Does Google Pay work with Zelle? [2024]

Want smarter ways to make payments? You might be interested in services like Google Pay and Zelle.

But do they work together, and can you use Zelle to send money to Google Pay? Read on to find out.

We’ll also touch on the perfect solution for making overseas payments, which services like Zelle don’t offer. Get a Wise card to spend worldwide, and add it to Google Pay too – but more on this, later.

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Zelle and Google Pay - an overview

Before we explore whether you can use Zelle and Google Pay together, it can be useful to know a little about each service.

First up, Zelle. It’s a peer-to-peer payment platform which lets you send and receive money easily through your bank account.

Your banking app will need to support Zelle payments, but over 1,700¹ of them do. Then all you need is your recipient’s email address or phone number, and you can make fast, easy payments. There are no fees either.

At the time of writing, Zelle doesn’t support international payments.

Google Pay works a little differently, although it does have one similar feature. It’s primarily a mobile wallet, to which you can add debit and credit cards. This allows you to pay at store checkouts using just your phone, in the same way as using a contactless card. You can also use Google Pay to shop online and in apps, and to send money to friends and family.

💡 Read more about Google Pay fees and whether it works with ATMs.

Can I send money from Zelle to Google Pay?

Unfortunately, Zelle and Google Pay are separate services that don’t work together. This means you can’t use Zelle to send money to Google Pay, or the other way around.

However, you can receive money through Zelle, which would arrive in your bank account. You can then pay for a purchase with your debit card using Google Pay, in order to spend the balance. But it’s not a direct connection between the two services.

Need to make international payments? Get the Wise card

Services like Zelle don’t work internationally, so you can’t use it for overseas spending. The good news is that there are alternatives available, such as Wise and the Wise card.

Wise is a money service business, which offers an online multi-currency account and card.

The Wise card is available for a one-time fee of just $9 when you open a Wise Account. You can use it to:

• Spend and withdraw cash from ATMs in 150+ countries.
• Have your USD automatically converted to the currency you’re paying with at the mid-market exchange rate, whenever you spend. There’s just a small fee to convert the currency, and no transaction fees.
• Withdraw up to $100 from overseas ATMs for free (although ATM operators may charge their own fees).

What’s more, it works with Google Pay too. So you can add the card to your mobile wallet and spend contactlessly using just your phone.

Get a Wise Account today

Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing: Only Pay for What You Use for the most up-to-date pricing and fee information.

Bottom line

So it’s not possible to use Zelle and Google Pay together. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t both very useful services when used separately. You can use Zelle to make payments in your banking app, and Google Pay primarily for secure contactless payments in stores.

But services like Zelle do have their restrictions, such as not working overseas. So an alternative like the Wise card could be well worth checking out if you need to make international payments.

Learn more about Wise

Frequently asked questions

How can I send money to a Google Pay account?

To use Google Pay to send money to a friend or family member, all you need is their phone number or email address. They’ll need to have a Google Pay account too. Open the Google Pay app and tap ‘Send’ to get started.²

Does Zelle work with Cash App?

Just like with Google Pay, there’s no way to connect Zelle with Cash App. They’re separate services, so don’t work together.

How do I transfer money from Zelle to Cash App?

Unfortunately, you can’t send money from Zelle to Cash App. They both offer a similar service, so you’re likely to use one or the other.

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Sources used for this article:

1. Zelle - Get started
2. Google Support - Send money to friends & family

Sources checked on 12-Jul-2023.