10 apps like Venmo in Canada

If you haven’t yet heard of Venmo, you certainly must have heard of PayPal. Think of Venmo as PayPal’s mobile-friendly cousin. This payment app lets you send and receive money for free and easily split bills. Venmo is used by more than 80 million people, so you might be wondering whether it’s available in Canada—and if you can’t get it here, whether there are any other apps like Venmo worth checking out.

Is Venmo in Canada?

Unfortunately, Venmo is not available in Canada. To be able to use it, you need to fulfill two requirements:

• Be physically located in the US
• Have a US mobile number

You’ll also need a US bank account if you want to take money out of your Venmo wallet.
Long story short, you won’t be able to use Venmo in Canada. But there are several apps like Venmo in Canada.

Cash advance apps like Venmo

In the US, Venmo pairs with multiple cash advance apps to help users access their paycheques early. But if you’re searching for a small cash advance to help you overcome a financial emergency in Canada, here are three apps like Venmo worth checking out.

Nyble

Not yet rated

Go to site Read review

$30 – $250

Loan Amount

Starting at 0%

APR

30 days, extendable

Term

• Info
• Pros/cons
• Details

Nyble offers interest-free cash advances of between $30 and $250. There are no interest charges or late fees to worry about, while you can also check your credit score for free. You'll get funded in 1-3 business days with a free account, but funds are instantly available when you sign up for an $11.99/month premium membership.

• No interest
• No late fees
• Build your credit history
• Instant access to funds
• Easy to sign up

• You're limited to borrowing a small amount
• Late payments are reported to the credit bureaus
• Up to three days to get funded with a free account
• $11.99 monthly membership if you want instant access to funds

Loan amount	$30 – $250
APR	Starting at 0%
Term	30 days, extendable
Fees	0% interest with optional fees
Turnaround time	1-30 minutes with a paid membership or 1-3 business days with a free membership.
Serviced provinces	All provinces and territories

Bree

Not yet rated

Go to site Read review

$20 – $350

Loan Amount

Starting at 0%

APR

Next pay cycle (61 days max.)

Term

• Info
• Pros/cons
• Details

Bree offers interest-free cash advances of up to $350, and you can qualify without completing a credit check. It's easy to apply, you get an instant decision and there are no late fees to worry about. Just be aware that a monthly subscription fee applies, and you'll need to pay an extra fee for fast access to funds.

• Quick and easy to apply
• No interest charges or late fees
• Instant approval 24/7
• You also get access to a budgeting tool

• $2.99 monthly subscription fee
• Fee applies if you want a fast transfer
• It can take up to 3 business days to get funded for free
• Small loan amounts

Loan amount	$20 – $350
APR	Starting at 0%
Term	Next pay cycle (61 days max.)
Fees	0% interest with a $2.99 monthly membership fee
Turnaround time	Receive funds within 5 minutes with express delivery (the fee is based on the advance amount) and up to 3 business days for standard delivery.
Serviced provinces	All provinces and territories

KOHO Cover

Not yet rated

Go to site Read review

$20 – $250

Loan Amount

Starting at 0%

APR

Flexible

Term

• Info
• Pros/cons
• Details

KOHO Cover provides a fast cash advance of up to $250. There are no interest charges to worry about and no credit checks required, and you get the money instantly in the KOHO app or by making an ATM withdrawal. However, you'll need to pay a $2/month KOHO Cover fee, while you may also need to pay a fee for your KOHO plan (ranging from $0 to $19 per month).

• No interest
• No NSF fees
• Instant access to funds
• No income required to qualify

• Monthly KOHO Cover fee
• KOHO plan fee may also apply
• Small loan amount
• Won't improve your credit score

Loan amount	$20 – $250
APR	Starting at 0%
Term	Flexible
Fees	0% interest with a subscription fee starting at $2/month
Turnaround time	Immediately
Serviced provinces	All provinces and territories

Money transfer apps like Venmo

If you need to send money to friends or family, either within Canada or internationally, there are seven apps like Venmo you might want to check out.

