The Venmo debit card has been a great way to manage your flexible balance since it was initially launched back then in 2018.
Unlike most debit cards that just let you make purchases and withdraw funds, the Venmo debit card comes with an extra feature that lets you load money onto the card at participating locations in case you run out of funds and need to make an urgent card payment.
That being said, if you're wondering where you can load your Venmo card for free, this guide compiles the location and the steps you need to take to add funds to your Venmo card.
Where Can I Load My Venmo Card for Free?
Venmo recently made it possible to add money to the Venmo debit card at participating retail locations—and just like its parent company and competitors, this comes at a cost.
Venmo lets you load money onto your Venmo card at any Walmart store location at a $3.75 processing fee according to what Venmo says.
This is way too much and limited as compared to Cash App which allows you to do so at many retail locations at a flat-rate $1 processing fee per deposit.
Nevertheless, if you are still interested in adding funds to your Venmo card balance through this method, you can follow these steps:
- Go to the Walmart store locator and search for a nearby location.
- Get to the location and tell the cashier you want to load money to your card.
- Hand over the money to the clerk, verify (if required for deposits above $300) and wait for your funds to reflect in your account balance.
What are the Limits to Adding Money to Your Venmo Card at Stores?
Just as with any other service, there are some limits imposed on how much you can add to your Venmo balance at stores, which include:
- You can add anything between $20-$500 per transaction
- You can make a maximum of 3 transactions for a combined total of $999.99 per rolling 24-hours
- You can make a maximum of 7 transactions for a combined total of $3,000 per rolling 7 days
- You can make a maximum of 20 transactions for a combined total of $4,000 per calendar month
Can I Load My Venmo Card for Free?
Yes, you can load your Venmo card for free in a couple of ways including through receiving money from friends, through direct deposit, and adding funds through a linked bank account.
How To Add Money To Venmo Card For Free
Since we've already discussed the different ways to add money to your Venmo card for free, let's head straight into the steps.
1. Receive Money from Friends and Family
Venmo's core functionality is peer-to-peer payments. Asking friends or family to send you money is one of the best ways to add money to your Venmo card for free. Once the funds are available in your balance, you can start spending them through your Venmo card.
Remember, they'll need to have a Venmo account as well. Nevertheless, there are always ways to pay someone on Venmo without an account.
2. Use Direct Deposit
This is the only truly free way to add money to your Venmo account and consequently, your Venmo card. All you have to do is set up direct deposit through your employer or other sources to receive funds right into your Venmo card balance/
3. Transfers from Linked Bank Account
Transferring money from your linked bank account to your Venmo balance is a great way to add money to your Venmo card balance—and of course, it is free of charge. For this to be entirely free, you need to make sure you're transferring the funds from a bank account and not a debit card. The transfer should take between 1 to 3 days to arrive your balance. You can always track its progress in the Venmo app.
While Venmo might not charge fees for this service, your bank might have its own transfer fees, so check their policy before proceeding.
Final Thoughts
Venmo recently made it possible for Venmo card holders to load funds onto their cards at participating store locations—but this comes at a cost of a $3.74 fee.
Unless you urgently need funds deposited onto your Venmo card, I recommend using other methods to add money to your Venmo balance and save on fees because believe me, it is way too much as fees, and even Cash App's fees to load money at stores are way cheaper than that.