Adding Paper Money to Cash App: A Step-by-Step Guide for In-Store Deposits
So you have physical cash and want to know how to put cash on your Cash App card. The answer is yes, you absolutely can add paper money to your Cash App balance. However, there’s an important detail you need to know first: you cannot do this at an ATM. The only way to deposit cash is by visiting a participating retail partner.
This process, called a ‘Paper Money’ deposit, is simple once you know the steps. This guide provides everything you need for a successful transaction. We will cover the step-by-step process for how to add cash to Cash App at a store, list the approved cash app deposit locations, explain the fees and limits, and provide solutions for the most common problems you might encounter.
Adding Paper Money In-Store
The main and only official method for turning your paper money into a digital balance is through a retail deposit. This involves creating a unique barcode in your app that a cashier scans. It’s a secure system designed to get funds into your account quickly.
What You’ll Need First
Before heading to a store, make sure you have everything ready. This simple checklist will prevent any wasted trips and ensure a smooth process.
- Your smartphone with the Cash App installed and you are logged in.
- A verified Cash App account. The ‘Paper Money’ deposit feature is only available to users who have verified their identity.
- The physical cash you plan to deposit.
- A valid photo ID. While Cash App doesn’t require it for the deposit, some retailers may have their own store policy and ask to see an ID for certain transactions.
Creating Your Deposit Barcode
The key to this entire process is a one-time-use barcode. Knowing how to find the barcode on Cash App is the most important step. Follow these instructions carefully to get your cash app barcode to load money.
- Open Cash App on your smartphone.
- Tap the ‘Money’ tab on the bottom-left corner of the screen. This icon looks like a bank or building.
- Under your total balance, scroll down until you see the ‘Paper Money’ option. Tap on it. If you don’t see the ‘Paper Money’ option, don’t worry. We cover why and how to fix this common issue in our troubleshooting section below. This is often related to account verification or needing to update the app.
- The app will then request location access to show you a map of nearby participating deposit locations. You can browse the map or simply tap the ‘Show Barcode’ button at the bottom of the screen.
- A unique barcode for your Cash App to add money will now be displayed. This is the barcode on Cash App that the cashier needs to scan. It’s important to know that this code is for a single use and will expire after some time. If it expires, you can simply create a new one by repeating these steps. Knowing how to pull up the barcode on Cash App is essential for a quick transaction.
Completing Your Deposit
Once you have your barcode ready, the in-store part is simple. Here’s how to add money to your Cash App card in store.
- Approach the cashier or customer service desk at a participating retailer like 7-Eleven, Walmart, or Walgreens.
- Tell the cashier that you want to add cash to your Cash App.
- Show your phone so the cashier can scan the barcode on your Cash App.
- Hand the cashier the paper money you wish to deposit, plus the associated fee.
- The transaction will be processed. Always ask for and keep the receipt until you have confirmed the funds are in your account.
- You should receive a notification from Cash App almost instantly confirming the deposit. The funds will appear in your balance, ready to use. From our experience, it’s best to have the barcode screen ready before you get to the front of the line to make the process smoother for everyone.
Cash App Deposit Locations
Knowing where you can add cash to your Cash App card is important. You can’t just go to any store; you must visit an approved partner. The list of partners is extensive, covering tens of thousands of locations across the country.
Major Retail Partners
Below is a quick-reference table of the most popular retailers where you can load your Cash App card. The fee is standardized by Cash App, not the retailer.
| Retailer | Typical Fee | Notes / What to Know |
|---|---|---|
| Walmart | $4.00 | Available at most customer service desks and Money Centers. One of the most common places to add cash to Cash App at a store. |
| 7-Eleven | $4.00 | Very convenient for a ‘711 cash app deposit’. Check local ‘711 cash app deposit hours’ as some services may not be 24/7. |
| Walgreens / Duane Reade | $4.00 | A very common and accessible option. The process is handled at the main checkout counter. |
| Dollar General | $4.00 | Another widespread retailer that makes it easy to find a location to add paper money to Cash App. |
| Family Dollar | $4.00 | The process is identical to other participating dollar stores. |
| GoMart, Sheetz, KwikTrip | $4.00 | Many regional convenience store and gas station chains are also partners, which is great for users on the go. |
This list also includes other stores like Rite Aid, Thorntons, and Speedway. The question ‘does 711 load cash app cards’ is one of the most common, and the answer is a definite yes.
