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8.3

Overall Score

LAST UPDATED: March 26th, 2024

Venmo is a popular mobile payment app among millennials, with the average user transferring money to friends and family members several times per week. Venmo is owned and operated by PayPal and has been operational since 2009. The company is growing rapidly and offers its users convenience as well as bank-level security of their financial information.

Receiving funds from another user is free, and money sent via Venmo can easily be transferred into a US Bank account with a few taps. Members may use funds from any linked and confirmed US bank account to send money as well as their debit or credit card.

In addition to easily sending and receiving money, Venmo is an available payment option in select merchant apps and for select merchants through a mobile browser, a practice being made popular by other mobile wallet apps like Apple Pay or Google Pay. To use this feature, a user must opt-in to make purchases.

Keep reading for pros and cons, as well as Venmo reviews to see what people are saying about their experience with Venmo.

 

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The Good

  • Free App
  • Payments and Fees
  • Payment Process
  • Make Purchases
  • Devices

Free App

The Venmo app is free to download on any smartphone or device, and it is free to use. In addition, Venmo is managed by PayPal, providing significant advantages for users. PayPal offers their users a high level of security, similar to the security used by major financial institutions.

Payments and Fees

Venmo offers their users the ability to easily send money to their family and friends up to $299.99 when they first sign up, or up to a weekly rolling limit of $4,999.99 once their identity has been confirmed. Users may use their confirmed and linked US bank accounts to send money to anyone free of charge.

A Venmo user can add any type of credit or debit card to their account for free. Once a card is added, you can set it as your primary payment method in settings, allowing you to control which cards you are using through your Venmo account. In addition, a user can set up a linked bank account, making it easy to move money between a bank account and Venmo account. 

There are no fees for any activity via a debt card, but it is important to note that all money sent via a credit card will incur a 3 percent fee. In addition, there is an automatic transfer fee for transferring money from your Venmo account to your bank account. There are no other Venmo charges or fees to be aware of.

Receiving money and transferring funds to a US bank account is free.

Payment Process

Users may send money to anyone, regardless if they are a current member of Venmo or not. To gain access to sent funds, users must register with the service.

Payments on Venmo are simple, requiring only a few steps to ensure money is being sent to or received by the correct person. In some cases, Venmo will ask you for the last four digits of someone's phone number before completing a payment, thus ensuring a secure transaction.

Payments and transactions are shown on a feed similar to Facebook, showing things people are paying for between their Venmo friends (actual dollar values are not displayed). If you do not want your payments to be seen by other users, there is an option to make a transaction private.

Make Purchases

Not only can you send and receive money from friends and family through Venmo, but you can use it to make online purchases, as well as some retail purchases through the app.

Because Venmo is owned by PayPal, in some online shopping circumstances you can select PayPal as your payment method which will bring up a separate prompt asking if you'd like to complete the transaction through Venmo. This means that online shopping can be even easier, and provides more flexibility in payment methods.

Additionally, Venmo makes it easy to split the cost of any in-app purchases between multiple people. Through its "buy now, split later" service, Venmo remembers the total cost of the purchase and will allow you to split in the next time you open the app. 

Devices

Venmo is available on both iOS and android devices, making it available for anyone.

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The Bad

  • Issues with Service Misuse

Issues with Service Misuse

In fact, there are several reports which surfaced in the latter part of 2015, detailing how savvy scammers are using Venmo to defraud users, most often when the service is misused by sending money to one who is unknown to the payor. Venmo states that it is designed for payments between individuals who know and trust one another, and therefore discourages users from sending money to people they do not know, especially on large purchases like event tickets or websites like Craigslist.

It is important to realize that while the app is secure, there are some problems which one may encounter. Should a user erroneously send funds to someone, they are dependent upon the other party to return the funds. Venmo does not provide much assistance in returning funds in the event of payor error.

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The Bottom Line

Venmo is a great mobile wallet option, making money transfer and mobile payments easy, as well as making purchases either online or in person at certain retailers.

