EarnIn is an earnings management company and financial technology app that provides earned wage access (EWA) services, allowing users to access the pay they’ve earned when they want it rather than waiting for scheduled payday, originally founded in 2013 by Ram Palaniappan (CEO) as Activehours and launched its app in May 2014. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, United States (200 Portage Ave, 94306, with additional address at 391 San Antonio Road, Third Floor, Mountain View, CA 94040-1267), EarnIn is a privately held company with 200+ employees serving North America in the financial services and financial technology industries, offering earned wage access, payroll services, credit report monitoring, and bank account management.
EarnIn’s core feature Cash Out lets users get up to $150/day with a maximum of $1,000 per pay period without mandatory fees, interest, or credit checks (cash limits vary by user eligibility), with transfers typically taking 1–2 business days, and it’s not a cash advance or loan but rather earned wage access (EWA) where users access wages they’ve already earned. Additional tools include Early Pay (get paycheck up to two days early), Balance Shield (alerts when balance is low), free credit monitoring, bill reminders, savings features, overdraft help, and credit score monitoring, all within one app to help users make the most of their money, stay on track, and build financial progress day-by-day.
To use EarnIn, users need a steady payday, checking account, and smartphone; they create an account, securely link their bank account, and verify work details either automatically via GPS earnings feature (for fixed work locations) or by providing employer-provided work email address to help recognize pay schedule. The name changed from Activehours to EarnIn to more clearly express the company’s mission of helping people get money they’ve earned, and the company was not acquired or bought out. EarnIn uses advanced security to protect data and never sells personal information, is a financial technology company not a bank (banking services provided by Evolve Bank & Trust or Lead Bank, both FDIC members), and is an independent financial technology company not affiliated with other money apps like Dave, Beem, Self, Varo Bank, Chime (SpotMe), Instacash, Float Me, Possible Finance, Albert, Klover, Ibotta.