How to Develop an App Like MoneyLion

Managing finances is very complex, and not everyone can do it efficiently. This is when apps like MoneyLion come into the picture. It’s a popular fintech app that helps users to manage their money smartly, using different tools and financial products. 

The growth of the MoneyLion app in terms of users has been significant in recent times. The following are some of the latest statistics, indicating how MoneyLion is getting popular in the finance industry. 

1. The total number of customers of MoneyLion grew 46% year-over-year to 20.4 million in 2024. 

2. MoneyLion’s revenue was reported approximately $546 million for the financial year 2024. 

3. At the time of writing, the MoneyLion app has around 18.7 million active users. 

The success of the MoneyLion app in the fintech industry, which has been already crowded with other applications, has motivated other entrepreneurs to invest in developing a similar application. 

However, developing an app similar to MoneyLion can be challenging, especially without a proper roadmap. Thus, we have provided a complete guide that will help entrepreneurs like you to develop an app like MoneyLion from scratch. 

In the end, we have also provided strategies to make revenue from your MoneyLion-like fintech application. So, without any more delay, let’s dive in. 

What is the MoneyLion App?  

Before diving into the development process, let’s first understand the MoneyLion application, and how it works. 

The MoneyLion is one of the top fintech apps developed to help its users manage their finances effectively. It has various tools that help users track their income, spending, saving, borrowing money, and even investing. 

Moreover, it offers personalized financial advice, educational content, and access to various financial products, enhancing the user experience. For businesses, the MoneyLion fintech app offers technology that helps the former to integrate financial services into their platforms. 

Read Also: How to Develop a Neobanking App Like Chime?

How to Develop an App like MoneyLion?  

Here is the step-by-step guide to build an app similar to MoneyLion. 

1.  Define your Requirements  

For developing an app like MoneyLion, you need to start by thinking of what type of app you want to develop. MoneyLion is an app that helps users to save, track, borrow, and invest. You need to determine what purpose your app will serve. 

Also, you need to determine your target audience, like working professionals, the elderly population, or it even includes teenage people who want to manage their money smartly. 

Moreover, list down the features and functionalities you want to add to your MoneyLion-like fintech app. By noting down all this information in advance, you will get a direction to move your project. 

2. Research the Market  

In the second stage, you must step into the market to analyze your competitors. The market is already full of finance apps that are similar to yours, such as Chime, Dave, Brigit, AfterPay, Varo Bank, and of course, MoneyLion. 

So, you need to access all the top competitors to understand how these apps function, how they are helping their users, and what are their unique selling propositions (USPs). By doing so, you will get insights into how to make your app like MoneyLion stand out and attract your targeted user base. 

3. Design the UI/UX

Now, start designing the user interfaces for your finance app like MoneyLion. Fintech apps’ UI is very complex, as they consist of various tabs and features. So, it becomes necessary that you design the UI and keep the user experiences in mind. If your UI is cluttered, you will surely face challenges like high bounce rates and more users abandoning your app. 

Thus, follow the industry-proven practices to design the user interfaces for your app. You can use high-end software for the same. Lastly, try to add distinctive elements to your designs to make your app stand out from the rest.

4. Develop the App 

Once you are done with designing the UI, start developing core infrastructures for your app similar to MoneyLion. You can use agile or waterfall methodologies while coding the backend and frontend components simultaneously. This way, you can easily track the progress of your development phase. 

You can use Kotlin for developing the Android version, while for iOS, you can use Swift. We recommend you develop a cross-platform finance app using React Native or Flutter, allowing it to run seamlessly on multiple platforms with a single codebase.

During the development phase, integrate APIs (application programming interfaces) and emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and cloud, to enhance the app’s functionalities and user experiences. 

5. Testing and Quality Assurance 

Post-development, you need to ensure that your app like MoneyLion is free of bugs, and glitches, and working as you expected. Thus, test the app to identify and fix bugs and glitches, and check its performance on different platforms and devices. 

You can run manual and automated testing to test your MoneyLion-like app. You can also release its Beta version in a closed environment and gather feedback from users. Based on feedback, make the relevant changes and prepare for the launch. 

6. Deployment 

After the testing is done, launch an app like MoneyLion for your users. Publish the app in the Google Play Store and App Store, following their respective guidelines. 

After publishing the app in stores, promote it to your targeted audience, using different marketing channels, such as app store optimization, paid advertisements, influencer marketing, SEO, and others.

7. Maintenance and Upgradations  

You need to check your finance app’s performance in check after the launch. Thus, monitor its performance, functioning, user feedback, and more, using different key performance indicators (KPIs). 

Also, keep updating your app like MoneyLion to its latest version frequently. Integrate new features, redesign the UI, and add new technologies to provide your users with an enhanced experience and keep your app relevant for a long time. 

