Software · head to head
Skrill vs Zelle
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Skrill a currency conversion fee of 4.49 percent applies to most conversions; Zelle both sender and recipient must have US bank accounts, so it does not work for international transfers
- They diverge on capability: Skrill covers Money transfers, Zelle covers Instant money transfers.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Skrill and Zelle actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, IOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Skrill
- Money transfers
- Digital wallet
- Currency conversion
- Prepaid card
- Credit cards
Only in Zelle
- Instant money transfers
- Bank-to-bank transfers
- Recipient validation
- Transaction history
Both cover
- Bank accounts
- Web support
- IOS support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Skrill
- Sending money internationally from a prepaid digital walletnot Zelle
- Funding and withdrawing from online merchants and gaming sitesnot Zelle
- Buying and selling cryptocurrency inside a wallet accountnot Zelle
Zelle
- Sending money between US bank accounts within minutesnot Skrill
- Paying individuals directly from a bank's own mobile appnot Skrill
- Accepting customer payments through a Zelle small business accountnot Skrill
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Skrill
- A currency conversion fee of 4.49 percent applies to most conversions
- An inactivity fee of EUR 5.00 is deducted monthly after six months with no login or transaction
- Card deposits carry a 2.50 percent fee
- SWIFT bank withdrawals cost 2.80 percent with a minimum fee of EUR 3.5
- Skrill to Skrill transfers cost 2.99 percent with a EUR 0.50 minimum on standard accounts, reduced to 1.45 percent only for True Skriller accounts
- Crypto trading fees are tiered by VIP status, from 1.50 percent standard down to 1.30 percent at Gold and Diamond VIP
Zelle
- Both sender and recipient must have US bank accounts, so it does not work for international transfers
- Payments cannot be reversed once the recipient is enrolled, and a payment can only be cancelled while the recipient has not yet enrolled
- Send limits are set by each participating financial institution rather than published by Zelle
- Reimbursement is limited to qualifying imposter scams rather than a general purchase protection
- Business use requires a separate small business account
Pricing, plan by plan
Skrill
Free- Free AccountFree
- Money transfers
- Digital wallet
- Premier Account$undefined/month
- Higher limits
- Special rates
Zelle
Free- FreeFree
- Instant transfers
- Bank security
- Mobile app
Which should you pick?
Choose Skrill if
- You need money transfers.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want digital wallet.
Choose Zelle if
- You need instant money transfers.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want bank-to-bank transfers.
Questions people ask
- Is Skrill or Zelle better?
- Neither clearly leads. Skrill starts at Free and Zelle at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Skrill or Zelle?
- Skrill starts at Free and Zelle at Free.
- Does Skrill or Zelle run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, IOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Skrill for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Skrill best used for?
- Skrill is most often used for sending money internationally from a prepaid digital wallet, funding and withdrawing from online merchants and gaming sites, buying and selling cryptocurrency inside a wallet account. Of those, sending money internationally from a prepaid digital wallet and funding and withdrawing from online merchants and gaming sites are not what Zelle is typically brought in for.
- What can Skrill do that Zelle cannot?
- Skrill covers Money transfers, Digital wallet, Currency conversion, Prepaid card. Zelle covers Instant money transfers, Bank-to-bank transfers, Recipient validation, Transaction history. Both handle Bank accounts, Web support, IOS support, Android support.