Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services and debit card provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A.; Members FDIC.

Fee-free Overdraft

Overdraft worries? Not with SpotMe®

Overdraft up to $2001 without fees

Get spotted on debit card purchases and cash withdrawals

Increase your SpotMe limit with Boosts from friends

No overdraft fees

We’ll spot you up to $200¹ on debit card purchases and cash withdrawals with no overdraft fees. We apply your next deposit to your negative balance.

Boost each other

Eligible members enjoy complimentary Boosts to increase friends’ SpotMe limit. They can Boost you right back to raise your limit.

Pay it forward

Optional tips are invested back into the service to keep SpotMe fee-free for our members! You’ll have the choice to tip after you’ve repaid your negative balance.

**Tipping or not tipping has no impact on your eligibility for SpotMe.

Member testimonials

“SpotMe? It’s great, it’s saved my life so many times… Chime has made my life so much easier and has been the reason I can continue to pay my bills on time and feel accomplished. 🙌”

Alyssa L.

“I love the SpotMe Boost feature! Since joining Chime, I’ve met several people who also use the service. We boost each other every month… I love having it there if needed.”

Shyanne D.

“There is nothing like having SpotMe at your disposal for those unexpected and random occasions. It’s a game changer and the peace of mind it provides is the best part.”

Jaime A.

“SpotMe has saved me when I've needed a lil extra cash right before payday!”

Debra H.

Real members. Sponsored content.

Chime SpotMe vs. traditional overdraft fees

Chime SpotMe Fees
Traditional Banks*
Overdraft fees
$0
$30
Overdraft fees
Chime SpotMe Fees
$0
Traditional Banks*
$30

How to use Chime’s SpotMe

Set up direct deposit. Direct deposit your paycheck into your Chime account & we will notify you to enroll in our fee-free SpotMe feature.

We spot you money. Once you activate your debit card, we’ll spot you up to your limit when you make a purchase that exceeds your balance.

Balance your balance. We apply your next direct deposit to your negative balance. That’s it! We never charge fees or interest for using SpotMe.

You’ll be eligible to enroll in SpotMe in the Chime app once you have a monthly qualifying deposit of $200 or more and activate your Chime Visa® Debit card. Limits are determined by Chime based on factors such as account activity and history.1

FAQs

What is an overdraft fee?

In a nutshell, an overdraft fee is a fee that a bank or credit union charges you when a purchase or other transaction exceeds the available balance in your checking account. Overdraft fees can be charged on in-store purchases, online shopping, bill payments, cash withdrawals, and other transactions. Learn more about overdraft fees on our blog.

How much does an overdraft fee cost?

According to Bankrate, the average overdraft fee in the United States is nearly $30 in 2022. That’s a lot of money to charge someone who you know doesn’t have money in their account. With our SpotMe feature, you don’t pay a dime in fees when you overdraft.

How do I avoid overdraft fees?

Before you choose a bank account, check the bank’s terms and conditions, especially when it comes to fees. While banks are no longer allowed to charge overdraft fees without your consent automatically, it’s possible to opt in for overdraft protection without realizing it.

You can use a few methods to avoid overdraft fees, depending on where you have an account. Read more about how to avoid overdraft fees on our blog.

With an account through Chime, you don’t have to worry about incurring fees for insufficient funds. Instead, any debit card transactions or cash withdrawals that would result in a negative balance are simply rejected.

Will I ever be charged an overdraft fee through Chime?

No. If you do not have sufficient funds in your Chime Checking Account, or have reached your SpotMe limit (if enrolled), then your Chime Visa® Debit Card will be declined. There is no fee for declining transactions or for utilizing SpotMe.

What is Chime’s SpotMe?

It’s pretty simple, really: We think overdraft fees are the pits, so we decided to get rid of them. SpotMe is a totally free service for eligible Chime members who overdraft their checking accounts.

Once you’re eligible, enroll in SpotMe (it’s fee-free!), and we’ve got your back when you overdraft your account by up to $200.

Who is eligible for SpotMe?

Chime members who receive $200 or more in qualifying direct deposits over the preceding 34 days, and have activated their Chime debit card are eligible for SpotMe.

How do I enroll in SpotMe on Chime?

