PayPal

Global online payment platform trusted by 435 million accounts — the most recognized payment brand for online transactions.

Best for: B2C e-commerce stores and marketplaces where PayPal's consumer trust and brand recognition are expected to increase checkout conversion rates — particularly when serving international customers or older demographics

Free plan

4.1/5Editorial score 72/100paypal.com

Entry plan

Free to open account

Get started free

Opens the official website in a new tab.

Editorial score72/100

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The editorial note

What to know about PayPal

PayPal is one of the world's most widely recognized digital payments platforms, enabling individuals and businesses to send and receive money, process online payments, and offer buy now pay later (BNPL) options through PayPal and Venmo. With 435 million active users globally, PayPal is a trusted payment option that increases consumer confidence at checkout. It offers payment processing for e-commerce via PayPal Commerce Platform and developer-friendly APIs for building custom payment flows.

Is it right for you?

Who PayPal suits

Choose it if

B2C e-commerce stores and marketplaces where PayPal's consumer trust and brand recognition are expected to increase checkout conversion rates — particularly when serving international customers or older demographics

Look elsewhere if

Developers building custom checkout experiences needing full flexibility — Stripe provides a superior developer API with more customization options, better documentation, and fewer account restrictions

What you get

Key features

One-click checkout for 435M users
PayPal Pay Later (BNPL)
Invoice and payment links
Seller protection
International payments (200+ markets)
PayPal Commerce Platform (API)
Venmo for consumer payments
Crypto buy/sell support

Works with

Integrations8

Shopify WooCommerceMagentoBigCommerce Wix Squarespace ZapierBraintree

What it costs

Pricing

PayPal pricing plans
Plan	Price	What it includes
Free to Use	Free to open account	No monthly fees — pay 2.99% per domestic transaction
Checkout	2.59% + $0.49 per transaction	Standard checkout for ecommerce, online and in-person payments

Prices are recorded from the vendor's public pricing page and can change. Check before you buy.

The trade-off

Pros and cons

Pros

435 million user trust — customers are more likely to complete purchases when PayPal is offered
Instant setup with no monthly fees — pay only per transaction for small businesses
PayPal Pay Later (BNPL) increases average order value by offering installment payment options
International payments in 200+ markets with automatic currency conversion
Dispute resolution and buyer protection increase consumer confidence in smaller merchants

Cons

Transaction fees (2.9% + $0.30) are equivalent to Stripe but with a less developer-friendly API
Frequent account holds and freezes are reported by sellers dealing in certain categories
Customer service quality is inconsistent — difficult to reach humans for complex disputes
Less developer-friendly and customizable than Stripe for building custom payment experiences

Quick read

At a glance

Category: Finance & Business Services
Pricing model: Freemium
Entry plan: Free to open account
Free plan: Available
Free trial: Not listed
Website: paypal.com

The verdict

Our take on PayPal

PayPal belongs on every e-commerce checkout page as an additional payment option alongside Stripe or your primary processor — it boosts conversion for the large segment of consumers who prefer it. Using PayPal as your only payment processor is a mistake: the fees are higher, the developer experience is worse, and account freezes are a real operational risk. Add it alongside a primary processor.

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Editorial review

From the journal

Editorial review of PayPal

By TopToolsPick Editorial

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