What payment methods can I use with PayPal?

You can add money to your PayPal account balance from any U.S. bank account. The bank account you want to use needs to be added and confirmed on your PayPal account. It takes 3-5 business days for the money to show up in your PayPal balance.

You can also add money to your PayPal account from a PayPal MyCash Card. For more information on PayPal MyCash Card, go to https://www.paypal-cash.com/.

However, you don’t need to have a PayPal balance to send a payment. You can also send money directly from your bank account (by Instant Transfer or eCheck) or pay with a credit or debit card.

Here are the different ways you can send money with PayPal:

PayPal account balance

• Send money directly from your PayPal balance to another member’s PayPal balance.
• The recipient gets paid right away.
• Your PayPal account balance is the first payment method that we use when you make a payment.
• When you don’t have enough money in your PayPal account balance, we’ll use your confirmed bank account unless you choose a different payment method.
• Some PayPal members have more than one account balance because they have balances in multiple currencies. If one account balance doesn’t have enough money to make a payment, we’ll use money from another currency balance.

Instant Transfer

• Send money instantly from your bank account. The money goes from your bank account to another member’s PayPal balance.
• The recipient gets paid right away.
• You need to have a credit card and a bank account linked to your PayPal account.

Credit card

• Pay with a credit card linked to your PayPal account.
• The recipient gets paid right away.

eCheck

• Send money in 7 business days from your bank account. The money goes from your bank account to another member’s PayPal balance.
• An eCheck is like writing a paper check, only you send it electronically.
• The recipient gets paid in 7 business days.

PayPal Extras MasterCard®, eBay MasterCard®, PayPal Credit, or PayPal Smart Connect

• You can apply for these payment methods. If your application is approved, we’ll add the payment method to your PayPal account.
• The recipient gets paid right away.
• PayPal Extras MasterCard®, eBay MasterCard®, PayPal Credit or PayPal Smart Connect can be your preferred payment method for all future payments.
• Currently you are unable to add PayPal Credit to your PayPal account if you already have a credit product, such as Smart Connect or Extras MasterCard.

Here's how to change your preferred payment method:

1. Click Wallet.
2. Click the preferred payment method.
3. Click Set as preferred.

Please note that you need to add a payment method (such as a card) to your PayPal account before you can select it as a preferred way to pay.

Changing your preferred payment method won’t affect automatic payments. You can update your payment preference directly on the automatic payment.