Although Empower has an impressive lifetime rating of 4.7 on the App Store and Google Play store, it received a lower average rating of 3.4 from recent reviews in May 2025. Some users have voiced complaints about various aspects of the app. Read on to discover these complaints, common concerns, and more.
Out of hundreds of users reviews published in early 2025, here are some of the biggest frustrations shared:
Overall, issues with accessing accounts due to login problems, failed updates, and app instability dominate the dissatisfaction.
Even though Empower is a legitimate company, we found 14 reviews published recently describing the service as scammy (for context, this is out of hundreds we analyzed). About 9 explicitly call the service a “scam”, “fraud”, or “thieves”, while others mention unauthorized charges or issues accessing their accounts.
Several users worry about identity theft or phishing, noting that the app asks for sensitive personal information like SSN upfront without sufficient explanation. Others report unexpected fees, duplicate subscription charges, or being unable to cancel the service, leaving them feeling deceived.
The main theme is that people feel financially harmed and misled, often pointing to unwanted charges, surprise fees, and difficulties with customer support.
We found three overdraft-related complaints. Users said Empower withdrew payments before their paychecks arrived, causing overdrafts.
One user reported incurring $15 overdraft fees every month, which Empower eventually replaces, but leaves them in the negative temporarily. Others mentioned incorrect repayment dates, leading to early withdrawals not matching their pay schedule.