Zelle ended its standalone app in 2025 and is now used inside your bank’s app or website.
Change
Zelle announced it would shut down its standalone app on April 1, 2025.
How to use now
Send and receive through your bank’s or credit union’s app or website.
Why
Most users already used Zelle through their banks.
Banks
Over 2,200 US banks and credit unions offer Zelle.
Can’t find it
Ask your bank. If your bank doesn’t offer Zelle, you can’t use it.
Safety
Beware of scams.
What changed
In 2025, Zelle announced that it was shutting down its standalone mobile app on April 1, 2025, and moving users to access Zelle through their bank or credit union apps. The standalone app was used by a small share of users, and Zelle reported most transactions already happened through bank apps.
- Zelle is accessed through more than 2,200 banks and credit unions in the US.
- If your bank does not offer Zelle, you may be unable to use it, and may need alternatives such as Venmo or PayPal.
- Zelle processed about 1 trillion USD in payments in 2023, according to Early Warning Services.
How to use it now
Open your bank’s mobile app or online banking and look for Send Money with Zelle. Enroll with your email or U.S. mobile number. Always confirm the recipient’s details, because transfers are usually irreversible. Scams are common, including fake bank texts and requests to send money to yourself. Never share one-time codes with anyone.
What changed
Zelle is run by Early Warning Services and is built into bank apps. A standalone Zelle app existed but the company announced it would shut it down in April 2025, moving users to bank apps.
How to use it now
Use Zelle within your bank’s mobile app or website. If your bank does not offer it, other options are PayPal or Venmo.
How Zelle is offered
Zelle began as a bank owned service and is available inside the mobile apps of more than 2,000 US banks and credit unions. Most people use it directly in their bank’s app, so a separate Zelle app is not required. The standalone Zelle app existed, but the company announced it would shut down in April 2025, directing users to use Zelle through their banks.
Why this design
Because Zelle moves money between bank accounts, it relies on bank authentication and regulation. If your bank does not offer Zelle, you can still enroll in the app until it closed, but that route is no longer available. Payments usually arrive within minutes and are hard to reverse, so the CFPB warns about scams. Verify the recipient before sending. Alternatives include Venmo, Cash App and PayPal.
Based on data from Zelle and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
