Wagepay charges 14% of every advance and NotchUp charges $5 with payroll connected, so a $500 advance costs $70 at Wagepay and $5 at NotchUp. Both are Canadian wage advance apps for employed people, both skip the credit check, both send Interac e-Transfers around the clock, and both go up to $1,500. Wagepay serves BC, Alberta and Ontario; NotchUp serves BC, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario. This comparison covers what each one costs, who qualifies, where the two differ beyond the fee, and the other apps like Wagepay worth a look if neither fits.
Key Takeaways
- Wagepay charges $14 per $100 advanced, the legal payday loan cap, with no late or NSF fees. NotchUp charges $5 with payroll connected on any amount up to $1,500, with no interest on a standard advance.
- On $300 the gap is $42 against $5; on $1,000 it’s $140 against $5. Wagepay is only cheaper below about $35.
- Wagepay is licensed in Ontario (#4741466), BC (#86410) and Alberta (#359836). NotchUp is an earned wage access provider licensed in BC (#86443) and regulated by Consumer Protection BC.
- Neither runs a credit check. Wagepay wants regular employer income of about $400 a week; NotchUp needs income from work paid into a Canadian bank account, with benefits counting only alongside it.
- Both pay out by Interac e-Transfer 24/7: Wagepay in as little as 2 minutes, NotchUp in about 15.
This article reflects the published terms of Wagepay and NotchUp as of October 2026. Fees, limits and provinces change, so check each app’s own site before you apply.
$5
Flat fee — no credit check
15 min
Interac e-Transfer, 24/7
0
No credit check, no SIN
Wagepay Review in Short
Wagepay is a pay advance app that lends against your next paycheque in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario, and says other provinces are coming. The cost is a 14% credit fee, which the licensing disclosures state as a maximum of $14 per $100 advanced, so $200 costs $28 and $1,000 costs $140. Advances go up to $1,500, with new customers starting lower; according to finder’s review you need regular employer income of at least $400 a week, and the whole balance plus the fee comes out of your account on your next payday.
Money arrives by Interac e-Transfer in as little as 2 minutes, 24/7, after you sign. Wagepay doesn’t run a credit check and says your Equifax and TransUnion scores aren’t affected; it reads your bank transactions instead. There are no late fees and no NSF fees, which sets it apart from a storefront payday lender charging the same $14. It holds payday lending licences in all three provinces it serves, so it’s a regulated lender rather than an employer-linked payroll tool, and that’s the honest way to think about it: a payday loan with a cleaner fee schedule and a fast app.
Who it suits: someone in BC, Alberta or Ontario with steady employer income who needs money in minutes and either can’t qualify for a flat-fee advance or needs less than about $35, where 14% works out cheaper than $5. For anyone borrowing a few hundred dollars or more, the fee is the whole story, and the rest of this article shows why.
What Is Wagepay?
Wagepay is an Australian fintech that launched in Canada in 2023. You apply through its app or website, connect your bank account, and if you qualify the money comes by Interac e-Transfer, with repayment on your next payday. Because it’s licensed as a payday lender, you’re borrowing against expected income rather than drawing pay your employer has already processed, and the price reflects that.
Wagepay Fee Structure
$14 per $100 advanced: $42 on $300, $70 on $500, $140 on $1,000. That’s the maximum a payday lender can charge under the federal cap in force since January 1, 2025. Wagepay doesn’t add late fees, NSF fees or rollover charges, which is a real plus over many payday lenders, but the base fee is the same as theirs.
Wagepay Advance Limits
Up to $1,500 for returning customers in good standing. First advances are smaller and grow with on-time repayment. Wagepay doesn’t publish the first-advance formula on its site.
Wagepay Eligibility Requirements
- 18 or older, living and working in BC, Alberta or Ontario
- Regular employer income, about $400 a week per finder’s review
- A Canadian bank account with a history Wagepay can read
- Wagepay asks for a Social Insurance Number during the application
No credit check: Wagepay decides from your bank transaction history, and applying doesn’t touch your credit score.
What Is NotchUp?
NotchUp is a Canadian earned wage access provider: it advances pay you’ve already earned but haven’t been paid yet, for $5 with payroll connected, whatever the amount. A $500 advance costs $5 and you repay $505 on your next payday. There’s no interest on a standard advance, no credit check and no SIN required. NotchUp is licensed in British Columbia (licence #86443) and regulated by Consumer Protection BC. For a closer look, see Is NotchUp legit?