Top Features for App Similar to MoneyLion 

In this section, let’s talk about the top features that you can add to your app similar to MoneyLion. 

1. Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Transfers

This feature allows users of your MoneyLion-like app to transfer money to other users instantly. 

2. Contactless Payments

This feature enables your users to make payments using virtual debit cards and NFC (Near Field Communication) technology. 

3. Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL)

The Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) feature in an app like MoneyLion allows users to make purchases and split payments into smaller, interest-free, or low-interest installments over time. 

4. Bank Account Integration

With this feature in your finance app, users can securely connect and manage multiple bank accounts in one place. 

5. Bill Payments & Reminders

This feature lets users pay bills directly from the app and receive reminders for upcoming payments. 

6. Cryptocurrency Integration

This blockchain-powered feature helps your users to buy, sell, and store cryptocurrencies within the app.

7. Budgeting & Expense Tracking

This feature allows users to categorize expenses, set budgets, and track their finances. 

8. Automated Savings

With this feature, users can save automatically through round-ups, scheduled deposits, and goal-based savings.

9. Credit Score Monitoring

This feature helps users to track their credit scores in real-time, and offer insights and tips for improvement.

10. Instant Loans & Credit Builder

This feature offers quick personal loans with low interest rates and tools to improve credit scores.

11. AI-Powered Financial Insights

This feature for an app like MoneyLion provides personalized financial recommendations based on user spending habits and goals. 

12. Automated Investing

This AI-powered feature recommends and manages investments based on user preferences and risk levels. 

13. Stock & ETF Trading

With this feature, users can trade stocks, ETFs, and other assets directly from the app, commission-free. 

14. Retirement Planning Tools

This feature provides users with tools to track IRA (Individual Retirement Account) and 401(k) contributions and retirement plans.

15. Insurance & Protection Plans

This feature of an app similar to MoneyLion offers life, health, and fraud protection insurance and protection plans tailored to user needs.

16. Personalized Financial Content

User-friendly blogs, videos, and content created by generative AI, and financial news to educate users on money management.

17. Push Notifications

This sends real-time alerts for transactions, bill reminders, spending insights, and personalized financial tips to keep users informed.

18. Gamification & Challenges

This feature encourages financial wellness through savings challenges, badges, and rewards.

19. AI Chatbot & Virtual Assistant

Virtual assistant to provide 24/7 customer support for financial queries and assistance. 

20. Robust Security Features

This includes biometric authentication, two-factor authentication (2FA), and fraud detection for secure transactions and protecting users’ sensitive information. 

Technology Stack to Build a MoneyLion-like App 

The following is the technology stack that you can use to develop an app similar to MoneyLion. 

Please note that these are for recommendation purposes only. You can leverage tools and technologies to build your MoneyLion-clone app tailored to your specific needs. 

Benefits of Developing an App like MoneyLion 

Developing an app like MoneyLion can offer various benefits to entrepreneurs, such as the following: 

1. Tap into the Growing Market 

The fintech industry is expanding rapidly as more users have started using mobile apps and other digital solutions to manage their finances efficiently. 

As millions of people are adopting mobile banking, investing, and lending platforms, developing a MoneyLion-like app will enable you to tap into this high-demand market and gain a broad user base in no time. 

2. Convenience and Accessibility

Another benefit of developing an app similar to MoneyLion is the convenience and accessibility it can offer to the users. 

A MoneyLion-like fintech app provides 24/7 financial services at users’ fingertips and makes money management simpler and more accessible. 

The app will eliminate the need for users visiting banks, and empower users with real-time financial control.

3. Data-Driven Decision Making

With MoneyLion-clone app development, you can gather valuable user data, and use it for offering personalized recommendations, surveys, business insights, R&D, licensing, and more. 

Moreover, you can use the collected data, including users’ spending behavior, credit patterns, and financial needs, to refine the services you offer, improve your user experiences, and boost customer retention. 

4. Fostering Innovation 

Developing an app like MoneyLion helps you position your platform as a leader in the digital finance industry. 

While building the app, you can integrate cutting-edge technologies, automate financial processes, and introduce disruptive services, that no one else is offering in the market. This will help you position your MoneyLion-like app as an innovative solution in fintech. 

5. Building Revenue Streams  

By developing a custom app like MoneyLion, you can build several revenue streams to generate income and increase your profitability. Your fintech app can generate revenue through transaction fees, subscription models, lending interest, and affiliate partnerships. 

Moreover, you can offer value-added services like BNLP (Buy Now, Pay Later) or premium memberships, in your app to enhance your business revenue while providing essential financial services.

6. Competitive Advantage  

Last but not least, developing an app similar to MoneyLion can help you gain a competitive advantage in the industry. 

When you develop a feature-rich fintech app that offers seamless financial services, secure transactions, and personalized banking experiences, it gives a strategic edge, attracting more users, and building user trust in your business. 