Account set up is quick and easy, and users can be assured that their personal and sensitive information will be protected, as long as they are being careful and mindful of who they are sending money to and receiving money from. In the case of your phone being misplaced or lost, you can easily enter your account through Venmo.com and remove information connected to your phone. Additionally, Venmo stores all data on encrypted servers.

The majority of Venmo customer reviews are positive, highlighting the easy usability of the app and simplicity in communicating with friends and family about transactions. Some complaints include the automatic transfer fee being too high and very difficult customer service.

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Star Rating

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4.6

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417 Reviews

Review Breakdown

5 grade

79%

4 grade

15%

3 grade

3%

2 grade

1%

1 grade

2%

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Stephanie Bloniarz

I love Venmo Pay! It's quick and easy to use. I feel safe and secure when using it, which is sometimes daily!! One day I forgot my wallet when I was at the store and it was NO problem! I used Venmo Pay! Hooray! A+++++++++++++++++++++++++

6 days ago Edited March 25, 2024

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Janessa P Logan, UT

I have always had a good experience with Venmo in my transferring and in my receiving money. My only complaint is how many emails they send to get me to get their credit card or whatever it is.

3 weeks ago

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Amani Patel Harrisonburg, VA

A pretty reliable company with good intentions. I like the flexibility of options with transferring money, whether it's directly between individuals or from an individual to a bank (or vice versa). I also enjoy that you can keep track of charges quite easily and that the app rarely crashes.

1 month ago

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Sinister Babe Kyle, TX

I’ve been using venmo for years ever since I started my small business to receive money. I use it for personal use also to send money. It’s a quick and convenient way to send money, I love the physical card you can get also so I never have to transfer to my bank!

2 months ago Edited January 15, 2024

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Honest

Venmo is good from business and collects funds from my customers on my behalf and allows auto invoicing.

2 days ago

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mary martin Bossier City, LA

Venmo makes financial transactions extremely simple and very secure! The encrypted data is super secure as it is transmitted through their site and it does also ask for confirmations with things like the last four digits of the person you're paying phone number etc It is also easy to receive payments with venmo and transfer money to other accounts or cards through them and I highly recommend this company to anyone who would like an online financial keeper!

4 months ago

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Joseph Faenza Washington, DC

I have been using Venmo to transfer money from everything to little league fundraisers to also sending money to family members for plane tickets and items they picked up for me from grocery stores. This has been a very quick and simple way to transfer funds!

7 months ago

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Merix Ipo

Venmo is very easy to use to pay for online bills.

1 week ago

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Teresa Bills

I've had Venmo for a few years now. I really like that there is no monthly fee and the y gave me $5 for signing up. Then another $10 a year later. It's a wonderful way to deposit, send or save money.

7 months ago

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Who Knows Baltimore, MD

Let me start by saying i love Venmo. My only complaint is not being able to load money on my card through a store. One good feature offered is having the ability to access instant transfers from my other bank accounts instantly. Plus being offered Venmo credit card options is great! Other then a few things, I have absolutely nothing bad to say. I would highly recommend to anyone!

1 year ago Edited November 15, 2022

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Pat Clements Redwood City, CA

I really like the convenience of Venmo. Especially helpful at restaurants to reimburse somebody for my part of the bill or to get paid by somebody when I foot the bill. It is also great when somebody does a favor and shops on my behalf...simple click of a few buttons on my cell and the bill is handled. The fact the the only cost is the time it takes to download the app and set up an account makes it even better. And it is incredibly user friendly...even for a non-techy like myself! Needless to say, I use it all the time and have recommended to many others.

2 years ago

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Kaylee Gay Columbia, MO

I love how convenient and easy Venmo is and it allows me to keep track of the transactions I make. In college, it is absolutely necessary to have Venmo because almost every club activity uses Venmo for their payments. It just I love how easy it is to pay my friends back and easy it is to move money around. I also feel like my transactions are protected.

2 years ago

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Nyla C. Edison, NJ

Venmo is my most trusted platform given that you can transfer money to your friends and family without having to share your card detail. You can also receive a Venmo debit card that comes in handy. The set-up of the app is pretty cute too, because you can add little emojis and animations to your message when sending money. I have never had issues with Venmo and I would suggest it to anybody.

