Venmo started out as a very simple peer-to-peer (P2P) transfer app; you could send and receive money from your friends and family in an instant. It has since transformed into a well versed fintech company, allowing its users to complete transactions, like paying for gas!
If you want to know how to pay at gas stations with Venmo, simply open the app, click on the QR code in the upper right hand corner, and click “show to pay”. If the gas station has their own QR code for you to scan, click “scan code” instead. You can always use your Venmo debit or credit card as well.
Gas stations vary across the country. With more transitioning to modernized versions of payments, a lot of them will allow you to pay with Venmo. The big difference may come from the scanner. While some gas stations will have their own QR code for you to scan, most will probably want to scan your QR code instead. The three main ways to pay with Venmo at a gas station are:
- Paying by scanning the gas stations QR code
- Paying by having the gas station scan your QR code
- Paying with your Venmo debit or credit card
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How to Pay at Gas Stations with Venmo by Scanning the Gas Station’s QR Code
Venmo comes with a handy QR code reader that allows its users to transfer money and make payments with ease. Each user has their own unique QR code too, so yours will never be confused with someone else’s.
The same goes with businesses. Many businesses are seeing the ease of use of using fintech companies like Venmo to process their payments. If they do use Venmo, they’ll probably have their own QR code you can scan with the cashier.
Sometimes it’s not displayed publicly, so you may have to ask the cashier if they accept Venmo. If they do, they’ll bring out their QR code for you to scan. Once you’ve used your Venmo QR code scanner, your account will be connected with the store’s and a transaction can take place.
Payments using Venmo are done instantly. Once you’ve made the payment you can see the funds leaving your account immediately.
The one hiccup you might run into is the inability to pay at the pump. If you have a physical card (or a card in your digital wallet) you’ll be able to pay directly at the pump at most gas stations.
Because Venmo is so new, its QR code technology hasn’t been fully integrated into gas stations yet, meaning you’ll have to head inside and talk to a clerk to pay.
As seen in the picture I took for this article, some gas pumps will have integrated the new “cardless access” feature but don’t have a QR code reader:
You also have to pay a set, specific amount. If you want to use Venmo to pay for your gas, you’ll have to know how much you want to pay ahead of time.
If you decide to pay a pre-set amount of $40 for gas and only end up using $35, your account will be charged the full $40 before seeing a refund of $5 return in a couple of business days.
How to Pay at Gas Stations with Venmo Using Your QR Code
Some gas stations will be able to scan your QR code instead. As I mentioned previously, each Venmo user has their own unique QR code they can use to connect their account to another and make a transaction.
To find your QR code and use it to pay for gas, follow these short steps:
- Open the Venmo App: Start by opening the Venmo App on your mobile device.
- Click the QR Code Icon: In the upper right hand corner of the home screen is an icon that looks like your QR code. Click on that to move forward.
- Click Show to Pay: Clicking on the QR Code Icon will pull up three different options: Scan Code (what you’ll use to pay using the gas station’s QR code), Venmo Me (what you’d use if another Venmo user was going to send you money), and Show to Pay. Show to Pay is what you’ll use anytime you’re using Venmo at a business.
It even says “Pay at a Business” up top so you’ll never get confused. I covered up my barcode and QR code for this article, but they’re right under the blue boxes below.
- Have the business scan the QR code or the Barcode: This screen will give a business two options when trying to help you pay with Venmo: they can scan your QR code or the barcode Venmo generates.
Once the gas station has scanned either one of your codes the transaction should go through immediately.
How to Pay at Gas Stations with Venmo using the Venmo Debit or Credit Card
Venmo offers their customers a free debit card that can be used to make purchases as well. The debit card they offer is the same as any other debit card you’d get from a conventional bank, so using it is simple.
Their credit cards work the same as any other credit card as well. You can go ahead and swipe it using the magnetic strip at the gas pump or waive it over a cardless access reader as well.
Venmo also won’t negatively impact your credit score if you apply for their credit card and get denied too.
To use either your debit or credit card, you can pay at the pump or head inside and pay with a cashier. Either way, the funds will come out of your Venmo account immediately and you’ll be able to pump as much gas as you want (so long as you have the right balance).
Once you’re done using your Venmo card, debit or credit, at a gas pump, the transaction will be complete and you can head inside to pick up your receipt.
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What Gas Stations Accept Venmo?
Chevron recently announced that its main entity Chevron and its subsidiary Texaco would both be accepting Venmo as a form of payment.
You can use Venmo in person and their locations or download the Chevron app and pre-pay there.
Walmart has also announced that they will be accepting Venmo as a form of payment, even if you don’t have a Venmo debit card. Just scan their QR code when pumping gas or let a cashier scan yours at checkout.
Lastly, 7 Eleven, Love’s Travel Stops, Shell, Sunoco, and ExxonMobile all report to accept Venmo as a form of payment. These gas station companies don’t usually have a QR code or a QR code reader for Venmo, but they will accept Venmo as a form of payment on their apps.