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Monetization Strategies for an App like MoneyLion 

Below are the proven monetization strategies you can leverage to generate revenue from your app similar to MoneyLion. 

1. Subscription Plans

The first strategy to monetize an app like MoneyLion is the subscription plans. You can offer different plans in which your users will pay a monthly or annual fee to access your app’s premium features. This way, you can generate steady revenue while offering financial services to your subscribers. 

2. Transaction Fees

Another way to generate income from a MoneyLion-like app is by charging transaction fees. You can charge a small fee on financial transactions such as fund transfers, bill payments, peer-to-peer transfers, and instant withdrawals. 

These small fees can generate substantial revenue, especially when you are dealing with a large user base actively conducting transactions.

3. Affiliate Marketing & Partnerships

Affiliate marketing and partnerships are the proven monetizing strategies you can use to generate income from your app like MoneyLion. 

In this strategy, you collaborate with banks, credit card companies, insurance providers, and investment platforms to promote their products within the app. 

You earn commissions whenever users buy or sign up for the services through referral links or in-app promotions. 

4. Data Monetization 

You can generate revenue by monetizing the data collected by an app like MoneyLion and sharing it anonymously with other businesses, financial institutions, and advertisers. 

This data can be used by other institutions to gain insights into users’ spending patterns, saving trends, and investment behaviors, and refine their marketing strategies. 

5. Premium Content  

Lastly, you can provide premium financial education content, such as expert webinars, in-depth courses, investment guides, and personalized money management strategies against a fee. 

Users willing to enhance their financial knowledge will pay to access these high-value resources and create an additional monetization channel for your business. 

Top Apps Similar to MoneyLion 

The following are some of the top finance applications similar to MoneyLion. 

1. Chime 

Chime is a mobile banking app similar to MoneyLion that offers a fee-free banking experience with no overdraft fees, no monthly charges, and early direct deposit. The app enables users to save effortlessly and manage their finances more effectively. 

USPs: 

• No hidden fees, overdraft charges, or minimum balance requirements. 
• Receive your paycheck up to two days in advance through direct deposit. 
• Automatic savings with round-up transactions. 

2. Dave 

Dave is another MoneyLion-clone finance app that provides interest-free cash advances, budgeting tools, and side hustle opportunities to help users avoid overdrafts and manage their money better.

USPs: 

• Up to $500 cash advance with no interest.
• AI-powered budgeting to predict upcoming expenses.
• Job-finding feature to earn extra income.

3. Varo

The Varo is a digital banking app that offers high-yield savings accounts, cash advances, and early direct deposit while eliminating unnecessary banking fees.

USPs:

• Zero monthly fees, overdraft charges, or minimum balance required
• Earn up to 5% APY on savings accounts.
• Early access to paycheck deposits and cash advance options.

Read Also: How to Develop an App Like PayPal? A Comprehensive Guide

Conclusion 

The MoneyLion app is a perfect example of how entrepreneurs can succeed in the current fintech industry if they play their cards right. With this guide, you can also develop an app like MoneyLion, and provide your users with enhanced financial services and digital finance management experiences. 

Also, we have mentioned the top features, a tech stack, and monetization strategies that will help you build your MoneyLion-like app and generate revenue from it. If you want to build the app professionally, then reach out to Quytech. 

Quytech is a top fintech app development company that has developed numerous mobile banking apps, P2P lending apps, trading apps, crypto-trading solutions, and other financial solutions for leading banks, financial institutions, and budding startups. Visit www.quytech.com for more details. 

Frequently Asked Questions  

Q1. What is the MoneyLion app? 

MoneyLion is a fintech mobile app that provides banking, investing, credit-building, and lending services to users. It has some cutting-edge features like cash advances, automated savings, early paycheck access, and financial insights that help users to track and manage their money effectively.

Q2. How can I develop a custom finance app like Money Lion? 

Developing a custom finance app like MoneyLion requires deep expertise and experience in mobile app development and the fintech sector. Thus, we recommend hiring mobile app developers with finance app development experience or outsourcing the project to a top finance app development company. 

Q3. What are some industry compliance standards for building a MoneyLion clone app? 

Some industry compliance standards for building a MoneyLion clone app are PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard), GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), KYC & AML (Know Your Customer & Anti-Money Laundering), SOC 2, CFPB Regulations (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau), and others.  

Q4. How much does it cost to build an app similar to MoneyLion 

It is difficult to estimate the cost to develop an app like MoneyLion as it depends on factors like project complexity, functionalities, technology, development team, and others. So, you can reach out to our team and share your requirements and goals, and we will provide you with a detailed cost breakdown, after analyzing your requirements.

Q5. How to contact Quytech to start developing a tailored fintech app? 

Click here and fill out the form to contact our team and start developing a tailored fintech app.

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