How to Get Money via Zelle Without a Bank Account: 2 Methods

Download Article

Learn how to get money from a Zelle transaction without a debit card

Co-authored by Hannah Dillon

Last Updated: May 3, 2024 Fact Checked

Download Article

Using a Prepaid Debit Card

|

Getting Help from Someone Else

Are you trying to receive money from Zelle, but you don't have a bank account? Zelle is used to transfer money instantly between bank accounts, but you may be able to work around this using a prepaid debit card. If a prepaid debit card doesn't work, you can also try asking a friend or family member for help with the transfer.

Getting Money on Zelle without a Bank Account

Zelle requires a bank account to send and receive money, but you may be able to sign up with select prepaid Visa or Mastercard debit cards. Unfortunately, not all prepaid debit cards will work with Zelle, but you'll have the best luck with cards that requires a phone number, billing address, and email address.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using a Prepaid Debit Card

Download Article

1
Obtain a prepaid debit card. Some prepaid debit cards work with Zelle, but not all of them. To maximize your chances of your debit card working with Zelle , get a prepaid debit card in the Visa or Mastercard network.
- Also make sure to get a debit card that associates your phone number or email address with the card. As Zelle uses your phone number and/or email address to identify you, having one of these identifiers connected to your card is important.
- As you will also need to provide a billing address, get a prepaid debit card that asks for this information as well.
You can get the Zelle app in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store .

Advertisement
Tap the Get Started button to continue with setting up your account.
This will be how other users can find you to send money, as Zelle doesn't have typical usernames.
On the "Find your bank" screen, several banks will be listed. To proceed with a prepaid debit card, select the Don't see your bank? button.
6
Enter your debit card details. You'll need to enter your debit card number, your first and last name, your card's expiration date, and the card's security code.
- Tap Continue to move to the next screen.
If your prepaid debit card didn't ask for your address while signing up, check with your debit card provider to see if you can add one.
Note that this method may not work for every prepaid debit card. Unfortunately, Zelle's FAQ is unclear about whether prepaid debit cards are accepted, so your results may vary. ^{[1]
X
Research source}

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Getting Help from Someone Else

Download Article

If you don't have a bank account but need to do a money transfer via Zelle, you can ask a friend or family member with a bank account to help you. Make sure to ask someone you trust.
2
Ask if your friend or family member has Zelle. If your friend or family member already uses Zelle, you can move to the next step. Otherwise, explain what Zelle is to your friend or family member and work together to see if they are eligible to use Zelle.
- Remember, if your friend or family member's bank doesn't have Zelle support in their bank app, you can try signing up via the Zelle app and selecting Don't see your bank? to enter the card details manually.
This is important if you're a kid or teen asking your parents for help with the transfer. Your friend or family member may want more information about who the transfer is coming from.
Provide your friend or family member's phone number or email (with their consent) to the person sending you money. The transfer should be completed immediately unless the money is sent late at night or over a weekend or holiday.
5
Get the money from your friend or family member. Once your friend or family member has the money in their account, you can get it from them in a few ways:
- They can withdraw cash from their bank or an ATM and give it to you
- They can write you a check for the amount of the transfer
- They can use an alternative peer-to-peer money transfer app, like Venmo or Cash App , to send you the money.