The basic process: three steps and a waiting period

To withdraw money from PayPal to your bank account, you link a U.S. bank account to your PayPal wallet, then initiate a transfer from the PayPal app or website. PayPal moves the money to your bank in one to three business days, depending on which transfer speed you choose. The slowest option (standard transfer) is free; faster options cost between $0.25 and $2.00 per transfer.

You do not need to be a PayPal merchant or have a business account to do this. Any personal PayPal account can withdraw to a linked bank account. The money must already be in your PayPal balance — you cannot transfer money that is pending, held, or still arriving from a sale or payment.

Key Takeaways

  • You must link your bank account to PayPal first by providing your routing number and account number, which takes one to two business days to verify.
  • Standard transfers (free) take one to three business days; when ready transfers cost $0.25 to $2.00 and arrive within minutes.
  • The money you withdraw must already be available in your PayPal balance, not pending or on hold.
  • PayPal holds some transfers for up to 21 days if your account is new, you have not withdrawn before, or the transfer amount is unusually large.

Linking your bank account to PayPal

Before you can withdraw, PayPal needs to know which bank account to send money to. Open the PayPal app or go to PayPal.com, sign in, and select Wallet (on the app) or Settings (on the website). Look for Banks and Cards or Linked Banks. Choose Link a Bank Account and enter your routing number and account number. You can find both on a check, or call your bank to ask.

PayPal will make two small deposits (usually under $1 each) to your bank account within one to two business days. You then return to PayPal and confirm the exact amounts of those deposits. This verification step proves you own the account. Until you confirm, PayPal will not let you withdraw to that bank account, though you can still receive money into your PayPal balance.

If you have already linked a bank account before, you do not need to do this again. You can add a second or third bank account using the same process.

Starting a withdrawal from your PayPal balance

Once your bank account is linked and verified, open PayPal and go to Wallet. You will see your PayPal balance at the top. Select Transfer Money or Withdraw (the exact wording varies by app version). Choose Transfer to Your Bank. PayPal will show you the linked bank accounts you have set up; select the one you want the money to go to.

Enter the amount you want to withdraw. PayPal will show you the available balance and warn you if you are trying to withdraw more than you have. Choose your transfer speed: Standard Transfer (free, one to three business days), Next Business Day ($0.25 to $1.50 depending on amount), or when ready Transfer ($0.25 to $2.00, arrives within minutes). Review the details and confirm.

PayPal will send you a confirmation email with a reference number. Keep this number if you need to contact PayPal about the transfer later. The money will leave your PayPal balance when ready, even if it has not yet arrived at your bank.

When PayPal holds a withdrawal

PayPal sometimes holds a withdrawal for up to 21 days before sending it to your bank. This happens most often if your account is brand new (less than a few months old), you have never withdrawn before, the amount is much larger than your usual transfers, or PayPal's fraud system flags the transaction as unusual. A hold does not mean the withdrawal failed — it means PayPal is verifying the request before releasing the money.

You will see a note in your transaction history saying the transfer is on hold and when it will be released. You cannot cancel a held transfer, and you cannot withdraw that money again while it is held. If you need the money sooner, contact PayPal Support through the app or website and explain your situation; they may release the hold early, though they are not required to.

Fees and limits on withdrawals

Standard transfers to a U.S. bank account are free. when ready transfers cost $0.25 to $2.00 depending on the amount you are sending. Next Business Day transfers cost $0.25 to $1.50. These fees come out of your PayPal balance before the money is sent, so if you withdraw $100 with an when ready transfer fee of $1.50, your bank will receive $98.50.

PayPal does not publish a maximum withdrawal amount, but your bank may have its own limits on how much money it will accept in a single deposit. If you are withdrawing a very large amount, contact your bank first to make sure they will accept it. Some banks flag large deposits for review, which can delay the money appearing in your account even after PayPal has sent it.

What to do if the transfer does not arrive

If you chose standard transfer, wait three business days. If you chose when ready or next business day, wait until the promised time has passed. Business days are Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays; transfers sent on Friday evening may not arrive until Tuesday.

Once the important date has passed, log into PayPal and check your transaction history. Find the withdrawal and look for its status. If it says Completed, the money has left PayPal and your bank should have it; contact your bank to ask where it is. If it says Pending or On Hold, it has not been sent yet; wait for the hold to lift or contact PayPal Support.

If PayPal shows the transfer as completed but your bank says it never arrived, you will need to file a claim with your bank. Bring them the PayPal reference number and the date of the transfer. Your bank can trace the money through the ACH system (the network that moves money between banks) and either recover it or tell you where it went.

Withdrawing to a bank account outside the United States

PayPal does not allow direct transfers to bank accounts outside the U.S. from a U.S. PayPal account. If you need to move money to an international bank account, you have two options: use PayPal's Withdraw to a Card feature if your country is supported (this sends money to a debit card instead of a bank account), or withdraw to a U.S. bank account first and then use your bank's international transfer service.

Some countries have PayPal local withdrawal options — for example, PayPal India lets you withdraw to Indian bank accounts. Check PayPal's country-specific help pages to see what is available where you are.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I withdraw money that is still pending from a sale or payment?

No. Pending money is not yet in your PayPal balance and cannot be withdrawn. Wait for the payment to clear (usually one to three business days), then withdraw. You can see which transactions are pending in your activity history.

What if I withdraw money and then realize I made a mistake?

If the transfer has not yet been sent to your bank (status shows pending or on hold), you can cancel it through your transaction history. If it has already been sent (status shows completed), you cannot cancel it through PayPal. Contact your bank to see if they can reverse the deposit, though this depends on how long ago it arrived.

Do I pay taxes on money I withdraw from PayPal?

Withdrawing your own money is not a taxable event. However, if the money in your PayPal account came from selling goods or services, that income is taxable. PayPal reports payments over $20,000 and 200 transactions to the IRS on Form 1099-K. Keep your own records of what the money was for.

Why does PayPal say I have a balance but will not let me withdraw it?

The money may be on hold, pending, or restricted. Go to your transaction history and look at the status of recent payments. If money is on hold, wait for the hold to lift. If it is pending, wait for the payment to clear. If it is restricted, PayPal has flagged your account for review; contact PayPal Support to find out why.

Can I withdraw to a different bank account than the one I linked?

No. You can only withdraw to a bank account you have already linked and verified with PayPal. If you want to use a different bank account, link it first (which takes one to two business days to verify), then withdraw.