Interac

Undisclosed
Transfer Fees

Undisclosed
Fastest Transfer Speed

Undisclosed – Undisclosed
Transfer Amount

• Our Take
• Pros + Cons
• Details

The Interac payment network links financial institutions across Canada. Through its e-Transfer service, you can send money almost instantly to someone with a Canadian mobile phone number or email address and an account with a bank or credit union that is part of the Interac network. International e-Transfers are also available through a partnership with Western Union if you have an account with National Bank, while the Interac Debit service supports online and in-store payments.

• Instant transfers
• Use your bank account&mdash
• no need to open a separate account
• Easy to send and receive money
• Supported by most banks and credit unions

• Your bank may charge an e-Transfer fee
• You need a National Bank account to send an international transfer

Transfer Amount	Undisclosed – Undisclosed
Pay By Method	Interac e-Transfer
Transfer Methods	Through app Online

Wise

Go to site

From 0.42%
Transfer Fees

24 hours
Fastest Transfer Speed

$1 – $1,500,000
Transfer Amount

• Our Take
• Pros + Cons
• Details

International money transfer service Wise offers the mid-market (or real) exchange rate when you need to send funds internationally. You can send money from Canada to over 76 countries around the world. Wise also offers a multi-currency account and a debit card, allowing you to send, receive and spend money in 52 currencies.

• Get the mid-market exchange rate
• User-friendly app and online platform
• Rated 4.3/5 from over 235,000 Trustpilot reviews
• 24/7 support

• You can only send money to bank accounts
• Transfer fees apply

Transfer Amount	$1 – $1,500,000
Payout Method	Bank account Alipay (China only)
Pay By Method	Credit card Debit card Bank transfer Interac e-Transfer Online bill payment Direct debit (EFT)
Transfer Methods	Through app Online

Xe

Go to site

$0
Transfer Fees

N/A
Fastest Transfer Speed

$1 – $750,000 online (no max offline) 
Transfer Amount

• Our Take
• Pros + Cons
• Details

Xe lets you send money right around the world, with 200 transfer destinations supported. You can send your transfer through the website or a highly-rated mobile app, and there are multiple payment options available. The funds you send can be deposited into your recipient's bank account, sent to their mobile wallet or made available as cash for collection.

• Send money to 200 countries
• App averages ratings of 4.7/5 on Google Play and 4.8/5 on Apple's App Store
• Supports a range of payment and payout methods
• Canada-based company

• There are faster options available
• Watch out for exchange rate markups

Transfer Amount	$1 – $750,000 online (no max offline)
Payout Method	Bank account
Pay By Method	Credit card Debit card Bank transfer
Transfer Methods	By phone call Through app Online

OFX

Go to site

$0
Transfer Fees

24 hours
Fastest Transfer Speed

$200 – Unlimited
Transfer Amount

• Our Take
• Pros + Cons
• Details

OFX is a money transfer provider that lets you send money in over 52 currencies to 170+ countries around the world. You can send money via OFX's highly rated mobile app or online, with direct debit and wire transfer the supported payment methods.This established provider has also been in business for over 25 years.

• Send funds to 170+ countries
• Advanced tools like limit orders and forward contracts available
• 24/7 support
• No fees on large transfers

• No cash pickup transfers available
• Slower than some other options
• Fee of $15 on transfers under $10,000

Transfer Amount	$200 – Unlimited
Payout Method	Bank account
Pay By Method	Debit card Bank transfer
Transfer Methods	By phone call Through app Online

MoneyGram

Go to site

From $4.99
Transfer Fees

within minutes
Fastest Transfer Speed

$1 – $990
Transfer Amount

• Our Take
• Pros + Cons
• Details

MoneyGram lets you send funds from Canada to more than 200 countries and territories around the world. It's particularly useful if you want to send a fast cash pickup transfer, as it has over 350,000 locations worldwide and you can get the funds to your recipient within a matter of minutes.

• Send money just about anywhere
• Cash arrives within minutes
• Pay using cash, card or your bank account
• Easy-to-use mobile app

• Watch out for transfer fees
• High exchange rate markup

Transfer Amount	$1 – $990
Payout Method	Cash pickup location Bank account Mobile wallet Home delivery
Pay By Method	Cash Credit card Debit card Bank transfer
Transfer Methods	In person Online

PayPal

From $0
Transfer Fees

N/A
Fastest Transfer Speed

$1 – $10,000
Transfer Amount

• Our Take
• Pros + Cons
• Details

PayPal is one of the biggest names in the world of online and mobile payments, offering a simple and secure payment option when you shop online. It's quick and easy to check out with PayPal when you link your credit or debit card to your account, while you can also use the PayPal app to send money within Canada or send an international transfer to over 130 countries.

