I Wish I Could Speak More Highly... – Venmo Review

I wish I could speak more highly of this app, but I have consistently, over 5 (or more) years, been unable to use its functionality. Initially, back when I first used this app, I continually struggled with getting the bank set up (I was not doing anything wrong, it just displayed like it was loading) and never was successful. That time I was not in a hurry or a bind and could wait to send the verification codes and verify my bank account. Still, when I got to the part of the process where I needed to enter the amounts that had been deposited, I could not do so for the never-ending loading that continued to occur. Fast forward to today, when I needed to use the app again, and again I have more problems with loading and errors. After a while of trying the password I’ve used to log in many times before, it just started displaying the error message “too many attempts.” The “seamless” login to banking is just as difficult as sending money and frankly does not even work right. It really is a shame that in the few (close to five or more, I’m telling you) years I have been using this app, nothing has gotten better and I still am left with a bind and no way to easily send money. I get that it is my fault for not being faithful to the app and keeping it installed and taking time to set it up, but it just really does not seem worth it to me when the “seamless” and “instant” methods of verification do not work. I will have to say that I have never had trouble receiving money, just linking my account so that I can send the money. Thus, I am forced to believe that everyone is having a far easier time than I am with using the app, and that I may be the sole incompetent person. Transferring money to my bank after receiving it from someone has also been easy, which is why the other parts of the app’s functionality has been a tease. What some people I have used the app with in the past have done is to use a debit card, which is likely easier to link to and is still hard-wired to a bank. Alas, I did not stay in the “learning how to be financially stable” phase for too long and thus moved more quickly to credit cards and I do not carry my debit card. Being as transferring money to your bank after receiving it is really only half of the functionality (especially because Venmo is popular for being able to bail people out and give people ways to lazily pay for various things). I get that the bind I am in has come on the weekend and it may be more difficult to work through things at this time, but the customer service offerings are pretty slim as well. The office is only open Monday-Friday, 8-5, PACIFIC time (what about us easterners?). These days, it is hard to believe that a company so popular and so well established as Venmo is not offering 24-hour services to people. I guess I will be checking back in another half decade to see if the service has improved with Venmo to see if I can use it properly. Until then I will go about with my financial life as I have been, in a much more planned-out fashion so that I never hope for anything to be done instantly and thus I am never let down as I have continually been with Venmo.
Review by £{*¥*} on Venmo.