PayPal is a money transfer platform that allows you to send and receive money online. You can manage your account online using a phone, computer, or tablet. The service headquarters are in San Jose, California, in the United States. One of the largest mobile money platforms allows peer-peer transfer of funds across personal and business accounts. But can you send money internationally with Paypal? This article will let you know if you can move money across the borders using PayPal.
Being a large company, PayPal faces stiff competition from other money transfer services such as Payoneer, Venmo, Cash App, and Google Play, among others. All these services use money transfer technology similar to PayPal, and that is why they pose a significant threat to the money transfer giant. However, despite the competition, PayPal remains the most suitable platform for many users. Probably, that is because of the excellent reputation it has gained over the years.
Digital money transfer platforms have changed how people deliver money to others. Nowadays, you can send money instantly to those in need, and thus you do not have to wait for too long. That way, you can solve money issues as soon as possible. Traditional money transfer options such as checks and MoneyGram are now outdated although still in use by the conservatives. They could take too long to complete, and that was inconvenient.
How to get started with PayPal
You can start using PayPal online with a smartphone, computer, or tablet as long as you have a secure and reliable internet connection. To enjoy the platform’s services, you have to create an account online by either visiting the PayPal website or downloading the app to register.
To register an account with PayPal, you must have an email address, phone number, bank account, physical address, and an identification document. You may also need to provide more details depending on the country where you are opening your account. Having all the details will help you enjoy all the services from the company.
The bank account will help you add funds to your account to fund your transactions when your balance is insufficient. One can also link a credit or debit card to fund their transactions. The identification document ensures that fraudsters do not open accounts and send money to fund illegal activities.
Examples of such people are terrorists and drug traffickers. You require an email address plus a phone number for communication purposes. The physical address allows you to receive tangible things such as payment cards or relevant things from the company.
Once you have everything with you, you can open your account. You should decide whether you want a personal or a business account. A personal account allows you to receive and send money to friends and relatives, while a business account helps you to accept payments from your customers. You will learn how to send money through PayPal to friends and family shortly.
How to open a PayPal account?
The steps to open a PayPal account are as follows.
- Visit www.paypal.com or download the PayPal app.
- Select Sign Up.
- Choose between a Personal or Business Account.
- Enter country, email, and password.
- Enter other personal details.
- Link your bank or credit union account, debit, or credit card to PayPal.
- Lastly, verify your email with PayPal to access the full features of your account.
When opening your account, adding a bank account, debit, or credit card for funding your transactions is optional. However, an account not linking to any payment method is easily scammed and has several limits from PayPal.
How to add funds to a PayPal account?
Having money in your account helps you transact with your account. There are various ways you can add funds to your account. They include the following.
i) Receive funds from others
You can get money from friends and relatives to your personal account. If you have a business account, you can receive money from your customers when they pay you. The funds you receive add to your existing balance and thus a reliable source of money to use with your account. For others to send you money, they need your phone number or email address.
ii) Add money from a bank or payment card
One can easily add funds to their bank account as long as they have linked it to their PayPal account. The following is the process you can use to add money from your bank account using your computer.
- Click Wallet.
- Select Transfer Money.
- Hit on Add money to your balance.
- Select your bank
- Enter the money to transfer and click Add.
If you’re adding money using a mobile app, you should do as follows.
- Tap Dashboard.
- Hit on your PayPal balance.
- Tap Add Money.
- Select your preferred method of adding money. It can be through a bank account or payment card.
The balance to reflect on your account takes 3-5 business days. You will always get an email when the transfer is complete. There is no specific time to transfer money as you can do it any day. Interestingly, I can transfer money from PayPal to my bank account or debit card.
iii) Add money at a location
With a PayPal Cash Card, one can add money to your account at various retail locations like CVS, Dollar General, Family Dollar, Rite Aid, 7-Eleven, Dollar Tree, Walgreens, and Walmart. You need to visit any store with your card and give the cashier the cash you want to deposit.
Next, give them your card to swipe on their card reader machine to load it. You will get a message on your phone or email about the deposit. You can also view your balance by logging in to your account and checking your balance. When you add money to your card, the funds are also available to your PayPal account.
iv) Check deposit
You can deposit your checks to PayPal within the shortest time possible by endorsing them, taking photos, and then uploading them to your account. After processing, the money will reflect in your account. You do not need to take the check to your bank to deposit.
v) Direct deposit
PayPal allows you to receive money through direct deposit, whereby your employer sends money to your account after you fill out a direct deposit form. You can receive your payments two days earlier than a traditional bank. Direct deposit requires that you submit your PayPal account and routing numbers that you can get online from your account.
What can you do with PayPal?
There are various transactions you can do with PayPal. They include the following.
- Send money to others. You can quickly transfer funds to other PayPal users online when logging into your account. You need to navigate the money transfer section and carry out the process.
- Pay for goods and services. PayPal allows you to pay your seller instantly by sending money to their PayPal account. You can also use the PayPal debit card to purchase your goods or services.
- Transfer money to a bank account. PayPal allows you to move money to your bank account to use it in various ways. You must first link the bank to PayPal to carry out the transfers.
- Accept payments. If you have a PayPal business account, it becomes straightforward to accept payments from your customers.
How to send money through PayPal
Transferring money through the platform is easy. You can carry out the process in the following manner.
- Using your mobile app, tap Payments, then hit Pay.
- Enter the recipient’s PayPal username, email, or mobile number.
- Enter the amount to send and choose currency.
- Add a message (optional) and hit Next.
- Choose how you want to pay and hit Next.
- Select “Friends and Family” or “Goods and Services” and hit Next.
- Check your details and tap Send.
The funds should appear immediately.
Can you send money internationally with PayPal?
PayPal is among the best ways to transfer money internationally. You can send money to over 200 destinations around the world instantly. It allows you to make payments to international businesses and receive your orders at your physical address. The platform is highly acceptable by thousands of businesses across the world.
Remember that you do not need to have any balance in your account to transact on PayPal, as you can add money from your bank account or payment card. International money transfers have made the world look like a village because you can send money within minutes across the world.
Even though some countries still do not support PayPal, most of the world’s nations accept the payment platform. Above all, PayPal is still the cheapest way to send money internationally.
How do you transfer money from PayPal to a bank account?
You can move money from PayPal to a bank account in the following manner.
- Navigate to My wallet.
- Select Transfer Money.
- Choose Transfer to your bank.
- Select the bank account where to deposit funds
- Click Continue.
- Enter the amount to transfer and tap Next.
- Review the transfer and click Transfer Now.
You might need to transfer money from a bank account to your debit card to carry out various kinds of transactions. Sometimes you need money in a bank account to carry out various transactions that you cannot do with your PayPal account, such as saving money. One can also transfer money from PayPal to a debit card instantly or within 30 minutes.
Bottom line
PayPal is an international money transfer platform that allows you to send and receive money. The company allows you to send money to over 200 destinations worldwide. With your account running, you can carry out various transactions such as buying goods and services, transferring money to your bank account, and sending money. You can add money to your account via direct deposit, bank transfers, and check deposits.
