Before technology became as advanced as it is today, to send money electronically, wire transfers were the only option. Another option was to head to the bank of the recipient and deposit money directly into their account. That opens the door for privacy concerns. Non-customer deposits are still an option. Wire transfers are also still an available option today, but they often come with a hefty fee. The time to send money for free is now! There are plenty of options available that allow you to send money to your friends or family at no cost. The CGS Team is sharing 6 free options for sending money to someone else!
#1 PayPal
PayPal was the original electronic funds transfer provider, and it still works perfectly today! When you need to send money to a friend or family member, PayPal is a great option. All you need is the phone number or email address of the person receiving the money.
Another great feature of PayPal is that you can make payments for purchases, pay for professional services, and use your credit card as an option for payment. Fees are associated for paying someone with your credit card. Also, if you are a servicer receiving payment from someone through PayPal, you will be charged a fee.
#2 Venmo
Venmo has also become a force to be reckoned with when sending money for free. Similar to PayPal, all you need is the email address or phone number of the person receiving the money. Venmo doesn’t charge a fee to send money directly from your bank account to the recipient, as long as the accounts are from U.S. banks. If you want to send money from your credit card, you will pay 3% per transaction.
#3 Google Wallet
If you have a Google Wallet account, you can send money for free to anyone who has an email address and a Google Wallet account. Google Wallet requires you to link your bank account information to have any balance transferred from your Google Wallet account to your normal bank. You can also use Google Wallet as a form of payment. Google Wallet accepts bank accounts and debit cards with MasterCard, Visa, American Express or Discover logos to be used as payment.
#4 Square Cash
With the Square Cash app, you can send money to people via email or text message. What is great about Square Cash is that the recipient doesn’t need to download the app in order to receive the money you sent. The recipient simply needs log into a secure website and enter their bank account information to have the money directly transferred there within 1-2 business days. There is no fee for sending personal transactions, however personal payments from a credit card require a 3% fee.
#5 PopMoney
PopMoney is a service that is integrated with a majority of major banks and financial institutions. TD Bank, Bank of America and Wells Fargo are just a few examples of banks that use PopMoney. You can log into your bank’s mobile app to send money directly from your bank account to someone else. You can also sign up for an account on the PopMoney website, rather than going through your bank. There is a $.95 fee associated with transfers, and the recipient of the money must have a PopMoney account to receive the funds.
#6 Chase QuickPay
Chase Bank is one of the largest major banks in the world. They offer a service called Chase QuickPay, which allows users with a Chase account to send funds to someone else for free. The person receiving the funds doesn’t have to have a Chase account, however they will need to create a Chase QuickPay profile and link their non-Chase bank account to receive the funds.
Sending money to your friends or family members, paying for goods and services, or setting up recurring subscriptions has never been easier! If you are paying to send money, stop right now and set up an account with any of the providers above. What apps or providers do you prefer to use when sending money to friends or family members? Have you ever had any bad experiences sending money? Leave a comment below to share your experience and feedback!
