Peanut vs ARQ

Peanut vs ARQ for wallet control: keep your main digital-dollar wallet under your passkey, and compare how you receive and use your earnings.

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ARQ, formerly DolarApp, combines international receiving, digital-dollar and euro balances, cards and investment products. If you earn from US or European clients, both apps deserve a closer look. The main difference here is custody: you hold the key to Peanut's main digital-dollar wallet; ARQ's Argentine and Brazilian documents describe provider custody. ARQ's offering, Argentina custody, Brazil custody.

ARQ's paid-plan allowances cover sending or receiving, share one allowance across those actions, and require a paid subscription. Prestige is subject to eligibility. The figures above apply to Argentina. Sources checked on 27 October 2026: Standard fees, Premium, Prestige. Other countries can have different terms.

In Peanut's main wallet, your passkey controls access to the wallet key. Peanut does not hold that key for you. This matters if you want to keep your digital-dollar balance in a wallet you control after your income arrives.

ARQ's custody documents describe a different arrangement: an ARQ entity or a contracted custodian holds the assets. You use the account under that service's terms. Custody describes who holds the assets and keys; it does not mean that your balance stops belonging to you.

That choice comes with a practical responsibility. With Peanut, keep access to your passkey and its recovery method. Wallet control does not remove identity checks, bank-transfer rules or service availability limits. It also does not guarantee that either app is safer for every person or every payment.

Before changing your payment instructions, confirm the currency and payment method your client actually uses. A US bank account does not guarantee that the payer will send ACH rather than wire. Share the receiving details for the agreed method and check the permitted payer.

Peanut's USD receiving guide explains the account route. Eligible ACH payments reach your digital-dollar balance, with a usual bank-processing estimate of one to three business days. Bank holidays and checks can affect the payment; do not plan on immediate access to a pending transfer.

ARQ also provides US account and routing details for ACH and wire after activation. Its guide says incoming USD becomes digital dollars. Neither app's receiving details should be treated as approval for every payer or payment purpose. ARQ's USD receiving instructions, checked 27 October 2026.

Receiving euros and keeping euros are different decisions. Peanut converts an eligible EUR receipt into its digital-dollar balance. The conversion cost is included in the quoted rate. That works for someone who wants to keep dollars, but it does not create a separate euro balance.

ARQ offers digital euros as well as digital dollars. Keeping a euro-denominated balance may suit you if you want your income and planned expenses in that currency. This is a real reason to choose ARQ, even when wallet control matters to you.

For a fair price comparison, use the same incoming currency, amount and intended final balance. Then compare any later conversion for spending. A euro receipt kept in euros and a euro receipt converted into dollars do not produce the same result. A claim about the exchange rate alone cannot tell you which costs less.

Peanut charges no receiving fee for eligible USD ACH payments. The sender's bank or payroll platform may still charge for sending. If you later convert the balance or use another payment route, check that action's quote. See Peanut's pricing guide for the distinction between receiving, conversion and delivery costs.

For ARQ, compare the plan you actually use. An unused paid-plan allowance can cover an incoming transfer that Standard would charge for. A previous outgoing transfer can also consume that allowance. Check the remaining allowance before assuming your next receipt is included.

If you are considering a subscription only for receiving income, include its cost in your decision. If you already use its other benefits, consider those too. Counting only the Standard receiving fee would give an incomplete comparison. Neither fee structure proves that every later payment or conversion will be cheaper.

After verification, Peanut supports compatible Pix merchant QR in Brazil and Mercado Pago merchant QR in Argentina. The app shows the amount before you confirm. Supported merchant QR does not require a local bank account.

Local banking has separate rules. ARS and BRL deposits or withdrawals require the relevant residence, local tax ID and an eligible account in your own name. Other bank destinations have their own requirements and quotes. Choose the route that matches the expense you need to pay.

ARQ also supports local spending. Its QR guide covers Pix, interoperable Argentine QR including Mercado Pago and MODO, and Colombia's Bre-B. Argentine QR requires DNI and an ARS account. QR payment coverage is a reason to check both apps, not a feature missing from ARQ. ARQ's QR guide, updated 26 October and checked 27 October 2026.

ARQ is worth keeping if a digital-euro balance is central to how you manage income. Its broader set of card, savings and investment products can also suit someone who wants those services together. Each product has its own terms and eligibility; a larger feature set does not make every feature appropriate for every user.

Existing ARQ subscribers should also consider benefits they already use. Changing apps solely because of a Standard-plan charge can miss an allowance already included in their subscription. The useful comparison starts with your current account, not an assumed entry-level plan.

Choose Peanut when control of your main digital-dollar wallet is a priority and its receiving rules match your income. Confirm the payer, currency and account eligibility, then check the payment or withdrawal you intend to make afterward.

Choose ARQ when keeping digital euros or using its additional financial products matters more to you. You can also use both for different purposes. There is no need to redirect every client payment at once. For the full receiving flow, see the guide for freelancers and remote workers.

FAQ.

Is Peanut cheaper than ARQ?

For eligible USD ACH receiving, Peanut has no receiving fee. Your total cost still depends on sender charges, ARQ's country and plan, and what you do with the money afterward. Compare an actual payment with your remaining plan allowance. If one option includes a conversion and the other keeps the original currency, compare the final balance you want before deciding.

Who can pay into my Peanut account?

USD details accept your own account and business payments, subject to eligibility. Payments from other individuals must be below $4,000 per transfer; relatives sharing your surname have no such amount cap. Third-party USD receiving is unavailable to Texas residents, and New York residents cannot open a USD account. EUR details accept your own account or a registered business, not another individual's account. Read the currency-specific payer rules before sharing details.

Is Peanut available in my country?

Peanut's iOS and Android apps are available in select markets. App access and banking eligibility are separate: receiving details depend on your verified residence and the selected currency. Check the options offered during signup and verification before asking a client to send money. A supported payment destination does not by itself establish that you can obtain receiving details.

How do I switch from ARQ to Peanut?

Download Peanut and create your account in the mobile app. Complete the verification for bank receiving, open the appropriate currency account and copy its details. Confirm that your client or employer is an allowed payer before updating their payment instructions. You can keep ARQ while testing an eligible receipt and the way you plan to use it.

What if I lose the phone with my Peanut passkey?

Recovery depends on whether you can restore the passkey, for example through Apple or Google passkey sync. Peanut cannot replace a permanently lost, unrecoverable passkey or restore access without it. Before relying on the main wallet for income, check where your passkey is saved and how you would recover it on another device.