Venmo has become a go-to for fast and convenient payments between friends. The Paypal-owned app lets you easily request money, pay shared bills, and track balances. With over 60 million active accounts in 2022, Venmo processes nearly $200 billion in payment volume annually.
I‘ve used Venmo for years to simplify splitting checks and reimbursing friends. One underutilized feature I love is adding Visa gift card funds to my account balance. It makes it easy to consolidate multiple gift card balances and gets more value from gift cards taking up space in my wallet.
In this beginner-friendly guide, I‘ll explain step-by-step how to add a Visa gift card to Venmo with visuals. You‘ll also learn some best practices to stay safe plus understand any fees involved. My goal is to answer all the common questions that come up when getting started.
Overview: Top Reasons To Link Visa Gift Cards
Before jumping into the how-to steps, let‘s look at a few great reasons for taking the time to connect your Visa gift cards:
Simplifies Online Checkout
Rather than fuss with entering all the gift card details every single online purchase, adding it to Venmo saves you major hassle at checkout.
Send Funds to Contacts
You can quickly send gift card funds to friends and family right from Venmo. It takes the balance out of your wallet and puts it into easy-to-use app form.
Consolidates Balances
Conveniently combine the balances remaining on multiple Visa gift cards. No more grabbing five different physical gift cards when making a big purchase.
Balance Tracking
Venmo will send you notifications about every transaction made with the connected card. No more guessing the balance or digging through statements.
Step 1 – Check Current Balance
Before linking your Visa gift card balance to Venmo, it‘s smart to confirm the starting amount available.
You can call the 1-800 number listed on the back of the physical gift card. Or visit Visa‘s gift card balance site and input the card info to view the balance online.
Knowing the exact balance beforehand prevents any payment issues later
If your gift card is brand new, you likely don‘t need to check. But for older cards you may have lost track of, take this quick step to validate sufficient funds.
Step 2 – Login to The Venmo App
If you already actively use Venmo, you can skip ahead to just opening the app on your mobile device.
But if you aren‘t already signed up, you‘ll first want to install the app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Venmo supports iOS or Android devices.
Once installed, walk through the quick account creation process by entering some basic personal information when prompted. Venmo utilizes bank-grade encryption to secure all user data and payment card details stored in the app.
Venmo runs on both iPhones and Android devices
Now let‘s move on to connecting the payment method details…
Step 3 – Navigate to Settings
From the main Venmo app screen after logging in, tap your profile icon in the bottom right corner. This will be your name or username.
Next choose the gear icon to enter your full account settings menu.
Under settings, choose "Payment Methods" or tap "Account" and then "Preferences" depending on your app version. Either route will take you to the payment card management screen.
Time to add the card!
Step 4 – Select Add Card
On the Payment Methods screen displaying any existing linked cards or bank accounts, scroll down and tap the "Add" button.
A popup will appear prompting you to submit the Visa gift card details.
For added convenience, try tapping the camera icon to auto-scan the card number and expiration date information. Manually enter the rest like security code and billing zip.
Double and triple check all fields match what is printed on the physical plastic gift card before submitting. Mis-typed information can lead to balance errors down the road.
Step 5 – Confirm Card Addition
That‘s it! After reviewing the entries, tap "Add" to link this card to your Venmo account payment methods.
You will get confirmation the card successfully connected in green text. Venmo charges a 3% fee on gift cards but otherwise does not take a percentage for bank or debit transfers.
So if you added a $100 gift card, expect to see $97 in available Venmo balance from this linked card. Keep that in mind so you don‘t overspend.
- Use unique payment card passwords never shared elsewhere
- Enable two-factor authentication in Venmo settings
- Review recent transactions often
- Only connect cards from trusted brands
As with all financial apps, it‘s smart to take precautions around account security and payment fraud prevention. But overall, Venmo utilizes industry-standard practices to keep your money safe.
That covers the full process for easily adding Visa gift cards as a funding source inside Venmo!
Here are some key tips to remember:
- Linking gift cards enables faster online checkout and peer transfers
- Follow the visual step-by-step guide to connect card information
- Know that a 3% fee applies per gift card transaction
- Use security best practices like unique card passwords
With 60 million active monthly users and growing, Venmo makes an excellent option for combining gift card balances, simplifying payments, and even exchanging funds with friends.
I hope this beginner tutorial makes it simple to consolidate your Visa gift cards into easy-to-use Venmo money! Let me know if you have any other questions in the comments.