NotchUp doesn’t need your employer involved. You apply directly, connect your payroll or your bank account, and NotchUp confirms your income from your deposits. Funds arrive by Interac e-Transfer in about 15 minutes, 24/7, and repayment comes out automatically on payday. If a repayment fails, an NSF fee of up to $20 and late interest of up to 20% a year apply, and an unpaid advance can be reported to the credit bureaus.
NotchUp Eligibility Requirements
- Income from work paid by direct deposit to a Canadian bank account: full-time, part-time, casual, self-employed, freelance or gig work all qualify
- Government income alone (EI, ODSP, CPP, AISH) doesn’t qualify; it counts alongside work income
- No credit check, no SIN
Approval and the amount depend on your current account activity, so being approved once doesn’t guarantee the next time, and an advance covers a gap between paycheques rather than a budget that comes up short every month.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Wagepay | NotchUp | |
|---|---|---|
| Fee | 14% of advance ($14 per $100) | $5 with payroll connected, every advance |
| Max advance | $1,500 (returning customers) | $1,500 |
| Min advance | $100 | $50 |
| Transfer speed | As fast as 2 minutes via Interac | About 15 minutes via Interac |
| Availability | BC and Ontario only | ON, AB, BC, MB, SK |
| Credit check | No (uses bank history) | No |
| SIN required | Yes | No |
| Min income | About $400/week employer income | Income from work required |
| Employer enrollment | Not required | Not required |
| Repayment | Auto-debit on next payday | Auto-debit on next payday |
| Late fees | None | NSF fee up to $20, late interest up to 20% a year |
Cost Comparison: What You Actually Pay
The fee difference becomes very clear once you run the numbers on real advance amounts:
| Advance Amount | Wagepay Fee (14%) | NotchUp Fee ($5 flat) | You save with NotchUp |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100 | $14 | $5 | $9 |
| $200 | $28 | $5 | $23 |
| $300 | $42 | $5 | $37 |
| $500 | $70 | $5 | $65 |
| $750 | $105 | $5 | $100 |
| $1,000 | $140 | $5 | $135 |
| $1,500 | $210 | $5 | $205 |
Above about $35, NotchUp is cheaper, and from $500 up the gap is the price of a grocery run. A $1,000 advance costs $140 at Wagepay and $5 at NotchUp.
Why Does Wagepay Charge 14%?
Wagepay is licensed as a payday lender, and $14 per $100 is the ceiling the federal Criminal Code regulations set for payday loans in the provinces that regulate them. It’s the rate most payday loan companies charge. Wagepay has stripped out the extras those lenders often add, late fees, NSF fees and rollovers, but kept the base price.
On a 14-day advance, 14% works out to an APR above 365%. That doesn’t make Wagepay the wrong choice in every situation, but it’s the number to have in mind before you borrow.
Who Should Use Wagepay
Wagepay makes sense if you live in BC, Alberta or Ontario, earn steady employer income, and need a very small amount in minutes: under about $35, 14% costs less than $5. It can also be the one that says yes when NotchUp can’t read your income, for example if your pay arrives in a way NotchUp’s bank or payroll connection doesn’t pick up. It’s worth running both applications before deciding, since neither checks your credit.
Who Should Use NotchUp
NotchUp is the better choice for most employed Canadians who need more than a small advance. $5 with payroll connected costs the same whether you’re bridging $200 for groceries or $1,200 for a car repair, so you’re not paying more for needing more. It’s the only one of the two in Manitoba, and it doesn’t ask for your SIN.
The requirement is income from work paid by direct deposit. Part-time, casual, irregular shifts, self-employment and gig work all qualify as long as the deposits show up. Government income alone doesn’t. Apply at apply.notchup.app; it takes about two minutes and there’s no credit check.
Apps Like Wagepay: Other Alternatives
If neither app fits, these are the other Canadian options people searching for apps like Wagepay end up comparing.
Bree advances up to $750 at 0% interest with no credit check, free in 1 to 3 business days or $2.99 to $45.99 for delivery in minutes, in every province including Quebec. It wants two consecutive paycheques on your bank statement. Free beats both Wagepay and NotchUp if you can wait.
Nyble is a $30 to $250 credit-building line at 0% interest that reports every payment to Equifax Canada, free in 1 to 3 business days or $11.99 a month for instant funding. The amount is small, but it’s the only option here that builds your credit by default.
