👉 Unfortunately, Zelle does not work in Canada. Their site says "the sender and recipient's bank accounts must be based in the U.S." So, a Canadian who has a U.S. bank account can send money with Zelle, but Zelle can't be used to send money to Canadian-based banks.
If you want to send money from the US to Canada or from Canada to the US, Wise.com is the cheapest international money transfer app with low exchange rates that we recommend.
Here are Zelle's official links if you want to check it out:
Top Zelle Alternatives
Who Can Use Zelle?
Zelle is used to transfer money between US bank accounts and is integrated with over 1,700 banks and credit unions in the United States. It does not with Canadian banks and the Zelle app is not listed on the Canadian App Stores. Here is the full list of banks that are supported.
What Is Zelle?
Zelle is a fast and free way to transfer money between US bank accounts to people you trust. It's a lot like Interac e-Transfer for Canadians because Zelle is built into over 1,700 US banks and credit unions. For example, you can log in to your Chase banking app and send money using Zelle in a few taps.
Transactions typically go through within a few minutes and users can send, receive, request, and split payments. Since 2017, Zelle has processed 5 billion transactions totalling nearly $1.5 trillion in value.
Zelle Alternatives for Canadians
Canada doesn't have access to American apps like Zelle, Cash App, Venmo, and others. However, if you want to send money domestically or abroad, there are some great low-cost workarounds.
Wise.com
Wise is an international money transfer app with over 10 million users and a reputation for low fees. You can sign up for free, with no monthly fees, and open bank accounts in multiple currencies including US and CA dollar accounts allowing you to send and receive money like a local in many countries.
It has great exchange rates (unlike PayPal and banking institutions), transparent fees, and will be the best choice for sending or receiving bank transfers from other countries.
Wealthsimple Cash
If you want to pay your fellow Canadians, Wealthsimple Cash is similar to Venmo or Cash App in the United States. You can transfer money instantly, for free with the recipients $ign (username). Wealthsimple is also an all-in-one finance app offering cash back, stock and crypto investing, robo-advisors, and more.
Interac e-Transfer
The best way to pay your fellow Canadians is with Interac e-Transfer. In case you haven't heard of it, it's just like Zelle in the United States. Nearly every Canadian bank has e-transfers built in allowing users to send money quickly with just an email address or phone number. Transfers are either free or $1-$2 depending on your bank. The main downside is it's limited to $10,000 or less per transfer so it will not work for large payments.
Summary
Zelle will probably not come up North because Canadians already have Interac e-Transfer integrated with the major banking institutions. If you want to send money abroad, the best choice will be a digital payment provider like Wise because it will offer lower rates than PayPal and traditional banks.
Zelle FAQ
🇨🇦 What Is The Best Zelle Alternative In Canada?
If you want to send money abroad, the best choice will be a digital payment provider like Wise.com because it will offer lower rates than PayPal and traditional banks. With Wise, you can send bank transfers from the US to Canada or Canada to the US quickly and affordably.
How Do You Use Zelle?
To use Zelle, just link your bank account, pick someone to pay, and select the amount you want to pay.
🌐 What Countries Is Zelle Available In?
Zelle is available exclusively in the United States for US bank accounts.