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PayPal vs Apple Pay

PayPal logo

PayPal

Software

The simpler, safer way to pay and get paid

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Apple Pay logo

Apple Pay

Software

The easier way to pay and send money

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Apple Pay has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: PayPal currency conversion on international purchases and sends carries a 4.00 percent fee, and 3.00 percent in other conversion scenarios; Apple Pay apple Pay works only in countries and regions that support contactless payments and is not available in all markets
  • They diverge on capability: PayPal covers Payment processing, Apple Pay covers Digital wallet.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PayPal and Apple Pay actually diverge.

Attributes where PayPal and Apple Pay differ
AttributePayPalApple Pay
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelusage-basedfree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiIOS, WatchOS, MacOS
Founded19982014

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 PayPal

  • Payment processing
  • PayPal Checkout
  • Invoicing
  • Business debit card
  • Working capital loans
  • Shopify
  • WooCommerce
  • BigCommerce

Only in Apple Pay

  • Digital wallet
  • Secure payments
  • Contactless transactions
  • P2P money transfers
  • Credit cards
  • Debit cards
  • Bank accounts
  • IOS support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

PayPal

  • Paying online merchants without sharing card detailsnot Apple Pay
  • Sending money to friends and family domestically and internationallynot Apple Pay
  • Holding balances in multiple currencies for cross border purchasesnot Apple Pay

Apple Pay

  • Contactless in store payment from iPhone and Apple Watchnot PayPal
  • Paying in apps and on the web without entering card detailsnot PayPal
  • Sending money between Apple users with Apple Cash and Tap to Cashnot PayPal

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

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

Apple Pay

  • Apple Pay works only in countries and regions that support contactless payments and is not available in all markets
  • Apple Cash is available only in the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico
  • Apple Cash Family accounts and Tap to Cash transactions are each capped at 2000 USD within a rolling seven day period
  • Mac support requires a Touch ID equipped model
  • A card works only if the issuing bank supports Apple Pay, and banks may charge their own overseas usage fees

Pricing, plan by plan

PayPal

$29/month
  • Standard$2.99/transaction
    • Card payments
    • PayPal checkout
    • Invoice payments

Apple Pay

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Secure payments
    • P2P transfers
    • Transit passes

Which should you pick?

Choose PayPal if

  • You need payment processing.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want paypal checkout.
PayPal review

Choose Apple Pay if

  • You need digital wallet.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on IOS, WatchOS, MacOS.
  • You also want secure payments.
Apple Pay review

Questions people ask

Is PayPal or Apple Pay better?
Neither clearly leads. PayPal starts at $29/month and Apple Pay at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PayPal or Apple Pay?
Apple Pay has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for PayPal and Free for Apple Pay.
Does PayPal or Apple Pay run on more platforms?
PayPal runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Apple Pay runs on IOS, WatchOS, MacOS.
Can I use Apple Pay for free?
Yes. Apple Pay has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PayPal starts at $29/month.
What is PayPal best used for?
PayPal is most often used for paying online merchants without sharing card details, sending money to friends and family domestically and internationally, holding balances in multiple currencies for cross border purchases. Of those, paying online merchants without sharing card details and sending money to friends and family domestically and internationally are not what Apple Pay is typically brought in for.
What can PayPal do that Apple Pay cannot?
PayPal covers Payment processing, PayPal Checkout, Invoicing, Business debit card. Apple Pay covers Digital wallet, Secure payments, Contactless transactions, P2P money transfers.
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