Do you want to know whether you can use Zelle without a debit card/ bank account or not?
Or someone sent you money via Zelle, but your bank account doesn’t support Zelle: what to do now?
If these are your questions, you have landed on the right page. This post explains all you need to know about using Zelle without a debit card or bank account.
So, let’s get started.
Can I use Zelle without a Debit card
Yes, You can use Zelle without a debit card.
Zelle is a service that allows users to send and receive money directly to their bank accounts.
So, if you don’t have a debit card, you can easily enroll for Zelle using your bank account.
The best part is, Zelle, don’t even require you to install its standalone app. If you have your bank’s mobile banking app, you can easily find the option to enroll and use Zelle to send and receive money from your friends or family members.
Can I use Zelle without a bank account
Technically, you can use Zelle without a bank account, but then you will have to add any debit card that Zelle supports.
So, to transfer or receive via Zelle, you must have a bank account or a debit card. Zelle does not hold money in-between like other payments service may do. In Zelle, the money is transferred directly from one bank account to another. So, its necessary to have a bank account or a debit card.
How to receive money from Zelle without bank account
To use Zelle without a bank, you must have a debit supported by Zelle.
Follow the steps below to use Zelle with your debit card.
- Download Zelle App for Google Play Store or App store.
- Enter your mobile number or email, and select “Continue.”
- Tick the data and privacy box, then tap “Continue.”
- As you don’t have a bank account, tap “Don’t see your bank?”
- Enter a Visa or Mastercard debit card on the “Add Debit Card” screen and tap “Continue.”
- Add your billing address on the next screen and click “Continue.”
So, that’s all; this is how you can use your debit card with Zelle if you don’t have a bank account.
SEE ALSO; Zelle Transfer Fee: How much does Zelle charge per transaction
What if you don’t have a Bank account & Zelle doesn’t accept your debit card
If you do not have a debit card and your bank does not accept Zelle, how do you access the cash already sent to you via Zelle?
If that’s the case, apply for a Visa or Mastercard debit card from a different bank. Search online, and you’ll find a bunch of options. You can register a debit Visa or Mastercard in Zelle without registering a bank account.
Alternatively, you can open a new bank account. You can try to open a Transferwise borderless account. It is an online-only bank, simple to open, and you can easily use it with Zelle.
Lastly, if Zelle doesn’t support your bank account, or you don’t have one, and you don’t even want to get a debit card that you can use with Zelle, then it doesn’t mean you are out of ways to transfer money.
There are several other apps and services such as Cash App, PayPal, Venmo and more using which you can send and receive money.
Well, at some point, these apps will also require you to have some kind of debit card or bank account. So, it is better to open a bank account or at least have a debit card.
Note: Zelle does not support prepaid cards and not even credit cards. For more details, visit- What cards work with Zelle?
Final words
Zelle is a United States-based digital payments network owned by Early Warning Services, LLC, a private financial services company owned by Bank of America, BB&T, Capital One, JPMorgan Chase, PNC Bank, U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo.
Zelle is a payment network or gateway that allow users to send and receive money directly to their bank accounts. Zelle is integrated inside over a thousand of banks in the U.S. The best part of sending money through Zelle is that there is no middle man in-between; the money goes directly to users’ bank account.
As a recap of this, to use Zelle, you must need to either have a bank account or a debit card supported by Zelle.
If you do not have a bank account, you will have to use a debit card from Visa or MasterCard on the Zelle app.
So, that’s all for now. We hope you were able to know how to use Zelle without a debit card or bank account after reading this post.
Further Reading:
Does Cash App work with Zelle?
Does Zelle work with Green Dot?
Can I send Money to Myself with Zelle (Yes, Here is How)
“Someone accidentally sent me money on Zelle” – What to do?
Does Zelle work with Netspend?

Ankit Kumar is an Engineer by profession and a blogger by passion. Over the last several years, he has written tons of articles, solving queries on Quora. He also has years of experience in investing in Cryptocurrencies, Funds, and Stocks.