While the promise of technology making cash and wallets a thing of the past is still pending, and the launch of Apple Pay this week is limited to Apple users, there are many apps that allow you to transfer money between friends and family from your smartphone regardless of the platform.

Whether you are looking to pay your share of rent or bills among roommates, splitting the check for dinner with friends, or sending money to family in other countries, here are some of the most popular apps for peer-to-peer money transfers.

The initial set up of bank accounts, or credit or debit cards, may seem like a hassle, but it only takes a few minutes and it’s well worth it.

You’ll have no doubt about it when these apps save you from having to go to the ATM, drop a check in the mailbox, or pay the ridiculous fees banks charge for a wire transfer.

PayPal is the oldest peer-to-peer money transfer online service and it has a reputation for being reliable and easy to use. All you need to make a transfer is the email of the person you are sending it to, though it takes from three to five days to process. Transfers from bank accounts are free while credit and debit card transactions are subject to a 2.9 percent fee plus 30 cents.

Venmo is a faster app that has gained popularity in a relatively short period of time, particularly among 20-somethings in part due to its social component. The receiver of a transfer can use the funds for other transactions in the app the same day or “cash out” and transfer it to their bank account making it available the next day. Transfers from bank accounts and debit cards are free while credit card transactions are subject to a 2.9 percent fee. Perhaps the most surprising part of this app is that it has managed to make payments and transfers fun due to its social component, which allows you to share your payments along with a brief description with your friends on the app and on Facebook. Though this may sound strange it has become very popular and it’s a sort of competition to see who is the most creative when sharing a payment: “$3 for bringing me coffee,” “$33.33 for concert tickets plus stupid fees,” or “$20 for purchasing a couple of life threatening alcoholic beverages that may have set my life on a path to ruin” ... You get the idea.

Google Wallet allows you to send and receive money through its app and also as an attachment over email. Transfers from bank accounts are free while credit and debit card transactions are subject to a 2.9 percent fee. The creators of Square (the small gadget that you can plug into a smartphone to use as a credit card terminal) also launched a new app that allows you to send and receive money for free between friends and family, and it only takes one or two days using your credit card.

When it comes to international transactions, Paypal is also one of the most popular options but there are other alternatives.

Western Union has an app that is very popular among its faithful clients which allows you to make transfers from your smartphone using your bank account, or credit or debit card, although fees vary by country.  

Xoom is an app that, besides allowing you to send and receive money, sends you notifications about the status of the transaction, and allows you to lock in international exchange rates at the moment.

Transferwise is another app for international money transfers that is making its way, claiming to be 10 times cheaper than banks. Though the number of downloads is still small (less than 50,000 on Android) it has average ratings of 4.5 (out of 5) among its users.

And when it comes to being wise about your money, why not start by saving some with one of the smartphones that MetroPCS has starting at $19.00, or with one of their unlimited voice, text, and data plans starting at $40 per month. With all the money you’ll be saving in cellular service, you will surely have more to go have dinner with friends or to send to your family in other parts of the world.