Best payment apps in the US

What are payment apps? 

Payment apps let you send and receive money on your phone. They do lots more besides, but their main purpose is to turn your phone into a payment device. 

Adoption is growing rapidly as app developers innovate, add new functionality and make the digital payments ecosystem more accessible to late adopters and new phone users. You can split payment apps broadly into two categories; traditional P2P payment apps and crypto-enabled apps.

The growth of ecommerce drove the early evolution of payment gateways, most notably PayPal, which was acquired by eBay in 2002. As software became more powerful, developers were able to implement similar technology into smartphone apps.

The shift from computer to phone added extra convenience and layers of security to what was already a relatively innovative landscape. Payment apps are now ubiquitous and in economies with poor access to banking, people can use them instead of having a traditional bank account.

Best traditional payment apps in the US

The best payment app is the one that most closely matches your needs. There’s no law saying you have to pick one and stick with it. Lots of people switch between apps depending on what they’re doing. This section should give you a good steer on which apps are commonly used for certain scenarios.

1. PayPal

Regarded as the app (or website) where it all started, PayPal has been facilitating digital P2P payments since the late 1990s. It’s still among the most used payment apps in the world with a 45% market share, and 1.6 trillion dollar annual payment volumes as of 2024.

PayPal is most commonly used for online shopping. There are no fees for sending money or making payments to retailers, it works globally with a few exceptions and its security is well reviewed in general.

2. Venmo

Owned by PayPal, but distinct, Venmo is most commonly used for social payments, like splitting bills and sharing expenses. You can request payments from friends in a few taps. It integrates well with PayPal and you can apply for optional debit and credit cards to earn rewards. One in five dollars sent P2P go through Venmo.

It’s designed to be intuitive, with as few steps for completing payments as possible. While security is robust, Venmo users are often targeted by scammers due to the ease of setting up new payment recipients. Losses to fraud are typically harder to recover than they would be with a bank.

3. CashApp

CashApp lets you do more than just make instant P2P transfers. You can invest in stocks, buy Bitcoin and file taxes. The user interface is well regarded due to its lack of clutter, making it accessible for people unfamiliar with payment apps in general. 

In 2024, Cash App made $16.2 billion in revenue from its 57 million monthly users, with about $38 billion coming from Bitcoin transactions.

You can’t make purchases online with the app. You’ll need a CashApp debit card for that, which partially limits its usefulness as an all round payment app. However, you can actually add a CashApp debit card to Apple Pay or Google Pay, effectively achieving the same functionality. 

4. Zelle

Zelle is technically no longer a payment app. It shut down the app in March 2025. But customers can still use their account, provided it’s backed by their bank of choice. 

Because of this automatic integration with most U.S. banks, Zelle is the biggest mobile P2P app, with 54.6% of total mobile P2P transaction value in 2025. Think of Zelle less as an app and more of an online banking or digital wallet integration that lets you send money quickly to friends using just their phone number or email address. 

Speed is the selling point with Zelle. Instead of accessing it via your smartphone homescreen, you’ll need to open your bank’s app and select the Zelle option from there. 

5. Apple Pay

Apple Pay is probably the most convenient mobile payment option for iPhone users because of its NFC technology. You can use it at point-of-sale and while shopping online with your phone. With your shipping information saved, it can make mobile check outs remarkably fast.

You can link multiple debit and credit cards to Apple Pay and select them in real time while making a payment. You can also preload your Apple Pay wallet with Apple Cash for P2P payments with other Apple Cash users. Apple Pay requires Face ID or fingerprint or password verification to work in-person.

6. Google Pay

For Android users, Google Pay, also called Google Wallet, is the native wallet and it works in a very similar way to Apple Pay, minus the P2P payments option. But it’s not just a mobile payment app. 

Google Android users can use Google Wallet to securely and quickly check out while shopping online when using the Google Chrome browser. Google Pay uses virtual card numbers for extra security and can be a handy home for digital loyalty and discount cards on top of payments.

