The fastest way to check your EBT balance is to look at your last grocery receipt. Stores have to print your remaining SNAP balance on it. If you don’t have one, call the customer service number on the back of your card, or log in to your state’s EBT website or app. All of these are free.
If you check your EBT balance often, you catch problems early, and that matters more than it used to. Federal replacement for stolen SNAP ended in December 2024, so spotting a strange charge early is your best protection.
Five ways to check your EBT balance
| Method | How | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receipt | Look at the bottom of any EBT receipt | Quick check after shopping | Shows the balance only at that moment |
| Phone | Call the number on the back of your card, choose balance | Works on any phone, day or night | You need your card number, sometimes your PIN |
| State EBT website | Log in to your state’s cardholder site (for example ebtEDGE or ConnectEBT) | Full transaction history | You need to create an account first |
| State or vendor app | Download the app your state’s EBT site names | Balance, history, card lock | Only use the app your state links to |
| Store card reader | Some stores let you run a balance inquiry at the register | When you’re already at checkout | Not every store offers it |
Checking your balance on a receipt
USDA sets what an EBT receipt must show. Every SNAP receipt should list:
- the store’s name and address,
- your remaining SNAP balance (or, in some states, an “insufficient funds” message),
- the type of transaction and the amount,
- the date,
- a shortened version of your card number.
The receipt should never show your full card number or your full name. If one does, tell the store and your state EBT office. Keep your latest receipt in your wallet. It’s the easiest balance check there is, and it works even if your phone is dead.
How to check your EBT balance by phone
Every state has a 24-hour EBT customer service line. The number is printed on the back of your card, and our list of EBT customer service numbers for every state has them all. The automated menu reads your SNAP balance and, in many states, your cash benefit balance too.
Keep the number saved in your phone. If your card is ever lost, the same line cancels it.
Checking online or in an app
States use private vendors to run EBT cards. The two you’ll see most are ebtEDGE and ConnectEBT (used in Connecticut and New Jersey, for example). Your state’s EBT page tells you which one it uses.
The ebtEDGE app shows your balance, your deposits and a year of transactions. It can also freeze your card, reset your PIN, and block out-of-state or online purchases. Those lock tools are the best defense against skimming; see stolen SNAP benefits for how to use them. FIS, the company behind ebtEDGE, moved users to a new version of the app in 2026, with a deadline of August 25, 2026. Your old login carries over. The app works in English, Spanish and Haitian Creole.
ConnectEBT has similar tools. Georgia’s version, for example, lets you lock your card everywhere or only outside Georgia, and can re-lock the card by itself 30, 60 or 90 minutes after you unlock it to shop.
Setting up an online account takes about five minutes the first time:
- Go to your state agency’s EBT page and follow its link to the cardholder site or app.
- Choose to register or create an account.
- Enter your full 16-digit card number and answer the security questions (often your date of birth and ZIP code).
- Create a username and password. Don’t reuse your email password.
- Turn on text or email alerts if your state offers them. Some states send an alert for every purchase, which is the quickest way to catch theft.
Propel is a free private app that many SNAP households use to see their balance and deposit date. It isn’t run by the government. It’s fine to use, but it needs your card login, so decide if you’re comfortable with that.
Three state examples
| State | Phone | Website or app |
|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | 1-888-622-7328, 24 hours | ebtEDGE website and app |
| New Jersey | Number on the back of your card | NJFamiliesFirst.com and the ConnectEBT app (the state calls it the only official app) |
| Georgia | Number on the back of your card | ConnectEBT website and app, with card lock |
Other states work the same way. Your state’s SNAP page links to the right site.
Balance check scams
Don’t search “EBT balance” and click the first link. Fake sites copy your card number and PIN.
- Your state will never text you a link asking for your PIN.
- Only use the website or app your state’s official EBT page points to.
- A site that charges to show your balance is not official. Checking is always free.
- Never read your PIN out loud to anyone who calls you.
If you think someone has your PIN, change it right away.
What your balance shows
Most receipts and apps show SNAP and cash benefits separately. SNAP buys food; cash benefits, if you have them, can be used for other things or withdrawn. Summer EBT (SUN Bucks) for children may be on a separate card or added to your SNAP account depending on your state; see Summer EBT.
If your balance looks lower than expected:
- Check the transaction history for purchases you didn’t make. If you see any, call to cancel the card right away.
- Check your deposit date; it may not have loaded yet. See the EBT deposit schedule by state.
- Check your mail for a notice about a change in benefits. You can ask questions or request a fair hearing if you disagree.
- Remember that unused SNAP rolls over, but benefits can be removed after 9 months with no card use.
Paying online
When you shop online, the store shows your available SNAP balance at checkout after you enter your PIN. See using SNAP online for which stores accept it.
Can you get a free phone with EBT?
Not from the EBT program itself. Your EBT card doesn’t come with a phone, and your state SNAP office doesn’t hand them out. What SNAP does is qualify you for Lifeline, the federal program behind the so-called free government phone or “Obama phone.”
Here’s how it works. If anyone in your household gets SNAP, you meet Lifeline’s eligibility rules without an income check. Medicaid, SSI, Federal Public Housing Assistance and Veterans Pension also qualify. Lifeline then takes up to $9.25 a month off phone or internet service, and many Lifeline companies use that discount to offer a plan with no monthly bill. Some also include a free or low-cost phone. Details are in our guide to Lifeline eligibility requirements.
To get a free phone with EBT:
- Find a Lifeline company that serves your area. USAC’s “Companies Near Me” tool on lifelinesupport.org searches by ZIP code or by city and state. The tool warns it may not list every company.
- Apply through that company or through the National Verifier at getinternet.gov.
- Have proof of SNAP ready, like your approval letter. Your EBT card alone usually isn’t enough, since it doesn’t show that your benefits are current.
- Remember the limit: one Lifeline benefit per household.
This works the same in every state, so “free phone with EBT near me” and “free phone with EBT in NC” have the same answer: SNAP makes you eligible, and you pick a Lifeline company that serves your ZIP code. Some companies also offer tablets to SNAP households; see free tablet with EBT. For all your options, see the free government phone hub.
A warning: no real Lifeline company needs your EBT card number or PIN. It needs proof that you’re on SNAP. Anyone asking for your PIN to “sign you up” is trying to steal your benefits.
Quick answers
Is there a fee to check EBT balance? Not from the state. Some ATMs charge a fee for balance checks on cash benefits, so use the phone line or app instead.
Can I check EBT balance without my card? Online and in apps, yes, once your account is set up. By phone, you usually need the card number.
How often should I check? Right after your deposit day and after each shopping trip is a good habit.
What happens if I enter the wrong PIN too many times? Your card gets blocked for PIN use. In North Carolina, four wrong tries in a row means you must pick a new PIN or wait until after 12:01 a.m. the next day. Other states have similar limits.
Can I get an EBT phone plan? There’s no phone plan run by EBT. SNAP qualifies you for Lifeline plans from private phone companies, as explained above.
New to EBT? See what EBT is and how to apply for SNAP.
More SNAP help by topic: SNAP and EBT guides.
Sources: USDA: EBT receipt requirements for retailers, USDA: SNAP EBT, USDA: State EBT websites, FIS: ebtEDGE mobile, USDA: Addressing stolen benefits, NCDHHS: Electronic Benefit Transfer, NJ SNAP: Check your balance, Georgia DFCS: ConnectEBT website and mobile app, USAC: Lifeline, do I qualify?, USAC: Companies Near Me.