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Software · head to head

PayPal vs Cash App

PayPal logo

PayPal

Software

The simpler, safer way to pay and get paid

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Cash App logo

Cash App

Software

Money sent in seconds

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Cash App 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; Cash App the App Store listing states free ATM withdrawals and up to 200 dollars in free overdraft coverage on the Cash App Card are only available once a user qualifies for Green status, not to all users by default.
  • They diverge on capability: PayPal covers Payment processing, Cash App covers Money transfers.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PayPal and Cash App actually diverge.

Attributes where PayPal and Cash App differ
AttributePayPalCash App
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelusage-basedfree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiIOS, Android
Founded19982013

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 Cash App

  • Money transfers
  • Direct deposit
  • Bitcoin trading
  • Stock investing
  • Bank accounts
  • Cash Card
  • IOS support

Both cover

  • Android 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 Cash App
  • Sending money to friends and family domestically and internationallynot Cash App
  • Holding balances in multiple currencies for cross border purchasesnot Cash App

Cash App

  • Budget Managementnot PayPal
  • Expense Trackingnot PayPal
  • Investment Trackingnot 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

Cash App

  • The App Store listing states free ATM withdrawals and up to 200 dollars in free overdraft coverage on the Cash App Card are only available once a user qualifies for Green status, not to all users by default.

Pricing, plan by plan

PayPal

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

Cash App

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Money transfers
    • Direct deposit
    • Mobile app
  • Cash App Investing$undefined/month
    • Stock trading
    • Bitcoin trading

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 Cash App if

  • You need money transfers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on IOS, Android.
  • You also want direct deposit.
Cash App review

Questions people ask

Is PayPal or Cash App better?
Neither clearly leads. PayPal starts at $29/month and Cash App at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PayPal or Cash App?
Cash App has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for PayPal and Free for Cash App.
Does PayPal or Cash App run on more platforms?
PayPal runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Cash App runs on IOS, Android.
Can I use Cash App for free?
Yes. Cash App 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 Cash App is typically brought in for.
What can PayPal do that Cash App cannot?
PayPal covers Payment processing, PayPal Checkout, Invoicing, Business debit card. Cash App covers Money transfers, Direct deposit, Bitcoin trading, Stock investing. Both handle Android support.
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Related pages

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