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Cash App vs. Venmo
We look into the fees and features of these two competing money transfer apps to help you figure out which is best for you.
Cash App and Venmo may seem interchangeable at first glance, but they do, in fact, offer quite different services. One of the major differences is the wide array of uses that Cash App boasts, including the ability to buy and sell both stocks and Bitcoin. Venmo focuses entirely on sending and receiving money and does it well, but for users looking for more versatility packaged into one app, Cash App may be the better choice.
Although both Cash App and Venmo can send and receive money from nearly any bank account in the US, both have their individual pros and cons to consider.
We recommend Cash App for:
- The versatility of the app: Send and receive money, buy and sell stocks and more.
- Private transfers by default to email, phone number or $Cashtag.
- Its ability to accept direct deposit payments and make purchases using the Cash Card debit card.
We recommend Venmo for:
- Paying your friends in a socially-focused way that includes emojis and personalized messages.
- Making and receiving payments between friends and family.
- Keeping your money in a digital wallet, which means you don’t have to shift money to and from your bank account.
If you just want to send money privately to your friends with no flair, Cash App’s transfer service might be the better choice. However, Cash App’s additional features can be a bit distracting compared to Venmo’s simple design. See how these two apps stack up on fees, transfer speeds and more by reading on.
Breakdown of Cash App vs. Venmo
Cash App |
Venmo |
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| OVERVIEW | ||
| Description | Split the bill, pay your friends, buy and sell cryptocurrency and even spend money through a connected debit card. | Pay and request money to both friends and businesses through this peer-to-peer, socially driven payment app. |
| Supported devices | iOS app Android app Browser |
iOS app Android app |
| Ways to pay | Bank account Credit card Debit card Google Pay Apple Pay |
Bank account Credit card Debit card |
| Ways to receive | Bank account Debit card Mobile wallet ATM |
Bank account Debit card Mobile wallet ATM |
| Customer support | Phone |
Email Live chat |
| SPEED | ||
| Fastest transfer speed | Instant | Instant |
| Free withdrawal speed | Up to 3 business days | Up to 3 business days |
| LIMITS | ||
| Maximum amount you can send per transfer (unverified account) | $250 | $299.99 |
| Maximum amount you can send per transfer (verified account) | $2,500 | $4,999.99 |
| Supports international transfers? | Yes | No |
| FEES | ||
| Fees to send money | No fees | No fees |
| Instant withdrawal fee | 1.5% | 1% |
| REQUIREMENTS | ||
| Bank account required? | No | No |
| Learn more |
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Summing up Cash App vs. Venmo
Overall, the Venmo app is the more straightforward option because it only does one thing and it does it well: it allows you to send and receive money. However, if you don’t want to have to adjust your privacy settings to keep your transfers just to yourself and the person you are paying, then use Cash App.
The added features that Cash App boasts — buying and selling stocks, buying Bitcoin, direct depositing checks and the like — are all great. However, they aren’t necessary if you’re just looking to pay your friend back after ordering some takeout.
Cash App supports limited transfers between the US and the UK, but for any other international transfers, you’ll want to check out our guide on how to send money online to get started.
Compare other services that send money within the US
See how both Cash App and Venmo stack up against other popular money transfer services in the US in the table below. Or, if you’d like a more detailed review, check out our comparison of Venmo vs. PayPal.
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