Zelle is an American digital payment network that allows you to send money to and receive money from people you trust, also known as peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions. Zelle works with over 2,000 banks and credit unions in the United States, so your bank most likely supports it. Find out if Navy Federal is one of them.
Navy Federal does work with Zelle
Yes, Navy Federal is compatible with Zelle. As long as you have an eligible checking or savings account with Navy Federal, you can send and receive money from people who also have US bank accounts and are enrolled in Zelle.
Note that Navy Federal is a credit union and requires membership. You’re eligible to join if you’re a service member, a veteran of the armed forces, a Department of Defense employee or an immediate family member of an existing member.
How to use Zelle with Navy Federal
Here’s how to get started with Zelle if you bank with Navy Federal:
Sign in to the Navy Federal mobile app.
Find the “Send Money” option and add your contact’s email address or US mobile phone number.
Choose the recipient and the amount to send.
Tap “Send” after verifying everything is correct.
If the person or the small business you want to send money to or receive money from hasn’t enrolled in Zelle yet, they’ll need to do so for the transaction to go through. They should receive a text notification or email letting them know you’ve sent or requested money, and they will be asked to follow a few steps to get enrolled.
Is Zelle free with Navy Federal?
Yes. Zelle is free with Navy Federal, so you won’t be charged any fees to use it. That said, other fees related to your checking or savings account, like overdraft fees, will still apply.
Navy Federal’s Zelle limits
Navy Federal’s Zelle limits vary based on how fast you want the transaction to be processed.
If you want the payments to be processed within minutes, your daily limit is $1,500, and your 30-day limit is $3,000. For standard processing that’s between one and three business days, your daily and 30-day limits are both $3,000. However, you can only send 15 transactions per day and 30 per month, and payments must be at least one dollar.
Alternatives to Zelle
If you don’t think Zelle would work for you, consider these other P2P payment apps:
Cash App. If Navy Federal’s Zelle limits are too low for you, consider Cash App. Cash App is also a P2P payment service that lets you send and receive money using a mobile app. Once you’ve verified your account, you can send up to $10,000 on a rolling seven-day period and $20,000 on a rolling 30-day period. You could also get a debit card that’s connected to your Cash App balance.
PayPal. Zelle only works with US bank accounts. If you need to make international transfers, check out PayPal — an online payment system that lets you send and receive money around the world.
Chime Pay Anyone. With Chime’s Pay Anyone feature, you can send money instantly to friends or family, even if they’re not Chime® members. All you need is their phone number or email address. There’s no limit to the number of transactions, but amount limits vary.
Apple Cash. If you’re an iPhone user, Apple Cash is an easy way to send and receive money through iMessage or the Wallet app. You can use it to pay friends and family or make purchases wherever Apple Pay is accepted.
SoFi Checking and Savings
A hybrid account that’s integrated with Zelle automatically.
$0 monthly fees.
Earn interest on checking and savings balances.
Saving Vaults and round-ups.
New and existing Checking and Savings members who have not previously enrolled in Direct Deposit with SoFi are eligible to earn a cash bonus of either $50 (with at least $1,000 total Eligible Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period) OR $300 (with at least $5,000 total Eligible Direct Deposits received during the Direct Deposit Bonus Period). Cash bonus will be based on the total amount of Eligible Direct Deposit. If you have satisfied the Eligible Direct Deposit requirements but have not received a cash bonus in your Checking account, please contact us at 855-456-7634 with the details of your Eligible Direct Deposit. Direct Deposit Promotion begins on 12/7/2023 and will be available through 1/31/2026. Full terms at sofi.com/banking. SoFi Checking and Savingsis offered through SoFi Bank, N.A., Member FDIC. SoFi members with Eligible Direct Deposit can earn 3.80% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults)and 0.50% APY on checking balances. There is no minimum Eligible Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the 3.80% APY for savings (including Vaults). Members without Eligible Direct Deposit will earn 1.00%APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 1/24/25. There is no minimum balance requirement. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.
