Need to make a quick payment or send money to a friend you owe? One of the ways to do it is to use Cash App. However, these days, you aren't limited to just one app if you want to send money virtually.
If you're looking to make a payment to a family member, friend, roommate, or anyone else, here are some of the apps like Cash App that you can try.
Cash App: Is It Good?
Have you ever heard of Square Cash? Well, it's now known as Cash App. You can use it to instantly transfer cash to anyone located in the US or the UK. So, you may have to choose a different service if you need to send money internationally. And of course, both you and the person receiving the payment have to be a registered user of the app.
Besides making direct payments, you can also use Cash App to get a free debit card and use it to make purchases at brick-and-mortar stores or take out cash from your account at ATMs.
It's free to make personal payments through this app. But just like other similar services, it charges a three percent fee if you use your credit card for payments and a 1.5 percent fee for instant deposits.
Download: Cash App for Android | iOS (Free)
1. Venmo
Many tend to think that Venmo and PayPal are the same things. It is true that the latter is the owner of Venmo, but, actually, they have many differences and are suitable for different audiences.
Venmo is not just the usual app that is meant for sending payments; it's a social payment app. If you often split checks at bars with your friends and rarely have cash with you, then it is worth considering the Venmo app. Since many already have it, you'll be able to split the payment with anyone quickly.
Venmo is free to use, but it will charge you a three percent fee if you want to send money using a credit card. Withdrawing money from your Venmo account is also free, but if you want it to get transferred instantly, you'll be deducted a one percent fee from the transfer amount.
Download: Venmo for Android | iOS (Free)
2. PayPal
PayPal is one of the oldest electronic commerce companies that is used for online money transfers by people worldwide. Even though there still are some countries where this service isn't completely available, it has grown into a trustworthy digital wallet and payment provider.
It is free and simple to set up a PayPal account, and the app is highly user-friendly. But many complain that the customer service doesn't always respond as quickly as you might like. So if you have any issues, you could have to wait a bit to get a solution.
You can use this app for sending money to friends, as well as for business-related payments. For the first example, you won't be charged anything for the transaction (if you use money from your PayPal account).
But if you send a payment using a credit or debit card, withdraw money to your bank account, or pay for goods or services, you'll get saddled with fees. The same goes for business payments.
Download: PayPal for Android | iOS (Free)
3. TransferWise
This is a UK-based company that offers free account registration, multi-currency e-wallets, and transparent fees. Their services are available in over 60 countries.
The registration and verification process may seem a bit complicated, but the overall user experience is excellent. Besides the usual money transferring service, you can also use TransferWise to hold cash in several currencies, get a debit card, make a transfer even if the other person doesn't have a registered account, and much more.
The fees will depend on how much money you're sending, its currency, and the country of residence. But you can get the fee breakdown right before sending the money using the TransferWise's calculator.
Download: TransferWise for Android | iOS (Free)
4. Payoneer
Payoneer is a great payment service that has a presence in 200 countries. While you can use this service for peer-to-peer money transactions, this company aims to provide a reliable platform for businesses, freelancers, and other professionals.
Some of the features and services that Payoneer provides are:
- Currency conversion
- Multi-currency e-wallets
- Prepaid cards
- Custom invoices
- Payment requests
There are no fees when you get paid by another Payoneer customer. But there are set fees if you send a payment request or receive payments from marketplaces. And of course, when withdrawing money from your account to a local bank, you'll be charged a fee depending on the currency you use.
Download: Payoneer for Android | iOS (Free)
5. Paysend
Paysend is a virtual, money-transfer service that is quite similar to TransferWise. It supports person-to-person, as well as business-to-business payments in multiple currencies.
This company provides its services for receiving money in over 90 countries worldwide and in 49 countries for sending money. If you want to try out this payment service, first, it's best to make sure that it is available in your country.
It is free to send payment to a bank account, but if you use a card instead, there is a low fee. You can find out the fee amount using a special calculator in the app, so you'll know exactly how much you need to pay.
Download: Paysend for Android | iOS (Free)
Which Money Transfer App Is Best for You?
Think of how you plan on using your money transfer app. For example, if you'll send only personal payments, you can choose apps like Venmo or Cash App. For business-related money transfers, PayPal and Payoneer are better options.
You should also consider the country of residence of the person that you'll make the payments to because not all of the apps are available in all countries. If an employed freelancer lives in Ukraine, for instance, they won't be able to receive their payments through PayPal, so in such a case, you should choose a different app.
And if none of these alternatives to Cash App work out for you, there are even more apps to send money that you can try out.
