Both apps are free for everyday sending from a balance, debit card or bank, so choose on the extras. Pick Venmo if you mostly split bills with friends and want free MoneyPass ATMs and a flat 1.75% Instant Transfer capped at $25; pick Cash App if you send money abroad, or sell as a sole trader through its optional Earn in P2P feature, which doesn't currently charge a fee.
Cash App and Venmo look identical when you're paying a friend back for dinner: both are free. The differences show up when you need your money fast, get paid for something you sold, use an ATM or travel. I read Venmo's fees page and Cash App's terms of service, which carry its full fee table, so every figure below is from the two companies as of October 2026.
Cash App and Venmo fees side by side
| Details as of October 2026 | Venmo | Cash App |
|---|---|---|
| Account and monthly fee | $0 | $0 |
| Send from balance, debit card or bank | $0 | $0 (balance or debit card) |
| Send using a credit card | 3.00% | 3% |
| Instant Transfer | 1.75%, $0.25 minimum, $25 maximum | 0.5%-2.5%, $0.25-$1 minimum, $75 maximum |
| Standard transfer | Free, typically 1-3 business days | Free, typically 1-3 business days |
| Getting paid for goods in a personal account | 2.99% when the sender marks it goods and services | Earn in P2P: no fee currently charged |
| ATM withdrawal | In-network MoneyPass $0, out-of-network $2.50 | $2.50, reimbursed in qualifying months |
| Adding cash | $3.74 at participating stores | Paper Money Deposit $1 |
Where Venmo charges you
Venmo's fees page starts with the good news: no account setup fee, no monthly fee, and no fee to send money to a Venmo account or a US PayPal account from your balance, debit card or bank. Use a credit card and there's a 3.00% fee. Receiving personal payments is free, but if the sender marks the payment as goods and services, you pay a 2.99% seller fee. A business profile pays 1.9% + $0.10 per payment, or 2.29% + $0.09 through Tap to Pay.
A few smaller charges are worth knowing. Adding cash to your balance at a participating store with your Venmo Debit Card costs $3.74. Cashing a payroll or government check in minutes costs 2.00% with a $6 minimum, and other accepted checks cost 5.00% with a $6 minimum. Sending money to a non-US PayPal account costs 5.00%, with a minimum of $0.99 and a maximum of $4.99.
Where Cash App charges you
Cash App's terms list $0 for account setup, $0 a month and $0 to send money from your Cash App Balance or debit card in the US. Sending from a credit card costs 3%. Receiving money and adding money by direct deposit or from a linked account are free, and depositing paper money at a participating store is $1 per transaction.
Cash App is the stronger choice for sending money abroad. Its Remittance Service has no transfer fee on a bank transfer of $300 or more and $1.99 below that, while a cash pickup costs $1.99 for $300 or more and $3.98 below. Spending abroad on the card carries a 3% Foreign Transaction Fee, which Cash App waives on in-person card transactions in a month where you spend $500 or more in qualifying purchases or receive $300 or more in qualifying deposits.
The catch: getting money out fast
Sending is free on both apps, so the money is made when you cash out in a hurry. Venmo's Instant Transfer is a flat 1.75%, with a $0.25 minimum and a $25 maximum, and the money typically lands in minutes. Cash App's Instant Transfer slides between 0.5% and 2.5%, with a minimum of $0.25 to $1 and a maximum fee of $75, and Cash App says the exact fee is shown at the time of the transaction. That means you can't know your Cash App rate until you're about to tap. If you can wait, both standard transfers are free and typically take 1-3 business days, and Venmo says a standard transfer to an eligible linked debit card takes about 48 hours.
Selling things: goods and services payments
If you sell second-hand items or take payments for small jobs, this is where the two split. On Venmo, a payment the sender marks as goods and services costs you 2.99% in a personal account. Cash App offers an optional Earn in P2P feature for eligible sole proprietors to receive goods and services payments in a personal account, and its terms say it doesn't currently charge fees on those payments, though it reserves the right to add them with notice. Cash App also has a separate Business Account, with its own terms.
ATMs, deposits and safety
Venmo's debit card is free at MoneyPass ATMs in the US, and $2.50 out of network or abroad. From November 4, 2026, Venmo adds a 2.50% foreign transaction fee on debit card purchases and withdrawals outside the US. Cash App charges $2.50 for an ATM withdrawal and reimburses it in a month with $500 of qualifying purchases or $300 of qualifying deposits.
Neither is a bank. Cash App's terms say it's a financial services platform, not an FDIC-insured bank, and pass-through FDIC insurance only applies in set cases, such as holding a Cash App prepaid card. Venmo places funds in partner banks with pass-through FDIC eligibility only under certain conditions, such as using direct deposit or holding a Venmo debit card. Both need you to be a US resident aged 18 or over.
Which app suits which job
- Splitting bills and paying friends back: either, since both are free from a balance, debit card or bank.
- Cashing out a large balance in a hurry: Venmo, because its Instant Transfer fee stops at $25 while Cash App's can reach $75.
- Getting paid for things you sell as a sole trader: Cash App's Earn in P2P, which doesn't currently charge a fee.
- Sending money to family abroad: Cash App's Remittance Service, free on bank transfers of $300 or more.
- Taking cash out at ATMs often: Venmo with MoneyPass ATMs, or Cash App if you hit the monthly qualifying spend or deposits.
If you're still weighing up whether to trust it with your money, read whether Cash App is legit. And if you're a freelancer looking at ways to get paid, here's how to invoice clients without Zelle.
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My advice on Cash App or Venmo
For splitting dinner and rent with friends, it doesn't make much difference, so use whichever app your friends already have. If you sell things or freelance, look hard at the goods and services rules before you choose, because that's where the real money goes. And whichever you pick, use the free standard transfer whenever you can wait a day or two.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Cash App or Venmo free to send money?
Both are free to send from a balance or debit card, and Venmo is also free from a bank, as of October 2026. Both charge for sending with a credit card: Venmo 3.00% and Cash App 3%.
What does Venmo charge for Instant Transfer?
Venmo's fees page lists 1.75% with a $0.25 minimum and a $25 maximum, as of October 2026.
What does Cash App charge for Instant Transfer?
Cash App's terms list 0.5%-2.5% with a $0.25-$1 minimum and a maximum fee of $75. The exact fee is shown when you make the transfer.
Does Venmo charge for goods and services payments?
Yes. When the sender marks a payment to a personal account as goods and services, the seller pays 2.99%. Business profiles pay 1.9% + $0.10.
Is Cash App FDIC insured?
Cash App's terms say it's a financial services platform and not an FDIC-insured bank. Pass-through FDIC insurance only applies in set cases, such as holding a Cash App prepaid card.
Which app has free ATM withdrawals?
Venmo's debit card is free at MoneyPass ATMs in the US. Cash App charges $2.50 but reimburses it in a month with $500 of qualifying purchases or $300 of qualifying deposits.
