What Cash Plus does

Cash Plus Inc. is a privately held US franchise company founded in 1996 and headquartered in California, operating retail financial service centers targeted at underbanked and paycheck-to-paycheck consumers. The company's core products are short-term consumer credit instruments — California-capped payday loans up to $255 with a 14-day APR of approximately 460%, and car title loans starting at $2,510 amortized over 2-3 years — paired with transaction services including check cashing, Western Union wire transfers and money orders, electronic bill payment, and the co-branded Cash Plus Prepaid MasterCard. Revenue is generated entirely through transaction fees on these products, with no disclosed subscription, interchange, or interest-spread models.

The business operates a franchise model with over 70 retail storefronts reported across nine US states as of 2000, concentrated in California and Florida. The technology stack is proprietary but undisclosed beyond operational store management software and online loan application portals supporting document upload, e-signature, and instant debit-card funding. Differentiation rests on customer experience rather than product innovation: the Kings & Queens service philosophy, Cashaway Sweepstakes loyalty program, Cash Plus TV in-store entertainment, and BravoKids charitable giving program (Save the Children, Feed the Children, Orangewood Foundation) collectively constitute the brand moat. The franchise system is supported by a private Franchisee Zone portal containing marketing tools, training materials, and operational resources, with franchisees required to have $400K minimum net worth and $100K liquid capital to open a single store at $198,200-$284,700 total investment.

The company has never raised outside capital, has no parent company, and reports no venture or private equity backing. Craig Wells has served as President and CEO since the 1996 acquisition by the Wells family, with the most recent independent recognition being a 2013 #21 ranking in Franchise Business Review's Franchisee Satisfaction Awards (up from #51 in 2012) and a 2012 FiSCA Activa Award for community service. The corporate entity employs 11-50 staff, consistent with a lean franchisor model. No current revenue, store count, or growth disclosures are available; the most recent disclosed sales figure was $18M in 2000.

Name

Cash Plus

Legal name

Cash Plus Inc.

Website

https://cashplusinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Cash Plus is a US-based franchise network operating 70+ retail financial service centers that provide payday loans, car title loans, check cashing, wire transfers, and prepaid debit cards to underbanked consumers across multiple states, led by founder Craig Wells since 1996.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Consumer Financial Services (Payday Lending & Check Cashing)

NAICS

Sales Financing (52222), Credit Card Issuing (52221)

SIC

Personal Credit Institutions (6141), Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Cash Advance (Online & Storefront) (FSAKAMAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Check Cashing with Deferred Presentment (FSAKAMAL)

Keywords

• Payday loans
• Check cashing
• Title loans
• Wire transfers
• Prepaid debit cards

Headquarters

HQ city

Anaheim

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Payday Loans: Short-term consumer loans typically due on next payday, with fees calculated as a percentage of loan amount. California loans up to $255 with typical 14-day APR around 460%.
2. Car Title Loans: Installment loans using vehicle as collateral, typically $2,510 or more, with monthly payments over 2-3 years.
3. Check Cashing: Fees charged for cashing various check types including payroll, government, insurance, tax refunds, cashier's checks, and personal checks.
4. Wire Transfers: Western Union wire transfer services with fees for sending money domestically and internationally, completed in approximately 10 minutes.
5. Money Orders: Western Union money orders offered free to members; non-members pay standard fees.
6. Prepaid Debit Cards: Cash Plus Prepaid MasterCard with enrollment, usage fees, and ATM withdrawal revenue share from Mastercard network.
7. Bill Payment Services: Electronic bill payment services with reasonable fees for transmitting payment information to utility and service companies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Cash Plus provides short-term consumer credit and transaction-based financial services through a network of franchise retail storefronts. Core offerings include payday loans (up to $255), car title loans (starting at $2,510), check cashing, Western Union wire transfers, money orders, electronic bill payment, and a co-branded Cash Plus Prepaid MasterCard. The company also sells franchise rights to prospective owners seeking to open Cash Plus financial service centers.

Product overview

Cash Plus is a multi-service retail financial services company operating as a franchise network. The core offering consists of short-term consumer credit products (payday loans up to $255 and car title loans starting at $2,510) paired with transaction services (check cashing, wire transfers via Western Union, money orders, bill payment). The company differentiates through its proprietary customer service program (Kings & Queens) and customer loyalty initiatives (Cashaway Sweepstakes and BravoKids charitable program). A co-branded prepaid debit card (Cash Plus Prepaid MasterCard) extends the product portfolio into electronic payments. The company also operates a franchise program for entrepreneurs seeking to open Cash Plus financial service center locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kings & Queens: Customer service program delivering superior customer experience at Cash Plus locations.
• Cashaway Sweepstakes
• BravoKids
• Cash Plus TV

