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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
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The verdict on

Venmo

35
User verdict / 100 High confidence In trouble

Recent Venmo reviews indicate a significant decline in reliability and customer support, with users frequently reporting account freezes, payment failures, and difficulty resolving issues, despite the app's historical ease of use.

4.8★ lifetime (15,466,869) Free to download since 2010 by The Delancey Corporation, LLC updated 0.1 mo ago recent negative 84% 120 reviews across 1 regions
Account Issues Customer Service App Functionality Fraud & Refunds Advertising & Notifications Ease of Use (Historical)
5★32
4★5
3★4
2★16
1★193
recent reviews across 1 regions, vs the 4.8★ lifetime average

Venmo, a popular finance app, is currently experiencing a wave of negative feedback from recent users, primarily concerning account issues, poor customer service, and app functionality problems. While historically praised for its ease of use, many recent reviews highlight frustrations with frozen accounts, failed transactions, and an inability to get live support.

What users like

  • Easy to send and receive money, particularly for personal useR6R14R37R38
  • Venmo debit/credit cards are easy to use and helpful for managing spendingR15R47R68R126

What users complain about

  • Frequent account freezes and money holds without clear explanation or resolutionR1R5R17R20
  • Payments and transfers frequently fail or are declined, even with available fundsR2R4R13R16
  • Customer service is severely lacking, often automated, unhelpful, and difficult to reach a live personR1R5R8R27
  • App functionality and user interface are buggy, confusing, or have unwanted features like adsR3R10R11R23
  • Users report fraudulent transactions and difficulty disputing them or getting refundsR1R8R12R34
  • Concerns about predatory gambling ads and notificationsR19R21R31R65
  • Issues with Venmo debit/metal cards getting stuck in ATMs or being delivered to wrong addressesR9R31

Latest update · v26.13.0

What the developer says changed (the verdict above weighs this against what reviewers report):

In an app of great prowess, they say, Features danced in a grand display. Bugs, once fierce, now subdued, Tapping joyfully ensued, As users hailed the fixes that day.

Recurring themes

Account Issues negative
Many users report their accounts being frozen, money being held for extended periods (weeks to a month), or payments being declined without clear reasons or solutions. This directly contradicts the developer's notes claiming 'bugs, once fierce, now subdued'.R1R5R17R20
Customer Service negative
A prevalent complaint is the inability to reach a live customer service representative, with users often stuck in automated systems or chat bots that are unhelpful. When a live person is reached, they are frequently described as unhelpful, rude, or unable to resolve issues, leading to significant frustration.R5R8R27R28
App Functionality negative
Users report various technical issues, including error messages, inability to log in on new phones, difficulty connecting bank accounts, and a generally glitchy or non-user-friendly interface. Some also dislike recent UI changes like huge icons and intrusive ads.R2R3R4R7
Fraud & Refunds negative
Several users report being victims of scams or fraudulent transactions, with Venmo denying claims or making it difficult to get refunds. There are also complaints about not receiving refunds for returned payments.R1R8R12R34
Advertising & Notifications negative
Users are frustrated by an increase in unwanted ads, particularly those promoting gambling or prediction markets, and excessive junk notifications.R19R21R24R31
Ease of Use (Historical) positive
Despite recent issues, many positive reviews still highlight Venmo's core strength: its simplicity and ease for sending and receiving money quickly between friends and family.R6R14R37R38

Who it's for

Venmo is for individuals who primarily need a simple way to send and receive money from trusted contacts and are willing to overlook significant recent issues with customer service and account reliability R6R37. It may also appeal to those who benefit from its debit/credit card features for managing spending R47. However, it is NOT for business owners or users who require reliable transactions, responsive customer support, or robust fraud protection R20.

Evidence note: The recent reviews skew heavily negative (83.6%), which contrasts sharply with the lifetime rating of 4.85. This suggests a significant negative trajectory in user experience. While positive reviews exist, they are fewer and often praise basic functionality, while negative reviews detail severe, recurring problems. The developer's release notes are vague and do not specifically address the widespread issues reported.

