What you need to create a Venmo account

To set up Venmo, you need a smartphone with the Venmo app installed, a valid email address or phone number, and a Social Security number. Venmo will ask for your full name, date of birth, and the last four digits of your SSN during signup. The whole process takes about five minutes.

You'll also need a valid payment method to link to your account — either a debit card, credit card, or bank account. Venmo accepts Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover cards. If you link a bank account instead, Venmo can verify it when ready using your online banking credentials, or you can wait for two small deposits (usually one to three business days) that you then confirm.

Venmo is available only to people 18 and older in the United States. If you're under 18, you cannot create an account.

Key Takeaways

  • read the Venmo app, enter your email or phone number, and provide your name, date of birth, and last four digits of your SSN to create your account.
  • Link a debit card, credit card, or bank account as your payment method — bank account linking is fastest if you use your online banking login.
  • Set up a Venmo PIN or biometric login (fingerprint or face recognition) before you send your first payment.
  • Your first transfer to a bank account may take one to three business days; transfers between Venmo users happen when ready.
  • Venmo charges no fee to send money to other Venmo users, but charges 1% to transfer money out to your bank account (minimum 25 cents).

Step-by-step account creation

Open the Venmo app on your phone and tap "Sign Up." Enter your email address or phone number — either works. Venmo will send you a verification code to that email or number; enter it in the app to confirm you own it.

Next, enter your first and last name, date of birth, and the last four digits of your Social Security number. Venmo uses this information to verify your identity. Then create a password — Venmo requires at least eight characters, and a mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols makes it stronger.

You'll be asked to choose a Venmo username. This is the handle other people will see when you send or receive money. You can change it later, but only once every seven days. Pick something you're comfortable with, because your username appears on your transaction history.

Linking your payment method

After you create your account, Venmo will ask you to add a payment method. Tap "Add Payment Method" and choose whether you want to link a card or a bank account.

If you choose a card, enter the card number, expiration date, and CVV (the three-digit security code on the back). Venmo will charge a small amount to the card — usually a few cents — and ask you to confirm it. This confirms the card is real and belongs to you.

If you choose a bank account, you have two options. The faster route is to tap "Connect with your bank" and log in with your online banking username and password. Venmo will verify your account when ready. The slower route is to enter your routing number and account number manually; Venmo will then send two small deposits to your account, and you confirm the amounts in the app (this takes one to three business days).

You can link multiple cards and bank accounts. Venmo will ask which one you want to use as your default payment method — the one it pulls from when you send money.

Setting up security on your account

Before you send your first payment, set up a PIN or biometric login. Tap the three horizontal lines (menu) at the bottom right of the app, then tap "Settings." Scroll down to "Security" and choose either a four-digit PIN or biometric login (fingerprint or face recognition, depending on your phone).

Venmo will also ask whether you want to turn on two-factor authentication. This means that when you log in from a new device, Venmo sends a code to your email or phone, and you have to enter it before you can access your account. This is optional but recommended if you send money regularly.

You can also set a daily spending limit — the maximum amount you can send in a single day. The default is $299.99, but you can lower it or raise it up to $20,000 per day (the exact limit depends on your account history and how long you've been using Venmo).

Privacy settings and transaction visibility

By default, Venmo makes your transactions visible to other Venmo users — they can see who you sent money to, how much, and the note you wrote. You can change this. Tap the menu, go to "Settings," then "Privacy," and choose "Private" to hide all your transactions from other users. You can also set individual transactions to private when you send them.

If you want to keep your account itself private, you can set your profile to "Private" so other users can't search for you or see your transaction history. This doesn't affect your ability to send or receive money — it just hides your profile from other Venmo users.

Many people set their transactions to private by default because Venmo's public feed has become a privacy concern. There's no downside to doing this.

Sending your first payment

To send money, tap the dollar sign icon at the bottom of the app. Enter the amount, then search for the person you want to send it to by their Venmo username, phone number, or email address. Tap their name to select them.

Add a note describing what the payment is for — "rent," "dinner," "concert tickets," whatever. Then choose whether the transaction should be public or private. Tap "Pay" to send the money.

If you're sending to another Venmo user, the money arrives when ready. If you're sending to someone's bank account (which requires their permission first), the transfer takes one to three business days. Venmo charges 1% of the amount to transfer money out to a bank account, with a minimum fee of 25 cents.

Receiving money and cashing out

When someone sends you money on Venmo, it lands in your Venmo balance when ready. You can see it in the "Balance" section at the top of the app. You don't have to do anything — the money is yours to keep in Venmo or transfer out.

To move money from Venmo to your bank account, tap the menu, then "Transfers," then "Transfer to Bank." Select the bank account you want to transfer to, enter the amount, and confirm. The transfer takes one to three business days. Venmo charges 1% (minimum 25 cents) for this transfer.

If you want to transfer money when ready, Venmo offers "when ready Transfer" for an additional fee of 25 cents to $1.75, depending on the amount. This moves the money to your bank account in minutes instead of days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use my real name on Venmo?

Yes. Venmo requires your legal first and last name during signup. Your username (the handle other people see) can be anything, but your real name is tied to your account for identity verification and tax purposes.

Can I use Venmo without a bank account?

Yes, you can link a debit or credit card instead. However, you'll need a bank account if you want to transfer money out of Venmo to cash it out. If you only plan to send money to other Venmo users and keep the balance in the app, a card is enough.

What happens if I forget my Venmo password?

Tap "Forgot password?" on the login screen. Venmo will send a reset link to your email address. Click the link, create a new password, and log back in. If you can't access your email, contact Venmo support through the app.

Is Venmo safe to use?

Venmo uses encryption to protect your data and requires a PIN or biometric login before you can send money. However, your transaction history is visible to other Venmo users by default, which is a privacy concern. Set your transactions to private to limit what others can see.

Can I send money internationally with Venmo?

No. Venmo only works within the United States. Both the sender and receiver must have U.S. bank accounts or cards, and both must be in the U.S. For international transfers, you'll need a different service.