Cash App lets you pay from your phone in four ways: sending money directly to someone, scanning a QR code at a store, tapping to pay with a linked digital wallet, or checking out online. Each method takes just a few taps once your account is set up and funded. Here’s how each one works.
Send Money to Someone
The most common way to pay with Cash App is sending money directly to another person. Open the app, tap the Payments tab (the dollar sign icon), and enter the amount you want to send. The minimum is $1. Tap “Pay,” then type in the recipient’s name, $cashtag, phone number, or email address.
Before you confirm, you can add a short note describing what the payment is for, which is helpful for splitting bills or paying someone back. Choose your preferred payment method (your Cash App balance, a linked bank account, or a linked debit card), then tap “Pay” one more time to send the money. The recipient gets a notification immediately, and the funds land in their Cash App balance.
Pay In-Store with a QR Code
Some retailers and small businesses accept Cash App Pay at the register. When you see a QR code at checkout, open Cash App and go to the Payments tab. Tap the icon in the top-left corner to open the built-in QR scanner, then hold your phone’s camera over the code. The app will pull up the payment details, and you just follow the prompts to complete it.
You don’t have to use Cash App’s scanner if you’d rather not. Your phone’s default camera app or any third-party QR scanning app can read the code and redirect you into Cash App. If the scanner isn’t working, check your device settings to make sure the “Scan QR Codes” feature is turned on.
Tap to Pay with Your Digital Wallet
If you have a Cash Card (Cash App’s free Visa debit card), you can add it to Apple Pay or Google Wallet and use contactless tap-to-pay at any store that accepts it. This works everywhere contactless payments are accepted, not just stores that specifically support Cash App.
To set this up in Google Wallet, open the app, tap “Add to Wallet,” select “Payment card,” then either scan your Cash Card with your camera or type in the details manually. Tap “Save and continue,” accept the issuer terms, and verify the card if prompted. The process in Apple Pay is similar: go to the Wallet app, tap the plus sign, and follow the steps to add your Cash Card.
Once the card is in your digital wallet, just hold your phone near the payment terminal at checkout. You’ll authenticate with your fingerprint, face, or passcode, and the payment goes through in a second or two. The money comes out of your Cash App balance or linked funding source, just like swiping the physical card would.
Check Out Online
A growing number of online retailers offer Cash App Pay as a checkout option. The process differs slightly depending on whether you’re shopping on your phone or a computer.
On a mobile browser or app, select Cash App Pay as your payment method during checkout. The merchant’s site will redirect you into Cash App, where you confirm the payment and get sent back to finish your order. Some merchants save your $cashtag so future purchases are even faster.
On a desktop computer, selecting Cash App Pay at checkout generates a QR code on your screen. Scan it with your phone using Cash App’s QR scanner, your phone’s camera, or a third-party scanning app. Confirm the payment in Cash App, then complete the purchase back on the merchant’s site.
Sending Limits to Know About
How much you can pay depends on whether you’ve verified your identity. Unverified accounts can send and receive up to $1,000 within any rolling 30-day window, with a total lifetime account limit of $1,500. Your balance is also capped at $1,000.
Verifying your identity removes most of those restrictions. Verified accounts can send up to $40,000 on a rolling 30-day basis and hold an unlimited balance. Verification requires your full legal name, date of birth, and the last four digits of your Social Security number. You can start the process from the profile section of the app, and it usually takes just a few minutes.
Getting Your Account Ready to Pay
Before you can use any of these payment methods, you need a funded account. Link a bank account or debit card in Cash App’s settings under “Linked Banks.” When you send a payment, Cash App pulls from your Cash App balance first. If your balance doesn’t cover the full amount, it draws the rest from your linked bank or card.
You can also load your balance ahead of time by tapping “Add Cash” on the home screen and pulling funds from your bank. Direct deposits, payments from other Cash App users, and Bitcoin sales all add to your balance too. Keeping a balance loaded means faster payments since there’s no delay waiting for a bank transfer to clear.