How do I transfer money from my U.S. bank account? (Full guide)

Adam Rozsa

In this guide, we’ll give you info on how to make a US bank transfer to external accounts, covering all the biggest US banks. This includes Bank of America, Chase, Citibank and many more.

We'll also mention Wise – which isn’t a bank, but it does offer a secure, convenient, quick and cost-effective way to hold and transfer money– but more on this later.

So, let’s get started.


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U.S. Bank

If you have an account with U.S. Bank, here’s how to transfer money to another bank. You can make an external transfer using online or mobile banking. It usually takes around 2-3 business days, and there’s no fee involved¹.

You can also make wire transfers for larger amounts, again through the U.S. Bank Mobile app or by logging into your online banking. Your payment should be delivered within 24 hours¹.

If you want to make an international transfer with U.S. Bank, you’ll need to visit a local branch in person².

Can I transfer money from my U.S. Bank account to someone else's U.S. Bank account?

Yes, you can make a transfer from your U.S. Bank account to someone else’s at the same bank. Your best option for doing this is an online or mobile banking transfer.

As for how to send money from U.S. Bank to another bank, a wire transfer could be the most suitable option.

How long does it take to transfer money from U.S. Bank to Chase?

A U.S. Bank to Chase transfer should take 2-3 business days, while wire transfers are quicker at just 24 hours¹. This should be the same for any other bank, as long as it’s based in the US.

Bank of America

Bank of America offers a few different ways to send money to other bank accounts. You can use the mobile app’s Zelle service to send money to friends and family. You can also use mobile banking to move money between your Bank of America account and your accounts at other banks.

Lastly, there are wire transfers. You can send both domestic and international wire transfers with Bank of America.

Does Bank of America charge a fee to transfer money to another bank?

If you’re using Zelle and the person you’re sending to is also enrolled, there shouldn’t be any transaction fees to pay³. For online ACH transfers, the fee is $3 for consumer account holders⁴.

However, there are likely to be fees involved with wire transfers. These can vary, but you can expect to pay at least $30 to $45 per transfer⁴ depending on whether you’re sending money domestically or internationally.

How much does it cost to transfer money from Bank of America to Chase?

It should cost around $3⁴ to send money from Bank of America to Chase, although this can jump up to $30⁴ if you want to make a same day wire transfer.

Wise

Wise isn’t a bank, but it does offer a secure, convenient, quick and cost-effective way to transfer money. It’s also a great option if you need to send money abroad, without the need to visit a bank branch in person to set up the payment.

Wise offers the convenience of one powerful online multi-currency account for all your international banking needs.

This includes sending, spending and converting 50+ currencies all in one place, and receiving payments using your own local bank details available in 10 currencies⁹ (USD, CAD, GBP, EUR, AUD, NZD, HUF, SGD, RON, TRY).

Does Wise give you a US bank account?

You don’t get a US bank account with Wise, but you can get US bank details. This allows you to get paid in USD even if someone’s sending money from another country, in another currency.

Wise also offers many of the same functions of an ordinary checking account. You can send and receive money, manage your account online or via mobile, and even get a debit card for spending and ATM withdrawals.

Can I open a Wise account in the USA?

Yes, it’s quick and easy to open a Wise account in the US. Better still, you can do everything online¹⁰.

Get started with Wise today

Chase

You can send both domestic and international wire transfers with Chase, and even set up your transfers in the Chase mobile app.

You can also make payments using Chase QuickPay to external accounts. Now called Zelle, this is a quick and easy way to send money to friends and family using your Chase mobile banking app.

Both sender and receiver must be enrolled in Zelle, but the recipient doesn’t need to have a Chase Bank checking account. So for example, you can send via Chase QuickPay to Citibank accounts, or Chase QuickPay to PNC Bank. And, of course, vice versa.

How do I transfer money from Chase to U.S. Bank?

There are a few different methods:

  • You can make an online domestic wire transfer from U.S. Bank to Chase - the fee for this varies depending on your U.S. Bank checking account, but could be around $25 per transfer⁵.
  • You can send a Zelle payment if your recipient is also enrolled
  • You can make an online bank-to-bank transfer if the U.S. Bank account you’re sending to is in your own name.

Can I transfer money from a Bank of America account to a Chase account online?

Yes, you can set up an online domestic wire transfer, use Zelle or set up a bank-to-bank transfer between accounts in your own name.

Wells Fargo

There are a few different ways you can send money with Wells Fargo⁶:

  • Use Zelle to pay people you know. Remember that you can do this even if your recipient doesn’t bank at Wells Fargo - they only need to be signed up to Zelle (formerly QuickPay). So for example, you can send using Chase QuickPay to Wells Fargo, or they can send from Wells Fargo to Chase via QuickPay/Zelle.
  • Send an online domestic or international wire. This should arrive the same day for domestic wires, and between 1-5 days for international wires. Fees start from $30, although there may be additional foreign transaction fees for overseas wires.
  • Use ExpressSend. This costs around $8 and can arrive the same day, but can only be set up in a branch.

PNC Bank

Here are your options for transferring money with PNC Bank:

  • Send money to external accounts using Zelle or Popmoney via mobile banking.
  • Make external transfers from your PNC account to accounts you own at other banks.
  • Send a domestic or international wire transfer with PNC online banking.

Citibank

If you own another account at a bank other than Citibank, you can make free online transfers⁷ between the two.

Alternatively, you can send money from your Citibank account to someone else’s bank account using a wire transfer. Citibank offers both domestic and international wire transfer services.

TD Bank

If you’re a customer at TD Bank, here are your options for making a transfer⁸:

  • Make a transfer between different bank accounts in your name via online or mobile banking. You can move money between two TD Bank accounts, or make an external transfer to US bank accounts elsewhere, as long as you own them.
  • Pay people you know with Zelle
  • Pay bills with BillPay in online banking
  • Send a domestic wire transfer - you’ll need to visit a TD Bank branch in person to set this up.

I’m with another bank

You’ll need to check with your bank about the available options for transferring money. You can look online on their website and help pages, or get in touch.

You should find that most banks offer similar services to the above, including Zelle, BillPay, ACH bank-to-bank payments and domestic wire transfers.

Bottom line

After reading this guide, you should be all set to send your first transfer. We’ve covered all your options for most major banks, including everything from how to transfer money from U.S. Bank to another bank through to paying friends using Zelle at Chase.

And remember that if you’d like to send money internationally, Wise could potentially be a cheaper and more convenient option than using your bank.


Sources:

  1. US Bank - Transfer Money
  2. US Bank - How Do I Send an International Transfer?
  3. Bank of America - Send Money Online
  4. Bank of America - Fees
  5. Chase - Personal Checking Fees
  6. Wells Fargo - Transfer Pay Comparison Chart
  7. Citi - Fund Transfers
  8. TD Bank - Digital Payments
  9. 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.
  10. Eligibility is subject to verification of customer's identity.

Sources checked on 21-Oct-2022.


*Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.

This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its subsidiaries and its affiliates, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional.

We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether expressed or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date.

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