Why You Should Use Zelle®

Paying someone back is easy with Zelle®.

From splitting the cost of brunch with your friends or pitching in for your coworker’s baby shower gift, digital payments like Zelle® have changed the way consumers move money. When you Send Money with Zelle®, money is sent from your account to an enrolled recipient’s account typically in minutes, eliminating the need to write a check, rummage for cash, or break a $20.

We want to help you get to know Zelle® - let you know how it's different from third party payment apps, and why it's important to only send money to those you know and trust.

What is Zelle®?

Zelle is a digital money transfer service that is often conveniently housed within the mobile banking app of hundreds of participating financial institutions. It’s a fast, safe, easy way to make payments to almost anyone, regardless of where they bank. Allowing consumers to make peer-to-peer payments within seconds, Zelle simplifies the process of moving money by eliminating the need to handle cash or visit the bank.
 

How does Zelle® work?

Over 150 million people already have access to Zelle® either through their financial institution's mobile banking app, or through the Zelle® app. Zelle® is a great way to send money to friends and family, split the cost of a cab, or even gift money for a birthday. You must have a bank account in the U.S. to use Zelle®.

Money sent with Zelle® goes directly from one bank account to another. Many third-party payment apps require account numbers, charge fees, or take several days of waiting to complete payments, but transactions between enrolled Zelle® users typically occur in minutes and generally do not incur transaction fees. SouthState Bank does not charge to use Zelle® - check with your financial institution. When you use Zelle® within your SouthState mobile banking app, your information is protected with the same technology we use to keep your bank account safe. Money is sent and received using an email address or a U.S. mobile number, so your sensitive account information remains secure.

To send money using Zelle®, once you are enrolled, simply select someone from your mobile device’s contacts (or add a trusted recipient’s email address or U.S. mobile phone number), add the amount you’d like to send and an optional note, review, then hit “Send.” In most cases, the money is available to your recipient in minutes1. If your recipient is not already enrolled, they will receive a text or email notification with instructions on how to enroll to receive the money. If the recipient does not enroll in 14 days, the payment will expire, and the money will be returned to your account.

What are the fees? Is it free?

Transactions between enrolled Zelle® users occur typically in minutes and generally do not incur transactions fees (SouthState Bank does not charge to use Zelle® - check with your bank or credit union). Many third-party payment apps require you to pay a fee if you want access to the money in your account immediately. And even small fees can add up over time.
 

What are the benefits to using Zelle®?

Money sent with Zelle® goes directly from your bank account to your recipients with no stops in-between. There is no intermediary account to hold your balance.

Zelle® is already available in the mobile apps of over 1,000 financial institutions and uses only an email address or U.S. mobile number to send money. No sensitive account information is shared. Those details stay secure with your bank or credit union. Zelle® is also fast. Money moves quickly - typically in minutes between enrolled users.

Additionally, Zelle® gives users the ability to schedule their recurring payments to go directly to a recipient. This feature is especially convenient when you are regularly sharing the cost of monthly expenses with others, like wifi with a roommate or your share of the family phone plan, etc.

 

Is it safe to Send Money with Zelle®?

No payment method is completely risk free; even swiping your card at the grocery store carries a small risk. However, Zelle® doesn’t require you to share any personal or financial information. The most important rule of thumb when using any peer-to-peer payment service is to ensure you only send money to those you know and trust.

If you don’t know the person or aren’t sure you will get what you paid for (for example, items bought from an online bidding or sales site), you should not use Zelle® for these types of transactions. These transactions are potentially high risk (just like sending cash to a person you don’t know is high risk). Neither SouthState Bank nor Zelle® offers a protection program for any authorized payments made with Zelle® – for example, if you do not receive the item you paid for, or the item is not as described, or not as you expected.

Enroll in Zelle® today with your email address and mobile phone number to start sending money to those you know and trust.