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Personal Finance · head to head

PayPal vs Remitly

PayPal logo

PayPal

Personal Finance

The simpler, safer way to pay and get paid

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Remitly logo

Remitly

Personal Finance

Send money faster to loved ones abroad

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; Remitly specific transfer fees and exchange rates not published on website; users must check rates page
  • They diverge on capability: PayPal covers Payment processing, Remitly covers International remittances.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PayPal and Remitly actually diverge.

Attributes where PayPal and Remitly differ
AttributePayPalRemitly
Starting price$29/monthOn request
Pricing modelusage-basedtransaction
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb, IOS, Android
Founded19982011

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Personal Finance).

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 Remitly

  • International remittances
  • Multiple delivery methods
  • Send money to 200+ countries
  • Currency conversion
  • Bank accounts
  • IOS support

Both cover

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

Remitly

  • International money transfer and remittance servicenot PayPal
  • Cross-border payments for personal financial needsnot 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

Remitly

  • Specific transfer fees and exchange rates not published on website; users must check rates page
  • Costs vary by destination country, transfer amount, and delivery method
  • No standardized fee schedule available for pricing comparison

Pricing, plan by plan

PayPal

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

Remitly

On request
  • Express$undefined/month
    • Fast transfers
    • Multiple delivery methods
  • Economy$undefined/month
    • Lower cost option
    • 3-4 day delivery

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 Remitly if

  • You need international remittances.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want multiple delivery methods.
Remitly review

Questions people ask

Is PayPal or Remitly better?
Neither clearly leads. PayPal starts at $29/month and Remitly at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PayPal or Remitly?
PayPal starts at $29/month and Remitly at On request.
Does PayPal or Remitly run on more platforms?
PayPal runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Remitly runs on Web, IOS, Android.
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 Remitly is typically brought in for.
What can PayPal do that Remitly cannot?
PayPal covers Payment processing, PayPal Checkout, Invoicing, Business debit card. Remitly covers International remittances, Multiple delivery methods, Send money to 200+ countries, Currency conversion. Both handle Web support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

PayPal: Does PayPal charge fees and when do they apply?

PayPal states that fees apply when converting currency and sending money to accounts in another country. Specific fee amounts are not disclosed on the homepage but are referenced in their published fee schedule.

Source
Remitly: How much does Remitly charge for transfers?

Remitly fees vary by destination country, transfer amount, and delivery speed. The company emphasizes no hidden fees but does not publish a standardized rate table on their main site. Users must visit the Rates and Fees page or enter transfer details in the app for specific pricing.

Source
PayPal: Is there a subscription cost to use PayPal's basic services?

No subscription fees are mentioned on the homepage. PayPal operates on a transaction-based fee structure for money transfers and payments rather than recurring charges.

Source
PayPal: Are there restrictions on when I can use buyer protection?

PayPal offers buyer protection for eligible purchases, but coverage limitations exist. A user agreement sets the specific conditions for protection eligibility.

Source
PayPal: What payment methods can I link to PayPal?

PayPal's digital wallet allows storage of multiple payment methods and can be used for secure money transfers, payment requests, and checkout at major retailers.

Source
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