SoFi members who enroll in SoFi Plus with Eligible Direct Deposit or by paying the SoFi Plus Subscription Fee every 30 days or SoFi members with $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits during the 30-Day Evaluation Period can earn 3.80% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. There is no minimum Eligible Direct Deposit amount required to qualify for the stated interest rate. Members without either SoFi Plus or Qualifying Deposits, during the 30-Day Evaluation Period will earn 1.00% APY on savings balances (including Vaults) and 0.50% APY on checking balances. Interest rates are variable and subject to change at any time. These rates are current as of 1/24/25. There is no minimum balance requirement. If you have satisfied Eligible Direct Deposit requirements for our highest APY but do not see 3.80% APY on your APY Details page the day after your Eligible Direct Deposit arrives, please contact us at 855-456-7634. Additional information can be found at http://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet. See the SoFi Plus Terms and Conditions at https://www.sofi.com/terms-of-use/#plus.
We do not charge any account, service or maintenance fees for SoFi Checking and Savings. We do charge a transaction fee to process each outgoing wire transfer. SoFi does not charge a fee for incoming wire transfers, however the sending bank may charge a fee. Our fee policy is subject to change at any time. See the SoFi Checking & Savings Fee Sheet for details at sofi.com/legal/banking-fees/.
SoFi Bank is a member FDIC and does not provide more than $250,000 of FDIC insurance per depositor per legal category of account ownership, as described in the FDIC’s regulations. Any additional FDIC insurance is provided by the SoFi Insured Deposit Program. Deposits may be insured up to $3M through participation in the program. See full terms at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/sidpterms. See list of participating banks at SoFi.com/banking/fdic/participatingbanks.
We’ve partnered with Allpoint to provide you with ATM access at any of the 55,000+ ATMs within the Allpoint network. You will not be charged a fee when using an in-network ATM, however, third-party fees incurred when using out-of-network ATMs are not subject to reimbursement. SoFi’s ATM policies are subject to change at our discretion at any time.
Early access to direct deposit funds is based on the timing in which we receive notice of impending payment from the Federal Reserve, which is typically up to two days before the scheduled payment date, but may vary.
Overdraft Coverage is limited to $50 on debit card purchases only and is an account benefit available to customers with Eligible Direct Deposits of $1,000 or more during the current 30-day Evaluation Period as determined by SoFi Bank, N.A. The 30-Day Evaluation Period refers to the “Start Date” and “End Date” set forth on the APY Details page of your account, which comprises a period of 30 calendar days (the “30-Day Evaluation Period”). You can access the APY Details page at any time by logging into your SoFi account on the SoFi mobile app or SoFi website and selecting either (i) Banking > Savings > Current APY or (ii) Banking > Checking > Current APY. Members with a prior history of non-repayment of negative balances are ineligible for Overdraft Coverage.
Bottom line
Navy Federal is fully integrated with Zelle, which means you can use Zelle directly through the bank’s mobile app if you bank with Navy Federal. But Navy Federal isn’t the only financial institution that offers this perk. Many other major banks and credit unions also partner with Zelle, so if you’re not a Navy Federal customer, you still have plenty of options.
Frequently asked questions
Does Zelle have a standalone app?
It used to, but not anymore. Zelle discontinued its standalone app, so unless you have a bank account with a bank or credit union that supports Zelle, you can’t use the service.
Can Zelle do international transactions?
No, Zelle can only be used for domestic transactions with US deposit accounts, such as checking and savings accounts, from US banks and credit unions. Compare ways to send money overseas.
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Jamela Adam is a personal finance writer with over three years of experience. Her work has been published in major publications, including Yahoo Finance, Forbes Advisor, U.S. News, Business Insider, GOBankingRates, CNN Underscored, and Chime. Jamela previously worked as a content marketing specialist and helped devise content strategies for major brands in the financial services space. She is also a Certified Financial Education Instructor (CFEI). See full bio
