Yes. Eligible Venmo and PayPal users can send personal payments to each other across the two services. In the U.S. and many international markets, the sender searches for the recipient using the full phone number linked to the recipient’s account. The feature supports sending—not cross-platform payment requests—and availability depends on the account, region, and recipient’s privacy settings. Venmo’s current help page describes the feature as available.
What changed between Venmo and PayPal?
Venmo and PayPal accounts used to be separate for ordinary person-to-person payments. Eligible users can now find and pay one another across the services using contact information, principally the phone number linked to the recipient’s account. PayPal’s September 2025 policy notice anticipated contact-based discovery, and the services’ current support pages describe cross-platform payments as active.
This is payment interoperability, not an account merger. You still use your own Venmo or PayPal account and app, and the person you pay needs an eligible account on the other service. The recipient’s account must be associated with the number you search and discoverable under their privacy settings.
How to send from Venmo to PayPal
- Open Venmo and start a payment.
- Search using the full phone number linked to the recipient’s PayPal account.
- Select the eligible PayPal profile shown in the results. Check that it is the intended recipient.
- Enter the amount and, if you want, a payment note.
- Review any fee and currency-conversion details shown in the app.
- Confirm the details and send.
Venmo’s instructions and eligibility details are on its cross-platform payment help page.
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How to send from PayPal to Venmo
- Open the PayPal mobile app.
- Search using the full phone number linked to the recipient’s Venmo account.
- Select the eligible Venmo profile shown in the results.
- Enter the amount and any optional note.
- Review the transaction details, including fees and the exchange rate if applicable.
- Confirm and send the payment.
PayPal documents this flow in its PayPal-to-Venmo help page. The documented route is through the mobile app; availability through every web interface is not established.
Fees: domestic U.S. payments versus international transfers
U.S. domestic payments
For U.S. cross-platform payments, Venmo says sending is free when funded by a Venmo balance, debit card, or bank account. PayPal likewise says payments to Venmo users in the U.S. are free when funded by a PayPal balance, PayPal debit card, or bank account. Venmo notes that a credit-card-funded personal payment may incur a fee, so check the amount shown before confirming.
International payments
International payments may involve fees and currency conversion. The app shows applicable charges and the exchange rate before you complete the payment; the displayed conversion rate includes a spread. Venmo announced a limited-period waiver of its international fee on March 23, 2026, but that promotion is not a permanent fee policy. Check the live quote for your specific transfer rather than assuming it applies: PayPal’s announcement.
Limits and how long payments take
The international cross-platform limits listed by Venmo are:
| Limit period | Maximum listed |
|---|---|
| Per transaction | $2,500 |
| Daily | $5,000 |
| Weekly | $10,000 |
| Monthly | $25,000 |
These are listed international limits, not a guarantee that every user can send those amounts or universal domestic limits. Verification, risk controls, country, currency, funding source, and transaction history can affect what is allowed. Check the amount available in the app.
Completed domestic U.S. payments are typically instant, but that is not a guarantee. International payments may take longer depending on the recipient’s country, currency, and account setup. Venmo says most international transfers complete within a few minutes after approval; PayPal says successful payments generally appear immediately, with timing varying by region.
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Where cross-platform payments work
The feature is available in the United States and many international markets, but not everywhere. In its March 23, 2026 announcement, PayPal described the expansion as reaching 90 markets; PayPal support describes sending to Venmo users from more than 90 countries where the functionality is available. The market count is rollout-dependent, so check the current Venmo availability information and PayPal support details before relying on a particular country being supported.
This does not mean Venmo has become a domestic wallet service in every country on the list. Venmo remains primarily a U.S. service; someone abroad may be able to send to a Venmo user through PayPal in a supported market without being able to open or use Venmo as a local wallet.
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If the recipient does not appear
- Check the number: Enter the full number and confirm it is the one linked to the recipient’s account on the other service.
- Check search visibility: The recipient may have disabled discovery across platforms. Ask them to review the relevant privacy settings.
- Check eligibility and region: The recipient needs an eligible personal account, and the feature must be supported in the relevant country or region.
- Check the funding option: A card may not be available for a particular transaction. PayPal says some Mastercard debit and credit cards may be disabled for payments to Venmo users when the recipient lacks a physical address on their Venmo account; another funding source or completed identity verification may resolve this.
- Allow for review: International transactions can take longer or be declined during currency or compliance checks.
Current troubleshooting guidance is available from Venmo and PayPal.
What cross-platform search means for privacy
Searching by phone number is convenient, but it can make the associated account discoverable to people who have that number. PayPal’s policy notice says a Venmo user who finds a PayPal user through linked contact information may see the PayPal profile’s name, username, profile photo, and country. Both services let users manage search visibility through privacy settings. Review those settings if you do not want people with your number to find your profile across platforms.
Requests and cancellations
Cross-platform payment requests are not currently supported. You can send money to an eligible user on the other service, but you cannot use this feature to request money across platforms.
Check the recipient and amount carefully before sending. Venmo says most payments are made immediately and generally cannot be canceled once sent; PayPal likewise warns that instant payments usually cannot be canceled after authorization or completion. Do not treat an ordinary personal payment as a purchase with merchant protections.
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Current help instructions emphasize searching by the recipient’s full phone number. PayPal’s documentation indicates that email-address discovery may be added or supported later, but it should not be assumed to work for every user. Use the number linked to the recipient’s account unless the app’s current interface offers and confirms another search method.
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