Zelle is a financial services company that operates in the US. It offers a fast, safe and easy alternative to send and receive funds with friends, family, and others you trust. You can use Zelle as a stand-alone app or with your bank account. Zelle works with various banks and allows you to transfer money in minutes compared to the lengthy ordinary way of transferring funds between banks. It also works with credit unions of the US. But which credit unions use Zelle?
We shall find about the credit unions that allow you to transfer money using Zelle. You might be wondering what a credit union is. You are not a fool as we all know that many people are used to banks and may not know about credit unions. Well, since you are here, you deserve to know. Credit unions are member-owned financial institutions. The members come together and form the union under a common goal.
For you to join a credit union, you must share a common bond with the concerned institution. Sharing a common bond here means having the common goal the initial members had when forming the union. There are credit unions for farmers, teachers, and others for certain government parastatals, among others. Other credit unions require members to be living within a particular area such as a town, city, state, and so on.
How do I join Zelle?
Joining Zelle is a straightforward activity that requires you to have a bank account to get started. If your bank or credit union works with Zelle, then you can look around for the app in your banking app or online banking platform to get started. If you cannot see it within your Zelle app, then it means that Zelle does not support it. In such a situation, you can use Zelle as a stand-alone app and still send and receive money from other Zelle users.
To enroll with Zelle, you need to provide various pieces of information. You have to enter contact information, email, US mobile number, and a Visa® or Mastercard® debit card with a US-based bank or credit union account. Zelle does not accept any credit cards or debit cards associated with international bank accounts. Once Zellle verifies your account application, you will then begin using the service.
How does Zelle work?
Zelle usually operates online, and you can transfer money online to various banks and credit unions. The service is free, although partner banks and credit unions may charge some fees. Various online banks work with Zelle. They include Wells Fargo, Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, Ally Bank, and Chime. You can instantly send money from Zelle to Chime recipients or any other supported bank and avoid the lengthy transfer process you would carry out if you transferred money directly from a particular bank or credit union to Chime.
Additionally, Zelle allows you to buy goods and services online. Remember, I talked of the Zelle stand-alone application that ensures that you use the service even if you don’t have a bank or credit union account. However, there are fears that Zelle does not have fraud protection, and you can easily lose money if you fall into the wrong hands. Zelle has no recourse if you send money to the wrong person, and that is why they insist that you should only transfer money to the people you trust.
You can send, request, or receive money with Zelle. When sending money, you only need the email address or the recipient’s US mobile number, the amount you would like to transfer or request. After entering the details, review the transaction details, add a memo, and tap “confirm.” The funds arrive in the recipient’s account in minutes. If you also need to receive money from someone, you have to share your phone number or the email address with the sender and wait for your money to arrive once they send it to you.
Another essential tip about Zelle usage is that one of the Zelle users, either the sender or the recipient, must have access to a bank or credit union account. But can you send money internationally with Zelle? You cannot transfer money to an international recipient using Zelle. All of you must be living in America. You can consider another international transfer platform such as Western Union or Wise to affect an international transfer.
How do I open a credit union?
For you to use a credit union with Zelle, you must have an account with one. Opening a credit union account requires you to have various things, which include the following.
- Social Security Number
- Phone number
- Identification document
- Email address
- Physical address
Additionally, you must have a common bond with the existing credit union members to get started. Most credit unions allow you to apply online and what you need to do is;
- Visit the concerned credit union website.
- Navigate to the account opening section. Some credit unions have various tabs that direct you to open an account. You can find the “get started, sign up, open an account, or become a member” tabs, among others.
- Enter the required details.
- Review all the information.
- Submit.
Various credit unions have different verification times for accounts, and you will see a display telling you to wait for a particular time for your account to be approved. You can open a personal credit union account or a business one to receive your business payments. Some of the best credit unions for small businesses in the US include Navy Federal Credit Union, Digital Federal Credit Union, and America First Credit Union.
How does a credit union work?
The operation of a credit union is straightforward. Once you open an account with one, you get the freedom to perform various kinds of transactions. The first task you have to do is deposit the required amount of money into your account. Credit unions usually have a minimum opening deposit.
After that, you can then make at least specific contributions or more every month. Credit unions also allow you to set up direct deposits to receive money from your employer, government agency, or any other relevant source. With money in your credit union account, you can send it to others.
When sending money from your account to another account of the same credit union, you will be able to transfer fast. However, if you are transferring money to another credit union account, it can take several days to complete. That is where Zelle comes in to shorten the transfer period between banks and credit unions.
Apart from receiving and sending funds, you can withdraw funds from your account. You can either withdraw money over the counter or use a debit card to carry out the process. Credit unions usually issue debit cards when you open a checking account.
For your information, you can enter a credit union to save up to a particular period and then withdraw all your money with a particular interest. That is if you opened a savings account. If you become a member for a long time, you may qualify for a credit union loan. Credit union loans have low interest rates since the unions usually have the aim of helping their members.
How are credit unions different from banks?
Banks and credit unions are all financial institutions and deal with money. However, some differences emerge between the two that distinguish their mode of operations. So what is the difference between banks and credit unions? Well, the following are the differences that distinguish the two institutions. They include the following.
- Credit unions require members to have a common bond before joining, while banks accept anyone with the correct requirements.
- The Credit unions are not profit-oriented, while banks mainly operate to make profits.
- Credit unions are member-operated, while account holders in banks do not have much say.
- Most credit unions set the minimum deposit amount every month, while most banks allow you to deposit any amount you feel like.
