How to Delete Your Venmo Account

Hey there!

So you‘re thinking about deleting your Venmo account? Not a problem, I totally get it.

Venmo is super convenient for sending and receiving money with friends, splitting bills, and even making purchases. But maybe you’re just not using it as much anymore, or you’re concerned about privacy, or you want to consolidate your financial apps.

Whatever the reason, deleting your Venmo account is surprisingly straightforward. In this detailed guide, I’ll walk you through everything you need to know to permanently close your account.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

What is Venmo and why is it so popular?
Top reasons to delete your Venmo account
What you need to do before deleting your account
Step-by-step deletion instructions
What happens after you delete Venmo
Answers to common account deletion questions

I’ll make sure you have all the information you need to delete your account smoothly and safely. Let’s get started!

What Exactly is Venmo?

If you’re reading this, you probably already have a Venmo account. But just in case, let’s start with a quick refresher.

Venmo is a free digital wallet and money transfer app owned by PayPal. It launched in 2009 and has become one of the most popular payment apps in America.

Key Venmo features:

Send and receive money instantly
Split bills and expenses
Connects directly to bank accounts
Make purchases with Venmo balance
Optional Venmo debit card
Purchase protection
Public newsfeed shows transactions
Add friends through the app

Venmo uses your phone contacts and Facebook friends to connect you with people. Once connected, you can easily exchange money, add emojis and notes, and “like” or comment on payments.

It’s meant to feel like a social media platform blended with quick financial transactions. According to Venmo, over 75 million people actively use it to send money, make purchases, and split everything from rent to dinner.

The app has achieved viral popularity, especially with millennials and Gen Z. But over time, some users end up deciding it’s time to move on from Venmo.

Top Reasons People Delete Their Venmo Account

Venmo is fun and convenient when you and all your friends are on it. But there are some solid reasons you may want to delete your account:

You’re concerned about privacy or security. Venmo doesn’t have the strongest record when it comes to protecting user data. They’ve had several breaches that exposed usernames, passwords, and transactions. If you no longer trust them with your info, deleting your account eliminates the risk.

You want to consolidate apps. With so many money transfer apps out there, like Cash App and Zelle, you may want to stick with just one or two. Deleting accounts you no longer need simplifies your financial apps.

You don’t use it anymore. When accounts and apps sit unused for too long, they become a security vulnerability. Deleting your Venmo protects your info from potential unauthorized access.

You prefer a different service. Maybe you like PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Cash or your bank’s app better for sending money. Closing your Venmo account lets you focus on just the tools you actually use.

You need more privacy. Even if you use privacy settings, Venmo still exposes some financial information through its social feed. For more privacy, many people delete it.

You have concerns about fees. Business Venmo accounts come with fees for instant money transfers that you may want to avoid. Deleting your account lets you find a free money transfer option.

You don’t need it. If you aren’t regularly paying friends or splitting expenses through Venmo anymore, there’s no need to keep the account open.

Whatever your reasons, deleting your Venmo account is fast and simple. But first…

What You Should Do Before Deleting Your Account

To make sure account deletion goes smoothly, there are a few things you should take care of ahead of time:

Withdraw your balance

You cannot delete a Venmo account that still has funds in your Venmo balance. Transfer any remaining balance to your connected bank account via the app’s “Cash Out” option.

Delete cards and bank accounts

Remove any connected debit cards, credit cards, or bank accounts from your Venmo account. You can do this in the app under Settings.

Cancel pending transactions

If you have any pending payments or active charges, you’ll need to cancel these before closing your account. Pending and processing transactions prevent account deletion.

Download transaction history

Your transaction history will be wiped out when you delete Venmo, so make sure to download statements for your records. You can export transaction history on the Venmo website.

Unlink connected apps

If you have Venmo linked to other apps and social media accounts, unlink them before deactivating your account. This includes Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo, and more.

Change account passwords

Change the passwords for any other online accounts that use the same password as your Venmo account. This adds extra security once your Venmo is gone.

Okay, now you have a blank slate and are ready to delete! Here’s exactly how to do it step-by-step:

Step 1) Log into your Venmo account through the website at account.venmo.com.

