Venmo’s biggest redesign in years began rolling out in May 2026, and one of its most talked-about additions is a small button with a big idea behind it: “Give a Shoutout.” Instead of hopping over to Yelp or Google to praise the coffee shop, barber, or food truck you just paid, you can now endorse that business without leaving Venmo. Here’s exactly what the feature is, how it fits into the redesigned feed, and how to use it.
What Is Venmo’s “Give a Shoutout” Button?
“Give a Shoutout” is a new feature that lets you endorse a local business or merchant directly inside the Venmo app, typically right after you pay them. The concept is lightweight social proof: your real spending activity becomes a simple, credible signal that you support a business, without requiring a full written review.
Venmo built the feature in response to user feedback. As Venmo’s Alexis Sowa put it, “One of the things that we hear a lot, especially from Gen Z and younger audiences, is a real desire to support and endorse local businesses or merchants that they like.” The button turns that desire into a one-tap action that lives where you already are: the payment feed.
A key point for your wallet: giving a shoutout is free. It’s a social/endorsement action, not a transaction, so it doesn’t move any money and carries no fee.
How “Give a Shoutout” Fits Into the Redesigned Feed
The shoutout button is part of a much larger feed overhaul. The redesigned Venmo feed features a wider variety of visuals and larger images, plus more ways to respond to payments. Alongside reactions, you’ll see quick-action buttons like “Pay Again” and “Say Thanks,” and the feed now surfaces personalized cashback offers from brands you shop with and product suggestions based on past purchases.
“Give a Shoutout” appears under payments in this feed, so endorsing a business becomes as natural as reacting to a friend’s payment. Here’s how the new quick actions compare:
| Feed action | What it does | Costs money? |
|---|---|---|
| Give a Shoutout | Endorses a local business you paid | No |
| Pay Again | Repeats a payment to the same person or business | Yes (the payment amount) |
| Say Thanks | Sends a quick acknowledgment to a contact | No |
| Reactions | Adds emoji/likes to a payment in the feed | No |
How to Endorse a Local Business, Step by Step
Because the redesign is rolling out gradually, the exact wording and placement can vary slightly by device and app version. In general, the flow looks like this:
- Update your Venmo app from the App Store or Google Play so you’re on the newest version.
- Pay the business as you normally would — in person, via a Venmo QR code, or through a Venmo-accepting checkout.
- Open your feed and find that payment, or look for the shoutout prompt that appears after paying an eligible business.
- Tap “Give a Shoutout” on the payment.
- Confirm the endorsement. Your shoutout is attached to that business, adding to its social proof on the platform.
Worked example: Maria buys a $6.50 latte at a neighborhood café using Venmo. Afterward, the payment shows up in her feed with a “Give a Shoutout” option. She taps it, and her endorsement now counts toward that café’s reputation on Venmo — no separate review site, no extra typing, and no additional cost beyond the $6.50 she already spent on coffee.
Why This Matters for Small Businesses (and You)
Traditional reviews are easy to fake because anyone can write one whether or not they were a customer. A Venmo shoutout is tied to an actual payment, which makes it harder to game and more trustworthy as a signal. For small merchants, that means real customers can vouch for them with a single tap. For you, it’s a frictionless way to help the local spots you love get discovered — the digital equivalent of telling a friend “you have to try this place.”
Two other tabs to know: Send and Money
The redesign also reorganizes core actions into new tabs rolling out over the following months:
- Send tab: Puts your frequent contacts front and center as profile icons and supports bill-splitting with up to 30 people, gift sending, and scheduling payments.
- Money tab: Lets you manage expenses and access features like Teen Accounts and Crypto.
A Quick Note on Privacy
The same redesign changes Venmo’s long-criticized default: new users are now set to friends-only payments rather than broadcasting transactions publicly. Endorsing a business is a deliberate, opt-in action, so if you’re privacy-conscious, review your audience settings and only give shoutouts you’re comfortable being associated with your profile.
When Will You Get It?
The redesign began rolling out on iOS and Android in May 2026, with the full experience expected to reach all U.S. users by fall 2026. If you don’t see “Give a Shoutout” yet, make sure your app is updated and check back — availability can vary by device, account, and version.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does giving a shoutout cost money?
No. A shoutout is a free endorsement action, not a payment. The only money involved is whatever you already paid the business in your original transaction.
Can I give a shoutout to any business?
The feature is designed for endorsing local businesses and merchants you’ve paid through Venmo, and it appears under payments in your feed. If you don’t see the option, the business may not be set up for it yet, or your app may not have the redesigned feed. Updating to the latest version is the first thing to try.
What’s the difference between a shoutout and a review?
A written review on a site like Yelp or Google can be posted by anyone, regardless of whether they were a customer. A Venmo shoutout is linked to a real payment, so it functions as verified, lightweight social proof rather than a long-form critique.
Do I have to make my payments public to give a shoutout?
Giving a shoutout is a separate, intentional action. New Venmo accounts now default to friends-only payment visibility, so you can keep your general transaction feed private while still choosing to endorse specific businesses.
The Bottom Line
“Give a Shoutout” is one of the friendliest additions in Venmo’s 2026 redesign: a free, one-tap way to back the local businesses you already support with your spending. As the new feed, plus the Send and Money tabs, reaches your account this fall, keep your app updated and try endorsing your favorite café, barber, or corner shop the next time you pay.
WalletWisp is an informational resource and does not provide financial advice. Features, availability, and terms can change — always confirm current details in the Venmo app.
