How to Send Money Through PayPal in 5 Steps

The quickest way to send money through PayPal

To send money through PayPal, you log into your account, click "Send & Request," enter the recipient's email address or phone number, type the amount, choose whether it's for goods, services, or just money between friends, and hit send. The money moves to their PayPal account instantly if both of you are in the same country. If you're sending internationally, it can take one to three business days, and PayPal will charge a fee that depends on the amount and destination country.

You don't need the recipient to have a PayPal account yet—if they don't, PayPal sends them a notification and they can claim the money by creating one. The whole process takes less than a minute once you're logged in.

Key Takeaways

• PayPal transfers between accounts in the same country arrive instantly and cost nothing if you send from your PayPal balance or linked bank account.
• International transfers take one to three business days and include a fee that PayPal shows you before you confirm the send.
• You can send to an email address or phone number, and the recipient doesn't need a PayPal account to receive the money.
• If you send from a credit or debit card instead of your balance or bank account, PayPal charges a fee even for domestic transfers.

Step-by-step: sending money to someone with a PayPal account

Open PayPal on your phone or computer and log in with your email and password. On the home screen, look for a button labeled "Send & Request"—on mobile it's usually at the bottom of the screen, and on desktop it's near the top.

Click or tap "Send Money." A form will appear asking for the recipient's email address or phone number. Type in whichever one you have. Below that, enter the dollar amount you want to send. PayPal will then ask you to choose a category: "Sending to a friend," "Paying for goods or services," or "Paying for an invoice." For personal transfers, choose "Sending to a friend"—this tells PayPal the money is not a business transaction.

Review the amount one more time, then click "Send." PayPal will show you a confirmation screen with a transaction number. The money is now on its way. If both accounts are in the United States, it arrives instantly. If you're sending internationally, check the fee amount PayPal displays before you confirm—you can still cancel at that point.

What happens if the recipient doesn't have a PayPal account

PayPal will still send the money. The recipient receives an email or text message (depending on whether you used their email or phone number) telling them money is waiting for them. They have 30 days to claim it by creating a PayPal account or logging into an existing one.

If they don't claim the money within 30 days, PayPal returns it to your account automatically. You don't have to do anything—the refund is not a manual process. This is useful if you send money to someone and later realize you used the wrong email address, because you'll get it back without having to contact PayPal support.

Fees: when you pay and when you don't

Domestic transfers between PayPal accounts cost nothing if you send from your PayPal balance (money already in your account) or from a linked bank account. If you send from a credit card or debit card, PayPal charges a fee—usually 2.2% of the amount plus $0.30, though this varies slightly by card type.

International transfers always include a fee. The amount depends on the destination country and the amount you're sending. PayPal shows you the exact fee before you confirm the send, so you can see the total cost and decide whether to proceed. The recipient receives the full amount you specified—the fee comes out of your side, not theirs.

If you're sending money to someone regularly, linking a bank account instead of using a card saves you money on every transfer. Bank transfers take one to two business days to show up in your PayPal balance, but once they're there, sending to another person costs nothing.

How to send money to someone's phone number instead of email

The process is identical to sending by email. In the "Send & Request" form, enter their phone number instead of their email address. PayPal will look up the account associated with that number. If the person has linked their phone number to their PayPal account, the transfer goes through the same way.

If PayPal can't find an account linked to that phone number, it will ask you to enter an email address instead. This is why having both pieces of information is helpful—if one doesn't work, you can try the other.

What to do if a transfer fails or gets stuck

Most transfers complete instantly or within the stated timeframe. If a transfer doesn't arrive after the expected time, log into your PayPal account and go to your transaction history. Find the transfer and click on it to see its status. PayPal will tell you whether it's still processing, pending, or if there was a problem.

Common reasons a transfer gets delayed: the recipient's account is new or limited, PayPal flagged the transaction as unusual activity, or there's a problem with the recipient's bank account if they're withdrawing the money. If you see a "pending" status, wait the full timeframe PayPal stated before contacting support. If it shows "failed," PayPal will have returned the money to your account, and you can try sending again or contact PayPal support to ask why it failed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I cancel a PayPal transfer after I send it?

If the transfer hasn't been claimed yet, you can cancel it from your transaction history. Click the transfer, then look for a "Cancel" button. Once the recipient claims the money or it's deposited into their account, you cannot cancel it—you would have to contact them and ask them to send it back.

Does the recipient see my name when I send money through PayPal?

Yes. The recipient sees your PayPal account name and the amount. If you want to include a note about what the money is for, you can add a message in the "Send & Request" form before you confirm. This message appears in their transaction details.

What's the maximum amount I can send through PayPal?

PayPal limits vary based on your account age, history, and whether you've confirmed your identity. New accounts typically have lower limits—often a few hundred dollars per transfer. As your account ages and you complete more transactions, your limit increases. Check your account settings under "Limits" to see your current sending limit.

Is it safer to send money through PayPal or a bank transfer?

Both are secure if you're sending to someone you know and trust. PayPal offers buyer protection if you're paying for goods or services, but not for personal transfers between friends. Bank transfers are not reversible once sent. For personal money between friends, either method is fine—choose based on what the other person prefers.