For more than a decade, Venmo and PayPal lived in separate worlds — even though PayPal has owned Venmo since 2014. If you wanted to move money from one to the other, you had to cash out to a bank account first and wait. That workaround is now over.
As of the rollout that began in November 2025, Venmo and PayPal are directly interoperable. You can send money straight from your Venmo app to someone’s PayPal account — domestically and in 90+ countries worldwide — using nothing more than a phone number. Here’s exactly how it works, what it costs, and the limits to know before you tap “Pay.”
Yes, You Can Now Send Venmo Money to PayPal Users
This is a genuine, native feature — not a third-party app or a bank-transfer trick. It’s built on PayPal World, a global interoperability platform PayPal announced in July 2025 that links major wallets and payment systems. Venmo-to-PayPal (and PayPal-to-Venmo) transfers were the first capability to go live.
A few important things to understand up front:
- It’s person-to-person. You’re sending money to another human’s PayPal account, the same way you’d pay a friend on Venmo.
- You find people by phone number. You search for the recipient using the phone number tied to their PayPal account. Paying by email address is not supported yet.
- Payments are one-way (for now). You can send across platforms, but you cannot request money across platforms. A Venmo user can’t send a payment request to a PayPal user.
- The recipient needs a PayPal account in good standing with their phone number attached and their search/privacy settings enabled so you can find them.
How to Send Money From Venmo to PayPal (Step by Step)
- Open the Venmo app and make sure it’s updated to the latest version.
- Tap Pay/Request and search for your recipient by the phone number linked to their PayPal account.
- Select the recipient when their PayPal account appears, then enter the amount (and currency, if international).
- Review the fees and exchange rate — Venmo shows all costs upfront before you confirm.
- Choose your funding source (Venmo balance, linked bank, debit card, or credit card).
- Tap Pay. You’ll get an in-app confirmation and an email receipt.
Funds land directly in the recipient’s PayPal account, and domestic transfers are typically instant. International transfers usually complete within a few minutes once approved.
Fees and Limits at a Glance
The good news for everyday U.S. payments: sending to a PayPal user costs nothing if you fund it the normal way. Fees only enter the picture with credit cards and international currency conversion.
| Scenario | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic (U.S.) with Venmo balance, linked bank, or debit card | $0 | Typically instant |
| Domestic funded by a credit card | 3% of the amount | Standard Venmo credit-card fee |
| International transaction fee | $0 (promotional) | Waived for a limited time through August 2026 |
| International currency conversion | Varies | Shown upfront with the exchange rate |
International sending also has per-period caps:
| International limit | Amount |
|---|---|
| Per transaction | $2,500 |
| Daily | $5,000 |
| Weekly | $10,000 |
| Monthly | $25,000 |
For domestic cross-platform payments, your normal Venmo account limits apply (these depend on whether your identity is verified). Note that to send internationally you’ll need an address on file in your Venmo account.
Worked Examples
Example 1: Splitting rent with a roommate who uses PayPal
You owe your roommate $600 for your share of the utilities. They don’t have Venmo, only PayPal. You open Venmo, search their phone number, enter $600, and pay from your Venmo balance. Cost: $0. The $600 lands in their PayPal account almost instantly — no bank cash-out required.
Example 2: Paying from a credit card
Same $600, but you fund it with a credit card instead of your balance. Venmo’s 3% credit-card fee applies: 3% × $600 = $18. You’d pay $618 total. Using your balance, bank, or debit card instead keeps it free.
Example 3: Sending money abroad
You want to send the equivalent of $300 to a family member’s PayPal account in another country. Thanks to the promotional waiver, the international transaction fee is $0 through August 2026. You’ll still see a currency conversion rate applied, which Venmo displays before you confirm — so check the final converted amount the recipient will get.
Why This Matters
Before this change, moving money between the two apps meant transferring to a linked bank account from one app and pulling it into the other — a process that could take one to three business days. Now the two largest U.S. consumer payment apps talk to each other directly, and the reach is global: Venmo users can send to hundreds of millions of PayPal users across 90+ markets with 25 currency options. For anyone who’s ever been told “I only have PayPal,” the friction is gone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I request money from a PayPal user through Venmo?
No. Cross-platform support is currently one-way — you can send money to a PayPal user, but you cannot send them a payment request. Requests only work between users on the same platform for now.
Do I need the recipient’s PayPal email address?
No. You search for the recipient using the phone number associated with their PayPal account. Email-address lookup isn’t available yet. Ask your recipient to confirm their phone number is attached to PayPal and that their privacy settings allow them to be found.
Is it really free, and will the free international fee last?
Domestic U.S. payments funded by your Venmo balance, bank, or debit card are free; credit-card payments carry Venmo’s standard 3% fee. The $0 international transaction fee is a promotional offer running through August 2026 — after that, international fees may apply. Currency conversion costs apply to international transfers regardless, so always review the upfront breakdown.
How long does a Venmo-to-PayPal transfer take?
Domestic transfers are typically instant. International transfers usually complete within a few minutes once approved. You’ll see an in-app confirmation and receive an email receipt either way.
The Bottom Line
After more than ten years of separation, you can finally send money from Venmo straight to a PayPal account — directly, usually instantly, and for free on standard domestic payments. Just remember the key rules: search by phone number, sending is one-way only, watch the 3% credit-card fee, and take advantage of the $0 international fee window before it closes in August 2026. For most everyday payments, it’s as simple as paying any other friend on Venmo.
WalletWisp is an informational resource and does not provide financial advice. Fees, limits, and promotional dates can change — always confirm current terms in the Venmo and PayPal apps before sending.
