The fastest way to move money from PayPal to your bank
To transfer money from PayPal to your bank account, log into PayPal, go to your Wallet, select your bank account, and choose how much to send. PayPal calls this a withdrawal. The money lands in your bank account in one to three business days if you use the standard transfer, or the same day if you pay a fee for instant transfer.
You need three things before you start: a PayPal account with a confirmed email address, a bank account linked to that PayPal account, and enough money in your PayPal balance to cover the transfer. If your bank account is not yet linked, PayPal will ask you to add it during the withdrawal process.
The transfer happens between PayPal and your bank—your bank does not contact PayPal or ask permission. Once PayPal sends the money, your bank receives it as a standard deposit. If something goes wrong, you contact PayPal first, not your bank.
Key Takeaways
- Standard transfers take one to three business days and cost nothing; instant transfers arrive the same day but charge a small fee.
- Your bank account must be linked to your PayPal account before you can withdraw, and PayPal will confirm it by depositing and withdrawing small test amounts.
- Weekends and bank holidays add time to standard transfers because the banking system does not process on those days.
- If a transfer disappears or takes longer than expected, check your PayPal transaction history first, then contact your bank if PayPal says the money was sent.
How to link your bank account to PayPal
Before you can withdraw, PayPal needs to confirm your bank account is real and belongs to you. Go to your PayPal account settings, select Wallet or Banks and Cards (the exact name varies by country), and choose Link a Bank Account. Enter your routing number and account number—you can find both on a check or by logging into your bank's website.
PayPal will then make two small deposits into your account, usually within one to two business days. These are test deposits, typically between $0.01 and $0.99. Log back into your bank account, find these deposits, and return to PayPal to enter the exact amounts. Once you confirm them, your bank account is linked and you can withdraw.
This confirmation step protects you: it proves PayPal has the right account number and that you control the account. Scammers cannot link someone else's bank account without those test deposits.
Standard transfer versus instant transfer
PayPal offers two ways to move money, and the choice depends on how fast you need it and whether you want to pay a fee.
| Transfer Type | Speed | Cost | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Transfer | 1–3 business days | Free | You can wait a few days and want no fee |
| Instant Transfer | Same day (usually within minutes) | 1.5% of the amount, minimum $0.25 | You need the money today and the fee is worth it |
Standard transfer is free but slower because it moves through the banking system's normal channels. Instant transfer uses a different network and costs a percentage of what you send. If you transfer $100, instant costs $1.50. If you transfer $20, it costs $0.25 (the minimum).
Business days mean Monday through Friday, excluding U.S. federal holidays. If you start a standard transfer on Friday afternoon, the money will not arrive until Monday or Tuesday. Instant transfer ignores weekends and holidays—it processes whenever you send it.
What happens if your transfer is delayed or missing
A standard transfer that takes longer than three business days, or an instant transfer that does not arrive within a few hours, needs investigation. Start by checking your PayPal account: go to your transaction history and find the withdrawal. The status will say Completed, Pending, or Failed.
If the status is Completed, PayPal sent the money to your bank. The delay is now on your bank's side. Log into your bank account and search your recent deposits—sometimes the money arrives under a name or reference you do not immediately recognize. If you cannot find it after five business days, contact your bank with the PayPal transaction ID (a long number PayPal shows for every transfer) and ask them to trace it.
If the status is Pending, PayPal is still processing. Wait the full timeframe before contacting anyone. If the status is Failed, PayPal did not send it—the money stays in your PayPal balance. PayPal will show a reason (usually a problem with your bank account information). Fix the issue and try again.
Contact PayPal through the Resolution Center in your account, not through email or social media. PayPal's official support can see your full transaction and trace what happened.
Fees, limits, and restrictions on withdrawals
Standard transfers are free. Instant transfers charge 1.5% of the amount you send, with a minimum of $0.25 and a maximum of $25 per transfer (meaning you cannot pay more than $25 in fees on a single instant transfer, which limits you to about $1,667 per transfer).
PayPal does not charge a fee to link your bank account or to withdraw money using standard transfer. Your bank may charge you a fee if you overdraft or if they have a policy against frequent deposits, but that is rare and comes from your bank, not PayPal.
Withdrawal limits vary by account age, history, and country. New accounts may have lower limits than established ones. If you hit a limit, PayPal will tell you when you try to withdraw. The limit usually resets after 24 hours or after you complete identity verification (uploading a photo ID or government document).
When a withdrawal fails and how to fix it
A withdrawal can fail for a few reasons: your bank account information is wrong, your bank rejected the deposit, your account is flagged for security review, or you do not have enough money in your PayPal balance.
If PayPal shows a failed transfer, the first step is to check the reason PayPal gives. Common reasons include Bank Account Not Verified (your test deposits were not confirmed), Invalid Account Number (you entered it wrong), or Bank Rejected Transfer (your bank declined it for a reason only they can explain).
For Bank Account Not Verified, go back to your Wallet, find the bank account, and complete the test deposit confirmation if you skipped it. For Invalid Account Number, delete the bank account from PayPal and add it again, double-checking the routing and account numbers against your bank statement or online banking. For Bank Rejected Transfer, call your bank and ask why they rejected a deposit from PayPal. Some banks flag PayPal transfers as unusual activity on new accounts.
If your account is flagged for security review, PayPal will tell you directly and may ask you to verify your identity or answer security questions. Complete whatever PayPal asks, then try the withdrawal again.
Protecting yourself from fraud and scams
Never share your PayPal password, bank account number, or routing number with anyone who contacts you claiming to be from PayPal. PayPal will never ask for these over email, text, or phone.
If someone sends you money through PayPal and then asks you to withdraw it and send it to them via wire transfer or gift card, that is a scam. The original payment is fraudulent, and you will be responsible for the money once PayPal reverses it. Legitimate buyers and sellers do not ask you to move money out of PayPal.
Check your PayPal transaction history regularly. If you see a withdrawal you did not make, report it to PayPal immediately through the Resolution Center. PayPal can sometimes reverse unauthorized transfers if you report them within a short window.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I withdraw money from PayPal if I received it as a payment for something I sold?
Yes. Money you receive from selling goods or services sits in your PayPal balance just like money from any other source. You can withdraw it the same way—link your bank account and transfer it. PayPal may hold the money for a few days if it is your first sale, but once the hold lifts, you can withdraw.
What if my bank account is closed after I link it to PayPal?
PayPal will not know your account is closed until you try to withdraw. When you do, the transfer will fail and PayPal will tell you the bank rejected it. Add a new bank account to PayPal and try again. You do not need to delete the old one—PayPal will just skip it.
Does PayPal report my withdrawal to the IRS or my bank?
PayPal reports large transfers to the IRS if you receive more than $20,000 in payments and complete more than 200 transactions in a year. Withdrawing your own money to your bank account does not trigger a separate report—it is just moving money you already reported when you received it. Your bank sees the deposit but does not report it to anyone.
Can I withdraw to someone else's bank account?
No. PayPal only allows you to withdraw to a bank account in your own name. If you need to send money to someone else, use PayPal's send money feature instead, which lets you transfer to their PayPal account or, in some cases, directly to their bank account.
How do I know if my transfer actually went through?
Check your PayPal transaction history. Find the withdrawal and look at the status. If it says Completed, PayPal sent it. Then check your bank account for the deposit. If you see both, the transfer went through. If PayPal says Completed but your bank does not show it after three business days, contact your bank with the PayPal transaction ID.