Software · head to head
PayPal vs Skrill
The short version
- Only Skrill 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; Skrill a currency conversion fee of 4.49 percent applies to most conversions
- They diverge on capability: PayPal covers Payment processing, Skrill covers Money transfers.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which PayPal and Skrill actually diverge.
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 Skrill
- Money transfers
- Digital wallet
- Currency conversion
- Prepaid card
- Bank accounts
- Credit cards
- 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 Skrill
- Sending money to friends and family domestically and internationallynot Skrill
- Holding balances in multiple currencies for cross border purchasesnot Skrill
Skrill
- Sending money internationally from a prepaid digital walletnot PayPal
- Funding and withdrawing from online merchants and gaming sitesnot PayPal
- Buying and selling cryptocurrency inside a wallet accountnot 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
Skrill
- A currency conversion fee of 4.49 percent applies to most conversions
- An inactivity fee of EUR 5.00 is deducted monthly after six months with no login or transaction
- Card deposits carry a 2.50 percent fee
- SWIFT bank withdrawals cost 2.80 percent with a minimum fee of EUR 3.5
- Skrill to Skrill transfers cost 2.99 percent with a EUR 0.50 minimum on standard accounts, reduced to 1.45 percent only for True Skriller accounts
- Crypto trading fees are tiered by VIP status, from 1.50 percent standard down to 1.30 percent at Gold and Diamond VIP
Pricing, plan by plan
PayPal
$29/month- Standard$2.99/transaction
- Card payments
- PayPal checkout
- Invoice payments
Skrill
Free- Free AccountFree
- Money transfers
- Digital wallet
- Premier Account$undefined/month
- Higher limits
- Special rates
Which should you pick?
Choose PayPal if
- You need payment processing.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
- You also want paypal checkout.
Choose Skrill if
- You need money transfers.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want digital wallet.
Questions people ask
- Is PayPal or Skrill better?
- Neither clearly leads. PayPal starts at $29/month and Skrill at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, PayPal or Skrill?
- Skrill has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for PayPal and Free for Skrill.
- Does PayPal or Skrill run on more platforms?
- PayPal runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Skrill runs on Web, IOS, Android.
- Can I use Skrill for free?
- Yes. Skrill 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 Skrill is typically brought in for.
- What can PayPal do that Skrill cannot?
- PayPal covers Payment processing, PayPal Checkout, Invoicing, Business debit card. Skrill covers Money transfers, Digital wallet, Currency conversion, Prepaid card. Both handle Web support, Android support.