Finding Locations In-App
While the table above is helpful, the most accurate and up-to-date way to find a ‘cash app deposit location’ is by using the app itself. When you tap the ‘Paper Money’ option, the app automatically displays a map showing all approved partners near your current location, taking the guesswork out of the process.
Understanding Fees and Limits
Before you add money, it’s essential to understand the costs and limitations involved. This prevents surprises at the register and ensures your transaction is successful.
The Standard Deposit Fee
Cash App charges a flat fee for every paper money deposit transaction. As of 2025, the official Cash App fee for paper money deposits is $4.00.
This fee is non-negotiable and is charged by Cash App, not the retail store. It is deducted from the total amount you hand the cashier. For example, if you want to add $100 to your balance, you would hand the cashier $104. Alternatively, if you hand them $100, the $4 fee will be taken from that, and $96 will be added to your Cash App balance.
Cash App Deposit Limits
To comply with financial regulations, Cash App has specific limits on how much paper money you can deposit. Understanding the ‘cash app deposit limit’ is key to managing your account. These limits are based on a rolling timeframe, not a calendar week or month.
- Per Transaction: You can deposit a minimum of $5 and a maximum of $500 in a single transaction.
- Rolling 7-Day Limit: You can deposit up to $1,000 within any 7-day period. The ‘cash app paper money deposit limit’ is not based on a Monday-to-Sunday week; it’s a rolling window of the last 168 hours.
- Rolling 30-Day Limit: The maximum ‘cash deposit limit cash app’ allows is $4,000 within any 30-day period. This is also a rolling window.
These limits apply only to paper money deposits and are separate from limits on receiving money from other users or adding funds from a bank account. Knowing ‘how much paper money can you deposit on cash app’ helps you plan larger deposits.
Troubleshooting Deposit Issues
While the process is usually smooth, issues can arise. Here are solutions to the most common problems users face when trying to add paper cash to Cash App.
No ‘Paper Money’ Option?
One of the most frequent issues is when ‘my cash app doesn’t have paper money option’. If the ‘paper money cash app’ feature is missing, it’s almost always due to one of these reasons.
- Your App is Outdated: The most common cause. The ‘paper money cash app option not showing’ is often fixed by simply updating your app. Go to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, search for Cash App, and tap ‘Update’.
- Your Account Isn’t Verified: The ‘paper money’ deposit feature is reserved for verified users. To get verified, you usually need to provide your full legal name, date of birth, and the last four digits of your SSN. This is a standard security measure. If you have a ‘cashapp no paper money option’, this is the first thing to check after updating.
- Your Cash Card Isn’t Activated: You must have an active, physical Cash App Card to access the ‘paper money’ feature. If you haven’t ordered and activated your card yet, navigate to the ‘Cash Card’ tab (the second icon from the left) to do so. This is a key step to ‘get paper money option on cash app’.
- Temporary Service Outage: In very rare cases, the feature might be temporarily disabled by Cash App for maintenance or due to a system-wide issue. You can check the official Cash App status page online or simply try again in a few hours.
Deposit Not Showing Up?
It can be stressful when you’ve handed over your cash and the ‘cash app paper money deposit not showing up’. While funds are usually available instantly, delays can happen. Don’t panic; follow this calm, logical diagnostic process.
- Wait 10-15 Minutes: System delays can occur. Before taking any other action, give it a few minutes. Refresh your balance by pulling down on the screen in the ‘Money’ tab.
