Software · head to head
EveryDollar vs PayPal
The short version
- Only EveryDollar has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: EveryDollar the free version has no bank connection, so every transaction is entered by hand; PayPal currency conversion on international purchases and sends carries a 4.00 percent fee, and 3.00 percent in other conversion scenarios
- They diverge on capability: EveryDollar covers Zero-based budgeting, PayPal covers Payment processing.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which EveryDollar and PayPal actually diverge.
| Attribute | EveryDollar | PayPal |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $29/month |
| Pricing model | freemium | usage-based |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, IOS, Android | Web, Ios, Android, Api |
| Founded | 2014 | 1998 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in EveryDollar
- Zero-based budgeting
- Transaction tracking
- Budget planning
- Financial insights
- Bank accounts
- IOS support
Only in PayPal
- Payment processing
- PayPal Checkout
- Invoicing
- Business debit card
- Working capital loans
- Shopify
- WooCommerce
- BigCommerce
Both cover
- Web support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
EveryDollar
- Zero based monthly budgeting using the Ramsey methodnot PayPal
- Tracking bills and sinking funds by categorynot PayPal
- Automatically importing bank transactions into a budget on Premiumnot PayPal
PayPal
- Paying online merchants without sharing card detailsnot EveryDollar
- Sending money to friends and family domestically and internationallynot EveryDollar
- Holding balances in multiple currencies for cross border purchasesnot EveryDollar
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
EveryDollar
- The free version has no bank connection, so every transaction is entered by hand
- CSV export of budget data is Premium only
- Spending reports and historical comparisons are Premium only
- Premium costs $17.99 per month billed monthly, and the $6.67 headline rate requires paying $79.99 for a year up front
- The free trial lasts 14 days and is limited to new users
PayPal
- Currency conversion on international purchases and sends carries a 4.00 percent fee, and 3.00 percent in other conversion scenarios
- Instant transfer to a bank or debit card costs 1.75 percent of the amount, with a minimum of 0.25 USD and a maximum of 25.00 USD
- International personal transactions carry a 5.00 percent fee regardless of payment method, with a minimum of 0.99 USD and a maximum of 4.99 USD
- Sending domestic personal payments funded by a credit card costs 2.90 percent plus a fixed fee of 0.49 USD
- Instant transfers are capped at 25,000.00 USD per transaction
Pricing, plan by plan
EveryDollar
Free- FreeFree
- Manual budget entry
- Plus$14.99/month
- Bank sync
- Mobile app
- Transaction tracking
PayPal
$29/month- Standard$2.99/transaction
- Card payments
- PayPal checkout
- Invoice payments
Which should you pick?
Choose EveryDollar if
- You need zero-based budgeting.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want transaction tracking.
Choose PayPal if
- You need payment processing.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
- You also want paypal checkout.
Questions people ask
- Is EveryDollar or PayPal better?
- Neither clearly leads. EveryDollar starts at Free and PayPal at $29/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, EveryDollar or PayPal?
- EveryDollar has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for EveryDollar and $29/month for PayPal.
- Does EveryDollar or PayPal run on more platforms?
- EveryDollar runs on Web, IOS, Android. PayPal runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
- Can I use EveryDollar for free?
- Yes. EveryDollar has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PayPal starts at $29/month.
- What is EveryDollar best used for?
- EveryDollar is most often used for zero based monthly budgeting using the ramsey method, tracking bills and sinking funds by category, automatically importing bank transactions into a budget on premium. Of those, zero based monthly budgeting using the ramsey method and tracking bills and sinking funds by category are not what PayPal is typically brought in for.
- What can EveryDollar do that PayPal cannot?
- EveryDollar covers Zero-based budgeting, Transaction tracking, Budget planning, Financial insights. PayPal covers Payment processing, PayPal Checkout, Invoicing, Business debit card. Both handle Web support, Android support.
Related pages
More on EveryDollar
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