What this calculator does
Find out what Venmo takes when someone pays you for something, and what it costs to move your balance out right away. Regular payments between friends don't carry a fee, so this calculator focuses on the ones that do.
The rates come from Venmo's fee and business pages, checked on October 31, 2026. Venmo's own pages don't all agree on one rate, and we explain that below. You can always enter your own rate.
Where it's used
Why this math matters outside the classroom:
- Selling used items. A seller gets $100 for a bike, pays $2.99, and keeps $97.01.
- Side businesses. A dog walker compares $2.00 on a business profile with $2.99 on a personal one.
- Getting cash today. A student decides a $1.75 instant fee on $100 isn't worth it and waits for the free transfer.
- Large balances. A vendor moving out $2,000 sees the fee stop at the $25 cap.
How to use it
- Choose whether you want the fee on an amount, or the amount to ask for.
- Pick the kind of payment or transfer, or enter your own rate.
- Enter the amount, or the amount you want to receive.
- Read the fee and the amount you keep.
What the inputs mean
- Payment type
- Goods and services applies when the payer marks a payment that way to a personal account. Business profile rates apply when you have a Venmo business profile. Instant transfer applies when you move your balance out right away.
- Amount you want to receive
- This is the money you want left after the fee.
Formula and method
fee = amount × rate + fixed fee instant transfer fee = amount × 1.75%, at least $0.25 and at most $25 amount to ask for = (target + fixed fee) ÷ (1 − rate)
A goods and services payment to a personal account costs the seller 2.99%. A business profile payment costs 1.9% plus 10 cents, which is less on most sales.
An instant transfer costs 1.75%, with a 25-cent minimum and a $25 maximum. A standard transfer is free but usually takes 1 to 3 business days.
Worked example
A buyer sends you $100 marked as goods and services, at 2.99%.
- The fee is $100 × 2.99% = $2.99.
- There's no fixed fee on this type.
- Take it off the payment: $100 − $2.99 = $97.01.
Result: The fee is $2.99 and you receive $97.01. Moving that $97.01 out instantly would cost another $1.70, while a standard transfer would be free.
Understanding the result
If you sell regularly, compare a business profile with goods and services. On $100, the fee is $2.00 instead of $2.99. On very small sales the fixed 10 cents narrows the gap, and below about $9 goods and services is the cheaper of the two.
Instant transfer is a choice, not a requirement. Waiting a few days for a standard transfer keeps that money in your pocket, so it's worth paying only when you truly need the cash today.
The fee cap helps large balances. A $2,000 instant transfer would be $35 at 1.75%, but it stops at $25.
Be honest about what a payment is for. A sale marked as a personal payment may not get Venmo's purchase protection, and it can break Venmo's rules.
Assumptions and limitations
- Payments are in US dollars between US accounts.
- The fee is rounded to the nearest cent. Venmo's own rounding could differ by a cent.
- For Tap to Pay we use 2.9% + $0.09, the highest of three rates on Venmo's pages. Its fee page shows 2.29% + $0.09 and its help center shows 2.29% + $0.10. Your Venmo app shows the rate that applies to you.
- Check cashing, card purchases abroad, and crypto fees aren't included.
- Paying a business with Venmo at an online checkout runs through PayPal's rates. Use the PayPal fee calculator for those.
- This is an estimate. Your Venmo transaction details show the amount actually charged.
Frequently asked questions
Does Venmo charge to send money to friends?
Venmo's fee page shows no fee for a personal payment with no goods and services label. Other funding methods, such as a credit card, can carry a fee, so check the app before you send.
How much is the Venmo instant transfer fee?
It's 1.75% of the amount, with a 25-cent minimum and a $25 maximum. So $100 costs $1.75 and $10 costs 25 cents.
Who pays the goods and services fee?
The seller. The fee comes out of the payment, and Venmo says buyers pay nothing for purchase protection.
Is a business profile worth it?
If most of your sales are over about $9, a business profile payment costs less than goods and services. On $1,000 of monthly sales in $50 tickets, that's about $9 saved.
How current are these rates?
We read them from Venmo's pages on October 31, 2026. If your rate differs, choose "Enter my own rate".
Sources
- Venmo: About Venmo fees (checked 2026-10-31)
- Venmo: Business profiles (checked 2026-10-31)
- Venmo Help: Business profile transaction fees (checked 2026-10-31)
How this calculator is checked
Method: Venmo fee, business and help pages, read 2026-10-31. Rates are in src/lib/finance/payment-fees.ts. The calculation is covered by automated tests with known reference values and edge cases. Last updated 2026-10-31. Found a problem? Tell us.
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