The basic steps to send a payment on PayPal

Open PayPal on your phone or computer and log in. Click or tap the Send & Request button (on mobile, this appears at the bottom of the screen). Enter the recipient's email address or phone number, type the amount, choose whether you're sending money to a friend or paying for goods or services, then review and confirm. The payment leaves your PayPal balance or linked bank account immediately, though it may take one to three business days to reach the recipient's account if they don't have PayPal.

If you're paying a bill or business invoice, the process is the same—you just select "Paying for goods or services" instead of "sending money to friends and family." This distinction matters for dispute protection: goods and services payments come with buyer protection if something goes wrong, while friend payments do not.

You can also set up automatic recurring payments for subscriptions or regular bills. During checkout or in your account settings under Subscriptions & Automatic Payments, you can authorize PayPal to charge you on a set schedule—weekly, monthly, or yearly. You can pause or cancel these anytime from the same menu.

Key Takeaways

  • Send money by entering a recipient's email or phone number, the amount, and confirming—the payment processes immediately but may take one to three business days to arrive.
  • Choose "paying for goods or services" when paying businesses or invoices so you have buyer protection if the transaction goes wrong.
  • Link a bank account, debit card, or credit card to your PayPal account before sending money; you can choose which funding source to use for each payment.
  • Recurring payments can be set up for subscriptions and bills, and you can pause or cancel them anytime from your account settings.
  • PayPal holds some payments for review if the amount is large, the recipient is new, or the account shows unusual activity—this can delay delivery by up to 21 days.

Which funding source to use for your payment

PayPal lets you link multiple ways to fund a payment: a bank account, debit card, credit card, or your PayPal balance. When you send money, you can choose which one to use for that specific transaction. A bank account transfer is usually free and takes one to three business days. A debit card payment is instant but may carry a small fee depending on your account type and the recipient's country.

Using a credit card to fund a PayPal payment is possible but often costs more. PayPal charges the credit card company's processing fee (usually 2 to 3 percent), and your credit card issuer may also treat it as a cash advance, which comes with its own fees and interest rates. If you have a PayPal balance from a previous deposit or refund, using that is free and instant.

For bills and subscriptions, link your bank account or debit card directly to PayPal rather than using a credit card. This keeps costs down and avoids the cash advance trap. You can change your default funding source in Settings > Payments, or select a different source each time you pay.

When PayPal holds or delays a payment

PayPal sometimes holds a payment for review before releasing it to the recipient. This happens when the amount is unusually large for your account, the recipient is new or unverified, your account shows signs of unusual activity, or the recipient's account is flagged for review. The hold can last anywhere from a few hours to 21 days, depending on what triggered it.

You can see if a payment is on hold by going to your Activity or Transaction History and clicking on the transaction. The status will show "On Hold" or "Pending" with an explanation. You cannot speed up a hold, but you can contact PayPal Support to ask them to review it sooner if the situation is urgent. Have your transaction ID ready when you contact them.

To reduce the chance of a hold, keep your account active and verified, use the same funding source repeatedly, and avoid sending large amounts to new recipients. If you regularly send money to the same person, PayPal learns the pattern and is less likely to hold future payments to them.

Fees and what they depend on

Sending money to a friend or family member within the United States using your PayPal balance or bank account is free. If you use a credit card to fund the payment, PayPal charges 2.2 percent of the amount plus $0.30. Sending money internationally costs more: the fee varies by country but typically ranges from 1 to 5 percent of the amount plus a fixed fee between $0.75 and $2.99.

Paying for goods or services (invoices, online purchases, or business payments) always carries a fee, even within the U.S. The standard rate is 2.2 percent plus $0.30 for bank account or debit card payments. Credit card payments cost 3.49 percent plus $0.30. These fees come out of your PayPal balance or are deducted from your linked account—they are not added on top of the amount you send.

Some PayPal account types, like PayPal Cash or PayPal Cash Plus, have different fee structures or waive certain fees. Check your account type in Settings > Account Type to see which fees apply to you. Business accounts may have lower rates if you process a high volume of payments.

What to do if a payment fails or bounces

A payment fails when PayPal cannot process it—usually because your linked bank account or card has insufficient funds, the card is expired, or the account is closed. PayPal will notify you by email and show the failed status in your transaction history. The money is not deducted from your account, and the recipient does not receive it.

