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Zelle is a mobile payment application that enables you to send money electronically from your bank account to the accounts of family members or friends. Conveniently, the money can appear in the recipient’s account almost instantly, and you don’t need to bother handling cash or writing a check.
While Zelle is commonly used for purposes like friends splitting a check in a restaurant, it can also be used for sending people larger amounts of money — although banks do impose daily and monthly limits. Here we’ll go over what the Zelle transfer limits are at various banks.
Zelle transfer limits by bank
Below are the Zelle transfer limits various banks impose on personal customers. If your financial institution doesn’t offer Zelle, your weekly send limit is $500 when using the Zelle app.
| Bank | Daily Zelle transfer limit | Monthly Zelle transfer limit |
|---|---|---|
| Ally | Instant transfers: $2,000 Scheduled transfers (up to 3 business days): $5,000 | $10,000 |
| Bank of America | $3,500 | $20,000 |
| Capital One | $2,500 | Not disclosed |
| Chase | $500-$10,000 for each transaction, as dynamically determined by Chase | Not disclosed |
| Citibank: Citibank Account, Basic Account, Access Account | $2,500 for enrollments established more than 30 days ago | $15,000 for enrollments established more than 30 days ago |
| Discover Bank | $600 | Not disclosed |
| Quontic Bank | Per transaction: $500Per day: $1,000 | Not disclosed |
| TD Bank | Instant transfers: $1,000 Scheduled transfers (up to 3 business days): $2,500 | Instant transfers: $5,000 Scheduled transfers (up to 3 business days): $10,000 |
| Truist Bank | $2,000 | $10,000 |
| USAA Federal Savings Bank | $1,000 | $10,000 |
| Wells Fargo | $3,500 | $20,000 |
How banks set Zelle limits
Most banks set Zelle transfer amount limits per day and per month, and some also set weekly limits. Many also set limits per transaction as well. What’s more, banks also commonly offer the option to transfer money through Zell instantly or through a standard payment that takes between one and three days — and you’ll often be able to send more money when using the standard method.
Some banks impose Zelle transfer limits based on a customer’s account and online banking history. The following banks instruct customers to log onto the bank’s app or website to view the amount of money they’re able to send to recipients:
- BMO
- PNC Bank
- U.S. Bank
- Varo Bank
Alternatives to Zelle
While Zelle often comes as part of your bank’s app, there are various other third-party apps you can use to send money to peers, such as Venmo and Cash App. One difference to note is that while all transfers using Zelle are typically free of charge, other third-party apps may charge a fee for instant transactions.
Instant transfers with Venmo typically reach the recipient in up to 30 minutes, with a 1.75 percent fee deducted from the transfer amount, per transfer. The recipient of the transfer is required to have a compatible bank account or linked debit card. Standard transfers take one to three business days and don’t incur a fee.
Cash App instant transfers are subject to a fee between 0.5 percent and 1.75 percent, and they arrive instantly to a linked debit card. Standard transfers are free of charge and take one to three business days.
How to use Zelle safely
Overall, Zelle is considered a safe way to send and receive money with your family and friends. Transfers through Zelle are protected through data encryption, and most bank apps also make use of multifactor authentication.
However, there’s always a small fraud risk when you provide any fintech app with your personal information. To help minimize the chances of fraud when you use Zelle, only use Zelle to send money to people you know and trust.
Beware of anyone you don’t know who asks you to send them money through any payment system such as Zelle. If you fall victim to a scammer by transferring money to them through Zelle, there’s no guarantee you’ll be able to recover the money you lost.
Bottom line
Sending money to your friends and family members through Zelle is often quicker and easier than paying them through cash, a check or a wire transfer. Especially if you plan to use Zelle to send large amounts of money or to use the service frequently, it’s important to know your bank’s limits per day and month, as well as per transaction.
