Can You Transfer Money from Venmo to PayPal?
Venmo and PayPal are two of the most popular peer-to-peer payment apps, allowing you to easily send and receive money from friends and family.
With Venmo owned by PayPal, you might assume transferring funds between the two platforms is simple.
Unfortunately, it’s actually not possible to directly transfer money from Venmo to PayPal.
But don’t worry; there are a couple of workarounds to achieve the same result.
Why You Can’t Transfer Directly Between Venmo and PayPal
While the same parent company owns Venmo and PayPal, they operate as separate entities.
The apps don’t integrate or share balances; this means there’s no direct way to move money from a Venmo account to a PayPal account.
Venmo and PayPal also have different purposes and features;
- Venmo is focused on peer-to-peer transactions, especially splitting bills between friends.
- PayPal offers more e-commerce and online payment functionality.
Allowing seamless transfers between the two could cannibalize one platform’s business.
PayPal likely wants to keep people within the PayPal and Venmo ecosystems to maximize transaction volume and fees on each platform separately.
Transfer Money from Venmo to PayPal
Just because you can’t directly transfer doesn’t mean there aren’t a few workarounds to move funds from Venmo to your PayPal account.
Here are the main options:
1. Withdraw Venmo Balance to the Bank, Then Deposit in PayPal
The most straightforward workaround takes some extra steps but lets you move the money through your bank account.
To do this:
- Withdraw funds from your Venmo balance to your linked bank account.
- Once the money arrives in your bank, initiate a deposit or transfer from your bank to PayPal, just like you would with any other funds.
It’s an extra step, but it gives you complete control to move the entire Venmo balance or just a portion.
The main downside is it takes a few days for the money to transfer through your bank.
2. Send Venmo Payment to a Paypal Friend
If you need to move funds immediately, you can send a Venmo payment to a friend or family member who also uses PayPal.
Venmo payments between users are quick (usually within 30 minutes).
So, as soon as they receive your payment, the recipient can send the same amount to you through PayPal.
This approach allows you to essentially transfer money immediately.
The main catch is you need to trust the other person to send the funds promptly rather than keep them!
It also requires them to have both Venmo and PayPal accounts, but it’s a convenient option for quick transfers between trusted people.
Make Transfers Easier with a Shared Bank Account
Consider linking both platforms to the same bank account to make moving money between Venmo and PayPal easier.
Many banks like Chase and Bank of America allow you to link multiple external accounts.
By having the same bank account connected to both Venmo and PayPal, you can quickly transfer funds from one platform to another via your bank without needing external transfers each time.
When both platforms are linked to the same account, you can:
- Withdraw Venmo balance to bank account
- Leave funds in your bank account
- Initiate deposit from bank account to PayPal
It cuts out a step and lets you quickly shuttle funds between the two services through your bank.
Just make sure your bank allows connecting multiple external accounts.
Venmo and PayPal Integrations May Be Coming
While you currently can’t make direct Venmo to PayPal transfers, that could change in the future.
Since PayPal owns Venmo, some speculate they could integrate the two services more deeply.
Earlier this year, they introduced the Pay with Venmo button for checkout integrations.
Though the platforms still operate independently, it’s a sign of progress towards more cohesion.
Realistically, PayPal likely wants to keep the brands separate, but some basic functionality, letting users move funds or share balances, could emerge.
For now, the workarounds we listed allow you to mimic Venmo to PayPal transfers.
But hopefully, true integrations will come in the future to simplify the process.
Key Takeaways on Venmo to PayPal Transfers
While you can’t directly move money between Venmo and PayPal today, there are a few handy workarounds:
- Withdraw Venmo to your bank, then deposit in PayPal
- Send Venmo payment to someone who can pay you on PayPal
Linking Venmo and PayPal to the same bank account lets you quickly transfer through your bank.
Direct integration between the two platforms may be on the horizon, but for now, the methods above will let you mimic Venmo to PayPal transfers.
Just take the extra steps to shuffle funds between the two payment services.
