What are alternatives to Zelle for payments?

Alternative Apps
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Lost access to my bank account linked with Zelle. Looking for user-friendly payment apps as alternatives to send and receive money. Any suggestions or experience with good options?

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1. Venmo

Homepage Link: https://www.venmo.com

Pros:

  • Simple and user-friendly interface.
  • Very popular, so chances are most of your friends already use it.
  • Social feed for payments (can also turn off for privacy).
  • Free for basic transfers using bank account or debit card.

Cons:

  • Charges a 1.75% fee for instant transfers to your bank.
  • Privacy concerns related to the public payment feed if settings aren’t adjusted.
  • Limited international availability (U.S. only).

Features:

  • Send and receive money instantly.
  • Payment splitting tool for bills, group activities, etc.
  • Strong PayPal integration since PayPal owns Venmo.
  • QR code functionality for easy payments.

User Reviews:
Mixed. People love the convenience and fun social aspect, but issues like slow bank transfer times and accidental exposure of transactions without editing privacy settings have been cited.

Verdict:
If you’re in the U.S. and want an intuitive and social-friendly option, Venmo is a fantastic choice. Just be careful with privacy settings if you’re not into sharing transaction memes.

2. PayPal

Homepage Link: https://www.paypal.com

Pros:

  • Extremely secure and reliable platform.
  • Works globally with over 200 markets.
  • Offers more than just transfers: you can pay for goods, services, or donate.
  • No monthly fees.

Cons:

  • Requires linking a bank account, credit card, or debit card before use.
  • Transfer fees can be higher compared to competitors: 2.9% + $0.30 for transactions funded by a credit or debit card.
  • Fraud resolution process can be slow.

Features:

  • International payments in multiple currencies.
  • Business support for online sellers.
  • Buyer/seller protection for purchases.

User Reviews:
Mostly positive feedback because of versatility and global utility. Negative feedback revolves around fees and disputes being resolved slowly.

Verdict:
PayPal is one of the most well-rounded platforms but better for international payments or frequent online shoppers than just peer-to-peer transfers.

3. Cash App

Homepage Link: https://cash.app

Pros:

  • Simple to use and incredibly fast transfers.
  • Bitcoin trading and stock purchasing as built-in extras.
  • Instant deposits available (1.75% fee).

Cons:

  • Limited outside the U.S. and the U.K.
  • Security features like SMS codes can be bypassed if not carefully managed.

Features:

  • Unique $cashtags for payments.
  • Direct deposit feature for paychecks.
  • Bitcoin purchasing and stock trading.

User Reviews:
Generally favorable, with most users praising its minimalist design and fast transfers. Complaints arise when accounts get locked for potential fraud, as account recovery is reportedly difficult.

Verdict:
Cash App shines if you want a straightforward, no-frills app to move money fast in the U.S. or U.K. The occasional bonus features (like trading) are an interesting side benefit.

4. Google Pay

Homepage Link: https://pay.google.com

Pros:

  • Completely free for personal money transfers.
  • Intuitive and integrates perfectly with Gmail and Android platforms.
  • Accepted at many merchants for in-store and online purchases.

Cons:

  • Lackluster security for transfers (depends heavily on Google account safeguards).
  • Limited features compared to more established apps like Venmo.

Features:

  • Fast transfers between Google Pay accounts.
  • Support for NFC-based in-store payments.
  • Integration with Google Workspace for business payments.

User Reviews:
Google Pay users love the fact that it’s completely fee-free, but the app lacks a strong social ecosystem like Venmo or Cash App.

Verdict:
It’s a solid option if you’re already immersed in Google’s ecosystem. For others, the app might feel a bit too stripped down.

5. Apple Pay / Apple Cash

Homepage Link: https://www.apple.com/apple-pay/

Pros:

  • Integrated directly with Apple’s ecosystem and iOS devices.
  • Extremely secure with FaceID and TouchID locking mechanisms.
  • No fees for normal payments.

Cons:

  • iOS exclusivity; Android users are out of luck.
  • Not ideal for business purposes or international usage.

Features:

  • Peer-to-peer payments via iMessage.
  • Apple Card integration if you’re into their credit card services.
  • Incredibly secure thanks to biometric encryption.

User Reviews:
Apple fans adore the seamless integration with iPhones and identify it as one of the best “walled garden” tools. However, it’s limiting if your contacts/friends are non-Apple users.

Verdict:
Great for iOS users as part of the Apple ecosystem, but hardly multi-platform friendly.

6. Wise (Formerly TransferWise)

Homepage Link: https://wise.com

Pros:

  • Excellent for international money transfers.
  • Transparent, real-time currency exchange rates.
  • Low fees compared to competitors like PayPal.

Cons:

  • Domestic transfers are less emphasized than global.
  • Limited cash-out options in some markets.

Features:

  • Multi-currency accounts with real-time conversion.
  • Peer-to-peer international money swapping.
  • Debit card feature for spending abroad.

User Reviews:
Wise users value its fee transparency and multi-currency capabilities. Complaints about domestic usability (where other apps excel).

Verdict:
For international users and transactions, Wise offers a value-rich and robust alternative. Purely domestic users can skip.

7. Chime

Homepage Link: https://www.chime.com

Pros:

  • No banking fees for money transfers or account maintenance.
  • Nice modern banking features like early paycheck deposits.

Cons:

  • Only available for users with U.S. bank accounts.
  • Not ideal for urgent money transfers.

Features:

  • Built-in banking functionalities like savings accounts.
  • Pay Friends feature for peer-to-peer transfers.
  • No hidden fees model.

User Reviews:
Most people enjoy the “banking with benefits” aspect of Chime, but it’s not the app for instant peer-to-peer interaction compared to Venmo or Cash App.

Verdict:
Chime excels as a financial management tool. Look elsewhere for sheer payment convenience.

8. WorldRemit

Homepage Link: https://www.worldremit.com

Pros:

  • Focused on international remittance sending.
  • Excellent network coverage of over 130 countries.

Cons:

  • Limited fee transparency regarding cross-border payouts.
  • No social or peer-to-peer features.

Features:

  • Different payout options: cash, mobile wallet, prepaid cards, etc.
  • International support across a high number of economies.

User Reviews:
Positive reviews for international reach and variety of payout modes. A few complaints regarding delays in fund delivery.

Verdict:
Great for remittances abroad but overkill for domestic usage.

9. Meta Pay (Formerly Facebook Pay)

Homepage Link: https://pay.facebook.com

Pros:

  • Built directly into Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger.
  • No added fees for using the service.

Cons:

  • Relies too much on Facebook’s ecosystem.
  • Concerns over Facebook privacy violations and data handling.

Features:

  • Peer-to-peer payments within familiar social apps.
  • Compatible with debit and credit cards.
  • Direct integration with your social accounts.

User Reviews:
Convenient but skeptical feedback from users due to Facebook’s data practices.

Verdict:
Convenient for Facebook/Instagram users but may not feel “secure.”

10. Zelle itself (if bank changes)

Homepage Link: https://www.zellepay.com

Not reinventing the wheel here, but if your situation changes (like forgetting bank credentials), Zelle remains the fastest in-network payment system tied directly to banks. Skip if you’re moving away from this dependency entirely.

Need more recs? Shoot a DM. :blush: