Cash App lets you send money, receive payments, spend with a debit card, and buy bitcoin or stocks, all from your phone. Getting started takes about five minutes, and most features are free for basic use. Here’s how to set everything up and put each feature to work.
Create Your Account
Download Cash App from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, or sign up at cash.app on a computer. The setup process walks you through a few screens:
- Enter your phone number or email address, then submit the one-time confirmation code Cash App sends you
- Add a Visa, Mastercard, or Discover debit card (you’ll need the card number, CVV, expiration date, and zip code)
- Provide your legal name and date of birth
- Pick a $cashtag, which is a unique username other people will use to send you money (for example, $JaneDoe)
- Create a PIN to authorize transactions
At this point you have an unverified account. You can send and receive up to $1,000 within any rolling 30-day window, with a total lifetime account cap of $1,500. That’s fine for splitting a dinner tab, but if you plan to use Cash App regularly, you’ll want to verify your identity.
Verify Your Identity for Higher Limits
Verification requires your full legal name, date of birth, and the last four digits of your Social Security number. Cash App may also ask for a photo of a government-issued ID. Once verified, your sending limit jumps to $40,000 per rolling 30-day period. Receive limits for verified accounts vary and are visible under the “Limits” tab in your account settings. Verification also unlocks features like bitcoin trading and stock investing.
Send and Receive Money
Tap the dollar sign icon on the home screen, type the amount you want to send, and hit “Pay.” You can find the recipient by entering their $cashtag, phone number, or email address. Add a note if you want (it’s optional), confirm the payment, and the money leaves your account instantly.
To request money instead, follow the same steps but tap “Request” instead of “Pay.” The other person gets a notification and can approve or decline. There’s no fee for sending money from a linked debit card or your Cash App balance. If you link a credit card, Cash App charges a 3% fee on each transaction, so a debit card is the better choice for everyday transfers.
Cash Out to Your Bank
Money you receive sits in your Cash App balance until you move it. Tap “Cash Out” on the home screen, enter the amount, and choose between two speeds. Standard transfers are free and typically arrive in one to three business days. Instant transfers deposit the money in your linked bank account within seconds but carry a small fee (usually between 0.5% and 1.75% of the transfer amount). If you’re not in a rush, standard is the way to go.
Order and Use the Cash Card
The Cash Card is a free Visa debit card that draws directly from your Cash App balance. You can order one from the Card tab on your home screen. It arrives by mail, and once it does, you activate it inside the app by scanning the QR code on the card or entering the card details manually. Use it anywhere Visa is accepted, both in stores and online.
One useful feature tied to the Cash Card is called Offers (previously known as Boosts). These are instant discounts at specific merchants like coffee shops, restaurants, and retailers. To use them, go to the Card tab, tap “Add offer,” pick one from the list, and select “Add.” The discount applies automatically the next time you pay at that merchant with your Cash Card. Each offer has an expiration date and specific terms you can review by tapping “Details.” Offers rotate regularly, so it’s worth checking back before you head out to shop or grab lunch.
If you lose your Cash Card or suspect unauthorized use, you can lock it instantly from the Card tab. While locked, every transaction is automatically declined. Unlock it just as easily when you’re ready to use it again. Cash App also provides zero fraud liability on unauthorized charges made with the card.
Buy Bitcoin
Cash App lets you buy, sell, and send bitcoin directly from the app. Tap the bitcoin icon on the home screen, enter a dollar amount (you can start with as little as $1), and confirm the purchase. The fee structure depends on how much you’re buying or selling at once:
- Under $500: 2% fee on market buys and sells
- $500 to $999: 1.5% fee
- $1,000 to $1,999: 0.9% fee
- $2,000 and above: No fee
On top of the fee, Cash App may include a spread of up to 0.75% on the quoted price, which is a small markup baked into the exchange rate to account for market volatility. So on a $100 bitcoin purchase, you might pay $2 in fees plus a fraction more from the spread.
If you set up recurring purchases through Auto Invest, or use the Round Ups feature (which rounds up Cash Card purchases and puts the spare change into bitcoin), both the fee and spread are waived entirely. That makes Auto Invest the cheapest way to accumulate bitcoin on the platform over time.
You can also withdraw bitcoin to an external wallet. Standard withdrawals (delivered within 24 hours) are free, while faster options carry a small additional charge of up to $2 or $3 depending on the speed you select.
Invest in Stocks
Cash App also offers stock investing with no minimum balance requirement. From the Investing tab, you can browse companies, buy fractional shares (portions of a single share, so you don’t need hundreds of dollars to invest in a high-priced stock), and sell when you’re ready. The interface is simplified compared to a full brokerage, which makes it approachable if you’re new to investing but limited if you want advanced charting or options trading.
Keep Your Account Secure
Cash App doesn’t use traditional passwords. Instead, it sends a one-time login code to your phone or email each time you sign in, which eliminates the risk of a stolen password. Beyond that, a few settings are worth enabling right away.
Turn on Security Lock in your app settings. This requires your fingerprint, face scan, or PIN every time you open the app or authorize a payment. It’s the single most effective step you can take to protect your balance if someone gets hold of your phone. Cash App also runs 24/7 fraud monitoring in the background, and you’ll receive alerts for suspicious activity.
The biggest real-world risk on Cash App isn’t a hack. It’s social engineering. Scammers pose as Cash App support, promise fake giveaways, or pressure people into sending money for goods that never arrive. Cash App payments are instant and typically can’t be reversed, so treat every payment like handing someone cash. Send money only to people you know and trust, never share your one-time login codes with anyone (Cash App will never ask for them), and be skeptical of unsolicited messages promising free money or requiring an upfront “verification” payment.
Direct Deposit and Paper Checks
You can set up direct deposit to have your paycheck sent straight to your Cash App balance. The app provides routing and account numbers under the Money tab, which you give to your employer just like you would for a traditional bank. Some users receive their pay up to two days early through Cash App’s direct deposit, depending on when the employer submits the payment file.
Cash App also lets you deposit paper checks using your phone’s camera. Open the app, go to the Money tab, and follow the prompts to photograph the front and back of the check. Funds from mobile check deposits can take several days to become available.