Daily automatic transfers move money on a schedule you choose
A daily automatic transfer from your Wells Fargo checking account moves a fixed amount to another account every single day without you having to do anything. Wells Fargo calls this a recurring transfer, and you set it up once in your online banking or mobile app, then it runs on its own until you stop it.
The money leaves your checking account at the same time each day—usually early morning—and lands in the destination account within one business day. You can transfer to another Wells Fargo account you own, to an external account at a different bank, or to a savings goal within Wells Fargo's system. The daily amount stays the same unless you change it.
This is different from a one-time transfer, which you set up and execute once. It is also different from a bill payment, which goes to a company you owe money to. A recurring transfer is purely between accounts you control.
Key Takeaways
- Daily transfers are set up in Wells Fargo's online banking or mobile app under the Transfers section, and you choose the amount, frequency, and destination account.
- Money transfers early in the morning on the day you specify, and external transfers typically arrive the next business day.
- You can pause, resume, or delete a recurring transfer at any time without penalty.
- Wells Fargo does not charge a fee for recurring transfers between your own accounts, but external transfers may have limits depending on your account type.
- If you set up a daily transfer to an external account, that bank must be enrolled in Wells Fargo's external transfer system first.
How to set up a daily transfer in Wells Fargo online banking
Log into your Wells Fargo account at wellsfargo.com and select Transfers from the main menu. Click Set Up a Transfer or New Transfer, depending on which version of the site you see. You will be asked to choose a source account (the checking account the money leaves from) and a destination account (where it goes).
If you are transferring to another Wells Fargo account you own, that account will appear in a dropdown list. If you are transferring to an external bank account, you must have already added that account to your profile under Manage External Accounts. This step requires the other bank's routing number and your account number there, and Wells Fargo will verify the account with two small test deposits before you can use it.
Once you have chosen both accounts, enter the amount you want to transfer each day. Then select Daily from the frequency options. You can choose what day the transfer should start, and whether it should run indefinitely or stop on a specific date. Review the details and confirm.
The transfer will begin on the start date you chose. You will receive a confirmation number and can view the transfer in your transaction history going forward.
How to set up a daily transfer in the Wells Fargo mobile app
Open the Wells Fargo mobile app and tap the Transfers icon at the bottom of the screen. Tap New Transfer and follow the same steps: choose your source account, choose your destination account, enter the daily amount, and select Daily as the frequency.
The mobile app works identically to online banking for this task. You will see the same confirmation number and can manage the transfer from either platform—changes you make in the app show up in online banking and vice versa.
When the transfer actually leaves your account
Wells Fargo processes recurring transfers early in the morning, typically between midnight and 6 a.m. Pacific time. The exact time varies slightly day to day, but the money leaves your checking account on the calendar day you specified. If that day is a weekend or holiday, the transfer is delayed until the next business day.
If you are transferring to another Wells Fargo account, the money arrives the same day or the next business day. If you are transferring to an external account at a different bank, it typically arrives the next business day, though some banks take longer. You can check the status of any transfer in your transaction history.
If your checking account does not have enough money to cover the transfer when it is scheduled, Wells Fargo will not process it. The transfer will fail silently—you will not be charged a fee, but the money will not move. You can set up a notification to alert you if a transfer fails.
Pausing, changing, or stopping a daily transfer
You can modify a recurring transfer at any time without penalty. Log into online banking or the mobile app, go to Transfers, and find the transfer you want to change. You can edit the amount, change the frequency (for example, from daily to weekly), change the destination account, or set a new end date.
If you want to pause a transfer temporarily without deleting it, you can set an end date for today and create a new transfer with the same details starting on a future date. This is useful if you know you will not have enough money for a few days but want to resume later.
To stop a transfer permanently, select it and choose Delete or Cancel. The transfer will not process again after that day. Any transfer that has already left your account cannot be recalled through the recurring transfer system—you would need to contact Wells Fargo directly if you need to reverse a transfer that has already posted.
Limits and fees for daily transfers
Wells Fargo does not charge a fee for recurring transfers between accounts you own at Wells Fargo. However, your account type may limit how many external transfers you can make per month. Checking accounts typically allow six external transfers per month (this is a federal regulation, not a Wells Fargo rule), though some account types have higher limits.
A daily transfer counts as one transfer per day, so a daily recurring transfer to an external account will use up your monthly limit quickly. If you reach your limit, Wells Fargo will reject the transfer and notify you. You can request a higher limit or switch to a different account type if you need more transfers.
Transfers between your own Wells Fargo accounts have no limit. If you are transferring daily to another Wells Fargo account, you will not hit any cap.
Setting up a daily transfer to a savings goal
Wells Fargo offers a feature called Savings Goals that lets you set aside money within your Wells Fargo account for a specific purpose. You can set up a daily automatic transfer to a Savings Goal the same way you would transfer to another account. The money moves from your checking account into the goal, and you can track progress toward your target amount.
This is useful if you want to automate saving without opening a separate savings account. The money is still in your Wells Fargo account but separated visually so you are less likely to spend it. You can pause or delete the transfer to the goal at any time, and you can withdraw from the goal if you need the money.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I set up a daily transfer but my account does not have enough money?
Wells Fargo will not process the transfer and will not charge you a fee. The transfer straightforward fails and does not retry automatically. You can set up a low-balance alert to notify you before this happens, or you can manually pause the transfer if you know money will be tight.
Can I set up a daily transfer to a bank account at a different bank?
Yes, but you must add that external account to your Wells Fargo profile first. Go to Manage External Accounts and enter the routing number and account number. Wells Fargo will send two small test deposits to verify the account, which takes one to two business days. After that, you can set up the daily transfer.
How long does it take for a daily transfer to an external bank to arrive?
Wells Fargo sends the transfer the day you scheduled it, and it typically arrives at the other bank the next business day. Some banks process incoming transfers more slowly, so it may take two business days in rare cases. You can contact the receiving bank if a transfer does not arrive within two business days.
Can I change the amount of a daily transfer without deleting it?
Yes. Log into your Wells Fargo account, go to Transfers, find the recurring transfer, and select Edit. You can change the daily amount, and the new amount will explore to the next transfer. The change takes effect when ready.
Do I need to do anything special to set up a daily transfer if I have multiple checking accounts?
No. When you set up the transfer, you straightforward choose which checking account the money should leave from. You can set up separate daily transfers from different checking accounts to the same destination, or from one checking account to multiple destinations.