# Venmo vs Green Dot

The clearest difference is rating: Venmo at 4.8 against Green Dot's 3.5. Venmo also leads on ratings volume (15M vs 12K) and update cadence (every 11 days vs every 4 weeks). Green Dot's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Venmo holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Venmo has 15M ratings behind it against 12K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 15% of Venmo's written reviews are positive against 8% of Green Dot's.

Venmo ships an update every 11 days, Green Dot every 4 weeks. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Venmo | Green Dot |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (15M ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/venmo/id351727428/reviews)** | [3.5 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/green-dot-mobile-banking/id437092808/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **15M** | 12K |
| Positive reviews | **14.6% of reviews** | 7.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 11 days** | Every 4 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 701 MB | 150 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Venmo](https://appshunter.io/developer/351727431) | [Green Dot Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/437092811) |

## What reviewers say

### Venmo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/venmo/id351727428)

**Currently charting:** #5 Top Free · Finance, #55 Top Free (US App Store)

A fast, safe, and social way to send and receive money with friends and family. Easily split bills, buy crypto, and manage your finances with integrated debit and credit cards.

**Highlights:** Send and receive money, Split payments among friends, Buy, hold, and sell cryptocurrency, Venmo credit and debit cards, Teen accounts, Business profiles, Instant transfers and direct deposit

**Features:** Apple Wallet, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Reliable, user-friendly, and convenient
- 🔒 Robust security features
- 👍 Untrustworthy vendor protection
- 💡 Investing feature built-in

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and glitchy app
- 🔒 Weak account security
- 🔒 Unreliable customer support
- 💰 Holds funds without explanation
- 💰 Freezes accounts without notice

**Reported bugs**

- Payments getting declined without reason
- Accounts being frozen or deleted unexpectedly
- Delays in fund transfers and withdrawals
- Inability to access own money in account

**Requested features**

- Ability to cancel transactions
- Faster money transfers
- Better account management tools
- Improved customer service


### Green Dot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/green-dot-mobile-banking/id437092808)

Manage your finances with a mobile banking app that offers early direct deposit, overdraft protection, and cash deposits. Enjoy features like 2% cash back on purchases and a high-yield savings account with no minimum balance requirement.

**Highlights:** Early direct deposit (up to 2 days early), Overdraft protection up to $200, Deposit cash via app, No minimum balance requirement, 2% cash back on online/mobile purchases, High-yield savings account (2.00% APY), Free ATM network access

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💳 Works fine for basic banking
- 🚀 Fast direct deposit
- 💰 Earns cash back on purchases

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent login issues and errors
- 🤖 Poor customer service
- 💸 High monthly fees
- 🔒 Difficulty accessing funds
- 📱 App frequently crashes or doesn't work

**Reported bugs**

- Login screen not working
- Unable to access account or transfer funds
- App crashes on launch

**Requested features**

- Improve app stability and reliability
- Provide better customer support
- Reduce monthly fees


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Venmo free?

Venmo is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Green Dot free?

Green Dot is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Venmo or Green Dot?

Venmo is rated higher. Venmo averages 4.8 out of 5 from 15M ratings, while Green Dot averages 3.5 from 12K ratings.

### Do Venmo or Green Dot have ads?

Neither Venmo nor Green Dot shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Venmo or Green Dot?

Venmo ships an update every 11 days, and Green Dot every 4 weeks. Most recently, Venmo was updated on September 24, 2026 and Green Dot on September 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*