2 years ago

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Lizzy Puentes Tallahassee, FL

Venmo is such an easy way to send and receive money online when cash is not available. You can link your bank account to easily put the money sent to you in your account or take money from your account to send to someone else. There is an activity option that shows all of the activity in your account so you can always have proof of the amount of money you sent or received and when the transaction took place.

4 years ago

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Summer Porter Managua, MN

Venmo has got to be one of my most used cell phone apps. Requesting from or paying money to family and friends has never been so easy. You can even make your account private so that your transactions are not accessible to the public eye. The only thing to be aware of is that when transferring money from your venmo to your bank account, there is a small fee. With so many people using it now a days, it's nice to have when little things come up and online payment is the only option. I highly recommend it!

4 years ago

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Brittany Wilkinson Herriman, UT

Venmo is the best app on my phone! I love the convenience of sending and receiving money. My boys mow lawns and it is so much easier for me to request and collect money from their clients so they don't have to knock on the door. It makes group gifts a breeze to collect money from everyone easily and quickly. I love Venmo and use it on a weekly basis, sometimes several times a week.

4 years ago

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Kimberly LeBaron Delta, UT

Venmo is something that I use on a weekly basis, if not more. It’s a super easy way to transfer money. It makes eating out, traveling, buying drinks, and booking things with a group so much easier. And really just paying for anything. You can make requests or pay people back for things in minutes. There’s a small fee to move money instantly to your account, but it’s avoidable if you let the transfer take time. Super convenient app. Everyone should have it

4 years ago

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Jen Paxman Lehi, UT

Five stars doesn't seem like a high enough rating for how I feel about Venmo. It has changed my life. I always used to worry about if I had forgotten to pay somone, or how to tell someone that they had forgotten to pay me. But with venmo I don't need to worry about that anymore. It is so easy to transfer funds to someone but just as ease to send a request as well without that awkward moment of asking for money. It is also so easy to initiate a transfer to your bank as well. I absolutely LOVE venmo!!

5 years ago

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Cassidy Gundersen Orem, UT

Venmo is my favorite way to send payment and get paid through online wallets. Their service is easy to use and I have never had a problem with the app or service. Payment is always sent quickly and easily. Their customer service was helpful the one time was money was sent the wrong person. It is easy to refund or return money as well. The only suggestions that I have are to allow multiple accounts to be linked to the same bank account. Since my husband and I switched to a joint account- we are both unable to have our own Venmo accounts using the same bank ID.

6 years ago

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Megan Frump

Venmo is super easy to use. And so convenient. It’s my favorite out of all the cash apps.

2 months ago

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Analisa Vigil Lubbock, TX

Venmo is a great product that allows you to transfer money to friends quickly. I have not had any trouble with it.

3 months ago

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Marcie M Idaho Falls, ID

I joined Venmo a couple years ago because I wanted an easy way to pay back family and friends for money I owed them. I have been pleasantly surprised with how convenient and easy it is to use. It took just a few minutes to set up and link to my bank account. And each time I use it to pay someone it takes about 20-30 seconds. It’s super fast and so much easier than writing a check or finding the correct amount of cash. I use venmo to pay for my kids’ music lessons, babysitting, my hair dresser, fundraisers, paying back family members and friends, and so much more! I LOVE venmo. So glad I got the app and set it up a couple years ago!

3 years ago

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Stephanie Faenza Phoenix, AZ

Love Venmo. User friendly and I’ve never had any issues. Money transfers quicker than I would’ve initially thought. Use this to split rent and other bills

7 months ago

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Emma Morrill

Venmo is a great way to pay friends who don’t have Zelle or the same bank as you. The only downside is that they will let you send money even if you don’t have any in your account so you can accidentally overdraft instead of just denying the request.