Important: You cannot delete Venmo through the mobile app – it must be done on a desktop computer.

Step 2) Click on your profile icon in the top right corner of the screen and select “Settings” from the menu.

Step 3) Scroll all the way down the Settings page and click the “Close Account” option at the very bottom.

Step 4) Venmo will ask you why you’re closing your account. Choose your reason from the drop-down menu provided.

Step 5) Carefully read the information about permanently closing your account. If you understand and want to proceed, click the “Close Account” button.

Step 6) Enter your Venmo account password and click “Confirm” to verify account closure.

Step 7) You will receive a confirmation email that your account is now deactivated. At this point, you are immediately logged out of your account.

And that’s it – you’ve completed Venmo account deletion!

Here’s what happens next:

What Happens After You Delete Your Venmo Account

When you delete your Venmo account, here is the process that follows:

Your account is instantly deactivated upon deletion. You are logged out and cannot log back in.
For up to 14 days after deactivation, some account data may still be accessible if you try to log in. But your account will not function.
Within 14 days, Venmo will permanently delete all of your account data and transaction history from its servers.
Once the 14 days has passed, the deletion is complete and permanent. Your Venmo account cannot ever be reactivated.
Venmo will email you a final confirmation when the permanent deletion is fully completed. Keep this email for your records!
Although your Venmo account cannot be restored, you can create a brand new Venmo account anytime in the future. It just won’t have any of your old transaction history or information.

So in summary: two weeks after you delete your account, your Venmo presence will be gone for good!

Now let’s get to some common questions people have about the process…

Frequently Asked Questions about Deleting Venmo

Can I delete my Venmo account on my phone?

No, Venmo does not allow accounts to be deleted through the mobile app. You must use the Venmo website on a desktop computer to close your account.

What happens to my transaction history and statements?

Your entire Venmo transaction history will be permanently deleted by Venmo within 14 days and inaccessible once your account is closed. Make sure to download any account statements you may want for personal records before you delete your account.

How long does it take Venmo to delete everything after I close my account?

Within a maximum of 14 days, Venmo will completely wipe your account record from its system. Most accounts are deleted much quicker than the full two weeks though.

Can I reopen my Venmo account after deleting it?

Unfortunately no – once your Venmo account is deleted after 14 days, there is no way to reactivate or reinstate the closed account. However, you can always open a brand new Venmo account with a different username and email if you‘d like in the future.

Does closing my Venmo impact my PayPal account at all?

Nope, Venmo and PayPal operate as completely separate systems. Closing your Venmo account has no effect on your PayPal account one way or the other. You do not need to close down your PayPal account if you delete your Venmo.

I still have funds in my Venmo balance – can I delete my account?

You cannot delete your Venmo account until your account balance is at $0. You need to fully withdraw or cash out any funds remaining in your Venmo wallet before closing the account.

What if Venmo says I can‘t delete my account? How do I fix this?

If you are getting error messages while trying to delete your account, the most likely reason is you have pending transactions that need to be cleared or a remaining balance that needs to be cashed out first before closing your account. Take care of those issues and then try again. If it still doesn‘t work, you may need to contact Venmo support for help deleting a stubborn account.

Before You Delete Your Venmo…

Now you have all the nitty gritty details about how to permanently delete your Venmo account.

But before you delete it for good, here are a few final tips:

Turn off auto-save on your phone. This stops your login info from being cached on your device after deletion.
Unlink Venmo as a payment option everywhere you have it set up for purchases or money transfers.
Beware account spoofing. Once deactivated, your old username will be up for grabs. Make sure no one creates a fake clone account.
Get your account number. Your Venmo account and routing number could come in handy if filling out bank account info for other services.
Export data. Download as much account data, statements, transaction history as you can. It disappears forever post-deletion.
Bookmark the deletion steps. You may want to save the deletion instructions above somewhere handy in case the process doesn‘t go smoothly.

Okay, now you have all the background and steps to smoothly delete your Venmo account. I hope this guide was helpful walking you through how to permanently close your account.

Let me know if you have any other questions! I’m always happy to help make technology and financial apps less intimidating.

Wishing you all the best,

[Your Name]