How to Determine if Someone Has a Venmo Account

As you are probably aware by now, the Venmo app enables users to connect their debit card or bank account to their profile so that they can send money to friends, family, or businesses. The app has been around since 2012 and was acquired by FinTech giant Paypal a year later.

With over 52 million active users, chances are pretty good that someone you know has a Venmo account. But how can you find out for sure before trying to send them money or request funds?

There are several methods you can use to determine if someone has a Venmo account before attempting to interact with them through the platform.

Search Venmo Directly

The most straightforward way to find out if someone has a Venmo account is to search for their profile directly within the Venmo app. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Open up the Venmo app on your phone.
2. Tap the profile icon in the top left corner (it looks like a little person silhouette).
3. Select “Search People” from the menu that pops up.
4. On the Search People page, tap in the search bar at the top.
5. Type in the full name of the person you’re looking for. You can also search by username, phone number, or email address if you have those details.
6. Hit enter or tap the magnifying glass icon to run the search.
7. If their Venmo profile exists, it will show up in the search results. Tap on their name to open up the full profile.
8. Verify that the profile photo, name, and other details match up to the person you were searching for.

If no search results come up for that name or the details don’t match the person you expected, then they likely do not have a Venmo account set up. Conducting a direct Venmo search is the fastest way to find out definitively.

Check Your Connected Contacts

Another easy way to see if someone is on Venmo is by checking your connected contacts within the app. When you sign up for Venmo, you have the option to sync your existing phone and Facebook contacts. If someone in your contacts list uses Venmo too, they may automatically show up as a suggested friend or contact.

Here’s how to check your connected contacts:

1. Open up Venmo and tap the profile icon in the top left.
2. Select “Contacts” from the menu.
3. Scroll through the list of connected contacts. If the person you’re looking for appears here, they are on Venmo.
4. Tap their name to open up their Venmo profile and confirm it’s the right person.

The downside of this method is that it will only work if you’ve previously connected your contacts and both parties use the same contact details on Venmo. If your contacts aren’t synced or they registered with a different phone number or email, they won’t show up here even if they do have a Venmo account.

Scan Their Venmo QR Code

If you’re physically near the person whose account you’re trying to identify, scan their personal Venmo QR code for instant results. Every Venmo user has a unique QR code attached to their profile that others can scan to instantly find and add them.

To use this method:

1. Open up the Venmo app and select “Scan Code” from the menu.
2. Have the other person open up their Venmo app as well.
3. Ask them to tap the QR code icon at the top right of their profile page and show you the QR code that pops up.
4. Center their code within the viewfinder in your Venmo app and hold steady until it scans.
5. If their Venmo profile comes up, that confirms they are a member!
6. From here you can directly add them as a friend or contact as well.

Scanning someone’s personal Venmo QR code is the fastest way to identify them if they are right in front of you. This avoids any uncertainties around names, numbers, or account details.

Ask Directly

Don’t forget the simplest method — just ask if they use Venmo! Say you want to pay them back for dinner or a gift, then ask if they’re on Venmo and if so, what their username or handle is.

If they provide account details, search for their username on Venmo or ask them to add you as a friend so you can complete the transaction. If they say no or seem unsure what Venmo is, it’s likely they don’t have an account set up yet.

Asking directly if the person uses Venmo takes the guesswork out of searching. Just remember that not everyone will be familiar with Venmo or comfortable handing out account details. Explain why you’d like to connect via Venmo to send them funds and reassure them the platform is secure.

Signs They Don’t Have Venmo

If your searches and direct asking don’t turn up any sign of a Venmo account, there are a few clues that suggest they aren’t a member:

• No profile appears when you search their name, email, number, or username
• They don’t show up in your connected contacts list
• They can’t provide a QR code to scan when asked
• They respond “No” or with confusion when you ask if they use Venmo

While it’s not a guarantee, these signals point to the likelihood that the person is not actively using Venmo. If you need to send them money digitally, you may have to find another service they do use or pay them by check, cash, or another traditional method.

Make Venmo Connections

Finding out whether someone you know is on Venmo takes just a quick search or question when you use the right techniques. With over 50 million users and growing, chances are high that the person you need to pay back or request money from will have an account. 

Take a few minutes to check using Venmo search tools, connected contacts, personal QR codes, or direct asking. Once you confirm their account, connecting takes just a few seconds and then you can easily send money back and forth.