If you’re in an app that offers a Venmo button, tap on it to authorize your purchase. You will then be asked for permission to link your Venmo account with the merchant. Once linked, that merchant will have the ability to charge your linked Venmo account for future purchases in accordance with your agreement with the merchant. You can disconnect your Venmo account from the merchant at any time by going to "Settings" in Venmo and tapping on "Connected Merchants." Select the merchant you want to stop making purchases from, and tap "Disconnect" at the bottom of the screen.
Check out https://venmo.com/business/start/ for the most up to date list of apps that accept Venmo.
Similarly, to payments that you send to your friends, Venmo will first attempt to use money in your Venmo account when paying for your online purchase. If you do not have enough money in your Venmo account to cover the entire cost of the purchase, Venmo will charge the full amount to the card or bank account you have on file that you have designated for online purchases. You can read more about how to change your funding source here.
If you made a purchase using your Venmo Debit Card please visit these articles for help.
How do I use Venmo as a payment option in Merchant Apps?
First, make sure you have the most up to date version of the merchant app you're using, as you will need to update your payment method to Venmo in that app specifically. If you are having any trouble updating it, please see the merchant's Help Center about updating payment methods.
Why is my pending charge different than I expected?
Once you initiate a purchase, you will see a push notification from Venmo with the estimated cost. The charge will be pending in your personal transactions feed. This amount is authorized and held until the final charge is complete. In some cases, your purchase amount may be adjusted for any factors that affect your purchase. This can include items added to or removed from your order, or a tip you added after a service was rendered.
If you have any questions about the amount you were charged, please reach out to the merchant for assistance. It’s also helpful to check your email for an updated receipt from the merchant.
I received a push notification for my purchase and I canceled it - was I charged?
Moments after you initiate a purchase, you will receive a Venmo push notification showing the estimated charge from the merchant. This represents an authorization: a pending charge that is used to make sure the merchant will be able to charge your Venmo account. During this time, funds will be held from your payment method.
If you happen to cancel your order, the merchant will void the authorization and any held funds will be released back to your payment method. The canceled charge will no longer be displayed in your personal transactions feed. If you have any other questions about your purchase, please reach out to the merchant.
I disconnected my Venmo account from an app. Why does it still appear as a payment method in that app?
Even if you disconnect your Venmo account from a merchant’s app, it may still appear as a payment option if the merchant has not refreshed your account. However, the merchant won’t be able to charge your account if you’ve disconnected it through the Venmo app.
I want to use Venmo for online purchases
If you’re interested in using Venmo for purchases on the web (not through another app), you can visit this article for more information.
“Why is there a pending $1 charge from a merchant on my Venmo account?”
Merchants will sometimes place a temporary $1.00 authorization on any payment method added to their app to verify that the payment method is valid. The charge to your Venmo account should not be completed. You can read more about this practice here.