Venmo does not have a built-in recurring payment feature
Venmo's app does not let you schedule a payment to repeat automatically on a set date or interval. You cannot set up a standing order the way you might with a bank account or a credit card. Every payment you send through Venmo requires a separate action — you open the app, find the person, enter the amount, and confirm.
This is a real limitation if you pay the same person the same amount regularly — for rent split with a roommate, a monthly loan repayment, or a standing contribution to shared expenses. You will need to remember to send the payment each time, or use a workaround outside Venmo itself.
The reason Venmo does not offer this feature is partly technical and partly about how the service is designed. Venmo is built around person-to-person transfers between friends and acquaintances, not ongoing business relationships. PayPal, which owns Venmo, does offer recurring payments through its main platform, but has not brought that feature into the Venmo app.
Key Takeaways
- Venmo has no automatic recurring payment option, so you must send each payment manually through the app.
- You can use your phone's reminder or calendar app to alert you on the payment date, then open Venmo and send the money.
- If the person you pay regularly also has Venmo, you can use the app's "Friends" list to find them faster each time.
- For truly automatic recurring payments, you may need to use your bank's bill pay feature or PayPal's main website instead of Venmo.
Setting a reminder to send the payment yourself
The simplest workaround is to use your phone's built-in reminder or calendar app to notify you on the day the payment is due. This takes less than a minute to set up and works on both iPhone and Android.
On iPhone, open the Reminders app, tap the plus sign, type the payment details (for example, "Send $500 to Jamie for rent"), and set the date and time. Choose "Repeat" and select "Monthly" if the payment happens every month, or "Weekly" if it is every week. When the reminder fires, open Venmo and send the payment.
On Android, open Google Calendar, tap the plus sign to create an event, enter the payment details as the title, set the date and time, and tap "Does not repeat" to choose a recurrence pattern. Save the event. You will get a notification on the day the payment is due.
This method works because you control the timing and can adjust it if the payment amount or date changes. The downside is that you have to remember to actually send the money when the reminder pops up — the payment does not go out automatically.
Using your bank's bill pay feature instead
If the person you are paying regularly has a bank account and you know their routing and account number, you can set up a recurring payment through your own bank's bill pay system instead of using Venmo. Most banks, including Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and smaller regional banks, offer this feature at no extra cost.
Log into your bank's website or app, find the "Bill Pay" or "Payments" section, and add the recipient's bank details. You can then schedule a payment to repeat weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or on any interval you choose. The money moves directly from your account to theirs, and you do not need Venmo at all.
The trade-off is that the person receiving the money sees a bank transfer, not a Venmo payment. Some people prefer this because it is more formal and leaves a clear paper trail. Others prefer Venmo because it is faster and the payment shows up in their Venmo feed. Ask the person you are paying which method they prefer before you set it up.
Using PayPal's recurring payment feature
If you have a PayPal account, you can set up a recurring payment through PayPal's main website, even if the person you are paying uses Venmo. PayPal and Venmo are owned by the same company, but they are separate services with different features.
Log into PayPal.com, go to the "Send & Request" section, and look for "Create a subscription" or "Set up a recurring payment." Enter the recipient's email address, the amount, and how often the payment should repeat. You can schedule it to happen weekly, monthly, or on a custom interval.
The person you are paying will receive the money in their PayPal account, not their Venmo account. If they only use Venmo, they will need to transfer the money from PayPal to their bank account or link their PayPal account to Venmo. This adds an extra step for them, so confirm they are willing to do it before you set it up.
Asking the other person to request payment from you
Venmo has a "Request" feature that lets someone ask you for money. If the person you pay regularly is willing, they can send you a payment request each month instead of you sending them money. When the request arrives, you open it and approve it with one tap.
This does not fully automate the process — you still have to approve each request — but it removes the step of remembering to send the payment. The request sits in your Venmo app until you act on it, so you will see it every time you open the app.
To set this up, ask the person you pay to open Venmo, find your name, tap "Request," enter the amount and a note (like "January rent"), and send it. You will get a notification. When you are ready to pay, open the request and tap "Pay."
Why Venmo does not offer recurring payments
Venmo's design focuses on one-time, person-to-person transfers between friends. The app does not have the infrastructure to manage recurring transactions the way a bank or PayPal does. Adding this feature would require Venmo to store payment instructions, manage dates and intervals, and handle failed payments — all things that add complexity and regulatory oversight.
Venmo also limits how much you can send per week and per month, which makes recurring payments less practical for larger, ongoing obligations. If you are sending money regularly for rent or a loan, you might hit those limits faster than you would with a one-time transfer.
PayPal, which owns Venmo, has recurring payments on its main platform but has chosen not to port that feature into Venmo. This may change in the future, but for now, if you need automatic recurring payments, you will need to use a different service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set up a recurring payment if I link my bank account to Venmo?
No. Linking your bank account to Venmo only affects where the money comes from when you send a payment — it does not unlock recurring payment options. You still have to send each payment manually through the Venmo app.
What happens if I forget to send a recurring payment on Venmo?
Nothing automatic happens. The payment does not go out, and the other person does not receive money. If you have a standing agreement to pay them on a certain date, you will be late. This is why a reminder on your phone or calendar is important if you rely on manual payments.
Can I use Venmo to pay a business on a recurring basis?
Venmo is designed for person-to-person payments, and most businesses do not have Venmo accounts. If you need to pay a business regularly — like a subscription service or a contractor — use your bank's bill pay, a credit card with autopay, or the business's own payment system.
Is PayPal's recurring payment feature safer than setting reminders?
Both are safe, but they work differently. PayPal's recurring payment is automatic and happens on schedule without you having to do anything. A reminder requires you to remember and act, which means there is a small chance you could forget or send the wrong amount. For important recurring payments, automatic is usually better.
If I use my bank's bill pay instead of Venmo, will the person know who sent the money?
Yes. Your name will appear on their bank statement as the sender. With Venmo, your name appears in their Venmo feed and they get a notification. Both methods show who sent the money, but the format is different.