Frequently asked

Why are Venmo accounts being frozen?
Many users report their Venmo accounts being frozen or money being held for weeks without a clear explanation or resolution from customer service R1R5R17R48.
Is Venmo customer service helpful?
Recent reviews indicate Venmo's customer service is largely unhelpful, with users struggling to reach a live person and finding automated systems or chat bots ineffective R5R28R39R44.
Does Venmo have ads?
Yes, users report an increase in unwanted ads, including those promoting gambling or prediction markets, and excessive junk notifications within the app R19R21R49R62.
Are there issues with Venmo payments failing?
Many recent users report frequent issues with payments being declined or transfers not going through, even when funds are available R4R32R36R41.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R6] 5/5 · US Great App!: Couldn’t ask for better service.
  2. [R14] 5/5 · US Love it: The teen account work well
  3. [R37] 5/5 · US So easy, so good.: Love Venmo!
  4. [R38] 5/5 · US Easy: Love it
  5. [R15] 5/5 · US I love Venmo: Wish the buisness tap to pay worked better but other then that no complaints
  6. [R47] 5/5 · US Venmo is great: Venmo is great because as soon as I got my card it has been so easy to pay with it, it is also just like a credit card and it helps kids understand the concept of a debit or credit card. It is also great because it is super easy to send money to someone if you need to and I LOVE that you have a QR code that anyone with Venmo can just send you the amount it is so easy.
  7. [R68] 5/5 · US Great Credit card: My first go to, easy to use and make payments.
  8. [R126] 5/5 · US Love it: It helps me pay for stuff I never have spent money on Amazon but now I can get 15%back with Venmo
  9. [R1] 2/5 · US They steal your money: Several times I used Venmo for a transaction and the money is taken from the account and then a week later they freeze your account because there is “an issue wuth the transaction” and you have to pay more money. I called for a resolution and was given the run around. This has happened 3x! And I finally closed this scam Venmo account
  10. [R5] 1/5 · US Worst Service: Do NOT use this app. Customer service is absolutely terrible. I’ve had this account for years with no issues, and now suddenly it’s frozen for no valid reason. They tell you to call support, which gets you nowhere, just to hear “your account has been escalated, check your email in 3, 5 days.” Really? It didn’t take 3, 5 days to take my money, but now I have to wait to get access to it
  11. [R17] 1/5 · US It was good till it wasn’t: They have been locking everyone’s accounts and freezing them for no reason it’s starting to get sketchy
  12. [R20] 1/5 · US Constant Lock Outs: Most frustrating app to use when trying to run a business. Impossible to send money to anyone in succession without having your entire account locked out. Call customer support just for some Indian to tell you the system is entirely autonomous and cannot be overrided. Wildly infuriating.
  13. [R2] 1/5 · US Sucks: It keeps sending error messages
  14. [R4] 1/5 · US Unexplained Problem!: Unbelievable! Could no longer send money worth the carted on file. Took an hour on the phone after a useless day of trying. Had to cancel and sign up again- and once again it is not working.
  15. [R13] 1/5 · US Transfer $ not in account: Very irritated when money transferred into Venmo account from my bank is not there 5 days later.
  16. [R16] 1/5 · US Terrible: I can’t add my debit card to Venmo to put money on it
  17. [R8] 1/5 · US Customer care is a joke: Customer care is a joke, if you want random charges on your account just keep using Venmo. Then when you ask for refund they make things hard unlike regular bank institutions.
  18. [R27] 1/5 · US They make it hard to dispute a payment: There’s no phone number to get a hold of anybody the virtual assistance can’t help you
  19. [R3] 2/5 · US Extremely Poor Web Site UI and functionality: Extremely Poor Web Site UI and functionality with no easy way to remove “friends” and very limited functions for a for-profit corporation!
  20. [R10] 1/5 · US Hate it already: Not very user friendly and why do I need to know who all my friends are paying and for what?? Why is this even in here? Seems like that should be confidential information.
  21. [R11] 1/5 · US Worst app: This app feels like a super glitchy website that was never made to be used on a mobile device.
  22. [R23] 4/5 · US Huge icons: I love the bar but these huge icons that are now part of the home page is annoying and really serve no viable purpose. They need to go it had made it harder for me to keep track of my spending shifting through those huge icons
  23. [R12] 1/5 · US No Good With Refunds: I have never received any refunds that are returned to me through a Venmo payment and no matter how I have tried to get in touch with them for my refunds I can never get a resolution. In 2026 alone they owe me close to $100. I am hoping someone opens a class action lawsuit so I can join and get some of my money back.
  24. [R34] 1/5 · US Don’t get use cash app: Horrible, takes my money
  25. [R19] 1/5 · US Promoting prediction market: They recently started sending notifications steering people towards prediction markets. This is predatory behavior pushing people towards behaviors where almost everyone except for insiders will lose money.
  26. [R21] 1/5 · US Gambling ads: I keep getting ad notifications trying to get me to send money to different gambling services. I understand that this is an app meant for transferring money, but don’t promote gambling.
  27. [R31] 1/5 · US Don’t get a metal card.: I have had my metal card stuck in an atm about 4 times now. Support doesn’t care and just says you will have a new card in two weeks. Support won’t help you get a new one. They just tell you steps to order another one and it will take 2 weeks. I highly recommend to not get a metal card. They make them too thick and will get stuck. Also you have to pay for it yet won’t refu
  28. [R65] 1/5 · US JUST STOP: You’re no better than the credit card companies trying to get this country into even more debt! Just stop with the CC ads!!
  29. [R9] 1/5 · US Horrible card service: If you use the Venmo debit card go find a different bank/card carrier right now. They have the worst card service in the world, my new debit card will be more than a month late because they sent it to the wrong address twice
  30. [R28] 1/5 · US Customer service: Non existent
  31. [R7] 1/5 · US Change number: I changed my phone number and the only way they will allow me to access my account is sending me a text to that old number. The process to change my number is ridiculous! Venmo! Feel free to reach out to me if you want my business. I doubt that will happen. Buncha robots
  32. [R24] 1/5 · US Notifications: For those who DONT get paid often but have the app it continually sends you junk notifications just so you’ll open the app and view everything that’s in there. There’s never been a notification!
  33. [R48] 1/5 · US Terrible: Holding my money for weeks and haven’t given me a solution to get out.
  34. [R39] 1/5 · US terrible customer service: no help from anyone
  35. [R44] 1/5 · US Absolutely horrible customer service: Only think I need Venmo for is to send money. For some reason blocked my account from sending rent. Incurred hefty late fees with absolutely no help over the phone or through chat. Couldn’t even talk to someone directly. Piss poor company standards
  36. [R49] 2/5 · US Stop with the ads already: I don’t want any special offers. It’s ridiculous. The pop up ads are way too distracting
  37. [R62] 1/5 · US Stop adding clutter: The Venmo assistant button hides a bunch of text that you would actually want to read, and the new version just adds a bunch of advertising on your feed that doesn’t need to be there
  38. [R32] 1/5 · US Sucks: Won’t even let me send a payment
  39. [R36] 1/5 · US Do you like not sending money?: What a terrible app. It constantly rejects payments despite money being available. The people that work there can’t tell you why. No one knows. The app becomes useless.
  40. [R41] 2/5 · US Inconsistent: Venmo suddenly can’t process my sent payments. Very inconsistent. Overall performance of the app has declined over the years. Do better!

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store