There are various reasons why you might need to transfer money to another person at some point. Whether you need to lend some money to a friend or pay for your online shopping, money transfer apps come in handy. Gone are the days when you need to go to money remittance centers yourself physically.
With today’s vast option of money transfer options to choose from, you can finish your transactions with a few clicks. Furthermore, these convenient tools come at a reasonable cost that will not hurt your pockets.
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Choosing the Best Money Transfer Apps
With the endless options to choose from, it can be daunting to know where to start. Hence, before choosing a money transfer app, it’s crucial to look at different factors to know which suits your transaction. Here are some qualities that you should consider before choosing an app:
- Speed of transfer. It’s essential to know how long it will take for the transfer to ensure. Especially if the reason for the money transfer is urgent, it’s important to choose an app that allows for instant or same-day transfer.
- Available locations. Of course, you have to check if the app is available in your state or country. Additionally, make sure that it supports the currency you need and allows transfer to the recipient’s destination.
- Transfer fee. Typically, you can download money transfer apps for free. The cost that you will need to pay is the service charge that the company is charging. It varies from different apps. Some apps charge a fixed charge, while some may charge lower or higher fees depending on the transaction.
- Exchange rate. Always check for overcharging of mark-up on the transfer rate before you proceed with the transaction. Some apps charge an additional fee between 1% to 5% for their exchange rates.
- Other charges. Depending on the transaction method, there could be other costs that you need to pay. It’s either you will pay these charges or the recipient. Hence, it is vital to check all fees indicated before confirming the transaction intricately.
3 Best Money Transfer App For Your Needs
There are a lot of money transfer apps out there that you can use, but it’s essential to learn which money transfer apps will best suit your specific needs. To help you with this process, here are the top 3 money transfer apps and their important characteristics.
Cash App
Cash App is a mobile money transfer app that aims to make sending money to friends and family easier. Before the release of Cash App, there was already the Square app, which is a commercial mobile payment app.
Cash App has an intuitive system that allows users to set up their accounts within seconds. After inputting your details on the signup page, you have to verify it with your phone number. The app is entirely free to use, and you can choose an instant option for your transaction.
The app allows you to input your bank account or debit card to conduct your transactions. Through this, you can immediately send money within an instant straight to the bank account. You can also opt to send money to the recipient’s Cash App account. Simply encode their cash tag, the amount, and they will instantly receive it.
Although the app is free to use, it charges for instant transfers as well as for the amount. For immediate transfer, the rate is 0.01%, while it’s free for regular transactions. Meanwhile, credit card transactions charge a 0.03% fee.
To sum, here are the pros and cons of Cash App:
Pros
- It allows for instant transfer.
- Users have the option to send and receive money directly from the app.
- It features a Boost Cash Card debit rewards which offer promos and discounts on selected purchases.
- With at least $50 of direct deposit per month, it will reimburse ATM fees.
Cons
- The user usually cannot cancel the transfer procedure.
- The app only has electronic support and no live customer support.
- The regular transfer can take up to at least three days.
- Extra charge for ATM withdrawals using Cash debit card.
- 0.01% charge for instant bank transfer.
- If you’re sending more than $200 every week, you have to verify your identity.
Venmo
Venmo is a peer-to-peer money transfer app that eases the task of sending money to friends and family. Aside from its convenient features, it’s also popular because of its social elements. Venmo allows you to link your Facebook and phone contacts, so it’s easier to send money within your social network.
Furthermore, it allows users to like and even comment on people’s transactions. However, if you want to make your transaction private, it’s no problem. You can easily change your privacy features in its customizable settings. Indeed, Venmo is one of the most interactive money transfer platforms. Another fun feature of the app is you can also use animated stickers from Holler for your payment notes.
While the use of the app is free for the majority of transfers, it’s different on credit card transactions. In other words, you don’t have to worry about charges on debits cards or bank account transactions. For credit cards, the app charges 3% for every transaction.
The app also has a reliable bank-grade security system so you can guarantee that your financial information is safe. The app is a wonderful tool both for individuals and businesses with its high-grade features.
To use Venmo, users must link their bank accounts or debit cards directly to the app. You can also transfer the money that you can store in your account. Or you can also use these funds to transfer or to cash out to a bank account.
The app’s digital wallet feature enhances the money transferring experience of individuals. With its sleek and all-around UI, it favors mobile-savvy individuals. As mentioned, it’s highly interactive as you can choose to share your purchases on the Venmo feed. You can also add comments, stickers, and emojis to the feed. Thus, aside from individual money transfers, the app is also a top choice for businesses’ payment systems.
To sum, here are the pros and cons of Venmo:
Pros
- It allows for instant payments.
- It is more than a money transfer app- it can also serve as a social networking platform with its interactive features.
- It has live customer service through live chat, email, or phone call.
- When you use the MoneyPass network, you are eligible for free ATM withdrawals.
Cons
- Users can’t cancel the transaction procedure (the only exception is when the recipient doesn’t have an account in the platform).
- The regular transaction can take up to at least 3 days.
- When sending more than $299 every week, you must verify your identity first.
- Charges $2.50 for ATM withdrawals and 1% charge for instant bank transfers.
PayPal
We can’t talk about money transfer apps without including PayPal. PayPal remains the most popular money transferring apps among all other apps for individual and e-commerce use. It’s also been around longer with undying popularity among these apps. It’s secure and can cater to an extensive network of locations.
However, what we can note from this fantastic accessibility is that it comes with a price. For instance, for debit or credit transactions within the US, it takes $2.9 plus a 30 cent fee. On the other hand, for international transactions, it’s 2.9% for Canada and $2.99 for Europe. Meanwhile, it charges $4.99 for other countries.
The fixed fee may vary from different countries. Despite these, PayPal comes handy for transferring money to remote locations that other apps cannot pick up.
Also, a fun fact is PayPal has acquired Venmo. The company’s acquisition of Venmo somehow shows that PayPal needs to up its game when it comes to peer-to-peer transactions. While Venmo has a stronger appeal to the younger market, PayPal remains to be the top choice for e-commerce.
The app has robust security measures that request you to enter your password each time you open it. Some users may look at it as an inconvenience, but this one way to ensure the security of your personal information.
Money transfer via PayPal is usually instant. However, take note of the charges mentioned above. Unlike other apps, it also charges domestic transfers but with higher spending limits that go as high as $10,000.
To sum, here are the pros and cons of PayPal:
Pros
- Ensured credibility and accessibility.
- The platform has a user-friendly app for all age range.
- Supports many payments and delivery methods.
- Users can typically transfer money within an instant.
- Has a seamless process of sending money.
Cons
- Compared to other apps, it charges higher fees for both domestic and international transfers.
- Charges higher exchange rate mark-ups.
- The app has no transparency regarding its exchange rates.
- Not preferable for peer-to-peer transfers.
The Verdict
Depending on the specific needs of your transaction, the best money transfer app can vary. Again, you have to consider the factors above before downloading an app. Generally, you’d want the app to securely and instantly transfer money with free or reasonable charges.
If you value interactiveness of peer-to-peer money transfers, then choose Venmo. If you’re sending money for business or often internationally, then PayPal is your best bet. But if you want a simple and easy transaction process, then you should definitely go for Cash App. Again, it’s all a matter of preference. We hope this guide helped you decide which money transfer app is best for you!