A new way to build credit

Increase your credit score by an average of 30 points² with our new secured credit card

No annual fee or interest

1. Time from sent till received: Instant. As we covered in our guide to adding money to.
2. Bank Transfer Initiated Through the Chime Mobile App or Website: Up to 5 (five) business days (Monday-Friday) from the date the transfer was initiated (excluding federal holidays). Bank Transfers from an External Account: These deposits.

No credit check to apply

No minimum security deposit required³

You can deposit a check into your Chime account using the mobile banking app. All you have to do is simply download & install Chime’s official app on your iPhone or Android smartphone. Mobile check deposit allows you to deposit checks from anywhere. Send money instantly online to your friends and family Send money instantly to friends using our mobile banking app. Our Pay Friends. What types of checks can I deposit? You can use Check Deposit for common personal and business checks drawn on U.S. Banks and in U.S. Please note: All checks must be payable to the owner of the account and be endorsed on the back. Acceptable types of checks: Personal checks; Cashier's or bank checks; Certified checks.

No fees or surprises

We’re here to help you break free from fees, annual interest, and large security deposits

No credit check to apply

Everyone deserves a fair shot at good credit, so we don’t check your score when you apply

Make every purchase count

Whether it’s gas or groceries, now everyday purchases can count toward building credit

Safer credit building

Turn on Safer Credit Building and your balance will be automatically paid on time, every month. We’ll keep the major credit bureaus updated.⁴

Join more than 1.5 million members already using Credit Builder

Available for Chime Spending Account holders with eligible direct deposit¹

Already a Chime member? Learn how to sign up for Credit Builder

See what our members are saying

“This card has changed my credit score for the good and I love it”

'My fiancé and I wants to buy a house...It(Credit Builder) is slowly but surely moving me and my family closer to our dreams.'

'I'm new to credit so it feels really good seeing that I'm safely increasing my score.'

Questions?

Here’s everything you need to know about our Credit Builder

Before Applying

All you need is a Chime Spending Account and direct deposits of $200 or more within the past 365 days.

Don’t have a Chime Spending Account? Apply for one in under two minutes!

No way! We think everyone deserves a chance to build credit, so we don’t check your credit score when you apply.

Yes. We designed Credit Builder to work with the Chime Spending Account so that you can move money instantly—across your Chime accounts!

Nope! We do not charge fees; no annual fees, maintenance fees, international fees, and no interest.

Credit Builder offers features that help you stay on top of key factors that impact your credit score. Consistent use of Credit Builder can help you build on-time payment history, increase the length of your credit history over time, and more. We report to the major credit bureaus – TransUnion®, Experian®, and Equifax®.

Learn more about crediting building with Credit Builder.

Unlike traditional credit cards, Credit Builder helps you build credit with no fees and no interest. There’s also no credit check to apply!

Credit Builder is a secured credit card. The money you move into Credit Builder’s secured account is the amount you can spend on the card. Unlike other secured credit cards, that money can be used to pay off your monthly balances. Since Credit Builder doesn’t have a pre-set limit, spending up to the amount you added won’t contribute to a high-utilization record on your credit history.

Learn more about how Credit Builder works.

Yes, Credit Builder is a secured credit card. The money you move to the Credit Builder secured account is how much you can spend with the card. This amount is often referred to by other secured credit cards as the security deposit. Like other secured credit cards, Credit Builder also reports to the major credit bureaus, to help you build credit history over time.

However, for most secured credit cards, security deposits are unavailable to you, the consumer, until you close the account. With Credit Builder, you can use your deposit to pay for monthly charges. Plus, Credit Builder charges no fees and no interest, and no minimum security deposit required!

Yes, Credit Builder reports to the 3 major credit bureaus—TransUnion®, Experian® and Equifax®

Credit Builder doesn’t have a pre-set credit limit. Instead, the money you move into your Credit Builder secured account sets your spending limit on the card.

With traditional credit cards, using a high percentage of your available credit limit could negatively impact your credit score. You don’t have to worry about that with Credit Builder because Chime does not report credit utilization.

How much you can spend with Credit Builder is shown to you as Available to Spend in the Chime app.

Nope. Credit Builder doesn’t report percent utilization to the major credit bureaus because it has no pre-set credit limit. That means spending up to the amount you added will not show a high-utilization card on your credit history. So rest assured to use Credit Builder for your everyday purchases and let them count towards credit building!

New member basics

After you enroll, it’ll take on average 5-7 business days for your Credit Builder card to arrive.

It’s easy! Just go to the Chime app > Settings > Credit Builder > Activate Card.

You can use the Credit Builder card anywhere Visa® credit cards are accepted.

