Software · head to head
Google Pay vs Venmo
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Google Pay limited to Android devices and Chrome browser; lacks native support for iOS devices; Venmo instant transfer costs 1.75 percent with a minimum fee of 0.25 USD and a maximum of 25 USD, while the free standard transfer takes 1 to 3 business days
- They diverge on capability: Google Pay covers Digital wallet, Venmo covers Money transfers.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Google Pay and Venmo actually diverge.
| Attribute | Google Pay | Venmo |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Android, Chrome browser | Web, IOS, Android |
| Founded | 2015 | 2009 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (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 Google Pay
- Digital wallet
- Contactless payments
- Online shopping
- P2P money transfers
- Credit cards
Only in Venmo
- Money transfers
- Bill splitting
- Social feed
- Transaction history
- Web support
Both cover
- Debit cards
- Bank accounts
- Android support
- IOS support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Google Pay
- Android users making contactless payments at supported retailersnot Venmo
- Chrome browser users utilising payment autofill at checkoutnot Venmo
Venmo
- Splitting bills and reimbursing friends in the United Statesnot Google Pay
- Accepting payments through a Venmo business profilenot Google Pay
- Buying and holding cryptocurrency inside the payments appnot Google Pay
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Google Pay
- Limited to Android devices and Chrome browser; lacks native support for iOS devices
- International money transfer through third-party provider (Wise Inc.) with limited details on coverage
Venmo
- Instant transfer costs 1.75 percent with a minimum fee of 0.25 USD and a maximum of 25 USD, while the free standard transfer takes 1 to 3 business days
- Sending money funded by a credit card carries a 3.00 percent fee
- Cryptocurrency fees are tiered by trade size, from 2.20 percent on purchases of 1.00 to 74.99 USD down to 1.50 percent above 1,000 USD
- Business profile payments cost 1.9 percent plus 0.10 USD, and Tap to Pay costs 2.29 percent plus 0.09 USD
Pricing, plan by plan
Google Pay
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Google Pay review.
Venmo
Free- FreeFree
- P2P transfers
- Bill splitting
- Mobile app
Which should you pick?
Choose Google Pay if
- You need digital wallet.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Android, Chrome browser.
- You also want contactless payments.
Choose Venmo if
- You need money transfers.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want bill splitting.
Questions people ask
- Is Google Pay or Venmo better?
- Neither clearly leads. Google Pay starts at Free and Venmo at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Google Pay or Venmo?
- Google Pay starts at Free and Venmo at Free.
- Does Google Pay or Venmo run on more platforms?
- Google Pay runs on Android, Chrome browser. Venmo runs on Web, IOS, Android.
- Can I use Google Pay for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Google Pay best used for?
- Google Pay is most often used for android users making contactless payments at supported retailers, chrome browser users utilising payment autofill at checkout. Of those, android users making contactless payments at supported retailers and chrome browser users utilising payment autofill at checkout are not what Venmo is typically brought in for.
- What can Google Pay do that Venmo cannot?
- Google Pay covers Digital wallet, Contactless payments, Online shopping, P2P money transfers. Venmo covers Money transfers, Bill splitting, Social feed, Transaction history. Both handle Debit cards, Bank accounts, Android support, IOS support.