Cash App for Business: Everything You Need to Know

With 45.5 million users in the US as of 2023, Cash App has emerged as a powerful tool to simplify consumer spending. From freelancers and small startups to established corporations, Cash App for Business (the merchant-focused offering from Cash App) offers customer convenience, satisfaction, and loyalty through a Cash App business account.

This comprehensive guide will explore Cash App as a business solution and include information on features, fees, and how your business can benefit from integrating the mobile payment platform into your operations. We also examine its limitations—and whether or not it is the best solution for your business. 

What Is a Cash App Business Account?

Block, Inc.—previously known as Square Inc.—launched Cash App as a P2P mobile payment platform in 2013. Through the app, friends and family could easily transfer money instantly at no cost. Users would link their debit or credit card to fund their Cash App balance and simplify fund transfers.

The service was, however, only for private personal payments. Users were not permitted to receive money via the platform for goods or services sold. That’s where the difference between Cash App business and personal accounts comes in.

In 2015, Cash App extended the service for business use. The Cash App business account, officially dubbed Cash for Business, allows any business—whether a freelancer, small home business, or established enterprise—to send and receive payments via Cash App. Clients can easily pay businesses through the app, via a QR code, or with a shared link.

Personal account users can also get a Cash App debit card (Cash Card) at no extra cost and use it to pay for goods and services at participating retailers.

If you already have a Cash App personal account, why do you need to open a business account to receive payments from customers? The most important reason is for you, the platform, and your bank to remain legally compliant with IRS tax reporting regulations. Cash App prohibits using a personal account to receive payments for goods and services. If the platform suspects you are using your personal account incorrectly, you’ll be suspended.

In addition, using a business account simplifies income tax reporting since Cash App automatically issues a Form 1099-K for business income exceeding $600 annually.

Cash for Business also gives merchants access to a suite of extended features. Besides accepting payments from customers, you can send invoices, issue refunds, and set up recurring payments. You can track transactions in real-time and easily monitor your cash flow. This allows you to keep an eye on expenses and spot any discrepancies or errors. Cash App’s reporting tools generate financial reports and export data to other programs for analysis.

How Does a Cash App Business Account Work?

Cash for Business enables businesses to receive contactless payments via debit and credit cards, including Mastercard, Visa, Discover, Amex, and selected prepaid cards. You can accept in-person or remote payments via a QR code. For in-store payments, it’s as simple as holding up your phone or printing out your QR code for customers to scan.

When opening a Cash for Business account, you create a unique username called a $Cashtag. This serves as an identifier for customers to pay you via the app. They can also initiate payments to you by entering your email or phone number or paying via a shareable URL. You can create a payment link using your $Cashtag and share it via text or email or embed it on your website. When your client clicks on the link, it will direct them to a Cash.me page where they can complete the payment by entering their card details or logging into their Cash App account.

Service providers and freelancers can also send clients a payment request with a note. All the client needs to do is respond to the request by confirming the transaction. This makes it convenient for your clients to settle their accounts and eliminates the chance of them accidentally using incorrect payment details.

Funds appear in your Cash App balance within a few minutes once a customer pays you. You can then pay vendors or staff directly or transfer funds to your linked bank account. All transactions appear in the app activity feed.

Cash App Business Account Fees and Limits

Unlike other platforms’ complex and sometimes confusing pricing structures, Cash App offers a fixed fee of 2.75% per transaction. Cash App deducts this transaction fee before the payment appears in your account.

Although there are other platforms with lower fees, Cash App does offer businesses one significant advantage: it doesn’t charge for instant transfers to a linked bank account.

Transferring funds between a mobile payment wallet or account and your bank account generally takes one to three days, regardless of the platform you use. Most service providers charge a fee to fast-track this as an instant transfer. Cash App charges instant transfer fees for personal accounts. However, Cash for Business account users are exempt from this fee.

Besides transaction fees, there are a few other things to consider before deciding whether the platform is right for you.

Chargeback fees can dent your profits significantly. Although Cash App does not specify its chargeback fees upfront, it does outline in the Cash for Business Terms and Conditions that you are liable to pay Cash App the full amount plus additional costs if you lose a chargeback.

Cash App also holds the right to withhold payments or debit your linked bank account to recover funds that you owe. In addition, Cash App has the power to suspend your account for excessive chargebacks.

