14 Top Banks for Zelle

Zelle is a mobile service that lets you send and receive money to other US bank accounts. At the time of writing, Zelle is supported by over 2,000 financial institutions and is used as a quick way to send friends and family cash electronically.

What is Zelle?

Zelle offers a quick and easy way to send or receive money to other US bank accounts. It’s very similar to other popular peer-to-peer (P2P) payment apps like Cash App and Venmo.

If your bank account supports Zelle, there’s a good chance it’s already included in your bank’s mobile app and you don’t have to download the standalone Zelle app.

14 top banks support Zelle

Here are some of the best and most well-known banks in the US that also support Zelle, many of which offer some of the best bank accounts on the market.

How to sign up for Zelle

Most banks already include Zelle in your bank’s mobile app, and it must be connected to a US checking or savings account. Some business accounts also support Zelle.

Since Zelle works directly with financial institutions, you only need to verify your email address or mobile phone number with an activation code — and that’s pretty much it.

If your bank doesn’t include Zelle in its app, you can download the Zelle app and set it up from there.

Is Zelle free?

Most banks don’t charge any extra fees to use Zelle, with 99.44% of customers reporting they are not charged a fee to send, receive or request money. Sending and receiving limits vary, depending on the bank’s individual limits and account.

Zelle transfers are also fast. Money sent through Zelle is typically available to the recipient within minutes, and it doesn’t charge an extra “instant” fee like Cash App or Venmo. Also, you don’t need to “cash out” your Zelle balance if someone sends you funds, as Zelle deposits them directly into your linked checking or savings account.

Is Zelle safer than Venmo or Cash App?

Popular money apps like Venmo, Cash App and Zelle are generally considered safe — when used with caution. Venmo, Cash App and Zelle all use 128-bit encryption to protect sensitive data. Consumer Reports found all three services to be “good performers,” meaning they met basic safety standards for data privacy, data security, payment authentication and other factors. Among popular payment apps and services, Apple Pay and Venmo ranked the highest. ⁽¹⁾

Are there Zelle scams?

Unfortunately, scams are popular with Zelle and other money transfer apps. Common scams include someone tricking you into sending them money or using a phishing scam to steal your account’s information.

Nearly all P2P payment apps, including Zelle, state that they will never ask you to provide your password or one-time verification code to a service representative to “verify” your account. These one-time codes are sent to you through email and are not meant to be shared with anyone — including people who claim to be on the app’s support team. P2P apps won’t ask you to send money to someone else as a way to “verify” your account, either.

To protect yourself, send funds only to people you know. If you suspect any foul play, contact the app’s support team directly.

Bottom line

Most Zelle customers don’t have to pay anything to send, receive or request cash from other Zelle users, making it an affordable and convenient way to split expenses with trusted friends and family members. But just like other P2P apps, be sure you’re sending money only to someone you know and watch out for signs of scams to protect yourself.

Compare more P2P apps and accounts with these handy guides and reviews:

• Compare checking accounts
• Compare savings accounts
• Cash App review
• Alternatives to PayPal
• Apps like Venmo

Frequently asked questions

Can Zelle make international payments?

No, Zelle is only compatible with US bank accounts and can only send funds to other US bank accounts.

Is Zelle faster than a bank transfer?

Zelle transfers are typically much faster than standard ACH transfers. While most regular bank transfers take one to three business days to clear, most Zelle transfers are completed within minutes.

Are Zelle payments instant on weekends and holidays?

The speed of Zelle payments on weekends and holidays may depend on your financial institution. Zelle states that most payments take minutes, without specifying delays during weekends or holidays. However, if Zelle has flagged your account fraud or hasn’t verified your identity, transfers may take up to two business days to clear.

What if I send money to someone who doesn’t have Zelle?

Both the sender and the recipient must be enrolled in Zelle. If you initiate a transfer to a non-Zelle user, Zelle will notify the recipient that you’ve started a transfer. The recipient will be instructed on how to enroll in Zelle to receive the money, either by enrolling via their bank’s mobile app or downloading the Zelle app.

To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Holly Jennings as part of our fact-checking process.

Written by

Bethany Hickey

Banking editor

Bethany Hickey is the banking editor and personal finance expert at Finder, specializing in banking, lending, insurance, and crypto. Bethany’s expertise in personal finance has garnered recognition from esteemed media outlets, such as Nasdaq, MSN, Yahoo Finance, GOBankingRates, SuperMoney, AOL and Newsweek. Her articles offer practical financial strategies to Americans, empowering them to make decisions that meet their financial goals. Her past work includes articles on generational spending and saving habits, lending, budgeting and managing debt. Before joining Finder, she was a content manager where she wrote hundreds of articles and news pieces on auto financing and credit repair for CarsDirect, Auto Credit Express and The Car Connection, among others. Bethany holds a BA in English from the University of Michigan-Flint, and was poetry editor for the university’s Qua Literary and Fine Arts Magazine. See full bio

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