Who pays the 3% Venmo fee?

The 3% Venmo fee is typically paid by the sender when using a credit card to fund a payment. That means if you choose a credit card instead of a bank account or debit card, Venmo usually adds the fee to the transaction. This fee is associated with the convenience and interchange costs of card funding. For personal payments funded by a bank account or debit card, this fee often does not apply. Business or merchant transactions may have different pricing rules. Before sending money, check the funding source so you know whether the fee will appear. The best way to avoid it is usually to pay from your bank balance or debit card. You can see what each funding method costs with our Venmo fee calculator.