14 DAY TRIAL // Facebook users can now send and receive money in Messenger groups for free.
Of course, being able to send and receive money over Facebook Messenger is not exactly new as this feature was introduced a couple of years back. Up until now, however, this was only possible between you and another person.
Starting this week, though, on Android devices and on desktop, you will be able to send or receive money between groups of people.
So, how could this feature be useful? Well, Facebook details some scenarios where this type of feature could very well fit in perfectly. For instance, when you have to split a restaurant bill, or buy someone a group gift, Facebook's feature will certainly come in handy. All you need to do is have a new or existing Messenger group conversation.
An easy operation
"Simply tap on the plus sign in the bottom left-hand corner of a group conversation to find more features, and tap the payments icon ($). Then, choose who to send or request money from. You can choose everyone in the group or only a few members. Enter the amount you want to request per person or the total sum to divide evenly, either including yourself in the calculation or not. Finally, you can specify what the money is for - maybe a pizza party, teacher gift or more. Once you’re ready, tap Request," the company explains.
A message will appear in the group conversation showing who has paid so you can keep track of who still owes you money.
Facebook mentions that you don't need to remember a password as the debit card information stored is safe and secure. Plus, the service is completely free, which beats sending money over with other services.
The Messenger group payments feature is available for users in the United States for now.