How Does SpotMe Work on Chime? Limits, Fees and How to Get $200

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If you’ve ever worried about overdrafting your account, Chime SpotMe could be the safety net you need. Chime offers this feature to eligible members, allowing them to cover transactions even when their balance drops below zero — without charging overdraft fees.

But how does SpotMe work on Chime, and how can you qualify for the highest $200 limit? Here’s everything you need to know.

What Is SpotMe on Chime?

Chime’s* SpotMe®¹ product is exactly what it sounds like — an opportunity for customers to be “spotted,” or covered, on debit purchases and cash withdrawals that take their account balance into negative territory, up to $20 at a time initially and up to $200 at a time for established users. Customers must make purchases using the Chime Visa® Debit Card² or Secured Chime Credit Builder Visa®³ to receive SpotMe coverage.

Chime uses the customer’s next deposit or transfer to reclaim the money, without charging any fees⁴ for the negative balance. Once the money has been repaid to Chime, the customer has an opportunity to leave a tip for the convenience. This helps keep Chime’s SpotMe service fee-free. Customers who receive the overdraft protection from SpotMe but decide not to tip continue to remain eligible for the service.

Eligibility for SpotMe

You’re eligible to use SpotMe if you meet these requirements:

• Own an active physical Chime debit card or Credit Builder card
• Receive at least one qualifying direct deposit of $200 or more monthly into your Chime Checking Account. Qualifying direct deposits include payroll checks and payments you receive as an independent contractor or from benefits programs.

To enroll, activate your Chime Visa^® Debit Card or Chime Credit Builder Visa^® Credit Card if you haven’t already, and set up and receive a qualifying direct deposit.

Next, make sure you have the latest version of the Chime mobile app. Select the Settings tab in the app to see if you’re eligible to use SpotMe. If you are, agree to the terms and conditions to complete your enrollment.

How To Get $200 From Chime

Although the maximum SpotMe limit is $200, your initial SpotMe limit is $20. Using the Chime app regularly and building a history of regular direct deposits, especially larger direct deposits, could help increase your limit over time. In addition, watch for promotional offers that temporarily increase your limit.

Friends Can Provide an Extra Boost

Friends and family of eligible customers can temporarily increase a user’s coverage limit for SpotMe by sending what Chime calls Boosts. These are $5 online transfers that act as quick cash infusions to raise overdraft coverage above the limit.

Customers can send and receive up to four Boosts per month, but only one Boost per friend monthly. Boosts are good until day one of the next month.

How SpotMe Works

Without SpotMe, Chime automatically declines transactions that would overdraw your account. But once you’ve enrolled in SpotMe, it works automatically when you use your Chime debit or Credit Builder card for an eligible transaction that exceeds your Chime account balance. It’ll cover up to your limit, whether that’s $20 or $200, or anywhere in between.

Eligible transactions include:

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

Ineligible transactions include:

• Pay Anyone transfers
• Direct debits from your checking account
• Transfers between your checking and savings accounts
• Transfers to Venmo, Cash App and other third-party apps
• Checkbook transactions

A phone notification alerts you to the amount of coverage you receive for your purchase. When Chime receives your next deposit, you’ll get an alert letting you know that the deposit repaid the covered amount.

SpotMe Fees and Repayment

Chime doesn’t charge an overdraft fee or overdraft transfer fee for SpotMe. If you’re not enrolled, or if a transaction exceeds your SpotMe limit, Chime will simply decline it. That means you can’t overdraw your account if you don’t have SpotMe or you exceed your SpotMe limit.

Repaying SpotMe is easy and automatic. When Chime receives your next direct deposit, it’ll collect your SpotMe balance before crediting the remaining deposit to your account.

Increasing Your SpotMe Limit

Increasing your SpotMe limit takes time and patience. Chime doesn’t provide a way for its representatives to manually increase your limit. But you’ll have a better chance of a limit increase by engaging in the following activities:

• Receiving frequent direct deposits.
• Receiving direct deposits in larger amounts.
• Maintaining your account over the longer term.

By maximizing each of these factors, you could eventually earn a limit of $200.

Final Take to GO

SpotMe on Chime is a game-changer for avoiding overdraft fees, allowing eligible users to overdraw their accounts up to $200 without extra costs. Whether you need coverage for everyday purchases or cash withdrawals, SpotMe offers peace of mind with zero hidden fees.

Next Steps:

• Enable SpotMe in the Chime app if you’re eligible.
• Boost your direct deposits to qualify for a higher limit.
• Use Chime’s debit card regularly to increase your SpotMe eligibility.

Want to learn more? Check out our Chime SpotMe Review for an in-depth look at this feature!

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

¹SpotMe® on Debit is an optional, no fee overdraft service attached to your Chime Checking Account. To qualify for the SpotMe on Debit service, you must receive $200 or more in qualifying direct deposits to your Chime Checking Account each month and have activated your physical Chime Visa® Debit Card or secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card. Qualifying members will be allowed to overdraw their Chime Checking Account for up to $20 on debit card purchases and cash withdrawals initially but may later be 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 on Debit 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 on Debit, there may be out-of-network or third-party fees associated with ATM transactions. SpotMe on Debit will not cover any non-debit card transactions, including ACH transfers, Pay Anyone transfers, or Chime Checkbook transactions. SpotMe on Debit Terms and Conditions.

²Banking services and debit card provided by The Bancorp Bank N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted.

³To apply for Credit Builder, you must have received a single qualifying direct deposit of $200 or more to your Checking Account. The qualifying direct deposit must be from your employer, payroll provider, gig economy payer, or benefits payer by Automated Clearing House (ACH) deposit OR Original Credit Transaction (OCT). Bank ACH transfers, Pay Anyone transfers, verification or trial deposits from financial institutions, peer to peer transfers from services such as PayPal, Cash App, or Venmo, mobile check deposits, cash loads or deposits, one-time direct deposits, such as tax refunds and other similar transactions, and any deposit to which Chime deems to not be a qualifying direct deposit are not qualifying direct deposits.

⁴There’s no fee for the Chime Savings Account. Cash withdrawal and Third-party fees may apply to Chime Checking Accounts. You must have a Chime Checking Account to open a Chime Savings Account.

Editorial Note: This content is not provided by any entity covered in this article. Any opinions, analyses, reviews, ratings or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author alone and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any entity named in this article.

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