If you need to send money to a friend or a small business, chances are you can do it with Zelle. More than 2,100 banks and credit unions offer Zelle in their online and mobile banking tools, enabling you to send and receive money for free. However, while Zelle has many advantages, one downside is a cap on how much money you can send. The maximum amount will depend on where you do your banking.
Zelle transfer limits for individuals by bank
Most banks and credit unions do not impose limits on how much money you can receive via Zelle. However, there are limits on how much you can send, including for some of the top banks in the country.
| Bank | Daily Limit | Monthly Limit |
| Bank of America | $3,500 | $20,000 |
| BMO | $1,000 for standard service ($750 for instant) | $5,000 |
| Capital One | $2,500 | Not publicly listed |
| Citibank | $2,500–$5,000 (depending on type of account; must be enrolled with Zelle for at least 30 days) | $15,000–$20,000 |
| Discover | $600 | Not publicly listed |
| First Citizens Bank | $1,000 | $3,500 |
| Navy Federal Credit Union | $3,000 for standard service ($1,500 for instant) | $3,000 |
| Quontic | $500 per transaction; $1,000 a day | Not publicly listed |
| Truist | $2,000 for most accounts ($5,000 for Premier customers) | $10,000 for most accounts ($15,000 for Premier customers) |
| Wells Fargo | $3,500 | $20,000 |
If your bank or credit union isn’t part of Zelle’s network, you’ll have to download the Zelle app and stay within significantly lower limits: $500 a week for sending and $5,000 a week for receiving.
Savings and CD rates are changing rapidly across banks and accounts. Experts recommend comparing rates before opening an account to get the best APY possible. Enter your information below to get CNET’s partners’ best rate for your area.
How banks set Zelle limits
While it can be frustrating to send money in piecemeal if you have to send a large amount, Zelle’s limits provide a layer of protection for both you and your bank. Since most Zelle transactions can’t be canceled, the limits help lessen the financial loss if your account number is compromised or if you send money to the wrong person. Most banks and credit unions set Zelle limits based on daily, weekly and monthly dollar amounts. Some banks also impose a transaction limit.
Some banks consider your account and your history with recipients, too. For example, if you regularly send money to a roommate for your rent, your bank may eventually increase the limit for this recipient. Chase says it uses risk factors to determine a consumer’s daily Zelle limit for each recipient, which is displayed when setting up a payment.
How to know your Zelle transfer limit
If your bank supports Zelle payments -- and most do -- you can find your transfer limit on your bank’s website or app.
- Log into your online banking platform or open your mobile banking app.
- You’ll typically see an option to “pay” or “pay or transfer.” Zelle should be one of your options.
- You can find your limits within the Zelle section. Alternatively, when you enter a recipient’s name and contact information, you should see a notification for how much you can send them in one day.
You can also check out the terms page for Zelle on your bank’s website.
How to manage Zelle transfer limits
The best way to work around your Zelle transfer limits is to split your payments over multiple days. For example, if you need to send someone $7,000 and your daily limit is only $1,000, ask the recipient if you can send them $1,000 a day for seven days. However, you may also hit your monthly limit, depending on the bank. You may need to consider using other payment services if that’s the case.
Can you increase your Zelle transfer limit?
Some banks will increase your Zelle transfer limit after your transaction history shows a pattern of transfers to the same person. This kind of adjustment is typically done on an individual basis; you won’t get a bigger limit for everyone in your contact list. However, it never hurts to ask, and you can try contacting your bank or credit union to request an increase.
You can also potentially increase your Zelle transfer limits by establishing yourself as a high-end customer with some banks, including Citibank and Truist. Both offer higher daily and monthly Zelle limits to people who have bigger deposit balances or take advantage of more services at the bank.
Some banks will not offer any wiggle room. For example, U.S. Bank -- which does not publicly disclose any of its Zelle limits -- says on its website that it does not increase limits for customers due to safety and security reasons.
Smart Money Advice on the Topics That Matter to You
CNET Money brings financial insights, trends and news to your inbox every Wednesday.
By signing up, you will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Your new Subscription
Here’s all of the excitement headed to your inbox.
Alternative options to Zelle
If Zelle’s limits are too constricting for your money management needs, there are other payment apps you can use to send cash.
- Venmo: If you complete the identity verification process, Venmo’s weekly send limit can be as high as $60,000.
- PayPal: With a verified account, there is no limit to the total amount of money you can send on PayPal. For individual transactions, the limit varies between $10,000 and $60,000.
- Apple Pay: Apple Pay users can send up to $10,000 in one transaction.
- Cash App: Unverified users can only send $1,000 in a 30-day period, but the company offers higher limits -- which are not publicly disclosed -- after verifying your name, date of birth and Social Security number.
And finally, you can use bank wire transfers, which tend to cost between $25 and $35, or ACH transfers, which are typically free and can take around three days to process. You could also write a check, which generally takes about two business days to clear. While these options may cost more time or money, they’re good for sending sizable chunks of cash.
Read more: From Wire Transfer to Zelle, Here’s How to Move Money From One Bank Account to Another
The Bottom Line
As more banks and credit unions join the Zelle network, it’s getting easier to send money to anyone by simply entering their email address or phone number. However, how much you can send depends on where you bank.
FAQs
Most banks have daily sending limits that are less than $5,000. You can split up a $5,000 payment into transactions on multiple days to adhere to their limits.
If you need to send a large amount of money in one transaction, Zelle may not be the best fit. Some banks impose daily send limits of $1,000 or less. Additionally, you’re out of luck if you need to send money internationally. Zelle only works with bank accounts based in the US.
No, Zelle doesn’t charge a fee to send money. The company does advise people to verify that the bank or credit union they use won’t charge any of their own fees. Banks and credit unions don’t typically add fees for Zelle payments, though.
Zelle payments can typically be processed within minutes. But the daily sending limits for instant transfers may be lower than regular transfers, depending on the bank. Also, some Zelle transactions may take longer if the recipient hasn’t enrolled in the service yet.
