Softwr

Software · head to head

PayPal vs Quicken

PayPal logo

PayPal

Software

The simpler, safer way to pay and get paid

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Quicken logo

Quicken

Software

Take control of your finances

From
$3.99/month
Rated
-

The short version

  • 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; Quicken quicken Simplifi (cloud version) costs $3.99 annually if billed yearly, but renews at full price $6.99/month unless cancelled before renewal
  • They diverge on capability: PayPal covers Payment processing, Quicken covers Budget creation.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PayPal and Quicken actually diverge.

Attributes where PayPal and Quicken differ
AttributePayPalQuicken
Starting price$29/month$3.99/month
Pricing modelusage-basedsubscription
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS
Founded19981983

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Quicken

  • Budget creation
  • Bill management
  • Investment tracking
  • Tax planning
  • Bank accounts
  • Investment accounts
  • Credit cards
  • Windows 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 Quicken
  • Sending money to friends and family domestically and internationallynot Quicken
  • Holding balances in multiple currencies for cross border purchasesnot Quicken

Quicken

  • Individuals managing personal finances via Quicken Simplifi cloud app for budgeting and savings trackingnot PayPal
  • Freelancers and self-employed managing business and personal finances via Quicken Business & Personal plannot PayPal
  • Users preferring local data storage via Classic desktop editionsnot 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

Quicken

  • Quicken Simplifi (cloud version) costs $3.99 annually if billed yearly, but renews at full price $6.99/month unless cancelled before renewal
  • Renewal pricing significantly higher than introductory rate; annual cost jumps from $47.88 (promotional) to $83.88 (regular renewal)

Pricing, plan by plan

PayPal

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

Quicken

$3.99/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Quicken review.

Which should you pick?

Choose PayPal if

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

Choose Quicken if

  • You need budget creation.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want bill management.

Questions people ask

Is PayPal or Quicken better?
Neither clearly leads. PayPal starts at $29/month and Quicken at $3.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PayPal or Quicken?
PayPal starts at $29/month and Quicken at $3.99/month.
Does PayPal or Quicken run on more platforms?
PayPal runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Quicken runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS.
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 Quicken is typically brought in for.
What can PayPal do that Quicken cannot?
PayPal covers Payment processing, PayPal Checkout, Invoicing, Business debit card. Quicken covers Budget creation, Bill management, Investment tracking, Tax planning.

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