Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Cash App vs PayPal

Cash App 4.8★ · Free to download 70
Winner Tie
PayPal 4.8★ · Free to download 70

Cash App is better for quick, easy personal transfers and managing money for kids, while PayPal is more suitable for online shopping, business transactions, and offers more robust payment options like 'Pay in 4'.

Full reviews: Cash App · PayPal

Both Cash App and PayPal are popular payment apps with high lifetime ratings, but recent reviews highlight significant customer service and account deactivation issues for Cash App, while PayPal users report problems with app functionality, notifications, and holds on funds. Cash App excels in ease of use for everyday transactions and youth accounts, whereas PayPal is preferred for its broader online payment capabilities and buyer protection.

Head to head

Features tieR2R6R20R23
Cash App Cash App is praised for its ease of transferring money, managing funds, and offering features like savings and investing, with some users appreciating it for teaching kids to manage money R2R20R23. However, some users report issues with microtransactions from unknown companies R6.
PayPal PayPal offers features like 'Pay in 4' for breaking down payments, cash back offers, and is widely used for online shopping and receiving paychecks . However, users note that the app lacks full functionality compared to the website, such as recovering chat with customer service or applying discounts to invoices .
Ease of Use edge: Cash AppR5R8R11R14
Cash App Many users find Cash App quick, easy, and convenient for sending and receiving money R8R11R14. However, some report initial confusion with the user interface for features like stocks and savings R5. There are also reports of difficulty accessing accounts after updates or due to phone compatibility issues .
PayPal PayPal is generally considered secure, fast, and convenient for online payments . However, users frequently complain about the app being slow and clumsy , issues with logging in , and problems with payments not processing . Some also find it difficult to manage multiple addresses and names .
Reliability tieR3R4R13R22
Cash App Cash App users report significant issues with account deactivation, often without clear explanation or prior warning, leading to loss of access to funds R28R30R34R48. There are also complaints about not receiving physical cards R3R22 and money freezing or disappearing R4R13.
PayPal PayPal users experience issues with money being put on hold for weeks R84 and problems with the app not allowing payments or transfers . Some users also report accounts being permanently disabled due to inactivity or 'scamming concerns' .
Customer Support tieR1R4R10R15
Cash App Cash App's customer service is widely criticized for being unhelpful, rude, and providing copy-paste responses without empathy R1R10R15. Users report that support does not help with scams or account issues, often failing to resolve problems or provide explanations for deactivations R4R10R26.
PayPal PayPal's customer service is also frequently described as pathetic, unhelpful, and rude, with users struggling to reach a human or get issues resolved . The AI chatbot is often deemed ineffective, and promises made by support agents are reportedly not kept .
Price/Value tieR23R45R57R84
Cash App Cash App is valued for being free and offering a way for kids to manage money safely R23R45. Some users appreciate the ability to borrow money, with offers over a hundred dollars R57.
PayPal PayPal is generally seen as a secure and convenient way to pay online, with features like 'Pay in 4' adding value . However, users report fees for international transfers R84 and issues with credit card services that can impact credit scores or hold funds .
Pick Cash App if

you need a simple, fast way to send and receive money from friends and family, or if you want an easy platform for kids to manage their own funds R2R11R23R27.

Pick PayPal if

you frequently shop online, need a secure way to make business payments, or want to utilize features like 'Pay in 4' for larger purchases .

Evidence note: Both apps have high lifetime ratings, but recent reviews for both are heavily skewed negative, focusing on customer service, account issues, and reliability. The volume of negative reviews for Cash App regarding account deactivations and scam resolution is particularly high.

Frequently asked

Which app is better for sending money to friends?
Cash App is generally considered easier and quicker for sending money to friends and family, with many users highlighting its instant gratification and convenience for personal transfers R11R14R27.
Can I use these apps for my kids?
Cash App is frequently praised for being a good way for kids to manage money, save, and spend wisely, with some users stating it's a safe and free option for children's accounts R2R23R39R45. PayPal has age restrictions, with some users reporting issues with age verification even for older teens .
Do these apps have good customer support?
Both Cash App and PayPal receive significant criticism for their customer support, with users reporting unhelpful, rude, and unresponsive agents, as well as ineffective AI chatbots R1R10R26R58.
Are there issues with account deactivation?
Both apps have users reporting unexpected account deactivations without clear explanations, often citing violations of terms of service or suspicious activity, leading to loss of access to funds R28R30R34R48.