- Check Your Receipt: This is why the receipt is non-negotiable. It’s your proof of the transaction. Confirm that the receipt shows a successful transaction for Cash App and that the amount is correct.
- Review Your Cash App Activity Feed: Open Cash App and tap the clock icon in the top-right corner to view your activity. Look for the deposit transaction. It might show as ‘Pending’, ‘Failed’, or it might not be there at all. This gives you valuable information. If your ‘add paper money to cash app not showing up’, this feed is your first clue.
- Restart the App and Check Your Connection: Close the Cash App completely and reopen it. Ensure you have a stable Wi-Fi or cellular data connection. A simple app restart can often force the balance to update.
- Contact Cash App Support: If the money still hasn’t appeared after an hour and you have your receipt, it’s time to contact support. You can do this directly through the app by navigating to your profile, scrolling to ‘Support’, and starting a chat. Be prepared to provide details from your receipt, including the store, time, and transaction amount.
Alternative Funding Methods
While in-store deposits are the only way to add physical cash, there are other, often more convenient, ways to fund your Cash App account.
Adding Money from Debit
The easiest and most common way to fund your account is electronically. Here’s how to add money to Cash App with a debit card. This method is instant and, most importantly, free.
- First, you need to link a payment source. Tap your profile icon in the top-right, then select ‘Linked Banks’. Follow the prompts for ‘how to add a debit card to cash app’.
- Once a card is linked, go to the ‘Money’ tab at the bottom-left.
- Tap the ‘Add Cash’ button.
- Enter the amount you wish to add from your linked debit card.
- Tap ‘Add’ and confirm the transaction with your PIN or Touch/Face ID. The funds will appear in your balance instantly. This is the simplest answer for ‘how to put money on cash app with debit card’.
The ATM Deposit Myth
A frequent point of confusion is whether you can use an ATM for deposits. Let’s be perfectly clear and debunk this myth.
The short and definitive answer is NO. You cannot put money on a Cash App Card at an ATM. Any search for ‘how to put money on cash app card at atm’ or ‘can you add cash to cash app at atm’ will lead to this same conclusion.
The reason for this lies in how these systems are built. ATMs are designed to communicate with traditional bank networks (like Plus, Cirrus, or Star) for deposits. The Cash App Card, while it uses the Visa network for spending and the ATM networks for withdrawals, does not have the technical infrastructure to accept deposits through those same machines. The barcode system used at retail stores is the proprietary technology Cash App created specifically for this “cash-in” service. Attempting a ‘cash app deposit atm’ transaction is not possible.
You can, however, use your Cash App Card at an ATM to withdraw cash from your balance. Just remember that this function typically comes with a fee from both Cash App and the ATM owner. The key distinction is that you can withdraw, but you cannot deposit.
How Your Balance Works
Some new users are confused about the final step, asking ‘how to put cash app money on card’ after they’ve already made a deposit. This is a simple but important concept to understand.
Your Balance is Your Card
The Cash App Card is a debit card that is directly linked to your main Cash App balance. They are one and the same. There is no separate step to transfer funds from your app to your card.
Any money in your Cash App balance is immediately available to be spent using your physical Cash App Card, your virtual card numbers for online shopping, or for sending to other users. When you successfully add paper money at a store, that money is instantly on your card because it’s in your balance.
Conclusion: Your Go-To Guide for Cashing In
Learning how to put cash on your Cash App card opens up the full potential of the service, bridging the gap between physical cash and your digital wallet. The process is reliable and accessible as long as you follow the correct steps.
- Recap: The only way to add physical cash is via a ‘Paper Money’ deposit at a participating retail store using the unique barcode generated in your app.
- Reminder: Be mindful of the $4.00 fee for each deposit and stay within the daily and monthly ‘cash app paper money limit’.
- Final Tip: Always, always get a receipt for your transaction and hold onto it until you see the funds reflected in your Cash App balance. This is your ultimate proof of deposit.
