Chime SpotMe App Review

Chime’s SpotMe isn’t a loan at all—it’s an overdraft safety net built into the Chime Checking Account. Once you turn it on, the feature can spot you between $20 and $200 (or more with temporary Boosts) whenever a debit-card purchase or cash withdrawal would push your balance below zero. Instead of tagging on a steep overdraft charge or payday-loan interest, Chime simply lets your balance go negative up to that limit.

Getting in is pretty simple: keep your Chime account in good standing, activate your debit or Credit Builder card, and make sure at least $200 in qualifying direct deposits have landed in the past 34 days. There’s no credit check, no separate application, and you’ll see your current limit right in the app—it can grow as your deposit history and spending patterns build.

When your next paycheck or any other deposit arrives, Chime automatically wipes out the negative balance. You’ll never owe more than SpotMe covered, though you can leave an optional tip once you’re back above $20. The whole setup is fee-free unless you pull cash at an out-of-network ATM ($2.50 from Chime plus any ATM surcharge), making SpotMe a straightforward way to avoid surprise overdraft fees.

Chime SpotMe might work well for you if:

• Fee-free buffer: You want up to $200 automatically fronted on debit-card purchases or cash withdrawals with zero overdraft or interest fees
• Regular deposits: You already have at least $200 in qualifying direct deposits hitting your Chime Checking Account each month
• Quick repayment: You’re fine with Chime collecting the advance from your very next deposit without a transfer charge
• Cards first: Most of your day-to-day spending runs through your Chime Visa Debit or Credit Builder card, which SpotMe covers
• No cost: You like that there’s no subscription and tipping is totally optional

When Chime SpotMe might not be a good fit:

• Low deposits: You can’t meet the $200 direct-deposit requirement or get paid irregularly
• Need more: You often need more than a $200 safety net
• P2P focus: You rely on PayPal, Cash App, ACH pulls or other non-card transactions SpotMe won’t cover
• Off-network ATMs: You withdraw cash from non-Chime ATMs frequently and don’t want to pay the $2.50 fee
• Different bank: You’d rather keep your main checking and paycheck with another institution

1. Age: You must be at least 18
2. Chime account: Keep an open Chime Checking Account (and its linked Secured Deposit Account) in good standing with Chime+ status
3. Card on: Activate either the Chime Visa Debit Card or Credit Builder Visa; you can toggle SpotMe on/off for each, but they share one limit
4. Direct deposit: Receive at least one qualifying direct deposit of $200 or more into the Checking Account within the last 34 days and continue to get that amount (or higher) every month
5. Enroll & grow: Turn on SpotMe in the app; your limit starts around $20 and can rise to $200+ based on deposit size/frequency, account age, spending habits and other risk factors

Meet these checkpoints and SpotMe automatically covers eligible card purchases or cash withdrawals when your balance dips below zero, then repays itself from your next deposit.

SpotMe doesn’t send you a separate deposit—once you’ve met the $200-a-month direct-deposit requirement and turn it on, it works in real time. If a debit-card purchase or ATM withdrawal would take your Chime balance below zero, Chime simply covers the difference on the spot (up to your current limit, which can rise from $20 to $200+). There’s no expedite fee and no waiting; the transaction is approved instantly, just like a normal card swipe.

1. Auto pull: Whatever SpotMe covered is automatically taken from your very next deposit—paycheck, transfer, refund, you name it.
2. Monthly deadline: If anything’s still unpaid, you must clear it by the due date on your statement (payments made by 5 p.m. ET on the next business day still count when the date falls on a weekend or holiday).
3. No extra costs: You repay only what was fronted; there’s no interest or late fee, but Chime will pause SpotMe and other perks until you’re back in the black.
4. Account closure: Closing SpotMe or the Credit Builder card triggers an immediate grab of any outstanding balance from your Secured Deposit or Checking account.

SpotMe does more than just let you swipe when your balance hits zero—it comes with a few handy extras that smooth out day-to-day spending.

Two-card coverage

Once you turn SpotMe on, the same overdraft cushion works on both the Chime Visa Debit Card and the Secured Credit Builder Visa. Each card can be toggled on or off individually, but they still pull from one shared limit, so you don’t have to juggle separate balances.

Flexible, self-adjusting limit

Your buffer starts as low as $20 and can climb past $200 as your direct-deposit history, deposit size, account age and spending habits improve. The current limit shows in real time inside the app, and any increase or decrease comes with a push or email alert.

Boosts, bonuses and tipping

Friends with Chime can send each other one $5 SpotMe Boost per month, and Chime occasionally drops promotional bonuses—both temporarily raise your limit until the next month starts. After you’ve repaid the advance and your account is at least $20 in the positive, you can leave an optional, refundable tip that never affects your eligibility or limit.

What is and isn’t covered

SpotMe steps in for card-number purchases, ATM cash pulls, cash-back at checkout, over-the-counter cash and automatic card-number bill payments. It doesn’t cover Pay Anyone transfers, ACH debits, third-party payment apps, checkbook payments or moves between your Chime accounts, so plan around those gaps.