Zelle is one of the most popular US-based mobile payment apps that allows you to quickly transfer money from one bank account to another by just using an email address or phone number. As of April 2025, more than 2,000 banks and credit unions support Zelle.
Discover does work with Zelle
Yes, Discover supports Zelle. You can send and receive money from your Discover® Bank account with family members and friends who also have US bank accounts and are enrolled in Zelle.
That said, to get started, Discover requires you to have a checking, savings or money market account that’s been open for at least 90 days.
Capital One and Discover merge
Discover has been acquired by Capital One. The acquisition was completed on May 18, 2025. The two banks are now under the same company, Capital One, N.A.
Not much has changed yet, and if there are any changes to your existing Cap One or Discover accounts the bank will contact you. While Cap One sorts things out, here’s what we know:
If you have both Discover and Capital One deposit accounts, they are now jointly insured. CDs with either banks will remain separately insured until their maturity date after November 18, 2025.
You can no longer do credit card balance transfers between Discover and Capital One.
Capital One is switching its debit card network over to the Discover card network. When you request a new card as a Cap One customer, you’ll get new card details.
Hot tip: Discover was acquired, but Capital One also supports Zelle.
How to use Zelle with Discover
If you have a checking, savings or money market account at Discover that’s been open for at least 90 days, here’s how to set up Zelle and start sending and receiving money.
Sign in to your Discover mobile app or online account center.
Select Send money with Zelle from the Transfer menu.
Follow the enrollment prompts to sign up.
Type in the recipient’s email address or US phone number to send them money.
Add the amount you want to send.
Review and hit Send.
If the person you’d like to send money to has not yet enrolled in Zelle, they’ll get a text or email notifying them you’ve sent money. They’ll then be asked to enroll in Zelle to receive the funds. If they fail to do so within 14 days, the money will be returned to your account.
Requesting money using Zelle is pretty straightforward as well. Instead of “Send money with Zelle,” you’ll choose “Request.” Then, fill out the contact information of the person you’re requesting money from and enter the dollar amount.
Is Zelle free with Discover?
Yes. Zelle is completely free with Discover, and you won’t be charged additional fees for Zelle transactions. But to use Zelle at Discover, you’ll need to have a Discover checking account, savings account or money market account first. Depending on the account type, you may have to pay associated account fees.
Discover’s Zelle limits
According to Discover’s Zelle User Agreement Addendum, you can only send a maximum of $600 per day with Zelle. Discover could decrease or increase this limit at any time based on factors it determines at its sole discretion. You’ll be notified if your transfer limit changes.
Alternatives to Zelle
Zelle no longer has a standalone app. So unless you have a bank account that’s integrated with the service, you can’t use it at all.
If Zelle doesn’t seem like a good fit for you, check out these other P2P payment apps that may be more your cup of tea.
Cash App. Like Zelle, Cash App is a peer-to-peer payment service that lets you transfer money using a mobile app. The main difference is that Zelle is a strictly online service, whereas Cash App comes with the option of getting a Visa debit card for ATM withdrawal.
Venmo. Venmo is owned by PayPal and also allows you to send and receive money instantly. However, Venmo doesn’t send the money you receive directly into your bank account like Zelle. Instead, Venmo is like a digital wallet that holds money for you before you transfer the amount to your bank.
PayPal. While Zelle only works within the US, PayPal lets you send funds to friends and family in other countries. You can also shop online using your PayPal balance.
Apple Pay. Apple Pay is a digital wallet and payment service that lets you make contactless purchases in stores and online using just your iPhone or Apple devices.
Bottom line
Discover is fully integrated with Zelle. As long as you have a Discover checking, savings or money market account that’s been open for at least 90 days, you can start sending and receiving money using Zelle. Discover isn’t the only bank that works with this P2P money transfer app. Compare more major banks that support Zelle.
Jamela Adam is a personal finance writer with over three years of experience. Her work has been published in major publications, including Yahoo Finance, Forbes Advisor, U.S. News, Business Insider, GOBankingRates, CNN Underscored, and Chime. Jamela previously worked as a content marketing specialist and helped devise content strategies for major brands in the financial services space. She is also a Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI).
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