PayPal was established in 1998 by a group of tech experts that included Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, and Max Levchin. It was said to be a libertarian venture. Since then, it has become the go-to payment service across the globe.
In 2019, PayPal’s payment volume hit $712 billion as compared to 2012, when it was $150 billion. Despite seeing notable growth in a short stretch of time, is far from acquiring the industry.
A myriad of PayPal competitors has emerged that offer similar or extraordinary services. But why did that happen? Well, PayPal doesn’t shield sellers selling digital products and services, which is a huge turn-off.
Moreover, PayPal’s ridiculous transaction fees have made people switch to competitors. Moreover, people have to wait a long time to withdraw money from their bank account, which can take three to five days. It is also notoriously known to freeze accounts for up to six months without prior warning.
Despite so many red flags, PayPal has thrived as an online financial service. But due to its exorbitant charges, people are looking for safer alternatives. So, here are the 10 best alternatives to PayPal to send & receive money that will help you decide which one is best for your business.
Things you should look for in any payment solutions
Before we get to the alternatives, I have listed a few basic points to look at in an online financial service.
- Direct deposit bank transfer.
- Easy currency conversion.
- Merchant account dashboards.
- Compatible with mobile payments.
- Online payment links.
10 Best Alternatives to PayPal to Send & Receive Money
1. Payoneer
Payoneer is the best alternative to PayPal. Known to be one of the oldest payment solutions, it can be used by Indians and Pakistanis among other countries. You can receive money from the U.S. China, Japan, European countries, Australia, and other countries.
It lets users use a debit card to withdraw funds from their bank or ATMs globally. Thankfully, Payoneer doesn’t take long to set up an account and users don’t need any prior knowledge for programming knowledge.
Pair it with its easy pricing and you have a winner. You’ll be billed monthly and transactions between Payoneer accounts are free.
Regrettably, credit card transaction fees are somewhat higher than some other services, and you’ll be paying a fee when transferring money to a bank account.
The spotlight feature of Payoneer is the low transaction fees. Visit Payoneer from the link below to know more about them.
Pricing: Signing up for Payoneer is free, and once you have done a transaction of $1000 using Payoneer, you will get a bonus of $25.
2. Google Pay
Google Pay is synonymous with seamless payments.
You can integrate a GPay account with your existing website, e-commerce store, or even applications, which is easy with any kind of website or services that you offer; you can also use ready-made integration for services like WooCommerce, Shopify, Stripe, Square, etc.
Google Pay is the most flexible digital wallet platform with options for UPI, credit and debit cards, and bank transfers.
Although you’d be paying 2.9% on credit cards, debit cards & bank transfer fees are zero. Its withdrawal time is 1-3 days. Google Pay can be your long-term PayPal alternative for your online store and an apt PayPal alternative.
Pricing: No merchant fees, only standard credit card fees.
3. Stripe
USA-based Stripe is the best option to accept payment on your online store.
Unfortunately, not all countries accept Stripe, so you can be a part of the Stripe Atlas program which lets you consolidate a company in the USA & all the while opening a bank account for you.
Stripe is quite careful about its security, so all the processing takes place on a local level and card numbers and keys are encrypted and stored separately for security.
Business owners can evaluate optimization opportunities, reconcile vendors, customize customer payment experiences, review fraud alerts, and execute reports.
Various numerous integrations include NetSuite and QuickBooks that lets you connect your payment method directly to your accounting ledger. Overall, Stripe is a wide platform for every phase of the payment process.
Pricing: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.
4. Transferwise
Launched in 2011, TransferWise is a UK-based online payment gateway that is best for individuals and businesses. The service lets customers transfer money to banks in 30+ countries.
You’ll be charged a fee based on the cost and the currency. Bank-to-bank transfer is an option and the fee is much less as compared to the fees imposed by traditional banks. You don’t have to pay any registration fees.
Its main features are low fees on transfer, multi-currency transfer, borderless account transfer, maximum transfer amount of $1 million, and support for 56+ currencies.
The residents of the UK, EU, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, and the US (except for Hawaii and Nevada) can avail of the services of Transferwise.
Overall, TransferWise is a low-cost and safe online money transfer gateway which is a licensed company in the US, the UK, and Australia as an accredited electronic money transfer firm.
Pricing: $31 set-up fee + $1.40 transaction fee + currency exchange fee.
5. Shopify Payments
Shopify is the leading eCommerce solution, thanks to its online marketing techniques.
Known for their ease of use, flexibility, and customer support, Shopify Payments allows eCommerce businesses to receive credit and debit cards directly on their Shopify store, sans a third party; although, you’ll need to have a Shopify store to use this an effective tool.
This PayPal alternative makes payments remarkably easy for sellers. Moreover, its whole integration with your Shopify store makes it easier for customers to sign up with Shopify Pay that makes checkout easier.
Shopify Payments works seamlessly with Amazon, eBay, Facebook Messenger and shops, Pinterest Buyable Pins, to name a few.
Its Shopify POS (point of sale) is great for those who decide to sell in person. If you want to progress in eCommerce, then Shopify Payments is your best bet.
Pricing: Plans start at $29 per month for a basic Shopify account and credit cards are charged at 2.9 percent plus $0.30.
