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Software · head to head

PayPal vs Coinbase

PayPal logo

PayPal

Software

The simpler, safer way to pay and get paid

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Coinbase logo

Coinbase

Software

Buy, sell, and trade cryptocurrency with ease

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Coinbase 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; Coinbase the App Store listing states standard Coinbase trades carry fees and that a paid Coinbase One subscription is needed for zero trading fees and boosted staking rewards, and that fractional stock shares start at $1.
  • They diverge on capability: PayPal covers Payment processing, Coinbase covers Cryptocurrency Trading.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PayPal and Coinbase actually diverge.

Attributes where PayPal and Coinbase differ
AttributePayPalCoinbase
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelusage-basedfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb, Ios, Android
Founded19982012

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 Coinbase

  • Cryptocurrency Trading
  • Staking
  • Coinbase Wallet
  • Coinbase Card
  • Bank transfers
  • PayPal
  • Apple Pay

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • 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 Coinbase
  • Sending money to friends and family domestically and internationallynot Coinbase
  • Holding balances in multiple currencies for cross border purchasesnot Coinbase

Coinbase

  • Exchangesnot PayPal
  • Tradingnot PayPal
  • Walletsnot 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

Coinbase

  • The App Store listing states standard Coinbase trades carry fees and that a paid Coinbase One subscription is needed for zero trading fees and boosted staking rewards, and that fractional stock shares start at $1.

Pricing, plan by plan

PayPal

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

Coinbase

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Buy and sell crypto
    • Coinbase Wallet
    • Staking rewards
  • Coinbase One$29.99/month
    • Zero trading fees
    • Priority support
    • Advanced trading tools

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 Coinbase if

  • You need cryptocurrency trading.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want staking.
Coinbase review

Questions people ask

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

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