Editor's Review
What it is: Cash App started as a way to send a friend money with a $Cashtag instead of an account number, and has since grown into something closer to a bank account substitute. With 100M+ installs and a 4.7 rating, it is one of the most widely used finance apps on Android, and Block, Inc. keeps stacking services on top of the original transfer feature.
What you can do with it: the core is still fast peer-to-peer payment between users. Around that sits the Cash Card, a physical and virtual debit card tied to the balance, direct deposit for paychecks, a savings balance, and Boosts, which are merchant discounts you switch on before paying. The investing side lets you buy fractional shares and bitcoin from the same balance, which is unusual in a payments app and part of why people keep it installed.
Where to be careful: the convenience cuts both ways. Payments to another user are effectively final, and the app has a long-standing reputation as a target for scams that rely on that irreversibility, so treat a request from a stranger the way you would treat handing over cash. Instant transfers to a linked debit card carry a fee, while the free option takes a few days. Availability is limited to the United States and United Kingdom, and support is app-based, which frustrates people whose accounts get locked. Used for what it is good at, sending money and spending from a balance, it is hard to beat.
Features
Peer-to-peer transfers using a $Cashtag rather than account details
Cash Card debit card in physical and virtual form
Direct deposit for paychecks and government payments
Savings balance held alongside the spending balance
Boosts that apply instant discounts at selected merchants
Fractional share investing from the same balance
Bitcoin buying, selling and transfers
Request and split payments with other users
Pros
Sending money between users is close to instant and costs nothing
Payments, card spending and investing sit in one account
Setting up an account takes minutes with no branch visit
Boosts return real money on everyday card purchases
Cons
Transfers to other users cannot be reversed, which scammers exploit
Instant cash-outs to a debit card carry a fee
Only available in the United States and the United Kingdom
Account issues are handled through in-app support rather than a branch
Questions people ask
Which countries can use Cash App?
Accounts are limited to the United States and the United Kingdom. The two regions have somewhat different feature sets, and you cannot use the app while resident elsewhere.
Is sending money free?
Standard transfers between users are free, and moving your balance to a linked bank account over the standard timescale is free too. Choosing an instant cash-out to a debit card adds a fee.
Can I get money back if I paid the wrong person?
Not automatically. Payments behave like cash once accepted, so you have to ask the recipient to send it back. This is the single most common source of complaints about the service.
Do I need a bank account to sign up?
You can create an account and receive money without linking a bank, but a linked bank account or debit card is what lets you add funds and cash out.
