Melanie Yates
·4 min read
[table-of-contents] stripped
Venmo has single-handedly eliminated the stress of splitting dinner bills among friends. The mobile payment service makes it easy for people to transfer money from their bank account to other app users.
The way it works is that once someone sends money to your Venmo account, it'll show up in the "Me" tab under "Venmo balance." While you can transfer these funds right to your bank account, you can also keep them in the app. As long as you have enough money in your Venmo balance to cover what you owe, you can pay people and retailers (that accept Venmo payments) directly through the app.
But, can you add money from your bank account directly into your Venmo balance? Yes, you can — but there's a catch. You must have the Venmo debit card to add money to your Venmo balance. While Venmo's customer support told us that there are plans to expand this feature to non-cardholders, this functionality does not exist for Venmo's wider user base at this time.
Whether or not you have the Venmo debit card, here's what to know about how to add money to Venmo, and how you can use your balance to pay others right through the app.
How to sign up for the Venmo debit card
As aforementioned, you must sign up for the Venmo debit card before you can add money to your Venmo balance.
Note that the Venmo debit card works just like a regular debit card from your bank. Your Venmo activity with this card doesn't impact your credit score or get reported to credit bureaus. You won't have to maintain a minimum balance or pay a monthly fee using this debit card, either.
To start the sign-up process, you must first verify your identity. For security purposes (such as preventing scams), Venmo only allows users who've verified their identity to be eligible for the Venmo debit card. If you haven't done this, follow the below steps:
In the Venmo mobile app, tap on the "Me" tab.
Select the gear symbol in the upper right-hand corner to access your settings.
Select "Identity Verification" and follow the on-screen steps to complete.
Once Venmo has confirmed that your identity has been verified, follow the below steps to sign up for the Venmo debit card.
In the Venmo mobile app, tap on the "Cards" tab.
Tap "Sign up for the Venmo Debit Card."
Tap "Get the Venmo Debit Card" and follow the on-screen instructions to verify any necessary information and set up your account.
How to add money to Venmo
Once you have a Venmo debit card, you can add money to your Venmo balance from a bank account or debit card that you've already linked through the app by following these steps:
In the Venmo mobile app, tap on the "Me" tab.
Under the Wallet section, tap "Manage balance."
Select "Add Money."
Choose the linked account you're drawing money from, type in the amount, and tap "Add."
How long will it take for your funds to arrive? If you've selected a debit card as your funding source, the funds should show up in your Venmo balance instantly. If you've selected a bank account, however, the funds will take 3-5 business days to transfer.
Having a Venmo debit card also allows you to pair your Venmo balance with a smartphone Wallet app like Apple Wallet to use for contactless payments in stores.
How to pay someone with your Venmo balance
Regardless of whether or not you're a Venmo debit card user, anyone can use their Venmo balance to pay others (or participating businesses) through the app. Here's how:
In the Venmo mobile app, tap the "Pay/Request" button on the bottom of the screen.
Select the user you'd like to pay or type in their handle.
Type in the amount you'd like to pay, which must be equal to or less than the amount of your Venmo balance. Fill out the "What's this for?" field, then tap "Pay."
You should see that your Venmo balance is the default payment method for this transaction (and your other linked accounts are grayed out). Tap "Pay" to complete the payment.
Your Venmo in-app balance will always be the default payment method, as long as you have the funds to cover your transaction. At this time, there is no way to split a payment between your Venmo balance and another linked account.
If you want to pay someone an amount that exceeds your current Venmo balance, your other linked accounts will be the default payment method. In this case, your Venmo balance will be grayed out and unselectable.
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