Products and services

• Payday Loans Short-term consumer loan providing up to $255 with no credit check and funds disbursed in approximately 15 minutes for individual consumers who need cash before their next paycheck.
• Car Title Loans Secured installment loan starting at $2,510, using the borrower's vehicle title as collateral; borrower keeps driving the car while repaying over 2-3 years, with refinancing of existing title loans available.
• Check Cashing Retail service that cashes payroll, government, insurance, tax refund, cashier's, personal, and money order checks at low rates with immediate cash disbursement, including checks that traditional banks refuse.
• Cash Plus Prepaid MasterCard Co-branded prepaid debit card accepted at over 1 million ATMs and wherever Debit MasterCard is taken, with no credit check, no bank account required, free enrollment, and access to an interest-bearing savings plan.
• Western Union Wire Transfers Domestic and international money transfer service powered by Western Union, completing funds transmission in approximately 10 minutes with corresponding transfer fees.
• Money Orders Western Union-branded money orders offered free to Cash Plus members and at standard fees to non-members for paying bills and rent.
• Electronic Bill Payment Service Electronic bill payment service enabling customers to pay almost any bill at Cash Plus locations, with most payments posting within 2-3 business days via secure electronic transmission for a reasonable per-transaction fee.
• Cash Plus Franchise Program Franchise offering for prospective owners to open single-unit or area development Cash Plus financial service centers, with total investment from $198,200 to $284,700 per store and requirements of $400,000 minimum net worth and $100,000 in liquid capital.

Quantifiable outcome

• Payday loans funded within approximately 15 minutes
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Western UnioncoreTechnology or IntegrationCash Plus serves as Western Union agent offering international wire transfers (completed in approximately 10 minutes), money orders, and bill payment services. This partnership enables customers to send money to virtually anywhere in the world.
• MastercardcoreTechnology or IntegrationCash Plus offers the Cash Plus Prepaid MasterCard accepted at over one million ATMs and wherever Debit MasterCard is accepted. The partnership provides card issuance, network infrastructure, and ATM access.
• Save the ChildrenminorOthersBravoKids charitable giving program partners with Save the Children to sponsor underprivileged children worldwide, beginning in 2000. Some customers have also become individual sponsors through the program.
• Feed the ChildrenminorOthersBravoKids program supports food distribution through Feed the Children as part of the company's charitable activities to help children in need.
• Orangewood FoundationminorOthersBravoKids conducts financial literacy programs for teens through Orangewood Foundation's Independent Living Program.
• St. Jude's Hospital for ChildrenminorOthersCashaway Sweepstakes winners have designated St. Jude's Hospital for Children to receive charitable donations in their names.
• Ronald McDonald HouseminorOthersCashaway Sweepstakes winners have designated Ronald McDonald House to receive charitable donations. The organization runs over 300 support homes where families can stay when a member is confined to a hospital room.
• Freestore FoodbankminorOthersCashaway Sweepstakes winner selected Freestore Foodbank to receive charitable donation. The organization distributes more than 19 million meals throughout Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Check `n Go: Operates retail check cashing and payday loan storefronts in multiple states with comparable fee-based transaction revenue model and similar customer profile.
• Advance America: One of the largest U.S. storefront payday loan and check cashing franchise operators with hundreds of locations nationwide. Direct competitor offering the same product mix (payday, title, installment, prepaid cards) to underbanked consumers via physical retail.
• ACE Cash Express: Major U.S. payday loan, title loan, and check cashing retailer with hundreds of storefronts. Operates an almost identical product set targeting underbanked consumers through extended-hours physical locations.
• Speedy Cash: Direct competitor offering payday loans, title loans, installment loans, and check cashing across multiple U.S. states. Highly comparable in-store and online product mix and customer demographic.
• Check Into Cash: Storefront and online payday, title, and installment lender with similar underbanked customer base and franchise/branch distribution model.
• CURO Group Holdings: Multi-brand payday and installment lender (operates brands including Speedy Cash, Heights Finance). Notably referenced as 'Curo, Inc. dba Cash Plus' on the California Deferred Deposit Transaction License, indicating a direct licensing/operational relationship.
• World Acceptance (World Finance): Installment lending specialist with ~1,000 storefronts serving underbanked consumers. Comparable in physical-distribution lending model, though weighted toward larger installment loans rather than payday.

Broad incumbents

• EZCORP: Public pawn and specialty consumer lender with broader financial services footprint. Overlaps with Cash Plus in title-secured lending and underbanked customer segment, though core pawn model differs.
• MoneyGram: Global money transfer and bill payment network with agent-based retail distribution. While Cash Plus operates as a Western Union agent, MoneyGram is a competing remittance network serving a similar underbanked retail customer base.

Regional players

• Amscot Financial: Florida-based payday advance, check cashing, and money order operator with dozens of storefronts concentrated in Florida. Geographic overlap with Cash Plus' Florida stores and directly comparable product offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cash-plus-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cash Plus