The basic steps to receive money on PayPal

To receive a payment on PayPal, the person sending you money needs your PayPal email address or a payment link you create. You don't need to do anything in advance — your account is ready to receive as soon as you sign up. When someone sends you money, it lands in your PayPal balance, and you can leave it there, transfer it to your bank account, or use it to pay others.

The sender initiates the transaction from their own PayPal account or through a website or app that uses PayPal. You'll get a notification that the payment arrived. If the payment is sent as a "friends and family" transfer, it's usually when ready. If it's sent as a "goods and services" payment, PayPal holds it briefly while checking for fraud, typically releasing it within a few minutes to a few hours.

Key Takeaways

  • Share your PayPal email address with anyone who needs to send you money — that's all they need to start a payment.
  • Payments from friends and family arrive when ready; payments for goods or services may take a few minutes while PayPal reviews them.
  • Money lands in your PayPal balance first, and you can transfer it to your bank account, keep it in PayPal, or spend it through PayPal.
  • You can create a payment request or link if you want to ask someone for money without them having to type in an amount.
  • PayPal charges the sender a fee for goods and services payments, but not for friends and family transfers.

What information the sender needs from you

The sender needs only your PayPal email address — the one you registered your account with. You don't need to share your bank account details, card number, or any other financial information. Your PayPal email is separate from your personal email if you chose to use a different one when you signed up.

If you're not sure which email is linked to your PayPal account, log in to PayPal, go to Settings, and select Account. Your registered email appears under "Email addresses." If you have multiple emails on file, PayPal shows which one is primary.

How to request money from someone

If you want to ask someone to send you money without them having to guess the amount, you can create a payment request. Log into PayPal, select "Request" from the menu, enter the person's email address, the amount, and a description of what the payment is for. Then send the request.

The recipient gets a notification with the amount already filled in. They can approve it, modify it, or decline. Once they approve, the payment goes through the same process as any other transfer — when ready for friends and family, a few minutes for goods and services.

You can also create a payment link that you share publicly or with multiple people. Go to Tools, select "Create a payment link," enter the amount and description, and PayPal generates a URL you can email, text, or post. Anyone who clicks it can pay you without needing to know your email address.

Where the money goes and how to access it

When a payment arrives, it sits in your PayPal balance. You can see it when ready after the transaction clears. From there, you have three options: leave it in PayPal and use it to pay others or make purchases through PayPal, transfer it to your linked bank account, or withdraw it to a debit card if you have one on file.

To transfer money to your bank account, go to Wallet, select "Transfer Money," choose "Transfer to your bank," enter the amount, and confirm. The transfer usually takes one to two business days, though some banks process it faster. PayPal doesn't charge you to transfer your own money out.

Fees and what you'll actually receive

If someone sends you money as a friends and family transfer, you receive the full amount with no fees taken out. PayPal charges the sender nothing, and you pay nothing.

If someone sends you money as a goods and services payment, PayPal deducts a fee from what you receive. The fee is 2.2% of the amount plus $0.30 for payments within the United States. For example, if someone sends you $100 as a goods and services payment, you receive $97.50. The sender sees the fee upfront before they complete the payment, so they know what they're paying.

The person sending you money chooses which type of payment to use. If they select friends and family, no fee applies. If they select goods and services, the fee comes out of your balance.

What happens if a payment doesn't arrive

If you're expecting a payment and don't see it, first check your email for a notification from PayPal. The notification tells you whether the payment is pending, completed, or failed. If it's pending, wait a few hours — PayPal's fraud review usually finishes quickly.

If the payment failed, the sender will see an error message on their end. Ask them to try again. If they're having trouble, they can contact PayPal support, or you can check your transaction history to see what went wrong. Log into PayPal, go to Activity, and look for the transaction. If it shows "Unclaimed," the sender may have sent it to the wrong email address.

If you believe a payment was sent to you but you never received it, you can file a dispute. Go to Resolution Center, select "Report a problem," and describe what happened. PayPal will investigate and either locate the payment or help you understand what occurred.

Receiving payments from outside the United States

PayPal accepts payments from people in most countries, but the process and fees vary depending on where the sender is located and what currency they're using. If someone outside the US sends you money, PayPal converts it to US dollars at its current exchange rate and may charge a conversion fee on top.

The sender's country also affects which payment types are available. Some countries don't support friends and family transfers, so the sender may only be able to use goods and services, which means a fee applies. Check with the person sending you money about what options they see on their end.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I receive money if I don't have a bank account linked?

Yes. Money arrives in your PayPal balance and stays there until you decide what to do with it. You can use it to pay others through PayPal, make purchases, or transfer it to a bank account later. You don't need a bank account to receive or hold money in PayPal.

What's the difference between friends and family and goods and services?

Friends and family transfers are for personal payments with no fees. Goods and services payments are for business transactions and include a 2.2% plus $0.30 fee. The sender chooses which type to use. Friends and family transfers process when ready; goods and services payments may take a few minutes while PayPal reviews them for fraud.

Can someone send me money if they don't have a PayPal account?

No, the sender must have a PayPal account to initiate a payment to you. However, some websites and apps that use PayPal may allow guest checkout, which creates a temporary PayPal account for the sender. If someone wants to pay you but doesn't have an account, they can sign up for free in a few minutes.

How long does it take to receive money on PayPal?

Friends and family transfers are when ready — the money appears in your balance within seconds. Goods and services payments usually arrive within a few minutes to a few hours while PayPal checks for fraud. If you're transferring the money to your bank account, that takes one to two business days depending on your bank.

What if I receive a payment by mistake?

Contact the sender and ask them to request a refund through PayPal. They can go to their Activity, find the transaction, and select "Refund." The money returns to their account. If they don't refund it, you can contact PayPal support, but the fastest resolution is usually asking the sender directly to reverse the payment.