Bears Lending
Advance America is one of the largest payday and installment lenders in the country, with stores in many states. Bears Lending is a regional direct lender with 26 stores in Florida, Georgia and Alabama. Where both make the same loan under the same state law, the price is identical — the fee is set by statute. The differences are everywhere else.
Loan lineup
| Bears Lending | Advance America | |
|---|---|---|
| Payday loans | FL, AL | Yes, many states |
| Installment loans | $500 – $5,000 | Yes, amounts vary by state |
| Title loans / title pawn | GA, AL | Yes, select states |
| Pawn loans | FL, GA, AL | No |
| Line of credit | GA, AL | Yes, select states |
| Personal loans (17.99–35.99% APR) | FL, GA, AL | No comparable tier |
| Check cashing | FL, GA, AL | Yes, select stores |
The two lineup gaps that matter: Bears Lending offers pawn loans, which have no credit check and no debt risk, and a personal-loan tier priced for fair credit that most storefront lenders don't carry.
Where the loans are made
Advance America's footprint is national. Bears Lending is three states. If you're outside Florida, Georgia or Alabama, that's the end of the comparison.
Price
On a Florida payday loan, both charge $10 per $100 plus $4 — the statute sets it. On installment loans, both price by state and term; Bears Lending's bands are 89–149% APR with no origination fee. Advance America publishes state-by-state rate pages you can compare directly. The personal-loan tier at 17.99–35.99% APR has no equivalent at most storefront chains.
Credit checks and reporting
| Bears Lending | Advance America | |
|---|---|---|
| Payday / title / pawn | No credit check | Typically no traditional credit check |
| Installment | Soft inquiry only | Varies by state |
| Reporting | Installment, personal, bad credit reported monthly | Varies by product |
| Hard inquiry | Only when accepting a personal loan | Varies |
After you sign
- Payment plans. Both must follow state law (Florida grace period, Alabama repayment plan). Bears Lending additionally lets you move a monthly payment once per loan on request.
- Title back. Bears Lending hands the title and lien release back in store the day of payoff. Practices vary at other lenders; ask before you sign.
- Data. Bears Lending never sells or brokers applications. Check any lender's privacy policy for affiliate and marketing sharing.
- Reviews and complaints. Both have public BBB and Trustpilot profiles. Read the one-star reviews and the responses — they tell you more than the five-star ones.
If you're in FL, GA or AL and want pawn loans, a fair-credit personal loan, or a direct lender that doesn't sell applications, Bears Lending has the edge. If you're anywhere else, or want the largest store network, Advance America is the obvious choice. On a same-state payday loan, price is a tie by law.
Questions
Is Advance America a direct lender?
Advance America is a licensed lender in the states it operates in; check its rate pages and license numbers for your state.
Which is cheaper?
On payday loans in the same state, identical by statute. On installment loans, compare the state rate pages; on fair-credit personal loans, Bears Lending's 17.99–35.99% tier has no equivalent at most storefront chains.
Can I switch a loan between them?
A Bears Lending consolidation or installment loan can pay off a balance at another lender directly.