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. [R2] Cash App 5/5 · US Child benefits: It's I good way for kids with money
  2. [R6] Cash App 3/5 · US Micro transactions: Why are micro transactions from companies that i dont even know coming out of my account?
  3. [R20] Cash App 5/5 · US Cash App is the best: I like cash because it offers way to start over hand get your credit and other financial stuff done from a consumer perspective it
  4. [R23] Cash App 5/5 · US Amazing app: I love the way this app allows you to safely&securely manage and access your money aswell as the way it allows you to sync it to other banks or platforms!I love how it makes cash app a safe place to give your children a way to access their money aswell!
  5. [R5] Cash App 4/5 · US User interface: At first the user interface and understanding certain parts of the app like stocks savings rates etc I didn’t understand and was super confused but after some google searches I understood it.
  6. [R8] Cash App 4/5 · US Easy peasy: I had not used the app in years but it was easy to get back into it.👍
  7. [R11] Cash App 5/5 · US Jah: Quick and easy
  8. [R14] Cash App 5/5 · US The service is great: I’m impressed with how instant gratification is on this app
  9. [R3] Cash App 3/5 · US Didn’t get my card for the 5 time: .
  10. [R4] Cash App 1/5 · US Stole $300: So my boyfriend bought $300 worth of bitcoin on Cash App and whenever he contacted support for it they withdrew $241 from my bitcoin. I contacted support again after and they have no clue where that money went.
  11. [R13] Cash App 1/5 · US Balances: I seriously wish anyone reading this look me up!! Cash App it self I feel like is stealing money out of my account it’s small but honestly I figured if they are doing this to so many people it makes a big difference and they should not get away with this no matter how miner we need to get together and call them out on this!! If anyone odd hanging these same issues please get in touch wit
  12. [R22] Cash App 2/5 · US App is a little wonky: I never received the cash app card in a month.
  13. [R1] Cash App 1/5 · US scummy practices: response to developer response: no thanks, i will not be reaching out for “help”. you people literally will just tell me the same thing. i went through four different support agents, and NONE of them had empathy, or even attempted to understand the situation, sending the same exact copy and paste responses. thanks for stabbing me in the back, though. :) will take my business else
  14. [R10] Cash App 1/5 · US Doesn’t want to help with scams that STILL obviously happen..: I’m having a issue with money I sent to a mechanic who isn’t following through, as it was a pre payment for a part, my point in contacting after feeling distrust and using you guys REFUND service is like I’m clicking a brick wall, where you guys don’t even want to help or investigate it, and it takes 10 days. At that point the moneys
  15. [R15] Cash App 3/5 · US Assumption: For my particular situation they didn’t even look into it or just simply even acknowledge that their system shut me down due to suspicious activity that wasn’t even my activity to begin with which in whole I thought was a bit sus on their end due to the fact a “person” who I did not know randomly sent me money at 1AM and then realized they made a mistake and started requesting the mone
  16. [R45] Cash App 5/5 · US Kid’s Account: Great way to teach kids how to manage a budget. Free and safe.
  17. [R57] Cash App 5/5 · US Outstanding experience; save money, transfer money, borrow money!: I've been having the experience of a direct deposit bank customer, and it's great! Being treated to all the perks of a longtime customer has changed my experience with banking- I don't think I'll go back to old school banks. The best thing?! Being offered money to borrow. Like, over a hundred bucks. Most fintech will let you borr
  18. [R84] PayPal 3/5 · US It’s good: PayPal is great but sometimes they put my money on hold which is very annoying. I get it’s for security purposes but at times it’s annoying because they keep my money for weeks. And also, I use euro and my friend uses usd and when I send I get a fee but when see sends she doesn’t. But overall the app is good
  19. [R27] Cash App 5/5 · US Makes life easier: Easy to transfer money to and from people.
  20. [R39] Cash App 5/5 · US Great for my young kids: They do save on here and spend wisely
  21. [R26] Cash App 1/5 · US Customer service is UNHELPFUL: They suspended my account randomly for “address verification” and after verifying my address and identity the suspension was not lifted it’s been a week and I haven’t heard anything back customer service was UNHELPFUL if I could give negative stars I would
  22. [R58] Cash App 1/5 · US Customer service: Rudest customer service I’ve genuinely ever had to deal with in my life bro
  23. [R28] Cash App 1/5 · US Deactivated account: I am extremely disappointed with Cash App. My account was unexpectedly activated after more than five years of using the service with no prior warning or explanation on a vague statement that my account was suspected of fraud, gambling or other prohibited activities. I do not gamble and I have never committed fraud. My personal bank account has been linked to my Cash App accou
  24. [R30] Cash App 1/5 · US False deactivation: My account got deactivated for literally no reason while I was asleep and I’m still confused until this day
  25. [R34] Cash App 1/5 · US Deactivate: Cash App deactivated my account saying I went against their policy but didn’t tell me what I did to go against their policy
  26. [R48] Cash App 1/5 · US Deactivated: My account was deactivated for “violating terms of service” no one is telling me what I violated and I only used it for small transfers and small purchases. My appeal was denied and still I have no clue what went wrong.

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