6. AmazonPay
Amazon Pay is an amazing PayPal alternative, but the users should know about the brand.
Existing Amazon users need only log in to their accounts to use their saved payment details that can also be used to check out. What this does is advance the payment process that will probably improve your conversion rate.
Since Amazon Pay is available on all devices, you and your customers can be head of payments, anywhere, anytime. Its transaction fees are on the lines of PayPal, along with its fraud protection which screams secure right from the beginning.
The only downside of Amazon Pay is that you’ll need programming knowledge to blend the payment solution with your online store and customer relationship management.
Pricing: 2.9% + $0.30 for each domestic US transaction.
7. Skrill
You can think of Skrill as PayPal on steroids that don’t inherit its flaws.
This easy-to-use service lets you send and receive money, save your card details for easier checkouts, link your bank accounts, and make payments with nothing more than your email address and password.
Moreover, you can move money to your bank account in a jiffy.
Skrill is also friendly with cryptocurrencies as it was created keeping it in mind, be it Litecoin or Bitcoin. It’s also set up for other online games and gambling which require funds.
Unfortunately, Skrill’s prevention tools have inappropriately frozen user’s accounts. Its low fees are one of its benefits, while the spotlight feature is the prepaid debit card that you can use anywhere across the globe.
Pricing: 2.9% fee of the amount.
8. 2CheckOut
If your business is global, then 2CheckOut will be a viable option. With support for 30 languages, it offers eight payment types and 87 currency options in 200+ global markets.
2CheckOut is known for its higher PCI compliance, 300 fraud rules per transaction, and easy integration with over 100 online carts and expanded documentation.
What makes 2CheckOut a great PayPal alternative is its focus on international transactions. This is an astounding option for people who travel the world.
I must mention that the checkout experience makes you feel at home, and I won’t be wrong in saying that it is tailored for different countries; it can be customized even further. Although 2CheckOut’s U.S. fees are the same as PayPal’s, its international transfers are low.
Pricing: 3.5% + $0.35 per transaction.
9. Square
Square’s selling point is its point-of-sale transactions, which mobile users will find quite uncomplicated. It can also be used for online payments via your website or invoice.
When you sign up, you’ll receive your free reader to begin. The point-of-sale service is spectacular, which lets you accept cash, cards, checks, and gift cards. Receipts can be printed or you can choose to send them directly to the customers online.
The best feature of Square is its ability to swipe cards without an internet connection. Other notable features include recurring payments, invoicing, payroll tools, and real-time inventory management.
What’s more, Square Checkout easily integrates with your eCommerce store and allows you to accept payments online using a simple checkout workflow. Overall, this PayPal alternative is best for businesses centered on selling in-person.
Pricing: 2.75% for point-of-sale transactions along with other fees for various types of transactions.
10. WePay
WePay’s integrated payments for platforms makes it one of the best PayPal alternative. It is constructed to enable immediate onboarding and processing “with the scale of JPMorgan Chase.”
WePay enables businesses to secure transaction and payout capability with a single integration as it also specializes in unique online, POS, and omnichannel software platforms.
This payment solution offers a daily transaction limit of $10,000 per week, along with Apple Pay compatibility, transaction-level reporting, basic debit card, credit card, and CH processing.
If your business includes transferring a large amount, then WePay is not suitable for you; it’s especially fitting for the transfer of small amounts and crowdfunding. Residents of the US, the UK, and Canada can take advantage of WePay’s online services.
Pricing: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction.
FAQs
What else can I use instead of PayPal?
All the aforementioned services can be used instead of PayPal. They come with low fees and have some great features.
Is there any downside to using PayPal?
Even though PayPal lets you send money to family and friends for free, if you opt for a business transaction, you’ll be dearly charged every time. You’ll also be charged a 1% fee if you wish to access your money. A free bank transfer takes many days.
Can you get scammed by using PayPal?
Yes, people have gotten scammed on PayPal. Phishing and spam are some of the most common ways people are cheated out of their money. Even if you know how to safely use PayPal, you should never let your guard down as scammers find new ways to empty users’ digital pockets.
Is PayPal better than Google Pay?
Both have their pros and cons. PayPal lets you transfer up to a whopping $10,000. You probably don’t need that, but it’s there in case want to transfer such a hefty amount. It is also tied with Google pay and Apple Pay.
Is using PayPal free?
If you are using PayPal to purchase services or goods, it’s free. If your PayPal is a business account, like selling an item on Amazon, then you’ll be charged 2.9% of the transaction amount, plus a flat fee of 30 cents for each transaction. This is why many people find it quite exorbitant.
Conclusion
These are the 10 best alternatives to PayPal to send & receive money. Even though PayPal is popular, it isn’t the only right choice for your business. Above are some of the alternatives with lower fees with tighter security.
I advise you to strictly evaluate all the payment platform options carefully, reflecting on what is the most significant for your business. There are more than 10 PayPal alternatives many on the market, and most of their features are the same.
This list is quite compiling as all of the above-mentioned services have their own perks. Owning a business isn’t a cakewalk, but the payment solutions will make it easier for you to maintain the revenue of your company.
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Which PayPal alternative is the best for you? Do you know a payment solution that offers great value to the ones listed on this list? Let us know in the comments below!
