Venmo has earned a reputation as a snappy payment app and digital wallet that’s perfect for sending money to friends and other contacts without wasting time. Whether you’re splitting money on a date or making sure roommates make their payments, there’s a good chance you’ve used it or at least discussed the app (it’s easy to set up, too). But for all its popularity, there’s still a lot that people don’t know about Venmo, how it works, and how to use it safely.


Venmo tips don’t just make using the payment more convenient. They also keep you safer when sending payments to strangers on Craigslist or asking a cousin to pay you back. Check out these tricks for the next time you Venmo someone from your favorite phone.

The venmo dowbload button on Venmo's site next to two smartphones using Venmo.

ANDROID POLICE VIDEO OF THE DAY

SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT

1 Dig into your privacy settings

One of the first things Venmo users on Android or iPhone notice when logging in to the app is that some payments are public. You can see all kinds of payments made by people in your contacts list, whether you want to or not. It’s one of the ways Venmo tries to be social, but most of us don’t want our every payment open to viewers.

To fix this, go to Settings in the Venmo menu and select Privacy. Here, you’ll see a Future Payment option that lets you control who can see your payments: Public, Friends, or Private. It’s a good idea to set it to Private as your default. You also have the option to change who can see your past posts for more control.

If you’re worried about additional security risks, go to the Security section, where you can forget specific devices or choose different login options so that it’s more difficult to access the Venmo app on your phone. Venmo uses the same type of encryption as its broader organization, PayPal, so transaction details have innate protection. However, you should avoid using Venmo on unsecured public Wi-Fi networks.

2 Send Venmo invites to strangers (and look at their profiles)

One of the difficult parts of using the cash app is verifying a profile before sending them money. That’s especially tricky if you arrange payment through another platform, like Craigslist or Facebook, and don’t want to send money to the wrong account. Venmo has a solution for that. Actually, it has a couple of solutions.

First, go to your Profile page, and send the QR code you find there to a person so that they can request a payment specifically from you. Once a person is in your contacts, choose View Profile to see their details and give them a little vetting. It’s a good idea to avoid paying someone until you get a specific request from a profile that looks correct.

The main settings page for a Venmo account

Venmo payment history on a phone.

3 Use the Remind button for more difficult payers

What happens when you request money someone owes you but don’t get a response? Venmo’s mobile app has a feature for that. You can view your requests and use the Remind function to send a second message letting someone know they haven’t paid yet. If it’s been a few days and a buddy forgot to split a lunch bill or you need to collect cash from roommates, don’t hesitate to send a reminder. But if a reminder doesn’t work, contact them through other channels.

4 Never forget the memo field

Every Venmo payment comes with a memo field. While Venmo encourages you to use emojis here for a little social fun, we suggest making it a habit to put a quick note in here for what the payment is for. Everyone will appreciate this clarity, and it’s important to have reminders of what specific payments were about when you’re reviewing them months or even years later.

A more recent feature in Venmo allows you to link a joint bank account just like you would link a single bank account (or debit card) for easier mobile payments. Linking an account is useful since you don’t have to deposit money into the Venmo wallet to make payments. And if you share an account with someone else for simple payments like these, you can link it so that both parties can use that account. Go into Settings and Payment Methods to make changes.

Checking the Venmo balance on the Me tab.

An example of what the pay feature looks like in the Venmo app

6 Pay for qualifying services to limit spending

Do you want to reduce spending for specific things, like ordering food delivery, as part of your personal finance planning? Limit yourself to a specific amount in your Venmo balance, then only use Venmo to make those payments. This works because several business services are Venmo-friendly, including Uber and Uber Eats, Grubhub, and Delivery.com. It’s an easy way to restrict spending while still having the option to use these services. Visit the Connected Apps section to get started (you’ll need all your login details).

7 Use the Nearby feature in friend groups

Mobile Settings on Venmo also include the Nearby feature. When enabled and connected to your phone’s Bluetooth, you can pick up signals from nearby Venmo users and connect with them. This is an invaluable feature for on-the-spot payments in your friend group, such as if you’re splitting a bill, organizing payments for a concert, or covering drinks.

8 Add multiple recipients

Do you make the same digital payment amount to multiple people at once? While it’s not immediately obvious, when you enter a contact’s name to make a payment, you can add as many people as you want. That makes it easy to pay multiple people at once with minimum fuss.

9 Calculate quick tips, split payments, and more

When you use the request/pay amount section in Venmo, a small calculator pops up at the bottom of the screen. Don’t underestimate how useful this can be for a bit of quick math, like calculating a tip or splitting accurate payments with someone.

10 Cancel payments and get refunds

Did you make a big Venmo mistake? It’s easy to take it back, even if some time has passed. You can request a refund or cancel a payment up to 30 days after making it. Just visit your history, find the problematic payment, and select the Cancel option.

11 Support local businesses

Venmo is working to support local businesses, so there’s a chance that small businesses near you support Venmo payments. Look for the Venmo logo at checkout or ask them if they have a business Venmo account and how you can connect to it. In many cases, owners may prefer Venmo payments because they avoid some of the fees associated with other kinds of electronic payments.