To fix a failed payment, update your funding source. Go to Settings > Payments, remove the card or account that failed, and add a new one or select a different existing source. Then go back to your transaction history, find the failed payment, and click Try Again. You can also send a new payment using the updated funding source.

If a payment bounces after it reaches the recipient's bank (meaning the recipient's account rejected it), PayPal will refund the money to your account within one to three business days. You'll see a notification in your activity feed. At that point, you can contact the recipient to find out why the payment was rejected—often it's a closed account, a name mismatch, or a fraud block on their end—and try again with corrected information.

Disputing a payment if something goes wrong

If you paid for something and didn't receive it, or the item arrived damaged or not as described, you can open a dispute through PayPal. This option is only available for payments marked as "goods or services"—friend and family payments cannot be disputed. Go to your Activity, find the transaction, and click Report a Problem. PayPal will ask you to describe what happened and give you a chance to message the seller first.

Most disputes are resolved between you and the seller through PayPal's resolution center. You have 180 days from the payment date to open a dispute. If you and the seller cannot agree, you can escalate it to a formal claim, which PayPal investigates. This process can take 30 to 60 days. PayPal will refund you if they determine the seller is at fault, or they will side with the seller if they find the transaction was legitimate.

Keep records of everything: screenshots of the listing, emails with the seller, photos of damaged items, and tracking numbers. These documents speed up the investigation and increase the chance PayPal rules in your favor. If you paid using a credit card through PayPal, you also have the option to dispute the charge with your credit card company as a backup.

Paying invoices and bills sent to you

When someone sends you a PayPal invoice or bill, you'll receive an email with a link to pay it. Click the link, review the amount and description, and choose your funding source. You can pay immediately or save the invoice to pay later. The payment process is the same as sending money to a business—you select "paying for goods or services," and you have buyer protection if something goes wrong.

Some businesses and service providers let you pay their bill directly through their website using PayPal as the payment method. You'll see a PayPal button at checkout. Click it, log into PayPal, confirm the amount, and the payment is sent. This is faster than copying an invoice number and is the safest way to pay because you're paying the business directly, not sending money to an email address that could be fraudulent.

If you receive an invoice with a suspicious email address or amount, do not click the link. Instead, go directly to the business's website or call them to confirm the invoice is real. Scammers sometimes send fake PayPal invoices to trick people into paying them.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take for someone to receive money I send through PayPal?

If the recipient has a PayPal account, the money appears in their account instantly. If they don't have PayPal, it takes one to three business days for the money to reach their bank account. Weekends and holidays add extra time. If PayPal puts the payment on hold for review, it can take up to 21 days.

Can I cancel or refund a payment after I send it?

If the recipient hasn't claimed the money yet, you can cancel it from your transaction history. If they have claimed it, you cannot cancel it—you have to ask them to send the money back, or you can open a dispute if it was a goods or services payment. Once money leaves your account, PayPal cannot force it back.

What happens if I send money to the wrong email address?

If the email address doesn't have a PayPal account, the recipient will receive an email inviting them to claim the money. If they don't claim it within 30 days, the money returns to your account. If the email belongs to someone else's PayPal account, they will see the payment in their account and can keep it. Contact PayPal Support immediately if you sent money to the wrong person—they may be able to reverse it if the recipient hasn't withdrawn it yet.

Is it safe to send money through PayPal?

Sending money to friends and family is safe as long as you trust the person—PayPal does not offer protection for these payments if the recipient doesn't send you what they promised. Payments for goods or services come with buyer protection, so you can dispute the charge if something goes wrong. Never send money to someone you don't know or trust, and avoid sending money to email addresses that seem suspicious.

Can I set up automatic payments for my rent or mortgage through PayPal?

You can set up a recurring payment to anyone with a PayPal account or email address, but most landlords and mortgage companies don't accept PayPal. Check with your landlord or lender first to see if they have a PayPal option. If they do, you can authorize automatic monthly payments in your Subscriptions & Automatic Payments settings. If they don't, you'll need to use their preferred payment method—usually bank transfer, check, or their online portal.