PayPal gives you three ways to get money into your bank account, and the method you choose depends on how fast you need it and whether you want to pay a fee
The most common route is a standard transfer, which is free but takes three to five business days. PayPal moves the money from your PayPal balance to the bank account you have linked in your PayPal settings. You do not need to do anything except initiate the transfer — PayPal handles the rest.
If you need the money faster, PayPal offers when ready Transfer, which lands in your account in minutes rather than days. This costs between 25 cents and $2 per transfer, depending on the amount and your bank. A third option, PayPal debit card withdrawal, lets you pull cash from an ATM using a PayPal Cash or PayPal Cash Plus account, but this is not a bank transfer — it is a withdrawal.
Before you transfer anything, make sure the bank account you want to use is already linked to your PayPal account and verified. If it is not, you will need to add it first, which involves confirming two small deposits PayPal sends to that account.
Key Takeaways
- Standard transfers from PayPal to your linked bank account are free and take three to five business days.
- when ready Transfer moves money in minutes but costs 25 cents to $2 per transaction, depending on your bank and amount.
- Your bank account must be linked and verified in your PayPal settings before you can transfer money to it.
- Transfers only work if you have a balance in your PayPal account; you cannot transfer money that is still pending or held.
How to set up a bank account in PayPal if you have not already
Open PayPal, go to your Wallet, and select "Link a bank account." Enter your bank's routing number, your account number, and the account type (checking or savings). PayPal will then send two small deposits — usually under $1 each — to that account within one to two business days.
Once those deposits arrive, go back into PayPal, select the bank account, and confirm the two amounts. This verification step proves you own the account and prevents someone else from linking a bank account that is not theirs. After confirmation, the account is ready to use for transfers.
If you do not know your routing number, your bank's website has it, or you can call the bank directly. The routing number is specific to your bank's location, not your individual branch.
Standard transfer: free but slower
To initiate a standard transfer, open PayPal, go to your Wallet, and select "Transfer money." Choose "Transfer to your bank," then pick the linked bank account you want to use. Enter the amount you want to transfer — it cannot exceed your available PayPal balance — and confirm.
PayPal will show you the expected arrival date, which is usually three to five business days from the date you initiate the transfer. Weekends and bank holidays do not count as business days, so a transfer you start on a Friday afternoon may not arrive until Wednesday or Thursday.
Once you confirm, the money leaves your PayPal account when ready, but your bank will not show it until the transfer completes. If you need to cancel, you have a short window — usually a few hours — before PayPal sends it to your bank. After that, you cannot stop it.
when ready Transfer: faster but with a fee
when ready Transfer appears as an option on the same "Transfer to your bank" screen, but only if your bank is in PayPal's network of supported institutions. Most major banks are included — Bank of America, Chase, Wells Fargo, US Bank, and others — but some smaller or regional banks are not.
The fee ranges from 25 cents to $2 depending on the amount transferred and your bank. PayPal shows you the exact fee before you confirm, so you know what you are paying. The money typically arrives within minutes, though PayPal says it can take up to one hour.
Not all PayPal account types support when ready Transfer. If you have a PayPal Business account or a PayPal Cash account, you may have access. If the option does not appear, your account type or your bank may not support it yet. You can still use standard transfer instead.
What to do if your bank account is not showing up
If the bank account you want to use does not appear in the transfer screen, it either has not been verified yet or PayPal has not finished linking it. Go back to your Wallet, find the account in your linked accounts list, and check its status. If it says "Pending," wait for the two verification deposits to arrive, then confirm them as described above.
If the account shows as linked but still does not appear in the transfer menu, try logging out of PayPal completely, closing your browser, and logging back in. Sometimes the page does not refresh properly. If that does not work, contact PayPal support — there may be a temporary issue with that particular bank or account type.
Do not try to add the same bank account twice. PayPal will reject it, and multiple attempts can trigger a security review of your account.
Why a transfer might fail or be delayed
The most common reason a transfer does not go through is that your PayPal balance is lower than the amount you tried to transfer. PayPal will reject the transfer when ready and tell you the available balance. You can only transfer money that is actually in your PayPal account, not money that is pending from a recent sale or payment.
Transfers can also be delayed if PayPal flags your account for review — this happens when there is unusual activity, a new bank account, or a large transfer. PayPal may hold the transfer for up to 24 hours while it checks. You will see a notification in your account if this happens.
If your bank rejects the transfer after it arrives, PayPal will send the money back to your PayPal account within one to three business days. This usually happens because the account number or routing number was entered incorrectly, or because the account has been closed. Check your bank account details in PayPal and try again with the correct information.
Transfers from PayPal to a joint bank account
You can transfer money to a joint bank account as long as your name is on the account and the account is in your name (or your name plus others). PayPal does not require all account holders to verify the transfer — only the person whose name is linked to the PayPal account needs to initiate it.
When the money arrives at the joint account, it becomes part of that account's balance and is available to all account holders. PayPal does not track who uses the money after it lands, so make sure you and the other account holders understand how the account is managed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transfer money from PayPal to someone else's bank account?
No. PayPal only lets you transfer money to a bank account that is linked to your own PayPal account. If you want to send money to someone else, use PayPal's "Send money" feature to transfer it to their PayPal account or email address instead.
What happens if I transfer money and then dispute the original transaction?
If you transfer money out of PayPal and then file a dispute or chargeback on the original payment, PayPal may reverse the transfer and pull the money back from your bank account. This can leave your bank account negative if you have already spent it. Avoid transferring money until you are certain the original transaction is legitimate.
Do I pay taxes on money I transfer from PayPal to my bank?
Transferring money does not create a tax event — you only owe taxes on the income itself, not on moving it between accounts. If the money in PayPal came from sales or services, you may owe income tax on that amount. Keep records of what the money was for in case the IRS asks.
How long does a standard transfer really take if I start it on a Friday?
Three to five business days means three to five working days, not calendar days. A transfer started Friday afternoon will not begin processing until Monday, so it typically arrives Wednesday through Friday of the following week, depending on your bank's processing speed.
Can I set up automatic transfers from PayPal to my bank?
PayPal does not offer automatic recurring transfers. You have to initiate each transfer manually. If you receive regular PayPal payments and want them to move to your bank automatically, you can set up a withdrawal schedule through PayPal's settings, though this is not available on all account types.