• Your payment details are encrypted
• Fast checkout when shopping online
• Fast transfers within Canada
• You can also send money overseas

• Currency conversion costs apply
• Watch out for fees
• Other providers offer faster transfers

Transfer Amount	$1 – $10,000
Payout Method	Cash pickup location Bank account Mobile wallet
Pay By Method	Credit card Debit card Bank transfer
Transfer Methods	Through app Online

How do I request and send money through Venmo?

While Venmo is not available in Canada, these are the steps US users need to follow to send or request money in Venmo:

1. Create a Venmo account. Sign up with your email address and credit or debit card information. Add your bank account info if you want to deposit the money you receive. Note that you may have to pay a transaction fee when using your credit card.
2. Request a transfer. Once you’ve created your account, request or send money by tapping Pay/Request at the bottom of the screen.
3. Enter your Venmo recipient or sender. Use the person’s Venmo username to send or request money, adding the transfer amount. Name your transaction with a memo – or use Venmo’s bitmoji shorthand for your transaction.
4. Complete transaction. Tap Pay or Request to complete your transaction.

What happens when someone sends me money in Venmo?

If you’re eligible for a Venmo account, you’ll receive a notification from Venmo each time a user sends you money. Unlike some other payment apps, the money you’ve been sent doesn’t go directly into your bank account. Rather, it stays linked to your Venmo account until you choose to transfer it. You can transfer all of your balance or only a portion of it.

A feature that sets Venmo apart from other peer-to-peer payment systems is its social media component. Once you’ve been sent money, it may show up on your friends’ feeds, where they can see your transactions – but not the amounts. However, you can adjust your privacy settings to restrict who can see your transactions.

Is Venmo safe?

Venmo has multiple security features in place to help keep your personal and financial details safe. These include:

• Data encryption. Your personal and financial information (including transaction details) is encrypted.
• Sign-in security. You can set up biometric or PIN login details as well as your Venmo password for an extra layer of security.
• Purchase protection. Eligible payments in the app are covered by Venmo Purchase Protection.
• Fraud reporting. Venmo has specialized systems in place so that users can report fraud or suspicious activity related to their account.

Pros and cons of Venmo

Pros

• Widely popular service. Over 80 million people in the US are already using Venmo.
• Easy to use. It’s quick and convenient to send and request payments in the app.
• Social media platform. Venmo is a social payments platform and includes a feed of transactions to your friends, so it offers something a little different to other payment apps.

Cons

• US only. Venmo’s services are limited to users in the US, so you can’t use it in Canada.
• Steep credit card fee. Unlike when you use a debit card, a credit card incurs an additional 3% fee for each transaction.

Bottom line

Venmo isn’t available in Canada, but there are several apps like Venmo that Canadians can use. Whether you’re looking for a small cash advance or the ability to send payments domestically or internationally, compare apps like Venmo to find the payment solution that’s right for you.

Frequently asked questions

• Does Canada use Zelle or Venmo?

  No, neither Zelle nor Venmo are available in Canada. However, there are alternatives available for Canadians who want a mobile app for sending domestic or international payments.

• Where can I download the Venmo app?

  You can download Venmo from Google Play or the Apple App Store. However, Venmo is only available to US users.

• Who owns Venmo?

  Venmo is owned by PayPal. Venmo was founded in 2009 and then acquired by PayPal in 2013.

To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Leanne Escobal as part of our fact-checking process.

Written by

Tim Falk

Writer

Tim Falk is a freelance writer for Finder. Over the course of his 15-year writing career, he has reported on a wide range of personal finance topics. Whether you're investing in stocks and ETFs, comparing savings accounts or choosing a credit card, Tim wants to make it easier for you to understand. When he’s not staring at his computer, you can usually find him exploring the great outdoors. See full bio