  1. Activate your Chime Visa® Debit Card.
  2. Open the Settings tab in your Chime app to find out if you’re eligible for the SpotMe feature (make sure you have the latest version of the app).
  3. Once you agree to the SpotMe Terms and Conditions, you are officially enrolled in SpotMe!
  4. When you’re enrolled in SpotMe, you will be able to make debit card purchases that overdraft your account up to your limit.
  5. When we receive your next deposit, we will automatically apply it to your negative balance. No overdraft fees are applied. Ever.

Where can I use SpotMe?

You can use SpotMe for:

  • Debit card purchases
  • Cash-back transactions
  • ATM withdrawals

SpotMe does not cover:

  • Pay Anyone transfers
  • Direct debits, such as automatic bill payments, from your Checking Account
  • Transfers to your Savings Account
  • Transfers to apps like Venmo and Cash App
  • Chime Checkbook transactions

How much can I overdraft with SpotMe?

Your Chime SpotMe limit starts at $20 and may go up to $200 depending on your account activity, history, and other risk factors. Receiving bonuses and Boosts from friends on Chime can temporarily increase your SpotMe limit.

Note: Chime Member Service agents cannot increase your SpotMe limit for you.

How do I change my Chime SpotMe limit?

Your Chime SpotMe limit is set automatically by a variety of factors related to how you use your Chime account. This may include how long you’ve been a member, your account history, and how much you direct deposit per month. We’ll notify you if and when you qualify for a higher limit.

If you want to manually lower your limit to a personal max, it’s easy and fast. If you’re eligible for SpotMe, all you need to do is open your Chime app > Scroll down in your Home feed > Tap Settings > and adjust your limit.

If SpotMe covers me, how do I pay it back?

The next time money is deposited into your Checking Account, we’ll automatically apply it to your negative balance. You’ll be in the clear, without having paid any overdraft fees.

How do SpotMe Boosts work?

SpotMe Boosts let you temporarily raise your friends’ SpotMe limits by $5. To send a Boost to a friend:

  1. Open the app
  2. Go to the Friends screen
  3. Tap SpotMe Boosts
  4. Search for a contact and tap Send $5 Boost next to their name

You can send and receive up to four (4) Boosts per month. Boosts last until the first day of the next month, and you can only send one Boost per friend per month.

Banking services provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC. The Chime Visa® Debit Card is issued by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. The Chime Visa® Credit Builder Card and the Chime Visa® Cash Rewards Card are issued by Stride Bank pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa credit cards are accepted. Please see back of your Card for its issuing bank.

While Chime doesn’t issue personal checkbooks to write checks, Chime Checkbook gives you the freedom to send checks to anyone, anytime, from anywhere. See your issuing bank’s Deposit Account Agreement for full Chime Checkbook details.

By clicking on some of the links above, you will leave the Chime website and be directed to an external website. The privacy policies of the external website may differ from our privacy policies. Please review the privacy policies and security indicators displayed on the external website before providing any personal.

1 SpotMe® on Credit is an optional, no interest / no fee overdraft line of credit tied to the Secured Deposit Account available to qualifying members with an active Chime Credit Builder Account. SpotMe on Debit is an optional, no fee overdraft service attached to the Chime Checking Account available to qualifying members after Visa debit card activation. Both SpotMe on Credit and SpotMe on Debit are sometimes collectively referred to as "SpotMe" or, if you have signed up to use SpotMe with only one account, "SpotMe" means the elected service. To qualify for SpotMe, you must receive $200 or more in qualifying direct deposits to your Chime Checking Account each month.

Qualifying members will be allowed to overdraw their Chime Checking Account and/or Secured Deposit Account (associated with your Chime Credit Builder credit card) up to $20, but may be later eligible for a higher limit of up to $200 or more based on Chime account history, direct deposit frequency and amount, spending activity and other risk-based factors. The SpotMe limit will be displayed within the Chime mobile app and is subject to change at any time, at Chime’s sole discretion. Although Chime does not charge any overdraft fees for SpotMe, there may be out-of-network or third-party fees associated with ATM transactions. SpotMe Debit Terms and Conditions and SpotMe on Credit Terms and Conditions.

* Data pulled from Bankrate: Checking Account Survey as of November 22, 2022: https://www.bankrate.com/banking/checking/checking-account-survey/

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