Yes, you can link your checking account to PayPal and send money directly from it
PayPal lets you connect a checking account and use it to send money to other people or pay for things online. When you link your account, PayPal doesn't store your actual account number — instead, it creates a find connection that lets you move money without entering your card details every time. The money comes straight from your checking account balance, not from a credit card or PayPal balance.
This is different from using a debit card or credit card with PayPal. A linked checking account is often faster and cheaper for sending money to friends and family, because PayPal doesn't charge a fee when you transfer from your bank account to another person (though the other person may pay a fee if they want the money when ready instead of waiting a few days).
Key Takeaways
- You can link your checking account to PayPal by providing your routing number and account number, which you'll find on a check or in your online banking.
- Sending money from your checking account through PayPal to another person is free, though receiving it when ready costs the other person a small fee.
- PayPal confirms your account by depositing two small amounts into your checking account, which takes a few days and requires you to verify the amounts.
- Once linked, your checking account appears as a payment option whenever you send money or make a purchase through PayPal.
- You can unlink your account at any time, and PayPal does not charge you to keep the connection active.
How to link your checking account to PayPal
Start by logging into your PayPal account on a computer or the PayPal app. Go to your account settings — this is usually a gear icon or a menu labeled "Account" or "Settings." Look for a section called "Wallet," "Payment Methods," or "Linked Accounts." Click the option to add a bank account.
PayPal will ask for your routing number and account number. Your routing number is a nine-digit code that identifies your bank. Your account number is the unique number for your specific checking account. Both appear on the bottom left of any check you have. If you don't have a check, log into your bank's website or app — the account number and routing number are usually listed under account details or in a section labeled "Account Information."
After you enter these numbers, PayPal will tell you that it will send two small deposits (usually less than one dollar each) to your checking account. This is PayPal's way of confirming that the account is really yours. The deposits arrive within a few business days. Once they appear in your account, you go back to PayPal and enter the exact amounts of those two deposits. After you verify them, your checking account is fully linked and ready to use.
When PayPal pulls money from your checking account
When you send money to someone using your linked checking account, PayPal pulls the funds when ready — the money leaves your account right away. However, the person receiving it may not see it right away. If they have a PayPal account, the money usually arrives within minutes. If you're sending to their bank account (not PayPal), it takes one to three business days.
If you make a purchase online using PayPal and choose your checking account as the payment method, the charge goes through the same way — PayPal deducts the money from your account when ready, and the merchant receives it according to their processing timeline.
One important detail: PayPal may place a temporary hold on your account while processing a large transfer. This is not a charge — it's just a hold that releases once the transfer completes. If you're sending a very large amount, contact PayPal's support team first to let them know, so the hold doesn't surprise you.
Fees for checking account transfers
Sending money from your checking account to another person through PayPal is free. You pay nothing, and the sender pays nothing. This is one of the biggest advantages of linking a bank account instead of using a credit or debit card.
The person receiving the money can also receive it for free — but only if they wait for it to arrive in their bank account, which takes one to three business days. If they want the money when ready (same day), PayPal charges them a small fee, usually between 1 and 2 percent of the amount. That fee comes out of what they receive, not from you.
If you're paying a business or merchant through PayPal using your checking account, there is no fee to you. The merchant may pay a processing fee to PayPal, but that doesn't affect your cost.
Security and what PayPal sees
When you link your checking account, you're not giving PayPal access to your account or permission to see your balance. PayPal only sees the transactions you make through PayPal itself. Your bank still controls your account completely — you can unlink PayPal at any time, and your bank account remains yours to manage however you want.
PayPal uses encryption to protect your routing and account numbers. This means the information is scrambled so that even if someone tried to intercept it, they couldn't read it. Your actual account number is not stored in a way that PayPal employees can see it.
If someone gains access to your PayPal account, they can send money from your linked checking account. This is why it's important to use a strong, unique password for PayPal and to enable two-factor authentication (a security feature that requires a second step, like a code from your phone, to log in).
Unlinking your checking account
You can remove your checking account from PayPal at any time. Go to your account settings, find your linked bank accounts, and select the option to remove or unlink the account. The process is when ready — PayPal stops being able to pull money from that account right away.
Unlinking does not affect any pending transfers. If you sent money and it hasn't arrived yet, it will still arrive. But PayPal can't initiate any new transfers from that account once you unlink it.
There is no fee to keep an account linked, and no fee to unlink it. You can link and unlink as many times as you want.
What to do if the verification deposits don't arrive
Sometimes the two small deposits PayPal sends take longer than expected, or they don't arrive at all. If more than a week has passed and you haven't seen them, check your bank's spam or pending transactions folder — occasionally banks flag small deposits as suspicious.
If they're genuinely missing, contact PayPal's support team and let them know. They can resend the deposits or use an alternative verification method, such as confirming your identity through your bank's website directly. Some banks now support this faster route, which skips the deposit verification step entirely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use PayPal to send money from my checking account without a PayPal balance?
Yes. Your linked checking account is a separate payment method from your PayPal balance. When you send money, you can choose which source to use — your checking account, your PayPal balance, or a linked card. Choosing your checking account means the money comes directly from your bank, not from PayPal.
What's the difference between linking a checking account and linking a debit card?
A debit card is a card issued by your bank that you can use anywhere. A checking account is the account itself. Linking your checking account is more direct — PayPal connects to your account number rather than to a card. Transfers from a checking account are usually free, while debit card transactions may have small fees depending on how you use them.
Can I link a savings account instead of a checking account?
Yes, PayPal accepts savings accounts as well as checking accounts. The process is identical — you provide your routing number and account number, verify the two small deposits, and you're done. Money transfers the same way and takes the same amount of time.
What happens if I don't have enough money in my checking account when I try to send?
PayPal will decline the transfer and tell you that your account doesn't have enough funds. The transfer won't go through, and you won't be charged. You can try again once you've deposited more money into your checking account.
Can someone else use my linked checking account if they have my PayPal password?
Yes, which is why protecting your PayPal password is important. If someone logs into your PayPal account, they can send money from any linked payment method, including your checking account. Use a strong password and turn on two-factor authentication so that logging in requires a code sent to your phone.