The rise of crypto payment apps 

Digital assets like crypto are becoming more widely used as a payment option. As consumers become more familiar with crypto-based payment apps, there is a growing understanding of the security, privacy and convenience features they can offer. With broader adoption, awareness of these benefits continues to increase alongside traditional payment methods.

Customers who want to make near instant global payments without paying bank fees now have a broad range of app-based P2P crypto payment options available. Traditional fiat P2P payment apps like Cash App and specialized crypto apps like Crypto.com could make crypto payments and purchases more accessible. 

Benefits and risks of payment apps 

Compared to using traditional bank accounts, payment apps offer a relatively attractive trade-off for people interested in an alternative way to send smaller amounts of money. Customers aren’t protected in the same ways as they are with banks, although many payment apps do offer some protections, but they generally benefit from increased speed, digital-first experience and convenience. 

Concerns around fraud and scams are legitimate. Scammers and fraudsters like the fact that payment apps don’t have the same powers as banks to protect against fraud and recover stolen money. But with greater awareness and education around the risks and warning signs, users should be better equipped to protect themselves.

For crypto payment app users, the key advantages include privacy, speed and convenience. This comes at the expense of stability however. Crypto is significantly more volatile than fiat currencies and can increase and decrease in value suddenly.

Why choose Crypto.com for P2P transfers? 

Trusted by millions of users worldwide, Crypto.com’s crypto-to-crypto P2P transfers are fast and global. Crypto.com offers an integrated ecosystem that lets customers trade, apply for and use prepaid and credit cards and opportunities to earn rewards and make peer-to-peer transfers all in one app.

Users can buy and trade more than 400 cryptos in the app, including Bitcoin and Ethereum. Crypto.com is strong on data and information privacy and is both ISO 27001 and SOC 2 compliant. It’s also signed up to important international standards like the FATF's Travel Rule too.

Customers anywhere in the world are protected by Crypto.com’s Account Protection Program (APP). This program offers additional protection and security for user funds held in the Crypto.com App and the Crypto.com Exchange, covering qualified users for up to $250,000 on eligible assets.

All fees mentioned above are correct as August 29, 2025. Sources in footnotes.

How to use Crypto.com for P2P transfers 

Making P2P transfers with Crypto.com is quick and easy. The most important thing for new users to remember is that payments can’t be reversed. So if you’re just getting started with Crypto.com, take your time, check the details and never let anyone pressure you into making a payment.

Steps:

1. Sign up for a Crypto.com account.
2. Deposit crypto into your wallet.
3. Navigate to the P2P transfer option.
4. Enter recipient details (wallet/email). Double-check these details.
5. Confirm and send instantly.

Ready to get started?

1. Sign up to Crypto.com
   
2. Deposit via bank transfer (free), card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay.
3. Use P2P transfers, or shop with the Crypto.com Visa Card.*
4. Start sending instantly: Go to the 'Transfer' tab and send to friends, family, or businesses worldwide.

 ¹ https://www.chargeflow.io/blog/paypal-statistics-facts 

² https://www.emarketer.com/content/zelle-growth-tear-1-trillion-volume 

³ https://www.businessofapps.com/data/cash-app-statistics/ 

⁴ https://www.emarketer.com/content/zelle-growth-tear-1-trillion-volume 

⁵ https://www.paypal.com/us/digital-wallet/paypal-consumer-fees 

⁶ https://venmo.com/resources/our-fees/ 

⁷ https://www.zellepay.com/faq/are-there-any-fees-send-money-using-zelle 

⁸ https://cash.app/ 

⁹ https://support.apple.com/en-ug/120401 

* Only in eligible markets and may vary by region. 

Important Information: This is informational content sponsored by Crypto.com and should not be considered as investment advice. Trading cryptocurrencies carries risks, such as price volatility and market risks. Before deciding to trade cryptocurrencies, consider your risk appetite. Services, features and other benefits referenced in this article may be subject to eligibility requirements, token holdings, and may change at the discretion of Crypto.com. Certain features, rewards and benefits are available only in eligible markets and may vary by region. Services, features and other benefits referenced in this article may be subject to eligibility requirements, token holdings, and may change at the discretion of Crypto.com. 

Third-party information subject to change.