With the rise of credit and debit cards, the chore of splitting the bill can be a bit complicated. Should you make the waitress split the entire thing 5 different ways? Does one person pay with card and others come back with cash? These kinds of questions arise often now that people almost exclusively carry plastic.
However, because of this, many companies have introduced new and convenient apps to help people send money back and forth effortlessly and with no or limited fees. While there are many to choose from, a few stand out as the best options to use.
Venmo
One of the first money transfer apps, Venmo is probably the most popular. The app launched in 2009 and has gained momentum ever since. It is available on both Android and iOS, allowing practically anyone to download and use it.
Venmo gives the user the option to use their checking account, debit card, or credit card to transfer money. Both the checking and debit options comes with no fees, while the credit card option charges a 3% fee. The app’s system is fairly simple to use. Every user has a unique username, and if you want to send money to another user, simply add their username as the recipient, specify the amount, and send.
The app comes with some social features alongside the money transfer features. These can be changes to allow only the parties involved to see, friends of the parties, or anyone on Venmo. Transferring the money out of Venmo is as simple as sending money. The user simply selects the “Transfer to Bank” option, specifies the amount to send, and the account to send it to. Venmo sends the money for free for a 3-day transfer period, or the user can pay 25 cents and get the money within the day.
Venmo has partnered with some businesses in allowing a user to use their Venmo balance to pay for purchases, but this feature is fairly limited.
Cash App
A recently new competitor, Cash App is very similar to Venmo is features and usability. It is also available on both Android and iOS, and uses a unique username, dubbed $cashtag, to send money between users.
Cash App has similar fees to Venmo as well. Debit card and checking accounts can be used to transfer money for free, with credit cards being charged a 3% fee. Depositing the money into your bank account takes around 1-2 business days, but the user has the option to send it instantaneously with a 1% fee on the entire transfer amount.
Cash App offers a unique feature called the Cash Card. The Cash Card is basically a debit card for the balance of money the user has on the cash app. What makes it unique is that Cash App can provide a user with a real, physical card that functions as a debit card. The user can purchase things in person with the Cash Card using their Cash App balance. The Cash Card gives the Cash App a leg up on Venmo, as it can be used anywhere debit and credit cards are accepted.
Zelle
Zelle is the newest and still relatively unknown cash transfer app. The app was developed by a collaboration of the U.S.’s major banks. This gives Zelle the exclusive advantage of being available inside a bank’s own app, bypassing the need for the user to download another app, although it does provide an individual app.
Zelle uses phone numbers and emails to send money between users and is connected to the users’ checking accounts. Being the product of the banks’ themselves, Zelle comes with some very nice features not available to third party apps like Cash App or Venmo. These include the ability to send money instantaneously to another user, with the money arriving within seconds or minutes.
The transferred money arrives directly into the user’s checking account, bypassing the need to transfer the money out of the app. These features alone make Zelle a very convenient choice over other options. Being new, Zelle does not have many other features, such as the Cash Card or social aspects of Venmo, but if a user is only looking to send money quick and for free, Zelle is the best option by far.
Using money transfer apps is a great way to eliminate the burden of keeping track of who owes who or dealing with the cumbersomeness of cash. So, no more need to worry about carrying an extra $20 in your pocket or running to the bank to withdraw money for the landlord, simply pull out your app and transfer the money free and easily. If you’re looking for ways to be financially smart, a review of investment apps can be found here.
