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Software · head to head

Credit Karma vs Cash App

Credit Karma logo

Credit Karma

Software

Free credit scores, reports, and more

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Cash App logo

Cash App

Software

Money sent in seconds

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Credit Karma state tax filing costs 15 USD even though federal filing is 0 USD; Cash App the App Store listing states free ATM withdrawals and up to 200 dollars in free overdraft coverage on the Cash App Card are only available once a user qualifies for Green status, not to all users by default.
  • They diverge on capability: Credit Karma covers Free credit score, Cash App covers Money transfers.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Credit Karma and Cash App actually diverge.

Attributes where Credit Karma and Cash App differ
AttributeCredit KarmaCash App
Pricing modelfreemiumfree
PlatformsWeb, IOS, AndroidIOS, Android
Founded20072013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Credit Karma

  • Free credit score
  • Credit report monitoring
  • Credit card recommendations
  • Tax filing
  • Credit bureaus
  • Financial institutions
  • Web support

Only in Cash App

  • Money transfers
  • Direct deposit
  • Bitcoin trading
  • Stock investing
  • Bank accounts
  • Cash Card

Both cover

  • IOS support
  • Android support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Credit Karma

  • Monitoring a credit score and the factors affecting it for freenot Cash App
  • Comparing credit card and loan offers with Approval Oddsnot Cash App
  • Filing federal tax returns at no chargenot Cash App

Cash App

  • Budget Managementnot Credit Karma
  • Expense Trackingnot Credit Karma
  • Investment Trackingnot Credit Karma

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Credit Karma

  • State tax filing costs 15 USD even though federal filing is 0 USD
  • Credit Spark builds score history against TransUnion, and the site states that not all lenders use TransUnion credit reports or scores
  • Card and loan listings are advertising placements, disclosed on the site as compensation from third party advertisers
  • Send and score update frequency limits are not published on the site

Cash App

  • The App Store listing states free ATM withdrawals and up to 200 dollars in free overdraft coverage on the Cash App Card are only available once a user qualifies for Green status, not to all users by default.

Pricing, plan by plan

Credit Karma

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Credit score monitoring
    • Credit reports
    • Personalized recommendations

Cash App

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Money transfers
    • Direct deposit
    • Mobile app
  • Cash App Investing$undefined/month
    • Stock trading
    • Bitcoin trading

Which should you pick?

Choose Credit Karma if

  • You need free credit score.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want credit report monitoring.
Credit Karma review

Choose Cash App if

  • You need money transfers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on IOS, Android.
  • You also want direct deposit.
Cash App review

Questions people ask

Is Credit Karma or Cash App better?
Neither clearly leads. Credit Karma starts at Free and Cash App at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Credit Karma or Cash App?
Credit Karma starts at Free and Cash App at Free.
Does Credit Karma or Cash App run on more platforms?
Credit Karma runs on Web, IOS, Android. Cash App runs on IOS, Android.
Can I use Credit Karma for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Credit Karma best used for?
Credit Karma is most often used for monitoring a credit score and the factors affecting it for free, comparing credit card and loan offers with approval odds, filing federal tax returns at no charge. Of those, monitoring a credit score and the factors affecting it for free and comparing credit card and loan offers with approval odds are not what Cash App is typically brought in for.
What can Credit Karma do that Cash App cannot?
Credit Karma covers Free credit score, Credit report monitoring, Credit card recommendations, Tax filing. Cash App covers Money transfers, Direct deposit, Bitcoin trading, Stock investing. Both handle IOS support, Android support.
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