Venmo vs Cash App vs PayPal: where payments go wrong
Three apps move money between people. Which one do reviewers fault for frozen accounts, scams, fees or support?
Shared comparison by OneStar · updated Oct 26, 2026By OneStar
VenmoThe Delancey Corporation, LLC · Finance · Free · out since 2010
Venmo is the fast, safe, social way to pay and get paid.
Store ratings: App Store 4.8 · Google Play 4.01,948 reviews read · Oct 19, 2025 to Oct 18, 2026Open the Venmo reportCash AppBlock, Inc. · Finance · Free · out since 2013
The easy way to spend, save, and invest.
Store ratings: App Store 4.8 · Google Play 4.71,782 reviews read · Dec 27, 2025 to Oct 25, 2026Open the Cash App reportPayPalPayPal, Inc. · Finance · Free · out since 2019
PayPal is a smart way to securely shop in-store and online, earn rewards points on brands you love, send money and much more.
Store ratings: App Store 4.8 · Google Play 4.22,598 reviews read · Oct 26, 2025 to Oct 25, 2026Open the PayPal reportCash App leads on 7 of 7 measures.
Scorecard
Each value comes with its 95% range. A leader is named only when the gap holds up to the test.
| Measure | Venmo | Cash App | PayPal |
|---|---|---|---|
| ComplainShare of reviewers who complain about something, lower is better | 70%95% range 68% to 72% | 43%Leads95% range 41% to 46% | 79%95% range 77% to 80% |
| PraiseShare of reviewers who praise something, higher is better | 34%95% range 32% to 36% | 57%Leads95% range 55% to 60% | 24%95% range 22% to 25% |
| Said they leftShare of reviewers who say they quit or are leaving, lower is better | 5%95% range 5% to 7% | 3%Leads95% range 2% to 4% | 7%95% range 6% to 8% |
| Blame a changeShare of complaints tied to an update, redesign or price change, lower is better | 15%95% range 13% to 17% | 10%Leads95% range 7% to 13% | 25%95% range 23% to 28% |
| SpecificShare of reviews that name something concrete | 89%95% range 87% to 91% | 93%95% range 90% to 95% | 92%95% range 90% to 93% |
| Ask for featuresShare of reviewers who ask for something new or something back | 5%95% range 5% to 7% | 3%95% range 2% to 4% | 6%95% range 5% to 7% |
| SentimentMean feeling in the review text, 0 very negative to 4 very positive, higher is better | 1.42 | 2.36Leads | 1.09 |
| Star ratingMean stars of the reviewers the sample stands for, higher is better | 2.48 | 3.62Leads | 2.33 |
| Developer repliesShare of reviews with a developer reply, unweighted, higher is better | 0%95% range 0% to 1% | 88%Leads95% range 86% to 90% | 1%95% range 0% to 1% |
Top findings
- Fewer Cash App reviewers complain: 43% against 70% for Venmo.
- Venmo is weak on customer support: 16% of reviewers mention it against 6% for Cash App, and those reviews average 1.4 stars lower.
- Venmo is weak on crashes and bugs: 14% of reviewers mention it against 7% for Cash App, and those reviews average 1.2 stars lower.
- PayPal draws more complaints about bad update or redesign: 10% of reviewers against 1% for Cash App.
Where complaints differ most
Share of each app's complaints
Customer supportClear gap
Login and accountClear gap
Crashes and bugsClear gap
Where praise differs most
Share of each app's praise
General praiseClear gap
Easy to useClear gap
Helps me learn or get things doneClear gap
Made with OneStar's App Store and Google Play review analyzer. Run one on your own app or a competitor's, free with no card.