After March 31, 2025, you can only use Zelle by accessing it directly through your bank or credit union’s mobile app or online banking, as the standalone Zelle app is being discontinued. Users must ensure their financial institution offers Zelle, or they will need to use alternative payment services like Venmo, Cash App, or Apple Cash.
Zelle is making big changes starting April 1, 2025! As part of a crackdown to boost security and fight fraud, users not linked to a bank or credit union will no longer be able to use the service. Say goodbye to using just a phone number or email—Zelle now requires bank account integration through your banking app. This.
As of March 31, 2025, all users must be enrolled through one of the more than 2,200 banks and credit unions that offer Zelle® to send and receive money. A full list of participating banks and credit unions live with Zelle® can be found at Zellepay.com.
Open the Mobile app and sign in. Tap Pay & Transfer, then Zelle®. Follow the on-screen instructions to start sending money or get set up to start receiving money. It's easy to see your friends and family members who are already using Zelle®, just look for the purple "Z" next to their contact in the Mobile app.
If the recipient's financial institution does not offer Zelle®, the recipient can download the Zelle® app and enroll with basic contact information, an email address and U.S. mobile number, and a Visa® or Mastercard® debit card with a U.S. based account (not including U.S. territories).
Using 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.
"You will be able to log in until August 11, 2025," the pop-up continues, "but not send or receive money. To continue using Zelle®, please enroll through one of the more than 2,200 mobile banking apps that offer Zelle®." The news doesn't come as a surprise.
Starting April 1, 2025, Zelle will stop supporting its standalone app. If you want to send or receive money through Zelle, you'll need to do it directly through your bank or credit union's mobile app or online banking platform.
The Zelle® app will be available to users until March 31, 2025. After that date, users will no longer be able to send or receive money using the Zelle® app.
In 2024 alone, the platform processed over $1 trillion in payments, solidifying its position as a market leader. While many P2P solutions operate through standalone apps, Zelle has discontinued its app and is now exclusively offered through financial institutions.
No, you can't send Zelle directly to Cash App because Zelle works with bank accounts and Cash App is a separate platform, but you can transfer money from your Zelle-linked bank account into Cash App by linking that bank account to your Cash App profile, or send money via Zelle to someone's bank account, and then they can move it to their Cash App.
Zelle's big 2025 change was the discontinuation of its standalone app, forcing users to access Zelle only through their bank's integrated app by April 1, 2025, meaning new users couldn't enroll in the standalone app after January 2025, and existing users lost app functionality by March 31, 2025, to streamline payments through financial institutions. Users now must use their bank's mobile app for Zelle, with some institutions like Wells Fargo also updating terms for minors.
If you made 200 transactions and received $20,000 in taxable business income via an online payment app in 2025, the IRS will be able to find out about it through a Form 1099-K sent by that platform in January 2026. On Zelle, there's no such form requirement.
Zelle® should only be used to send money to friends, family or others you trust. We recommend that you do not use Zelle® to send money to those you do not know.
Zelle is often better than Venmo for fast, fee-free transfers directly to bank accounts and for users who prefer integrated banking, while Venmo offers more features like a digital wallet, social feed, and robust business tools, but its standard transfers are slower and may involve fees for instant cash-outs. Zelle is superior for direct bank-to-bank speed (often instant) and integration within existing bank apps, making it feel more secure and like a traditional transfer, while Venmo is better for smaller, social payments and holds funds in a digital wallet.
New Enrollment Stops: As of January 8, 2025, new users are no longer be able to enroll in the Zelle® stand-alone app. Last Supported Transactions: Existing users will be able to send and receive money using the app until March 31, 2025. After this date, the app will no longer support transactions at all.
Venmo. Venmo is a popular alternative to Zelle. It acts as a digital wallet, allowing you to send money, store funds, and pay some small businesses.
Receive money with Zelle®
The Zelle app is shutting down for good on April 1, 2025, marking the end of an era in the payment app world. Zelle has been around since 2017 and had its biggest year in 2024, when it exceeded $1 trillion in annual payments for the first time.
Check all the details of your payment carefully before you transfer, to be on the safe side. Zelle and PayPal are both very convenient services for peer to peer transfers in the US. However, the two apps don't work together, which means you need to involve your bank to move money from one to the other.