With so many payment services available today, chances are you and your friends don’t use the same service. So, there you are, looking to split a check with your friend, and the only problem is that one of you is using Zelle, and the other is using Venmo.
As you may know, these two services are competitors so you cannot send money from one to another. This article explains alternative options and what would be the best thing to do.
Can I Send Money from Zelle to Venmo?
As briefly mentioned above, the answer is no. With that in mind, we wanted to help you find an alternative. If you have a Zelle account, you can send money to people who don’t have a Zelle account, just not to Venmo directly.
Who Can I Send Money to with Zelle?
Zelle doesn’t require both parties to have a Zelle account. To make a transfer, only one of the parties has to have a Zelle account.
Therefore, if your bank supports Zelle transfers, you can send money to anyone who has an account in any US bank. Furthermore, friends who use Venmo must also have a bank account. Can you see where this scenario is going? This means that you can make a direct deposit in their bank account using Zelle.
On the other hand, if you don’t have a Zelle account, you can send money only to people who have one. In this case, you won’t be able to send money directly to someone’s bank account. Regardless, you can solve this problem by downloading the Zelle app and linking it to your bank account. All major banks in the US are either joint owners of Zelle or support it. Moreover, the service is free.
Even if your bank doesn’t support Zelle, you can install the app and link your Visa or MasterCard debit card (not regular credit cards). The only problem is that the amount of money you can send is somewhat limited ($500 a week). Users with qualifying bank accounts attached to Zelle tend to have higher weekly limits when transactions go through the bank.
What Is Better – Zelle or Venmo?
Although the two services do the same thing in the end, there are differences between the two.
Speed
If both users have a Zelle account, this is definitely a much faster option. Transfers are instant, no matter the amount of money you may be sending. Zelle is also a free initiative started by several major US consumer banks. However, if the other person doesn’t have Zelle, the transfer may take longer.
Venmo transfers usually take one to three business days unless you’re willing to pay an additional fee for an instant transfer. The only problem could be if you want to send money to someone on a Friday. The recipient may have to wait up to four days if Monday is a bank holiday.
Fees
One of the best things about Zelle is that it’s free. As said, the banks that own Zelle designed it as a free service for fund transfers among friends, local businesses, and trusted people. However, you may want to check with your bank or credit union if they charge a fee on their end.
On the other hand, Venmo standard transfers are free, but they work like the old ACH transfer or online check deposit, which may take longer. Like instant ACH transfers arranged in our online banking, Venmo instant transfers have a fee, in this case, 1%.
Safety
The Venmo app uses encryption to keep your data safe and also allows you to add a PIN. Account monitoring and notifications also come standard with these services.
Owned by banks, Zelle, of course, also has safety features, such as transaction authorization and monitoring for fraud. However, it’s not a credit card, so there’s no chargeback protection for purchases.
Unlike Venmo, Zelle offers you an option to send money to a small business account. Again, this doesn’t mean that you should send money to random online businesses. Use it as a cash alternative to pay for services and products.
You Get to Choose
It’s hard to say for sure which service is better, Zelle or Venmo. Although most people prefer one of the other, there’s nothing to stop you from using both either? You don’t have to pay any fees unless you use Venmo instant transfers.
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