Cash Advance Apps

Empower reviews: complaints & concerns

Last Updated: Jun 13, 2025

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.

What do Empower users complain about?

Out of hundreds of users reviews published in early 2025, here are some of the biggest frustrations shared:

  • Can't log in: Dozens of users complain they're unable to log into the app, facing endless loading screens or error messages.
  • Forced updates fail: Many users report being forced to update the app, but the updates fail or prevent access to their accounts.
  • App crashes: Several users mention the app crashes frequently, closing unexpectedly or failing to load properly.
  • VPN doesn't work: Multiple users are frustrated that the app won't work if a VPN is active, raising security concerns.
  • No mobile web access: Some users are annoyed they can't access their accounts via mobile browser and are forced to use the app.

Overall, issues with accessing accounts due to login problems, failed updates, and app instability dominate the dissatisfaction.

App reviews talking about Complaint:
"...I can’t download this new update and haven’t Been able to get into my account since..very annoying..."
"I have never experienced such a slow app. Takes so long to load every page..."
"...app is the worst to login. It takes for ever the facial recognition never works..."

Scam reports

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.

App reviews talking about Scam:
"...the fees they charge is over 100% of any interest you might make investing with them..."
"I was charged $53 and then $8 the very next day, with no explanation or justification..."
"...first couple of cash advances worked fine, the last $25 one never went into my bank account..."

Overdraft reports

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.

App reviews talking about Reported Overdraft:
"...you guys pulled it 5 days too early. my bank will reject it..."
"I was under the impression that it came out of your paycheck. This is not the case..."
"...I'm charged 15$ overdraft fee every month only to be told by support staff that empower doesn't charge..."

What users say on other topics

Positive
3%
Negative
97%
Many users complain about the Empower app's stability issues, particularly after updates. Frequent crashes, login failures, and endless loading screens are common frustrations. Users often find themselves unable to access their accounts, with some having to uninstall and reinstall the app repeatedly just to log in once. The app's performance is described as slow and clunky, with many experiencing forced updates that don't work, leaving them locked out. Overall, the sentiment is overwhelmingly negative, with users expressing dissatisfaction and frustration over the app's unreliability.
App reviews talking about App Stability:
"...I can’t download this new update and haven’t Been able to get into my account since..."
"The app is the worst to login. It takes for ever the facial recognition never works..."
"...app tells me to update but it won’t download the update..."