It is an account that holds the money you’ve moved to Credit Builder. This money determines the amount you can spend with your Credit Builder card (a.k.a credit limit). You get to set your own limit by moving any amount to and from your Credit Builder secured account whenever you want.

When you make a purchase, a hold is placed on that money you just spent in your secured account. You can use this money later, to pay your monthly balance. Your Available to Spend will also go down. This way, you know how much more you can spend with your Credit Builder card.

Your Available to Spend is the money you’ve moved to your Credit Builder secured account minus the amount you’ve charged on your Credit Builder card. Move money from your Chime Spending Account into Credit Builder to increase Available to Spend any time!

No, you cannot move money from other banks to your Credit Builder secured account. You can only do that from your Chime Spending Account.

Moving money between Chime Spending Account and Credit Buildertakes ~60 seconds! Once the transfer is complete, your transaction history will reflect the change and your Available to Spend will update.

Safer Credit Building is a feature that allows you to automatically pay your monthly balance with the money in your Credit Builder secured account. Turn it on, so your monthly balances are always paid on time! Learn more about how it works here.

Move My Pay is an optional Credit Builder feature that allows you to automatically move a set amount from your Spending Account to Credit Builder whenever you get paid. You can always make changes or move money between your Chime accounts at any time.

You can pay off your Credit Builder charges in 3 ways:

1. Our recommendation is to turn on Safer Credit Building. When you make a purchase, the money you spent is put on hold in your secured account. Safer Credit Building uses that money to automatically pay your monthly balance. This will help you avoid late payments and outstanding balances.
2. If Safer Credit Building is not turned on, Manual Payments can still be made at any time by going to Settings → Safer Credit Building → Make a Payment.
3. ACH Payments can be made from any bank by using Credit Builder’s account and routing numbers. To find them, go to Settings → Safer Credit Building → Make a Payment → Paying with another bank

Credit Builder statements are available by the 28th of each month and due on the 23rd of the following month.

If you miss a payment, we’ll disable your Credit Builder card and ask you to pay your overdue balance. See “How and when do I pay off the card?” on how to make a payment.

If your balance due isn’t paid in full after 30 days, we may report information about your account to the major credit bureaus. Late payments, missed payments, or other defaults on your account may be reflected on your credit report.

For the Credit Builder Visa Credit Card Agreement, please visit: https://www.chime.com/chime-credit-builder-visa-credit-card-agreement/

For the Credit Builder Application Disclosure and Secured Account Agreement, please visit: https://www.chime.com/chime-credit-builder-application-disclosure-and-secured-account-agreement

Your federal tax refund is important, and we want you to have it as fast as possible. That's why you can get your tax refund up to 3 days early¹ when you direct deposit with Chime and file directly with the IRS.

in government payments have been processed by Chime to date.

that filed with the IRS have received their government refunds up to 3 days early¹ through direct deposit with Chime.

Filing your taxes can be complicated.
Getting your federal tax refund early¹
with Chime is simple!

The IRS will start processing returns on February 12, 2021. Here’s how to help your federal tax refund arrive as quickly as possible with direct deposit.

You may receive forms from your employer or financial institution.

Add your Chime Spending Account and bank routing number when you file your federal taxes directly with the IRS.

Your federal tax refund will post to your Chime Spending Account as soon as it is received.

New to Chime?

Get your federal tax refund up to 3 days early¹, access to Chime’s best features, and financial peace of mind by signing up! The process is fast and easy.

We’re going above and beyond to have your back

We can’t control how the IRS processes taxes, but we’re here to help you figure it out and get your refund as fast as possible. Check out our resources on this page for more.

FAQs

If you have questions regarding taxes and your Chime account, please check out our FAQs below

Chime & Taxes

Nope! You do not have to pay or declare taxes for using Credit Builder. To learn more about filing taxes, we recommend speaking with a tax professional and checking theIRS website.

Nope! You do not have to pay or declare taxes for using SpotMe or any of the SpotMe Stimulus Payment advances. To learn more about filing taxes, we recommend speaking with a tax professional and checking theIRS website.

You can find your current Chime Spending Account and withdrawal limits by using the chat feature in your Chime mobile app, or by going to Settings > Account Policies & Terms > Deposit Account Agreement in order to view your current account limits.

Chime Bank Mobile Check Deposit Faq Wells Fargo

Yes! Disabling transactions only works for Chime Visa^® Debit Card transactions and does not affect tax refunds³ or direct deposits.

Sometimes. Unfortunately, we cannot currently guarantee that our Mobile Check Deposit feature will accept all tax refund checks³ due to their unique shape, color, and markings.

Learn more about Mobile Check Deposit limits in your Deposit Account Agreementhere. Please view the back of your debit card to identify your issuing bank.

