Branch: A Better Payday 4+

A Serious Relief

I switched to Branch after my job started offering it. It’s simple, and convenient. I love that (for my job) there aren’t any fees to take an advance. I also like that the advance comes out of next week’s paycheck and not the current week’s paycheck (other apps take it from the current week’s check, which sometimes puts me in a similar financial bind that causes me to borrow each week until I bounce back). I like having the extra time to be able to pick up extra hours or work a little on my side job to balance out what I’ve borrowed. Transferring from Branch to my bank is simple enough, and the instant transfer fee is reasonable. I enjoy having a plan B for unexpected expenses or to prevent over-drafting my bank account… and Branch is NOT predatory like some other services/apps out there (in my experience). I’ve had absolutely no issues with Branch. I like this service much more than competitors and will not be switching back.

My only suggestion is to give an option to advance pay directly to my bank account. I totally get that the Branch account/card has its purpose for some folks, but for me the extra steps are unnecessary. If I could opt-in to pay the instant transfer fee on the same screen that I sign up for the advance, and then it all be done in one tap, that would be perfect.

Perfect service

I have been using the Branch account for more than a year without any problem, a wonderful and easy-to-use application, and an ATM card that I use on a daily basis and for all my purchases, as well as withdrawing money from the account from CVS Pharmacy located directly opposite my place of residence.
A few days ago, I was deceived by a person who claimed to be a spark customer service agent who obtained information from me - while acting like he was verifying my account- that enabled him to enter my account, change and update the info on the account and transfer money to his account. I immediately contacted Branch's technical support and informed them of the matter. The company sent me an email telling me that they had froze the account and withheld the funds and the ATM card, and issued a new card that would that I would receive in the coming days. The next day, they sent me a message that my account is secured and advised me to log in , change the password, and then return the correct any info or data that was changed by the person who hacked into the account. Today, the stolen amount was returned to the account.
Thank you very much Branch

Developer Response ,

We are happy to hear that you had a great experience with our support team during a difficult situation! We really appreciate the five-star review! Thank you!

Good Luck using this App if you don’t plan to have your money Direct Deposited through them!

This app is such a mess now that they have “updated” or whatever they call it. I have consistently used the same debit card as my external method of payment for over a year with the company. The company ADMITTED they were having issues with Plaid AND anyone who had Bank of America. I was no different. So when they went to collect my instant repayment, the Plaid issue caused them to have to use an ACH withdrawal from my account versus repay from the debit card. I have contacted support 900 times after I have not been able to take another instant because Branch placed a block on my card because the ONE time they had an issue pulling my payment back with the card. Mind you they were still able to collect the money using the ACH method. Now supports excuse (and I guarantee you will be the company reply to this comment) will say “oh we had some updates and we just must (all of a sudden) not accept your debit card due to verification issues” OR their other favorite “to prevent this hassle please set up your direct deposit with us there are lots of benefits” So in turn they are forcing me to sign up for direct deposit in order to use instant pay ever again. If you don’t believe me check back for the company’s response once they respond to my review!

Developer Response ,

Hi, we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused. To provide some clarity here, because of the way our system is designed, we're only able to track one source of income as we can only track one pay cycle. In addition, our system looks for a clear and consistent pattern with your direct deposits. This ensures we can accurately predict your next payday. If you received your direct deposit earlier one month, this can throw off your typical pay cycle. Again, we're very sorry for any frustration this may have caused. If you have any further questions please reach out to support@branchapp.com and we would be happy to assist.