds from the lenderIf you are approved and sign, the lender sends the money by direct deposit, often as soon as the next business day and sometimes the same day. Timing depends on the lender, your bank and when you finish.
If you need cash today, finishing the form early on a business day gives the lender the most room to work, but same-day funding is something no honest service can promise.
What we do and what lenders do
We handle the request form and the hand-off to the network; the lender handles everything that involves credit, money or a contract. The table below shows where each task sits.
| Task | Our service | The lender |
|---|---|---|
| Collect your request | Yes, through a free form | May ask for more details later |
| Review credit and income | No | Yes, using its own criteria |
| Set APR, fees and term | No | Yes |
| Approve or decline | No | Yes |
| Send loan documents | No | Yes |
| Deposit funds | No | Yes, to your bank account |
| Collect payments | No | Yes, directly or through a servicer |
| Charge a fee for matching | Never | Any lender fees appear in its offer |
How long each stage usually takes
Filling in the form takes about five minutes, many lenders return a decision within minutes of a completed request, and approved funds often arrive the next business day, sometimes the same day.
Several everyday factors can stretch those estimates:
- Weekends and bank holidays: deposits usually wait for the next business day.
- Late-evening requests: a lender may review the request right away but release funds the following business day.
- Extra documents: if a lender asks for pay stubs or a bank statement, the clock pauses until you send them.
- Your bank: some banks post incoming deposits within hours, while others hold them until the end of the day.
How to read an offer before you sign
Compare offers on APR and total repayment, not just the monthly payment, because a longer term can make each payment smaller while making the loan noticeably more expensive overall.
Take the representative $1,000 personal loan at 27.99% APR. On a 12-month schedule the payment is about $96.50 and the total about $1,158.00; stretch it to 18 months and the payment drops to about $68.67, yet the total climbs to $1,236.06, with $236.06 of that being interest.
- Check whether an origination fee is deducted from the amount you receive.
- Confirm the first due date and whether autopay is required or optional.
- Ask whether paying the loan off early carries a penalty.
- Run the numbers in our personal loan calculator before you accept.
If no lender can make an offer
Sometimes no lender in the network can make an offer, usually because of the amount requested, the state you live in, your income or recent credit history. An unmatched request costs you nothing.
You can try a smaller amount, wait until your income or credit profile changes, or look at alternatives such as a credit union loan, a hardship plan from the company you owe, or local assistance programs. Our answers to common loan questions cover more of these situations.
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
Does submitting the request affect my credit score?
Submitting the form itself does not create a hard inquiry. Lenders may run a soft inquiry to decide whether to make an offer, and many run a hard inquiry before final approval, which can lower a score slightly. Each lender explains its own process.
Can I edit my request after I submit it?
Changes cannot be made through the form once it is sent. If a detail was wrong, tell the lender when it contacts you, or reach out to us and we will explain your options.
Why did a lender call or email me after I submitted?
Lenders that receive your request may reach out to confirm details or present an offer, using the contact information and consent you provided. You can ask any lender to stop contacting you.
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One free request, no obligation to accept. Lenders in the network decide and fund.