Cash App does not impose limits on the amount you can receive—but there are limits on how much you can spend. If you have not yet verified your Cash for Business account, Cash App limits you to sending a maximum of $250 daily and $1,000 monthly. Once you verify your account, you can send $7,500 daily. Weekly spending is capped at $17,500, and the monthly limit is $25,000.

Keep in mind—although the amount you can receive is not capped, the amount clients can spend is.

Pros and Cons of Cash App Business Accounts

There are advantages and limitations to using a Cash App business account. Consider the following when deciding whether it’s a good match.

• No limits on incoming payments
• Free instant deposits to your linked bank account
• Tax documentation provided
• No lock-in contracts or monthly fees
• A wide range of payment types accepted
• Unique merchant $Cashtag for your business

• High transaction fees
• High-risk businesses or trades are prohibited from using the service
• Does not support international payments
• Customer support by phone is only available on weekdays between 9 AM to 7 PM EST
• High chargeback fees
• Cash App holds the right to increase fees, withhold funds, or suspend your account if it considers your account activity suspicious, out of the ordinary, or you have a high number of chargebacks
• Cash App requires that business users issue receipts for transactions over $15 and request customer signatures for transactions over $25

How to Set Up Your Cash App Business Account

Setting up a Cash App account is quick and easy. Before you enable a business account, you’ll first need to set up a personal account. Start by downloading Cash App from the Apple App Store or Google Play directly to your mobile device.

Once downloaded, open the app and follow the prompts to create an account. You will need to enter your phone number or email address, and Cash App will send you a code via email or text for safety verification.

To link your bank account to Cash App, enter your bank account details as required. Then, create a unique $Cashtag to serve as your business username when clients want to pay you.

Once you have the account set up, it’s time to change it to a business account so you can access relevant features.

1. Tap on the profile icon at the top right and select Personal from the menu.
2. Scroll down until you see the option to Change Account Type.
3. Select Cash for Business and confirm the change.

To verify your account, follow the in-app prompts. This may require you to provide your full name, photo ID, zip code, and the last four digits of your Social Security number. Cash App might also ask for an EIN and/or business information.

Before you delete a Cash for Business account, there are a few important steps to take:

• Withdraw all the remaining funds in your account
• Zero out any Bitcoin or stocks
• Download any account information and transaction history that you require for your records—you will not have access to this once your account is closed
• Delete your personal information
• Read through Cash Apps account deletion terms to confirm that you understand what it entails

To delete your account:

1. Log in on the app and click your profile icon. Your profile page will appear.
2. Navigate to the bottom of the list. Select Support and then navigate to the Something Else option.
3. Select Account Settings >> Close Account >> Close my Cash App Account.
4. You will be asked to confirm the account closure, after which your account will be instantly erased.

Your $Cashtag will no longer be active, and anyone who tries to send you money will receive an error message.

Is Cash App Safe for Businesses?

Cash App implements a range of security features, including encryption, two-factor authentication (2FA), PINs, and fraud detection algorithms to detect suspicious transactions.

The platform secures user bank account information by enabling payments linked to your $Cashtag, business name, email, or phone number. This way, customers can initiate a payment to you without having access to your actual bank account details.

Cash App account balances are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) through partner banks. Cash App Investing LLC provides Cash App’s investing services and is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as a broker-dealer. Additionally, it is a member of the Financial Industry Regulation Authority (FINRA).

Cash App is also compliant with Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Level 1 (the highest level). This means it complies with security measures to minimize system risks. The standard applies to any institution that stores and processes credit card and cardholder data.

Despite these safety measures, security breaches are, of course, always possible. Cash App does offer protection against unauthorized transactions and will try to assist you if you have been a scam victim. However, there is no guarantee that you will get your money back or that Cash App will be able to resolve the matter.

Find Payment Solutions Tailored for Your Business

Choosing the right payment platform is often the key to success. But with so many options on the market—be it Cash App or one of the many business alternatives—it can be hard to know which one offers the most bang for your buck. In addition, you want a solution that offers protection, supports your unique needs, and won’t leave you in the lurch by withholding funds or unexpectedly suspending your account.

From credit cards and eCommerce to digital wallets, cryptocurrency, and QR codes, PaymentCloud is a merchant services provider that offers flexible and scalable payment solutions. Not only do we customize a package to suit your business requirements (and budget), but we also offer month-to-month terms. This way, you can expand your payment and business management integrations as your requirements change.

We’re here to help you grow—learn more about our mobile payment processing solutions.

Whether you’re a completely new business, or a seasoned veteran looking to upgrade your payment solutions, we’re here to help.

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