The basic steps to send a payment

To send money through PayPal, you log into your account, click "Send & Request" (or "Send Money" depending on your account type), enter the recipient's email address or phone number, type the amount, choose whether to send it as a payment for goods or services or as a personal transfer, and then confirm. The money leaves your PayPal balance or linked bank account when ready, though the recipient may not see it in their account for a few minutes to a few hours depending on their bank.

The exact button names and page layout vary slightly between PayPal's website and its mobile app, but the sequence is the same. If you are sending to someone in another country, PayPal will show you the exchange rate and any fees before you confirm the transaction.

You do not need the recipient's PayPal password or account details beyond their email address or phone number. PayPal uses that to find their account and deliver the money. If the recipient does not have a PayPal account yet, they will receive a notification and can claim the money by creating one.

Key Takeaways

  • PayPal transfers from your account to the recipient's PayPal account or linked bank account within minutes to a few hours, depending on their bank's processing speed.
  • You can send money using only the recipient's email address or phone number — you do not need their full account details.
  • Sending to someone in the same country as a personal transfer is usually free; sending as a payment for goods or services or sending internationally incurs a fee that PayPal shows before you confirm.
  • If the recipient does not have a PayPal account, they can claim the money by creating one after receiving the notification.
  • The money is sent when ready, but the recipient's bank may take up to 24 hours to deposit it into their account.

Personal transfers versus payments for goods or services

PayPal lets you choose the type of transaction when you send money, and the choice affects whether you pay a fee and what protection each party has. A personal transfer (sometimes called "send money to friends and family") is free when both people are in the United States and you are sending from your PayPal balance or a linked bank account. The recipient gets the full amount with no deduction.

A payment for goods or services is what you use when you are paying a business, a freelancer, or anyone providing something in exchange. PayPal charges a fee — typically 2.2% of the amount plus $0.30 in the United States — and the recipient receives the amount minus that fee. This type of payment comes with buyer protection: if the goods do not arrive or the service is not delivered as described, you can file a dispute and potentially recover your money.

Personal transfers do not include buyer protection. If you send money as a personal transfer and the recipient does not send what they promised, PayPal will not reverse the transaction. Choose personal transfer only when you trust the recipient or when you are sending to someone you know — a friend, family member, or someone you have done business with before.

Sending money to a bank account instead of a PayPal account

If the recipient does not have a PayPal account, you can still send them money directly to their bank account through PayPal's "Transfer to Bank" feature. You will need their bank account number, routing number, and the name on the account. This option is available in the United States and some other countries, but not everywhere.

The transfer takes one to three business days to appear in their bank account. PayPal charges a fee for this service — the amount depends on the country and the transfer method, and PayPal will show you the fee before you confirm. This is different from sending to their PayPal account, which is faster and may be free depending on the transfer type.

To use this feature, go to "Send & Request," select "Send Money," and look for the option to send to a bank account. You will enter the recipient's bank details and the amount. PayPal will verify the account information before processing the transfer.

International payments and currency conversion

When you send money to someone in another country, PayPal converts your currency to theirs at its current exchange rate. The exchange rate PayPal uses is typically close to the mid-market rate but includes a markup — PayPal's margin on the conversion. You will see the exact rate and the amount the recipient will receive in their currency before you confirm the transaction.

International payments incur a fee in addition to the currency conversion cost. The fee structure depends on whether you are sending a personal transfer or a payment for goods or services, and which countries are involved. Some countries have higher fees than others. PayPal displays all fees and the final amount the recipient receives before you click confirm, so you know the total cost upfront.

The recipient's bank may take longer to process an international transfer — typically three to five business days — than a domestic one. Some banks charge their own fee to receive an international wire transfer, which comes out of the amount the recipient gets. Ask the recipient whether their bank charges an incoming wire fee before you send.

What happens if the recipient's email or phone number is wrong

If you enter an incorrect email address or phone number, PayPal will send the money to the wrong person's account. PayPal does not verify that the email or phone belongs to the person you intend to send to — it straightforward delivers the money to the account associated with that address or number.

If you realize the mistake when ready after sending, contact PayPal right away. If the recipient has not claimed the money yet, PayPal may be able to cancel the transaction and return the funds to you. If the money has already been claimed or deposited, you will need to contact the recipient directly and ask them to send it back. PayPal cannot force a refund once the money has been received.

Double-check the email address or phone number before you click confirm. If you are sending to someone for the first time, send a small test amount first or verify the address with them directly.

Fees and what affects the cost of sending

The cost of sending money through PayPal depends on four things: whether you are sending a personal transfer or a payment for goods or services, whether the recipient is in the same country or abroad, which country the recipient is in, and whether you are sending from your PayPal balance or a linked bank account.

Personal transfers within the United States from your PayPal balance or a linked bank account are free. If you send a personal transfer internationally, PayPal charges a fee that varies by country — typically between 1% and 3% of the amount plus a fixed fee. Payments for goods or services always incur a fee: 2.2% plus $0.30 in the United States, with higher percentages for international payments.

If you are sending from a credit card instead of your PayPal balance or bank account, PayPal charges an additional fee. PayPal will show you the total cost — including all fees and currency conversion if applicable — before you confirm the transaction. There is no way to avoid the fee once you have chosen the transfer type and destination country, but you can see it upfront and decide whether to proceed.

Tracking a payment you have sent

After you send money, PayPal gives you a transaction ID and shows the payment in your activity history. You can use the transaction ID to track the payment's status — whether it is pending, completed, or failed. Open your PayPal account, go to your activity or transaction history, and click on the payment to see details including the recipient's name, the amount, the date sent, and the current status.

If the payment shows as "completed," the money has left your account and been delivered to the recipient's PayPal account or bank account. If it shows as "pending," it is still processing — this usually means the recipient's bank is taking time to deposit it. If it shows as "failed," the transaction did not go through, and the money will be returned to your account within a few business days.

You can also see whether the recipient has claimed the money if you sent it to an email address or phone number not yet linked to a PayPal account. The transaction history will show "unclaimed" until they create an account and accept the transfer.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take for the recipient to see the money?

If you are sending to someone with a PayPal account, they usually see the money within minutes. If you are sending to a bank account, it takes one to three business days. International transfers take longer — typically three to five business days — because the money has to move through multiple banks and currency conversion systems.

Can I cancel a payment after I send it?

If the payment is still pending and the recipient has not claimed it, you can cancel it and the money returns to your account. Once the payment is completed or the recipient has claimed it, you cannot cancel it through PayPal. You would need to contact the recipient and ask them to send the money back.

What if I send money to the wrong person?

Contact PayPal when ready. If the money has not been claimed or deposited yet, PayPal may be able to cancel the transaction. If it has been claimed, you will need to contact the recipient directly and ask for a refund. PayPal cannot force someone to return money once they have received it.

Do I need the recipient's full name to send them money?

No. You only need their email address or phone number. PayPal uses that to find their account and deliver the money. If you are sending to a bank account instead of a PayPal account, you will need the account number, routing number, and the name on the account.

Is there a limit to how much I can send?

PayPal sets sending limits based on your account age, verification status, and transaction history. New accounts have lower limits than established ones. You can check your sending limit in your account settings. If you hit your limit, you can request an increase, though PayPal may require additional verification.