Virtual Cards and Venmo Connections

Until October 2026 this page carried placeholder text from a website template: a product update written by another company, Mercury, about its banking app. It has been replaced with a short guide on the topic in the title.

Virtual cards for small online sellers

A virtual card is a card number issued for online payments, without a plastic card. Many business bank accounts and card issuers let you create one in their app. For a small online store, they are useful for paying the services the store runs on: the store platform, apps, ads and suppliers.

• One card per vendor. Give each subscription or supplier its own card number, so a leaked number affects one payment and is easy to trace.
• Freeze or replace quickly. If a number is exposed, you can usually freeze it or issue a new one without waiting for a new card in the mail.
• Spending limits. Many providers let you set a limit per card, so a free trial does not turn into an unexpected charge.

Features vary by provider, so check what your bank or card issuer offers before you rely on any of them.

Venmo for small sellers

Venmo is a US payment app owned by PayPal. A small seller can use it in two ways:

• Taking payments directly. A Venmo business profile lets you accept payments for goods and services, for example at a market stall or for a custom order. Venmo charges sellers a fee on these payments; check Venmo's current fees before you set your prices.
• At online checkout. In the US, stores that accept PayPal can offer Venmo to eligible shoppers, including Shopify stores that use PayPal. PayPal and Shopify decide who is eligible.

Keep business and personal payments apart: Venmo expects sales of goods and services to go through a business profile, not a personal account.

If you want Venmo or another payment option set up on your Shopify store, it is the kind of small job Shopision Studio handles.