Can i withdraw money from my chime spot me

Chime’s overdraft feature called SpotMe is a great way to get up to $200 without any fees. However, can you use Chime SpotMe on Cash App?

SpotMe is an overdraft feature exclusively available with Chime and can’t be used through the Cash App. It’s also important to know that SpotMe only covers cash withdrawals and debit card purchases and can’t be used to send money to Cash App, Venmo, or even to other Chime users.  

Keep reading to find out more about SpotMe, but also about Borrow, Cash App’s own overdraft alternative.

How to Use SpotMe Correctly

SpotMe is a somewhat cool name for an overdraft. However, SpotMe is, unlike many other banks (mostly traditional ones), completely free. Meaning that there are no fees for going into overdraft once you’re accepted into the program.

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So, how do you even qualify for SpotMe? You have to have a single deposit of $200 or more in qualifying direct deposits. Deposits need to go to your Chime Checking Account each month. 

You also have to have a Chime debit card that’s already activated. If you have these two requirements checked off, you can apply for SpotMe.

You need to be aware that you won’t have the maximum $200 overdraft available as soon as you’re accepted. 

Instead, you can overdraw your account only up to $20 on debit card purchases and cash withdrawals.

To be qualified for an increased limit of up to $200 or even more, Chime will bring a decision based on your:

  • Direct deposit frequency 
  • Direct deposit amounts 
  • Chime account history 
  • Spending activity
  • Additional risk-based factors

The direct deposit can only qualify if it’s made by:

  • Automated Clearing House (ACH) from your benefits payer, payroll provider, employer, or gig economy payer 
  • Original Credit Transaction (OCT) from your gig payer

You can see your SpotMe limit at any time in the Chime mobile app and the app will notify you of any limit changes. 

Other things to know:

  • Chime can change your limit at any time, at its discretion
  • There may be out-of-network fees connected to ATM withdrawals
  • SpotMe doesn’t cover any and all non-debit card transactions
    • Pay Anyone transfers
    • ACH transfers
    • Chime Checkbook transactions

READ ALSO: Is Cash App Accepted Everywhere? (A Quick Guide)

Why Did my SpotMe Limit Decrease?

Can i withdraw money from my chime spot me

There are several reasons why your Chime overdraft limits would decrease. One of them is if you don’t receive direct deposits of $200+ every 34 days. On the other side, when you start receiving money again, you’re back into the SpotMe program at your previous limit. 

In the case, you had a Boost or Bonus, and now it has expired, your limit will probably also go down, or even completely away. 

To recap, Chime can give, take, or limit your overdraft option at their whim. But more frequently, the limit will decrease because of changes in your direct deposits, account activity, or expiring Bonus or Boost.

To pay back your SpotMe amount, you don’t have to do anything. Chime will simply take the amount needed to cover the overdraft from your next money transfer or your next direct deposit. 

Cash App Borrow

Cash App introduced its overdraft feature called Borrow to customers back in August 2020. 

The feature is very similar, if not identical, to SpotMe. Users can borrow (go into overdraft) up to $200. The minimum is also $20.

However, where the two services differ is the cost. While SpotMe is completely free (you can leave an optional tip), Cash App charges fees to some customers. However, if you have direct deposits of $300 or more coming into your Cash App account, you might not pay any overdraft fees.

But even if you have to go into overdraft and pay a small fee, knowing that you can take out $200 could give you peace of mind, even if it will cost you.

The fee is 5% and is nowhere near the fees (up to $35 per transaction!) that big banks are charging. Traditional banks make billions of dollars by charging these exorbitant fees. 

With these greedy banks, if you don’t get notifications or alarms and you find yourself in overdraft territory, each transaction will cost you a great deal of cash. Cash that you don’t have in the first place. 

With Cash App’s Borrow feature, you get a week’s worth of grace period, if you don’t pay in four weeks as you agreed. Consequently, Cash App will start charging 1.25% of non-compounding interest rate each week.

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You also won’t be able to get any future Cash App loans after that. 

READ NEXT: How Does Chime Make Money? | Over $200 Million Revenue

How to Get Overdraft With Cash App

Cash App’s Borrow is still not widely available. It’s sort of in a testing phase. Regardless, if you want to discover whether you can qualify for an overdraft, do the next couple of steps:

  1. Open your Cash App
  2. In the lower left corner, tap on the Cash App balance 
  3. Find the “Borrow up to $200” option
  4. Tap “Unlock”
  5. Tap “Scroll to Continue”
  6. Tap “Continue”
  7. Select an amount
  8. Read and accept the user agreement
  9. Accept the loan

READ NEXT: Payday Loans That Accept Chime [The 6 Best Apps]

Who Can Get The Cash App Loan?

What we do know about Cash App’s loan or overdraft feature Borrow, is that it’s dedicated only to people getting frequent direct deposits into their Cash App balance. 

We also know that to be able to unlock the maximum $200 overdraft amount, you’ll need to deposit at least $1,000. 

However, similar to Chime, even if you jump through all the hoops, Cash App might decide that you aren’t the right material to borrow money from them. 

What Are SpotMe Boosts?

Can i withdraw money from my chime spot me

You can give SpotMe Boosts to friends so they can increase their SpotMe limits for the time being. If you send a Boost, it will temporarily increase their overdraft limit by $5. 

A smart marketing strategy by Chime is that you can send SpotMe Boosts to friends who even don’t own Chime. It’s called – Boost Anyone. However, your friend that got your Boost will have to open a Chime Account and register for SpotMe to avail of it.

So, how do you send a Boost to friends or family:

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

You can only send and receive up to four SpotMe Boosts each month. Boosts also have an expiry date which is the first day of the following month 

Additionally, if a member doesn’t qualify for overdraft, they can get and use one Boost each month, and choose to send it back to you.

What Are SpotMe Bonuses?

SpotMe Bonuses are provisional gains to your overdraft limit that you get from Chime based on your account history, activity, or participation in a promotional campaign. 

The maximum amount you can use at a time is $50. Not too bad. However, any additional bonuses that you may receive will stay in a queue for later use.

Your Bonuses can also be paused, and your SpotMe limit will be lowered until you meet the conditions again.

Conclusion

Chime’s SpotMe and Cash App are clearly not compatible and you can use one or the other, or both separately to go into overdraft. 

Can i withdraw money from my chime spot me

Adrian Volenik is a fintech enthusiast who loves testing and reviewing digital banking apps and financial products in general.

How many digital banking accounts can one man have?

Not enough, if you ask Adrian. As his wallet will soon explode if he doesn’t cut back on the number of cards.