The main ways to move money into Chime savings
You can add money to your Chime savings account in four ways: transfer from your Chime checking account, direct deposit, external bank transfer, or mobile check deposit. The fastest is a transfer from your checking account—it happens when ready within the Chime app. Direct deposit takes one to two business days but requires you to give your employer your Chime account details. External transfers from another bank can take three to five business days depending on the other bank's processing speed. Mobile check deposit, where you photograph a check through the app, typically clears within one to two business days.
Each method has different requirements and timing. Some require setup before you can use them; others work when ready. The method you choose depends on where the money is coming from and how quickly you need it in savings.
Key Takeaways
- Transferring from your Chime checking account to savings is when ready and requires no setup beyond having both accounts open.
- Direct deposit requires you to provide your employer with your Chime account and routing number, and deposits arrive within one to two business days.
- External transfers from another bank take three to five business days and may require you to verify the external account through small test deposits.
- Mobile check deposit works by photographing the front and back of a check through the Chime app, with funds typically available within one to two business days.
Transferring from your Chime checking account
This is the fastest way to move money into savings. Open the Chime app, go to your checking account, and select the option to transfer or send money. Choose your savings account as the destination, enter the amount, and confirm. The money appears in your savings account when ready—there is no waiting period.
You do not need to set anything up in advance. As long as you have both a checking and savings account open with Chime, you can transfer between them at any time. There are no limits on how many transfers you can make or how much you can move in a single transfer.
Setting up direct deposit to savings
Direct deposit sends money automatically from your employer to your Chime savings account on your regular payday. To set this up, you need your Chime account number and routing number. You can find both in the Chime app under account settings or by contacting Chime support.
Give these numbers to your employer's payroll department and specify that deposits should go to your savings account, not checking. Some employers' systems let you split your paycheck between multiple accounts—you could send part to checking and part to savings. The first deposit typically arrives within one to two business days of when your employer processes it. After that, deposits arrive on your regular payday.
Direct deposit is the most reliable method if you receive regular paychecks, because it happens automatically without any action on your part each pay period.
Transferring money from another bank
You can move money from a checking or savings account at another bank into your Chime savings account. In the Chime app, select the option to add money or transfer from an external account. Enter the other bank's account number and routing number, then the amount you want to transfer.
Chime may ask you to verify the external account by making two small test deposits (usually under one dollar each) to that account, then confirming the amounts in the Chime app. This verification step protects against fraud and typically takes one to two business days. Once verified, transfers take three to five business days to complete, depending on how quickly the other bank processes outgoing transfers.
After the first transfer, you can usually repeat transfers to the same external account without re-verifying, though some banks require re-verification periodically for security reasons.
Depositing checks through the mobile app
Chime lets you deposit checks by photographing them. Open the Chime app, select deposit or add funds, and choose mobile check deposit. Take a clear photo of the front of the check, then the back. The app will show you what it read from the check—verify the amount and account number are correct before submitting.
The check must be made out to you, and you should not deposit the same check twice. After you submit the photos, the funds typically appear in your savings account within one to two business days. Some checks clear faster depending on the bank that issued them.
Once a check has been deposited through the app, do not try to deposit it again at an ATM or bank branch. Depositing the same check twice is considered fraud and can result in your account being closed.
Timing and what affects how long transfers take
The speed of your deposit depends on the method and the banks involved. Transfers between your own Chime accounts are when ready. Direct deposits and mobile check deposits take one to two business days. External bank transfers take three to five business days because they move through the ACH network, which processes in batches rather than in real time.
Weekends and bank holidays can extend timing. If you initiate a transfer on Friday evening, it may not begin processing until Monday. Some banks also have cutoff times—if you submit a transfer after the cutoff, it does not process until the next business day.
Chime processes deposits seven days a week, but the other bank involved may not. A check deposited on Sunday might not clear until Tuesday if the issuing bank does not process on weekends.
Limits and restrictions on deposits
Chime does not publicly state a maximum amount per transfer or per day for most deposit methods. However, your own bank (if you are transferring from another institution) may have limits on how much you can send out in a single day or rolling period. Check with that bank about their transfer limits.
For mobile check deposits, individual checks are typically limited to amounts under $10,000, though Chime may review larger deposits. If you are depositing multiple checks, space them out over several days rather than submitting many at once, as this can trigger fraud reviews.
Direct deposit has no limit—you can deposit your entire paycheck or multiple paychecks if your employer allows split deposits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I deposit a check made out to someone else?
No. Checks must be made out to you. If a check is made out to another person, that person must deposit it themselves or sign it over to you in writing, and even then, many banks will not accept third-party checks. Depositing a check made out to someone else can be treated as fraud.
What happens if a check I deposited bounces?
Chime will reverse the deposit and remove the funds from your savings account. If you have already spent the money, your account may go negative. Contact Chime support to discuss the situation. You can ask the person who wrote the check to resubmit it or pay you another way.
How do I know if my external bank transfer went through?
Check your Chime app under transaction history or account activity. You should see the transfer listed with a status—pending, processing, or completed. If it shows pending after five business days, contact Chime support with the transfer details and the date you initiated it.
Can I set up automatic transfers from another bank to Chime savings?
Not directly through Chime. However, you can set up automatic transfers from your other bank to send money to your Chime account on a schedule. Log into your other bank's app or website, set up a recurring transfer to your Chime account, and specify the frequency (weekly, biweekly, monthly). Chime receives it as a standard external transfer.
What if I enter the wrong account number for an external transfer?
The transfer will likely fail or go to the wrong account. If it fails, Chime will notify you and the funds will return to the sending bank within a few business days. If it goes to the wrong account, contact Chime support when ready with the transfer details so they can attempt to recover the funds. This is why verifying account numbers before submitting is important.