PayPal is a payments & billing tool for Small businesses and Freelancers, offered as free. Founded in United States in 1998. Popular alternatives include Adyen.
About PayPal
PayPal Business is the merchant side of PayPal, the San Jose company founded in 1998 that was spun off from eBay in 2015 and also owns Venmo, Braintree and the Zettle point-of-sale business. A free business account lets companies accept PayPal wallet payments, Venmo in the US, cards and buy now, pay later options online, in apps and in person.
Merchants can add PayPal checkout buttons to an online store, send invoices and payment links, run subscriptions, and accept card payments through PayPal's own processing so they do not need a separate gateway for cards. Seller protection covers eligible transactions against unauthorized payments and item-not-received claims, and multi-currency balances help international sellers. There is no monthly fee for the standard account; pricing is a percentage plus a fixed fee per transaction that varies by country, payment method and cross-border status, with extra charges for currency conversion.
PayPal's recognizable brand raises checkout trust, which is why many stores offer it next to a card processor. Fees are usually higher than Stripe or Adyen, account limitations and fund holds are a known risk for new or fast-growing sellers, and the developer experience trails Stripe. PayPal has not operated in Turkey since 2016, when it withdrew after failing to obtain a local license, so Turkey-based businesses cannot open accounts there; they typically use local providers such as iyzico or PayTR, or a company abroad for international sales.
Key features of PayPal
- PayPal and Venmo checkout
- Card processing
- Pay Later options
- Invoices and payment links
- Buyer and seller protection
- Multi-currency
Pros and cons
Pros
- Trusted brand increases conversion
- Global reach
- Easy setup
- Invoicing included
Cons
- High fees
- Account holds and disputes
- Developer experience behind Stripe
- Currency conversion costs
PayPal pricing
PayPal uses a free model.
| Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Business account | $0 | Free to open; fees per transaction |
| Checkout | 3.49% + fixed fee / per transaction | US domestic; cards 2.99% + fixed fee; +1.50% international |
Source: www.paypal.com · checked on Oct 20, 2026
How PayPal compares in Payments & billing
- Rank by votes
- #1 / 18
- Starting price
- $0
- Free alternatives
- 2
0 votes from members
Category median is $39/mo
Free or open-source tools in Payments & billing
PayPal ranks #1 of 18 payments & billing tools by community votes and is not directly comparable on price.
Common use cases
- 1Adding PayPal button to a store
- 2Freelancer invoicing international clients
- 3Marketplace payouts
- 4Accepting Venmo
Best for
Merchants wanting trusted checkout options.
Not ideal for
Sole processor for high-volume SaaS.
Integrations
- Shopify
- WooCommerce
- BigCommerce
- Wix
- QuickBooks
- Xero
- eBay
Our take
Offer PayPal as an option, not as your only processor.
FAQ
- What is PayPal?
- PayPal is a Payments & billing tool: Global payments and invoicing.
- How much does PayPal cost?
- PayPal is Free; there is no mandatory paid plan.
- What are the best alternatives to PayPal?
- Community-listed alternatives to PayPal include Adyen.
- What does PayPal integrate with?
- PayPal integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Wix, QuickBooks, Xero and more.
- Which platforms does PayPal support?
- PayPal is available on web, ios, android.
- Who is PayPal for?
- Merchants wanting trusted checkout options.
Alternatives to PayPal
Adyen
▲ 0Enterprise payments platform for online, in-store and platform sales
PaidEnterpriseE-commerce
More Payments & billing tools
Shopier
▲ 0Sell and get paid online from Turkey, including via social media
PaidSmall businessesCreators
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share real experience.
Sign in to write a review.