10 months ago

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julie roberts

I got paid through venmo for my most recent job and there were never any hiccups. I like that it won’t let you overdraft from your bank account either, it will deny the transfer. The app itself is constantly being changed and I still think their original app layout was the most intuitive. They’ve added so many features onto the original concept that it takes away from the simplicity of being able to send friends money. I will continue to use venmo

1 year ago

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courtney tennant Salem, VA

I wish Venmo could put the money immediately in your account without a fee, but it normally happens a day sooner than it originally says. It has the option to sync with your contacts, which is extremely convenient so I do not have to ask my friends for their account name first.

2 years ago Edited September 14, 2021

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Becca Amiot Salem, VA

I've been using Venmo for a couple years now and it's so convenient and helpful when transferring money. It's secure and efficient. Overall app is well organized and easy to navigate as well. I have never had an issue with Venmo ever.

2 years ago

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Morgan Tennant Idaho Falls, ID

Venmo is very easy to use. I like the option to either transfer money immediately or to wait the usual 2-3 business days. Though I use the latter option, I find that my money gets transferred within 1-2 days and I don’t have to wait another day or two.

2 years ago

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Caloway Salt Lake City, UT

At first I was a little sketched out when using venmo but it is really convenient and you don't have to pay for anything if you do not want to. There is a section in their terms and policies that say they are not liable if someone hacks your account and steals money from your bank account that it is attached to. There is also no way to get your money back if you send it to the wrong person unless they send it back so use with caution.

3 years ago

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Paige Stockard Wichita, KS

Venmo makes it super easy to pay your friends or vice versa, instead of always worrying about how much you owe someone else, with a couple clicks you can easily pay your friends for things like food or activities. It's also super easy to transfer the money into your bank account!

3 years ago

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Jake Mecham , CO

The best option out of all of the mobile wallets. It not only is easy to send and receive money, but it is fun. Typing out the comment for what you are sending is the best part. It has become one of my favorite social media platforms to check in and see what my friends are doing.

4 years ago

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Emily Crawfordville, FL

It is so easy to pay people with Venmo, you don't have to worry about having the same bank or having to do a long-winded process to pay people and go. It is very convenient and bank transfers usually occur faster than they're expected to.

4 years ago

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Kaysha Love Las Vegas, NV

Venmo is a great way to share and send money to friends and family. I think its very user friendly and works well with a large amount of banks. I also like it gives you the option of being able to transfer funds instantly for a small fee or wait for the business days without the fee.

4 years ago

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JDWain Tallahassee, FL

in a Cashless society Venmo is a must have. How else are you gonna pay back a friend for an uber ride or for dinner? its a great way to easily transfer money back and forth and keeps me from having to carry cash-and its free.

4 years ago

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Eddie Rios Ogden, UT

Venmo has quickly taken over as the primary virtual wallet and bank. It is so easy and versatile to use. Just about everyone I know uses it and it has increased our convenience. It is impossible to imagine life without Venmo as its seems so integrated into our lives now-and for good reason. It is such a great tool.

4 years ago

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Anne Sainsbury Orem, UT

Venmo is a life saver! I rarely carry cash so being able to quickly and effectively pay someone is so helpful. I appreciate that emails that I get that show my Venmo history each month so that I can make sure that I am keeping track of my money. I also appreciate the ability to transfer funds in and out of my bank account seamlessly. If you don't have Venmo and are thinking about getting it, you should!

2 years ago

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Taylor Larson Nakhon Sawan, 60

I was hesitant to get Venmo at first, but I'm so glad I have it now. It has made it so much easier to pay my friends or have them pay me, rather than using cash. I like that you can choose who can view your transactions, and being able to request money from people has been very helpful. Also, it says that it can take up to three days for your money to be transferred to your account but it has never taken more than a day for me.

2 years ago

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Bing Yeung Riverton, UT

Venmo is great for paying your friends and makes paying rent easy. You can choose whether to make it visible to public, friends, or private, but it never shows the amount you're paying unless you're either the payer or the receiver. The emoji makes it fun. And balance transfer takes only one button and doesn't require fees unless you want it instantly on the same day. It's a simple trusted app for daily use.