- Loans from credit unions attract low interest rates, while those from banks usually have high-interest rates.
Is it safe to use Zelle with a credit union account?
As I mentioned earlier, Zelle is entirely secure for use with banks and credit unions. The Zelle technicians usually employ end-to-end encryption technology that ensures that online data is secure. However, you also have to take an extra mile to protect your account from fraudsters. Do not give people the authority to access your account by revealing your login credentials.
Also, you should never use insecure internet connections to access your account. These are usually public WiFis where anybody can enter and steal other people’s data using the software. That way, they can still get your password and username to your account.
Moreover, Zelle advises that you transfer money to people you know. Never act out of pressure and send money to people you do not know, as it could be a fraud to get money from unsuspecting people. Someone may call and break false emergency news that one of your relatives or friends is seriously sick and admitted to the hospital to receive a particular treatment. They then demand you to send money to clear the hospital bill only to find out that it was a lie when it is too late. It is vital to always call your loved ones to confirm.
What credit unions use Zelle?
There are various credit unions that you can currently use with Zelle to send and receive money. They include the following.
1) Cedar Point Credit Union
Cedar Point Credit Union allows you to send and receive money using Zelle. To start using Zelle with the credit union, enroll or log in to Payments, then choose “Send Money with Zelle®, “accept Terms and Conditions, choose either your US mobile number or email address, and deposit account.
With the Cedar Point Credit Union, you can save and get various loans such as a mortgage, auto loans, lines of credit, personal loans, and home equities. You can also manage your money online and order checks, send money and pay with your credit account at online stores. Credit unions allow you to send money with a checking account number instantly to accounts of the same institution.
2) Associated credit union
You can also use Zelle on the Associated Credit Union within a few minutes, and your recipient gets their money. Log into the ACU Mobile App, select Send Money with Zelle in the “More” menu to get started with Zelle on the credit union account. After that, you have to enroll in your US mobile number or email address.
At this point, you are ready to start sending and receiving money with Zelle. You can get the ACU Mobile App from the Google Play Store or App Store. Associated credit union has various services such as loans, saving money, sending money to others, etc. You have to open an account online to start using the Credit Union’s services.
3) Emory Alliance Credit Union
With Zelle, you can transfer money with your mobile banking app or online banking account once you enroll in Zelle. You can send money in a few minutes, request money from others such as roommates, classmates, and many other people you know well. You can also divide a check for your dinner or coffee with your friends.
To start using Zelle on the Emory Alliance Credit Union, select “Send Money with Zelle®,” then enter your email address or the US mobile phone number, get a one-time verification code, enter it in the field required and accept terms and conditions. At Emory, you can apply for a loan, among many other services.
4) Fibre Federal Credit Union
You can use Zelle to send money to the people you love online within minutes using the Zelle service. You need to register with the platform using your Fibre Federal Credit Union online banking app to get started. Then you can set up Zelle by logging into the Fibre Fibre Federal Credit Union app, selecting Send money with Zelle, Enrolling your US mobile number or even your email address. After that, you can send money to friends, family, and others you know and trust.
You can send money to someone, not on Zelle, but they should claim the money sent to them within 14 days. If they do not do so, the transaction will be canceled and returned to your account.
5) Navy Federal Credit Union
Navy Federal Credit Union also allows you to use Zelle on their platform to send and receive money from others. You only need to log in to your Navy Federal Credit Union account and tap Send Money, then after that, hit Send Money with Zelle. Accept terms and conditions, and then enter your email address or US phone number to get a one-time verification code.
Input the code in the appropriate field on the enrollment screen, and you will be ready to use Zelle. Like it is with another credit union, make sure that you send money to someone you know. Zelle allows instant transfers, and if the funds reach the wrong recipient, you may never recover them.
Away from Zelle, Navy Federal Credit Union offers to check and save accounts. You can also receive loans and credit lines. The DoD, armed forces, veterans, and their families can join the credit union.
6) America First Credit Union
To start using Zelle on the America First Credit Union, you need to log into your America First Credit Union account and click the Zelle link in the Quick Links box. You should click the Transfers button, then choose to Send Money with Zelle®.
If you do not need to download the Zelle app, as your credit Union account app is enough for the job. You can then pay those you know well, such as babysitters, workers, friends, and relatives. And you can transfer money to anyone with an account with a bank or credit union.
7) North West Community Credit Union
You can enroll in Zelle in the mobile app of the North West Community Credit Union by just logging in to Bill Pay, then select “Send Money will Zelle®, and choose or enter a new Contact. After that, enter the amount to transfer and hit send.
With Zelle, you can send, request, and split payments on the North West Community Credit Union. Like the other credit union, you have to send money to the people you trust since neither Zelle nor North West Community Credit Union offers fraud protection.
8) One Credit Union
One Credit Union allows you to transfer money from one person to the other using Zelle. You do not need to download the Zelle app since you can enroll in your online banking app. To use Zelle with One Credit Union, you have to log into the Credit Union ONE app, select the “More” in the menu, choose “Send money with Zelle®,” and then enroll your US phone number or email address. Once you complete the enrollment, you will be able to send money.
Bottom line
Zelle is a money transfer platform that allows you to send money from one person to the other. Zelle works with most banks and credit unions. You can send money from one bank to the other using Zelle and shorten the time taken to transfer money between two institutions. Zelle transfers are instant compared to bank-bank transfers that take days. In most cases, Zelle requires you to have a bank or credit union account. However, you can use Zelle as a stand-alone app.