ZayZoon is earned wage access offered through employers: your employer has to sign up, and the fee depends on that arrangement (ZayZoon’s published $5 transfer fee is for US employees, and it hasn’t published a Canadian one). If your employer offers it, ask, because employers often cover the cost. If not, you can’t sign up on your own.
For the full ranking, see cash advance apps in Canada and apps like Bree and Nyble.
Quick Summary
| Wagepay | NotchUp | ZayZoon | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fee | $14 per $100 | $5 with payroll connected | Set by employer arrangement, not published for Canada |
| Max advance | $1,500 | $1,500 | Depends on earned wages |
| Employer enrollment needed | No | No | Yes |
| SIN required | Yes | No | Not stated |
| Provinces | BC, AB, ON | BC, AB, MB, ON | Varies by employer |
| Best for | Very small advances in minutes | Most employed Canadians | Employees at enrolled employers |
Key Takeaway
NotchUp charges $5 flat per advance, regardless of amount. Wagepay charges 14%, which is $14 per $100 borrowed. On any advance over $35, NotchUp is cheaper. On a $500 advance, the difference is $65. NotchUp is also available in more provinces and does not require a SIN.
Bottom Line
Wagepay is a licensed payday lender with a good app: $14 per $100, no late fees, money in two minutes, in BC, Alberta and Ontario. NotchUp is earned wage access at $5 with payroll connected for the same $1,500 ceiling, in those three provinces plus Manitoba, without a SIN. For anything over about $35 the choice is the fee, and on a $500 advance that’s $70 against $5. If you can wait a few days, Bree is free, and if your employer offers ZayZoon, ask what it costs you before paying either app. For how the two compare on the broader earned wage access market, see pay advance in Canada.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wagepay legit?
Yes. Wagepay is a licensed payday lender in the three provinces it serves, with licence numbers published on its site: Ontario #4741466, British Columbia #86410 and Alberta #359836, which you can check in each province’s lender registry. It charges the legal maximum of $14 per $100 and no late or NSF fees, pays out by Interac e-Transfer, and doesn’t run a credit check. It’s legitimate and regulated; it’s also expensive next to a $5 flat-fee advance, which is the real question to ask before using it.
Is Wagepay available across Canada?
No. Wagepay serves British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario, and says other provinces are coming soon. If you’re in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Quebec or Atlantic Canada, it isn’t an option yet. NotchUp is available in BC, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario.
Does Wagepay do a credit check?
No. Wagepay says it doesn’t check your Equifax or TransUnion file and that applying doesn’t affect your score; it assesses your bank transaction history instead. NotchUp doesn’t run a credit check either.
Why does Wagepay charge 14% when other apps charge a flat fee?
Wagepay is licensed as a payday lender and charges the maximum the federal payday loan cap allows, $14 per $100, the same rate as traditional payday loan companies. NotchUp is earned wage access and charges one fixed $5 with payroll connected regardless of the amount. The flat fee is cheaper for any advance over a few dozen dollars.
What are the best apps like Wagepay in Canada?
NotchUp is the closest like-for-like, with the same $1,500 ceiling and 24/7 e-Transfers at $5 with payroll connected instead of 14%. Bree is the cheapest if you can wait 1 to 3 business days, at $0 for up to $750. Nyble suits small amounts with credit building. ZayZoon works only if your employer offers it. Each one skips the credit check.
Can I use NotchUp if I work part-time or have irregular hours?
Yes. NotchUp qualifies you on employment income deposited to a Canadian bank account, and full-time, part-time, casual and gig work all count as long as the deposits show up. Government income alone (EI, ODSP, CPP, AISH) doesn’t qualify, but work income combined with government deposits does.
What is the fastest way to get a wage advance in Canada?
Both Wagepay and NotchUp deliver by Interac e-Transfer around the clock, weekends and holidays included: Wagepay in as little as 2 minutes after signing, NotchUp in about 15 minutes. For most people the 13 minutes isn’t the deciding factor; the $65 difference on a $500 advance is.
This article is for informational purposes only and doesn’t constitute professional financial advice. If you’re experiencing financial difficulty, consider contacting a licensed insolvency trustee or a non-profit credit counselling agency for free, confidential support.
Related Reading
Related reading: Cash Advance Apps Canada | Apps Like Bree and Nyble Canada | KOHO Cover Alternatives | Pay Advance Canada | Bi-Weekly vs Semi-Monthly Pay
