With over 2 billion monthly active users, Facebook has become a hub for communicating and interacting with friends, family, businesses, groups, and more. Facebook Messenger, with over 1 billion monthly active users, has also emerged as a popular platform for messaging and connecting.
A common question that arises is whether you can send or receive money through Facebook’s platforms, namely Messenger and Facebook itself. The short answer is yes, it is possible to transfer money using both Messenger and Facebook in certain countries and under certain conditions.
Sending Money through Messenger
Facebook Messenger provides a peer-to-peer payment feature called Messenger Payments. Messenger Payments allows you to securely send and request money between individuals right within a Messenger conversation on mobile devices.
Here is an overview of how Messenger Payments works:
Availability
Messenger Payments is currently available in the United States for conversations between users with debit cards issued by U.S. banks. It is not available for credit cards or prepaid debit cards.
Setup
To set up Messenger Payments, you need to add a debit card within the Messenger application. Go to your profile, tap “Payment Settings,” and follow the prompts to add your card information. Facebook uses payment platforms like PayPal to securely store card information.
Sending Money
Once setup, you can send money to any friend or contact on Messenger by tapping the “$” icon within a conversation. Enter the amount you wish to send and an optional note, confirm your details, and tap “Send.”
The recipient will get a notification that they’ve received money which they can add to their own Messenger Payments account by verifying some account details.
Receiving Money
When someone sends you money on Messenger, you will get a notification that you need to add your card to accept the payment. Go through the setup flow to add your debit card, verify your identity, and the money will be deposited into your bank account typically within a few minutes.
Limits
There are some limits on Messenger Payments:
– You can only send up to $1000 per transaction with a $10 minimum.
– You can only receive up to $1000 per month and $250 per transaction.
So in summary, Messenger Payments allows peer-to-peer money transfers through Messenger between users with eligible debit cards in the United States. It offers a convenient way to directly send and receive money while chatting with friends or contacts.
Sending Money through Facebook
In addition to Messenger Payments, you can also send, request, and receive money through Facebook itself using Facebook Pay. Here’s an overview of how it works:
Availability
Facebook Pay is available in a number of countries globally for money transfers between individuals as well as payments to businesses for things like purchases, donations, and more.
To send money to friends and family specifically, it is available in the United States and Thailand. More countries are expected to be added over time.
Setup
To get started with payments on Facebook, go to the Settings menu, tap “Facebook Pay,” and follow the steps to add a payment method. You can add debit cards, credit cards, PayPal accounts, and more. These details will be securely encrypted and stored.
Sending Money
To send money to friends or family through Facebook, go to their profile or find them in search. Click on the “$” icon and follow the prompts to enter the amount and payment details. The recipient will receive a notification that they have received money which they can add to their own Facebook Pay account.
Receiving Money
When someone sends you money, you will get a notification that you’ve received funds. Tap to add the money to your account and follow steps to verify your identity. The money will usually hit your linked payment method within minutes after acceptance.
Limits
Facebook places the following limits on personal payments:
– You can send up to $10,000 per payment with a $1 minimum.
– You can receive up to $10,000 per month and $5,000 per payment.
So in summary, Facebook Pay allows you to transfer money to friends and family through Facebook itself in countries where the payments feature is available. Like Messenger, it offers a fast and convenient option for sending money directly within Facebook’s ecosystem.
Comparing Messenger Payments vs. Facebook Pay
Messenger Payments and Facebook Pay offer similar peer-to-peer money transfer capabilities, but there are some key differences:
| Feature | Messenger Payments | Facebook Pay |
| Availability | United States only | United States, Thailand, and more countries coming soon |
| Transaction Limits | Send up to $1000 Receive up to $1000 per month |
Send up to $10,000 Receive up to $10,000 per month |
| Payment Methods | Debit cards only | Debit cards, credit cards, PayPal, and more |
| Platform | Messenger app only | Facebook app and desktop site |
So in summary:
– Facebook Pay supports more countries and payment methods.
– Facebook Pay has higher limits for sending and receiving money.
– Messenger Payments is only available within Messenger app itself.
Safety and Security
When sending money through Facebook’s platforms, safety and security are top priorities. Here are some key measures in place:
– Card and bank account numbers are encrypted and securely stored.
– Multi-factor authentication helps verify your identity.
– Facebook monitors transactions for suspicious activity.
– Payments are facilitated by authorized payment service providers.
– You can report concerning transactions or activity through Facebook.
While no system is completely immune to problems, Facebook does have security protections to help minimize issues and fraud with payments.
Fees
Neither Messenger Payments nor Facebook Pay charges any fees directly to consumers for sending or receiving money. However, if you fund payments with a credit card, the card issuer may charge cash advance fees or interest depending on your account terms. So debit cards are generally recommended to avoid extra charges.
Conclusion
In conclusion, both Messenger and Facebook offer integrated options for conveniently sending money to friends and family right within their platforms. Messenger Payments is currently only available for US debit card transfers, while Facebook Pay supports additional countries and payment methods. Both utilize security measures to facilitate safe peer-to-peer money transfers.
So if you’re wondering “can I send money through Facebook or Messenger,” the answer in most cases is yes – these platforms provide straightforward digital payment solutions to connect with loved ones and directly send or receive funds. Look for the payment icons within Messenger or on Facebook profiles to get started transferring money conveniently.