Alternatives to Cash App in the UK

Revolut

Revolut has several different accounts to choose from, but all of them allow you to send money to other Revolut users in the app completely free of charge. All you’ll need is the recipient’s phone number, email, Revtag or QR code and they should receive their payment within 20 seconds.

Alternatively, to send money to someone who doesn’t use Revolut, you can create a payment link in the app. You can use this for requesting payments too. Simply tap on ‘Payments’, tap ‘New’, then ‘Create a payment’ link and select whether you want to send or request money and how much.

Once sent, the recipient has 7 days to accept your payment. If you’re requesting money, the sender needs to make the payment within 10 days before the link expires.

Another benefit of using Revolut is that it’s easy to send money to those living overseas. International payments can be made through the app in 36 currencies, although fees may apply.

Revolut often has sign-up bonuses for new customers which are worth reviewing before signing up.

Monzo

Monzo also offers a range of different accounts – one is free and the other 3 charge a monthly fee. Whatever account you pick, you can use Monzo’s Nearby Friends feature to send money to anyone who also banks with Monzo, as long as they are nearby. You can do this by following the below steps:

1. Both switch on Bluetooth
2. Tap ‘Payments’ in your app
3. Tap ‘Pay someone’
4. Both tap ‘Pay someone nearby’ and tap your friend’s name
5. Make the payment

If your friend isn’t nearby, simply search for your friend’s name through the ‘Pay with friends’ feature to make your payment.

The Nearby Friends feature and Monzo contacts are also useful for splitting bills. If your friend doesn’t use Monzo, tap ‘Add someone not on Monzo’ and then ‘Share a request’ to choose how you want to send your payment link.

Alternatively, you can make payments to anyone with a UK bank account by email, text or social media without their bank details. If you wish to send money abroad, Monzo has teamed up with Wise to allow this, but you will need to pay fees.

Starling

If you open a free Starling Bank current account, you’ll be able to send money to friends via the Nearby Payments feature if the other person also banks with Starling. To do this, you need to locate the other person in the app over Bluetooth or wifi.

Alternatively, you can use Starling’s Settle Up feature to request payments from others and split bills by sending payment links through the app. Simply tell the recipient how much they owe and await your payment – the recipient won’t need to have an account with Starling or use your bank details to pay this way. You can send and receive up to £250 a day with Settle Up.

If you want to send money abroad, you’ll only be able to do so through a traditional international bank transfer and fees apply.

NatWest

High street bank NatWest lets account holders send money to friends through the app with just their mobile number. Your friends won’t need to bank with NatWest to do this.

To get started:

• Tap ‘Payments’ in the app
• Select ‘Pay Your Contacts’
• Enter the recipient’s mobile number, the amount you want to send and add a reference

If your friend is registered for Pay Your Contacts with NatWest, they’ll be sent a text to let them know a payment has been made. If they are not registered or they bank elsewhere, you can send a secure payment link via text, WhatsApp or email and the recipient can tap on this to get their money.

It’s possible to send up to £250 per day with Pay Your Contacts and only UK payments can be made this way. If you want to send money abroad, you’ll need to do this via a bank transfer and fees may apply.