More than 2,000 banking apps use Zelle to provide customers with a free person-to-person payment system. Each financial institution sets its own sending limits to protect customers’ accounts. Some banks increase Zelle sending limits in certain situations, such as if you upgrade your account type or become a small-business owner.
In this article, we at the MarketWatch Guides team list Zelle limits at top banks and explore some alternatives to using Zelle.
Key Takeaways
- Financial institutions with Zelle set their own limits on the amount of money you can send.
- If your bank or credit union doesn’t offer Zelle integration, you can send up to $500 per week and receive up to $5,000 per week through the Zelle app.
- Comparing Zelle transfer limits at different financial institutions can help you decide which bank best suits your needs.
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Zelle Transfer Limit by Bank
Zelle transfer limits vary widely by bank, with most allowing you to send at least $1,000 per day and $10,000 per month. Several banks, such as Bank of America, also have weekly limits, but that isn’t as common.
Some banks have the same daily sending limit for all accounts, while others have flexible limits depending on your account type or history. For example, TD Bank has a $1,000 daily limit, and Chase Bank has a daily limit of $500 to $10,000 depending on your account tier.
Several banks also restrict the number of payments you can send within specific time periods. Bank of America only allows 10 payments per day, 30 per week and 60 per month. Well Fargo, on the other hand, limits the amount of money you can send but not the number of payments you can make.
The table below lists the personal daily and monthly Zelle sending limits for nine of the biggest banks in the U.S. Ally Bank and PNC Bank don’t disclose their sending limits online, so our team reached out to them to confirm their limits. U.S. Bank also doesn’t disclose its sending limits online, and the representative we spoke to said the amount varies for each person.
Zelle Limits at Top Banks
| Bank | Daily Limit | Monthly Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Ally Bank | $2,000 | $10,000 |
| Bank of America | $3,500 | $20,000 |
| Capital One | $2,500 | Not listed |
| Chase* | $500 to $10,000 | Not listed |
| Citibank* | $500 to $5,000 | $2,500 to $20,000 |
| PNC Bank | $1,000* | No monthly limit |
| TD Bank | $1,000 | $5,000 |
| Truist | $2,000 | $10,000 |
| Wells Fargo* | $3,500 | $20,000 |
If you don’t see your bank above, check Zelle’s directory of all banks and credit unions that use Zelle.
Factors That Affect Zelle Limits
Two factors that can affect your Zelle sending limits are your account type and how long you’ve been a member of your bank or credit union. For instance, if you’ve had a basic Citi Access Checking account for less than 30 days, your daily sending limit is $500. But if you’ve had the account for more than 30 days, your daily limit increases to $2,500.
Small-Business Zelle Limits
Small-business owners can typically get higher sending limits through Zelle, depending on their bank. Bank of America has a $3,500 daily limit for personal accounts, but with a small-business account, the daily limit jumps to $15,000.
| Bank | Small-Business Daily Limit | Small-Business Monthly Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Bank of America | $15,000 | $60,000 |
| Citibank | $1,000 to $5,000 | $4,000 to $40,000 |
| TD Bank | $1,500 to $3,000 | $7,500 to $15,000 |
Navigating Zelle Limits Effectively
There are ways to work around Zelle money transfer limits and increase transaction caps. For instance, say you want to send $5,000 but your daily limit is $2,000. You could ask to split payments over several days, sending $2,000 per day on the first and second days and $1,000 on the third day. You’ll also need to confirm your monthly limit to avoid getting cut off before you finish your payments.
With some banks, increasing your Zelle sending limits is as easy as switching to another type of account. You can also contact your financial institution to ask for increases in your Zelle limits.
Alternatives to Zelle
If Zelle doesn’t suit your needs, you could write a check, which the recipient could deposit for free through a mobile banking app. You could also visit an ATM to make a cash withdrawal or transfer money to someone else’s bank account with an automated clearing house (ACH) transfer.
You may also want to consider alternatives such as Venmo, PayPal or Cash App. Unlike Zelle, which offers free person-to-person payments, most third-party apps have fees. These apps also require you to verify your identity to increase transfer limits, which may involve these steps:
- Providing your birth date and the last four digits of your Social Security number
- Uploading a photo of a government-issued ID and a document showing proof of address
- Adding and confirming a bank account
- Providing income verification
Venmo
Before you verify your identity with Venmo, you can send up to $299.99 per week. After your identity is verified, you can send up to $60,000 per week. Venmo charges a 3% fee if you send money using a linked credit card, but there’s no fee if you send funds through a linked bank account, debit card or Venmo account.
PayPal
With a verified PayPal account, there’s no limit to how much you can send. You can send up to $60,000 in a single transaction (though PayPal may limit you to $10,000).
With personal domestic transactions, PayPal doesn’t charge a fee if you send funds through your PayPal balance, a bank account, American Express Send & Split or a Visa+ transaction to a Venmo Visa+ digital wallet. If you’re using a linked card, there’s a 2.90% fee added to a fixed fee that varies by currency.
Cash App
Before you verify your identity, Cash App allows you to send up to $1,000 during a rolling 30-day period. After you verify your identity, your limit will increase. Limits vary by account, but with our editorial team’s sample account, our limit increased to $4,000 per week.
Cash App offers free standard deposits that arrive within one to three business days. Instant transfers cost a fee of 0.5% to 1.75% (with a minimum fee of 25 cents).
>> Related: Learn more about the best ways to send money.
The Bottom Line: Zelle Transaction Limits
Many top banks offer Zelle, allowing users to send funds to trusted family members and friends. Sending limits usually range from $500 to $5,000 per day and $10,000 to $20,000 per month, though some banks may allow you to increase your limits. If your bank wasn’t on our list, you can typically confirm your Zelle transaction limits through your online banking account or by calling your bank.
FAQ: Zelle Limits at Top Banks
Yes, Zelle is a safe way to transfer funds between friends and family for free. However, Zelle doesn’t offer purchase protection, so you shouldn’t use it to transfer funds to strangers.
Yes, Zelle limits may be increased in certain scenarios, such as if you’ve changed your account type, established yourself as a longtime customer or become a small-business owner.
No, there are no fees associated with Zelle payments.
Some banks allow you to send $5,000 through Zelle. For example, select Chase customers can send $5,000 to $10,000 per day, and select Citi account holders can send up to $5,000 per day. Other banks, such as Capital One and Bank of America, have daily Zelle limits under $5,000.
*Data accurate at time of publication
Sources:
Bank of America, Zelle Limit Details
TD Bank, External Transfer and Send Money with Zelle Payments Services
Chase, Send and receive money fast with Zelle
Wells Fargo, Zelle Transfer Service Addendum to the Wells Fargo Online Access Agreement
Capital One, Zelle: Send money to friends and family
Citibank, Citi, Zelle and You
Truist, Business Online and Mobile
If you have feedback or questions about this article, please email the MarketWatch Guides team at editors@marketwatchguides.com.
