Why Is My Zelle Payment Pending? (7 Reasons & How to Solve!) - GraspingTech (2024)

Like Cash App and PayPal, Zelle has made it easier than ever to send and receive payments between friends. The app is quite easy to use, but it can be confusing when a payment doesn’t go through as it usually would.

So, why is my Zelle payment pending?

Your Zelle payment is pending because there is a 1-3-day processing period before it can be transferred. However, it can also appear as pending if you accidentally enter the wrong contact information when you send a payment. Check to make sure you are connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data if the payment appears as pending for longer than the standard period.

Zelle can also keep a payment pending if they suspect a sender or recipient of being fraudulent. Ask your bank what their daily sending and receiving limit is for Zelle because it varies between banks. Follow along as we explore why your Zelle payment is pending.

Why Hasn’t My Zelle Gone Through?

1. Incorrect Contact Information

Your Zelle payment will indefinitely appear as pending if you enter the wrong contact information. This includes their username, email address, and phone number. Double-check the contact information before you send a payment through Zelle to ensure everything is correct.

If not, the payment will be drawn from your bank account, but nobody will be able to claim it. Luckily, the payment will return to your bank account after 14 days if nobody can claim it. That is unless you accidentally send it to another person with a Zelle account that claims it.

2. Recipient Hasn’t Been Notified

A Zelle payment may be pending simply because the recipient hasn’t received the notification and claimed it yet. In that case, you may want to reach out to them if you have their contact information and let them know that you sent the payment. This is unnecessary in many cases, however, because they should receive the payment if their account information is valid.

3. Poor Connectivity

Connectivity issues can affect the way the Zelle app performs. This includes everything from sending and receiving payments to how notifications appear on your phone. Close the app and check to make sure you are connected to Wi-Fi.

You can also experience connectivity problems that affect Zelle payments if you don’t have a good cellular data connection. In that case, you must wait until you are back on a Wi-Fi network or in an area with a strong cellular data signal and check back on the payment.

4. Zelle Suspects Fraud

Just like Cash App, Venmo, and PayPal, Zelle uses a fraud prevention algorithm to ensure the safety of its users. Zelle users can flag transactions as fraudulent, and the app can also track your behavior to see if it is suspicious. If your payment is flagged as being suspicious, Zelle may keep it pending for longer than the traditional 3-day period.

Contact Zelle’s customer service team if your payment is incorrectly flagged as fraudulent. You will likely need to answer security questions so they can verify your identity, but they should help you.

5. You Reached the Limit

Zelle has daily sending and receiving limits for users. However, the daily limit can be confusing because it varies based on which bank you have connected to your Zelle account. For example, Bank of America has a daily transfer limit of $2,500 for Zelle users whereas Discover Bank has a $600 daily transfer limit.

If your bank doesn’t offer Zelle, then you can only send $500 through the app each week. You can also only receive $5,000 in transfers through Zelle in this case. Contact your bank to see what their daily and weekly limits are for sending and receiving money through Zelle.

6. Recipient Doesn’t Have a Zelle Account

Your payment will appear as pending for up to 14 days if the recipient doesn’t have a Zelle account. After that time, the money will be returned to your account if the recipient cannot claim the payment. Otherwise, you can cancel the payment before that time.

Check to make sure someone has their phone number or email address connected to their account before you send them a payment.

7. Server Errors

While Zelle rarely encounters server crashes, they can happen. Any app, whether it be Zelle, Instagram, or even Netflix relies on a network of servers to run. Check online to see if Zelle’s servers are down if your payment still says pending after more than 3 days.

How Long Is a Zelle Payment Pending?

Zelle payments typically appear as pending for up to 3 business days. Holidays and weekends can affect the pending payment period. Be patient as Zelle payments may show up in as little as one day, but the processing period is scheduled to take 3 days.

If the payment is still pending after 3 business days, it may be a sign that you entered the wrong information. However, you should wait to contact Zelle until after the standard processing period is over because it will likely appear by the third day.

Can Zelle Be Reversed If Pending?

You cannot reverse a pending Zelle payment in most cases. This only works if you accidentally sent a payment to someone who doesn’t have a Zelle account or if you entered incorrect information. Otherwise, the payment initiates and goes straight to the recipient’s account even if it says “pending”.

However, you can cancel the payment if it hasn’t hit the recipient’s account yet. Find the pending payment on your activity page and choose “Cancel This Payment”. If it’s not too late, the payment will be nullified.

So, Why Does My Zelle Payment Say Pending?

Your Zelle payment says pending for 1-3 pending days as that’s how long the processing period takes. In some cases, your payment may appear pending due to connectivity issues, server problems, or because you reached your daily Zelle limit.

Check to make sure you enter the proper phone number or email address before you send a Zelle payment or else it will appear as pending for up to 14 days.