How To Get Money Out Of Paypal

PayPal lets you withdraw money via bank transfer or paper check.
When requesting your PayPal balance be transferred to your bank account, you can choose an instant transfer (for a fee) or a standard transfer, which can take longer.
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When I used to sell items on Etsy and eBay, I was always thankful for PayPal. It was such as easy way to receive money — not to mention spend it on something else.

PayPal is one of the largest electronic funds transfer companies today, and it works with everyone from online merchants making sales to friends and family who want to send cash to each other. What's more, it provides a safe way to conduct transactions — no doubt you've been paid by freelance clients or used it yourself when checking out online.

You have two options when withdrawing money from PayPal: a bank transfer or a paper check in the mail. Either of these options will work, but a paper check in the mail could take more time to arrive, and you may need to pay fees.

Note that since the spring of 2019, PayPal requires users who want to store money in their PayPal account to have a PayPal Cash or PayPal Cash Plus Account (the latter offers a debit card and the ability to deposit checks). Users who don't want to store money — they just want PayPal to facilitate purchases through a credit card, for instance — don't need a PayPal Cash Account.

If you opened a PayPal account before March 29, 2019, you can switch over to this type of account to keep and use your balance from PayPal. To convert your account, select the "Keep it in PayPal" option when you receive funds and and follow the prompts.

Below, we'll go through the steps to transfer your money to a bank. If you'd prefer a paper check, skip to step five.

How to withdraw money from PayPal

1. Choose between an instant and standard bank transfer

There are two different transfer speeds to transfer to a bank account: instant and standard. The instant transfer option charges 1% of your balance transfer with a maximum of $10 per transaction, and you'll receive your funds in around 30 minutes. The standard option is free to use, but will take up to one business day.

2. Link a bank account to your PayPal account

Once you log into your PayPal account, click on the link "Money" then "Link new bank." Select from the list of banks provided or click on "I have a different bank" if you don't see it listed.

Then, select the type of account — checking or savings — and enter your account information. You'll need to wait for PayPal to confirm your bank account before you can withdraw money.

3. Confirm your bank account

PayPal will confirm your bank account by sending two tiny deposits, no more than $0.99. Check your bank account after two to three business days to see your PayPal deposits, then log into your PayPal account to confirm these amounts.

To do so, click on "Money" after logging into PayPal, then click on the bank account you want to confirm. Enter the amounts of the two deposits that were made.

4. Make a transfer

To transfer money to your bank account, click on "Withdraw Money" right by your PayPal balance. Choose if you want to make an instant or standard transfer — only qualifying bank accounts can opt for instant transfer, and you should be able to see if yours is eligible.

Once you select which bank account will receive your money, select the amount you want transferred. Review your request, then click "transfer." Your money should arrive within 30 minutes if you made an instant transfer and within one business day if you made a standard transfer.

There may be delays if PayPal encounters any issues with your transfer. For instance, PayPal might need to verify recent changes you've made in your settings, it might need to look twice if you're receiving an unusually high amount of money, or it might need to be extra cautious if you logged in from an unsecured network. Also, if you requested a transfer on weekend, holiday, or after 7 p.m. EST, then your transfer could take longer.

5. Request a check

To request a check, log into your PayPal account and on your summary page, click "Accept the Money" if you don't have a PayPal Cash or PayPal Cash Plus account. If you do, click on "Transfer Money."

Then, click on "Request a check by mail." Select the amount you want withdrawn, fill in your mailing address information, and submit the request once you've reviewed and confirmed your transaction request.

You may be charged a fee for this option, so check PayPal's updated fee list to see how much you could pay.

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Sarah Li Cain

Freelance writer

Sarah Li Cain is a finance, real estate, and travel writer whose work has appeared in places like LendingTree, KeyBank, Stacking Benjamins and Her Money podcast with Jean Chatzky. She's also the host of Beyond The Dollar, where she and her guests have deep and honest conversations about money that affects people's well-being. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, yoga, and spending time with her family.