Direct deposit is the easiest way to deposit your tax refund into your Chime Spending Account. Whether you file online or on paper, all you need to do is enter your Chime Spending Account Number and Routing Number where prompted.

You can find your Spending Account Number and Routing Number in the Chime app! Just go to Settings > Account Information!

We can’t guarantee that your tax refund will deposit earlier than the estimated date provided by the IRS. That said, we’ll always post your tax refund to your account as soon as we receive it!

Yes, however a tax refund may only be direct deposited into an account that is in your name. To accept a joint refund, just make sure the name of the primary filer listed on your tax refund is the exact same name listed on the Chime Spending Account you are depositing to.

Chime Bank Mobile Deposit Faqs

Important: If the primary filers name doesn’t match the name on the Chime Spending Account it is being deposited, the deposit will be rejected and returned to the IRS. No more than three electronic refunds can be deposited into a single financial account or prepaid card. If you exceed this limit, you will receive a notice from the IRS and a paper check refund.

If you recently got married or changed your name, contact Chime Member Services to update the name on your Chime Spending Account to match the name on your tax return. You’ll need your updated ID and marriage certificate for verification.

We’ll always post your tax refund to your account as soon as we receive it. If you don’t see your tax refund yet, that means we haven’t received it, and our Member Services team won’t have any further information about when it will become available.

The best way to find your estimated refund date is to visit Where’s My Refund on the IRS.gov website or the IRS2Go mobile app. If your expected refund date has passed, we recommend contacting the IRS for more information.

Note: State and Federal Tax Returns are processed on different timelines, and may post to your account on different days.

No. Our spending and withdrawal limits are controlled by our holding bank and cannot be changed at this time.

Yes! Your tax return is deposited using your Chime Spending Account number and Routing number. These do not change when you order a new card.

To make purchases larger than your daily spending limit on your Chime Visa® Debit Card, you can set up direct debit payments with billers who offer this option. You’ll just need to provide the merchant with your Spending Account Number and Routing Number.

Direct debits will be removed from your Chime Spending Account when requested by a biller and do not place any hold on your funds. If your balance is not sufficient to cover the payment, it will be declined.

Note: There are no limits or fees associated with direct debits.

Tax Basics

It’s possible your tax implications may have changed due to COVID and Unemployment. We recommend speaking with a tax professional and checking theIRS website for more information.

The IRS has statedthat the Economic Impact Payment (aka Stimulus Payment) will not reduce your refund or increase the amount you owe when you file your 2020 Federal income tax return. For the most updated Tax information, please check theIRS website.

If you did not receive a Stimulus Payment for which you are eligible, you may be eligible for the Recovery Rebate Credit. Please check theIRS website for more information.

According to the IRS, if you need more time to prepare and file your taxes, you may be able to file for an extension before the April 15th deadline. We recommend speaking with a tax professional and checking theIRS website for more information.

Alternative: Need more time to prepare your federal tax return? Please check this IRSwebsite which provides information on how to apply for an extension of time to file.

The last day to file your taxes without a penalty is Thursday, April 15th, 2021. To learn more about filing taxes, we recommend speaking with a tax professional and checking theIRS website.

Eight out of ten taxpayers get their refunds by using Direct Deposit. It is simple, safe and secure. This is the same electronic transfer system used to deposit nearly 98 percent of all Social Security and Veterans Affairs benefits into millions of accounts.

According to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), “Combining direct deposit with IRS e-File is the fastest way to receive your refund. IRS issues more than9 out of 10 refunds in less than 21 days. You can track your refund using the IRS’s ‘Where’s My Refund‘* tool.” To find out more, readthis article updated on December 4, 2020.

We will notify you as soon as we have received your refund – with an email and a push notification (if enabled on your mobile device)!

If your tax refund has not yet been sent, you can call the IRS to stop it. Their toll-free number is 1-800-829-1040.

If your tax refund is less than you were expecting, we recommend contacting the IRS. If you have the Save When I Get Paid feature enabled, 10% of your tax refund will be deposited automatically into your Chime Savings Account.

Your tax refund may be returned if:

• You filed your tax refund under a different name than the one you have on your Chime Spending Account.
• You attempted to deposit someone else’s tax refund into your Chime Account.
• You accidentally used the wrong account number or routing number when you filed.

The most common reason that tax refunds and direct deposits are returned is because the name on the direct deposit doesnotmatch the name on the Chime Account.

If you recently got married or changed your name, contact Chime Member Services to update the name on your Chime Spending Account to match the name on your tax return. You’ll need your updated ID and marriage certificate for verification.

If the name on the direct deposit does not match the name on the Chime Account, the deposit will be returned to the IRS.

Any tax refund that is returned to the IRS will be sent out as a physical check to the address you listed when you filed your taxes. Please reach out to the IRS directly if your refund was returned.