How to Transfer Money Between Netspend and Zelle in 2023

Written By Adrian Volenik

Netspend is one of the most popular prepaid cards on the market. It’s no wonder; they’re handy, free, and can be used everywhere Visa is accepted. 

But, with all that said, can you use Netspend with Zelle? Does Netspend support Zelle?

Netspend is a prepaid card and Zelle doesn’t support most prepaid cards, Netspend included. You can use a bank transfer, PayPal, or Western Union to transfer money to non-Netspend users. 

Keep on reading as we’re going to explain which prepaid cards Zelle does support, how to transfer money off Netspend, and more.

Does Netspend Support Zelle?

It’s not that Nestpend doesn’t support Zelle, it’s the other way around – Zelle doesn’t support Netspend. But why is that so?

It’s because Zelle works mostly with brick-and-mortar banks and credit unions. It doesn’t support most digital banks and money management apps including Cash App, Venmo, Chime, and others. 

The above-mentioned apps have their own ecosystem anyway and aren’t relying on Zelle for instant money transfers.

For instance, Chime has its own Pay Anyone money transfer service that allows you to send money from Chime to Chime and even non-Chime users. All that non-Chime users need is a debit card that they type into a website and the money is transferred to their account. 

Zelle, unlike Chime, is a product of major brick-and-mortar banks that had to bring their product into the future. They were under pressure because millions of their customers jumped ship to the digital banks we already mentioned.

These new apps offered instant money transfers that attracted tens of millions of people. For that reason, the banks conceived Zelle.

Zelle is already a household name in the US. Most banking apps have Zelle baked in whether you know it or not. There’s also a standalone app that makes bank transfers a breeze.

RELATED: How to Withdraw Money from Netspend Card for Free (8 Options)

However, Zelle has its own share of scammers, just like Venmo, Chime, or Cash App. The ease of use means that it’s easy to use by scammers as well. The transfers are, as we mentioned, instant and it’s very easy to disappear after you’ve scammed someone. 

The victim doesn’t even notice anything’s wrong until it’s far too late. Money management apps, including Zelle, in most cases, don’t stand behind victims and for that reason, tens of thousands of people have lost their money. 

What Prepaid Cards Does Zelle Support? 

prepaid cards

Because Zelle is a product of big traditional banks, it doesn’t support “gift cards or pre-paid cards from financial institutions outside of the Zelle Network”. That means that Netspend and similar debit cards aren’t supported.

So, what cards does Zelle support? What cards can you register onto their platform?

Zelle only supports prepaid cards that are issued by institutions in their Zelle Network. I only know of two such prepaid cards:

  • Access 360 Prepaid Card by Fifth Third Bank, and 
  • PNC SmartAccess Card

As you can see, your choice of prepaid cards that work with Zelle is limited. Here are some other types of cards Zelle doesn’t support: 

  • Business debit cards, 
  • Credit cards, 
  • Cards linked to international accounts

READ ALSO: How to Put Money on Netspend Card (8 Best Ways)

What Cards Does Zelle Support?

In order to successfully transfer money with Zelle, you’ll have to register a valid Mastercard or Visa card that’s connected to a US bank account. You’ll also have to make sure that all the details are perfectly entered and that they match what’s on file at your bank or credit union.

The following information has to be filled out with care:

  • Debit card number
  • Expiration date
  • CVV number
  • Name as it appears on your card
  • Address, city, state, zip code

If you’re still having issues, it’s best to double-check what’s on file at your institution either by logging into online banking or by contacting them.

How to Transfer Money With Netspend

netspend app

If you’re interested in whether Zelle supports Netspend, it means that you want to transfer money from your Netspend balance to somewhere else. Luckily, there are many options to do so. 

Netspend Bank Transfer 

Netspend cards weren’t really made for money transfers. Yes, you can easily add money to load or reload them and you can send money to other Netspend users in a flash. 

However, sending money from Netspend to third-party bank accounts, ones that aren’t linked to you and your Netspend account, isn’t really possible.

To transfer funds from your Netspend balance and into your bank account, all you have to do is connect said bank account. The cost of these transfers depends on your bank or institution. 

If you, for some reason, want to process the transfer or payment via the Netspend customer service team, there’s also a $4.95 fee applied.

Netspend to Netspend Transfers

Netspend to Netspend transfers are free and fast and all you need is the other person’s name and their FlashPay ID. You can find this ID in the Netspend Online Account Center. Simply ask your friend what’s theirs. 

If you want to receive money from someone, you will have to give them your FlashPay ID. 

READ NEXT: Can You Transfer Money From Cash App to Netspend Card

Western Union Transfers 

Western Union is a tried and tested way of sending money to someone. Netspend also supports it so you can send or receive money to over 200 countries by simply using the Netspend card. 

However, you’ll need to check whether your Netspend account type supports WU transfers. 

PayPal Transfers 

Lastly, we have PayPal transfers to your Netspend card. You should be able to also transfer funds from the Netspend card to your Paypal account.

So, to transfer money from your PayPal balance to your Netspend card, and vice versa, merely link your Netspend account to your PayPal account, just as you would link any other bank account or card. 

To link PayPal to Netspend to transfer money do the following:

  1. Log in to your PayPal account 
  2. Click on “Wallet” at the top of the page
  3. Click on “Link a credit or debit card” 
  4. Click on “Debit or credit card”
  5. Type in your card number, expiration date, CVV, and billing address
  6. Click “Link card”
  7. Go back in a day or two once the two small payments are done
  8. Type them in to confirm the Netspend card link

You should be aware that some users are reporting that they can’t link their Netspend cards to PayPal anymore. Is it an individual cause or has PayPal dropped Netspend support (or vice versa), we don’t know yet for sure.

Conclusion

Netspend and Zelle don’t support each other and, at least for the time being, you can’t use the two platforms together to transfer funds. 

About the Author

Chief Editor at TopMobileBanks

Adrian is a fintech expert who has tested hundreds of financial apps, cards, and accounts. His love for testing digital banks, payment apps, and financial products, in general, is unmatched.

How many digital banking accounts can one man have?

Not enough, if you ask Adrian. As his wallet will soon explode if he doesn’t cut back on the number of cards.

On the plus side, they have enabled him to create awesome How-To Guides that you can read on our site.

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