3 years ago Edited September 14, 2021

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Paige Ellis Slade Gilbert, AZ

Venmo has made no money transferring in my life so much easier. From paying for dance class to paying a Babysitter, or just making it easy to forget my wallet ;) Venmo makes my life easier. Venmo has an easy to use interface and I love that the people I am searching for just pop up as I start their names. I like that I have the choice to publish my money swapping or keep it private.

3 years ago Edited September 14, 2021

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Desiree Pleasant Grove, UT

I honestly think Venmo is better than PayPal. The charging fee is wayyy better if you automatically want to put it in your bank. I use Venmo all the time to pay friends, babysit, and at the Farmer's Market sometimes. Venmo is a safe way to transfer your money to another individual. Venmo is a very convenient tool, if I could I would rate this a 10 star.

3 years ago

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Dayna Brown Logan, UT

I don't remember what my life was like before Venmo! Sounds a little dramatic, but this app has changed my life! When something comes along and simplifies your life, it deserves this kind of recognition. I hardly ever carry cash and writing checks is so 'old school'. Venmo is the ONLY way to go when it comes paying back your friends, splitting rent/utilities with roommates, paying for extracurricular activities, etc. The list goes on and on!

3 years ago

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Teri M. Logan, UT

I was hesitant at first about trying Venmo because I don't like to share my information with people, but I'm glad I did. I can easily send and receive money for things like piano lessons, selling my kids outgrown clothes and much more. Makes life much easier when you don't have cash hanging around. I had to contact customer service with a question and they answered it quickly and efficiently.

3 years ago

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Samantha Fayetteville, AR

I use Venmo all of the time. I am a college student and no body really carries cash anymore. Everyone I know uses some sort of electronic wallet like Venmo and I find this company in particular to be the most user friendly and easy to navigate. It is easy to find the people you are looking for on there which helps to not be concerned that you are sending money to the wrong person on accident. It is also really helpful to be able to request money from someone so then you don't forget to ask later or can complete the request at a time that works for you.

3 years ago

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Grant Conrady Fayetteville, AR

I use Venmo daily. I cannot remember what life was like before I used Venmo - it is so easy to pay people using the app. The app has a clean and polished look and is easy to navigate. If you're looking for another way to use Venmo, I recommend applying for the Venmo Card (their version of a debit card). I use my Venmo card weekly and you can either connect it to your normal debit card or just use it when you have a Venmo balance. With or without the Venmo card, this app is very helpful when paying others!

3 years ago

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Mia Alshami Fayetteville, AR

Venmo makes it extremely easy to transfer money between friends! Not many of my friends use or carry cash, so Venmo allows us to eat out together without having to make the waiter stress about splitting the bill! I love Venmo because I can keep money in my Venmo account in case I need to transfer some of it to someone else. It is a really useful tool!

3 years ago

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Katie Kertzman Rogers, AR

I use Venmo frequently to share money with friends or family. It is such an easy app to use and allows me to pay people back or send money as gifts to others that I know. I have always appreciated how easy it is to figure the app out and also how much security they have put in place to ensure that your money is going exactly where it is meant to. I completely trust Venmo and will continue to use it.

3 years ago

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Natalie Drewery ,

Venmo is one of the best most convenient apps I have. I recommend it to everyone! Not only is it easy but it also eliminates any awkward payment requests from people which I appreciate so much! Their customer service has been great too. I was worried about a transfer and the representative was quick, reassuring, and personalized. Couldn't show my gratitude enough for the help and convenience this app has created.

3 years ago

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Anna Hu Provo, UT

Venmo has been such a game changer, making it so easy to pay friends exact amounts quickly. I love it because literally every person I know has the app and trusts it, making it easy to exchange money for any situations. I have even been able to use it at businesses such as salons! I really like the friend feed feature, its fun to see what my friends are up to through their payments. I also like that I have a "profile" where I can see every single payment and what it was for. Venmo in a way has become a new form of social media while being useful.

5 years ago

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Jowara Morgande

Great customer service and wonderful way to pay and very safe as well. We use there great service often.

5 months ago

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Shanna Bird Longview, WA

Love how easy it is to use. I have done the money sending and receiving and now I have the debit card too. How can you not love that.

8 months ago