How to add money on paypal from a debit card

PayPal is an efficient service, as long as you always make sure to have a cushion of money in your account.

Not having enough cash in your PayPal balance can lead to late payments or prevent you from making quick transactions to other accounts.

There are several ways to add money to your PayPal account, so here are 4 ways to add cash right into your Paypal account.

Looking to withdraw cash from PayPal instead? Check out this handy article. Or maybe you just want to see how you can make a simple payment with PayPal instead.

Add more options to your PayPal account

Upgrade your PayPal business account by connecting it to a digital business account in Hong Kong.

Getting virtual access to a Hong Kong business account gives your business multi-currency goodness that helps make it easier to side-step foreign exchange fees and makes life much easier when making payments.

When you top up your PayPal business account, you should do it on your terms.

Set up a PayPal Cash account first

In March 2019, PayPal introduced PayPal Cash and PayPal Cash Plus accounts.

These accounts are designed as a place within PayPal where users can store money.

You don’t need one of these accounts to use PayPal itself. You can continue to send and receive money if you have a bank account or credit/debit card linked to your account.

But if you want to hold a balance of money in PayPal you need to either have a PayPal Cash or PayPal Cash Plus account.

PayPal automatically opened a Cash account for all active accounts created before the March 2019 cut-off.

If you are new to PayPal, you need to open a cash account before you can start adding a balance to your account.

Method #1: Add money to your balance using a linked bank account

If you want to top up your PayPal balance online, you can rely on a number of options. 

Follow these steps to top-up your PayPal cash balance using your linked bank account:

1. You need to link your local bank account to your PayPal account to be able to successfully complete this process. The name on your PayPal account needs to match the name on your bank account. If not, transfers between your bank account and PayPal account will fail.

   PayPal¹ is a super convenient way to shop online and make payments without requiring the recipient’s full banking details. You can use PayPal by linking a bank account or card — or you may be able to use PayPal’s top up options to add funds to your balance in advance.

   If you’d like to use a PayPal balance you’ll need to know how to add money to a PayPal account, including the options and fees involved. If you need to add money to your PayPal account this guide covers all you need to know.

   📑 Table of Contents
   • Add money from your linked USD bank account
   • Add money to your PayPal account with credit card or debit card
   • Add cash to your PayPal account
   • Add money using the PayPal app or website
   • Receive money from friends and family into your PayPal account
   

   Option 1. Add money from your linked USD bank account

   Here’s how to add money to your PayPal account using a linked bank account²:

   1. Log into PayPal and look for the Wallet option
   2. Select Transfer money then Add money to your balance
   3. Choose the linked bank account you want to use
   4. Confirm how much you want to transfer, and click Add

   Your money should be available in 3 to 5 days. There is no fee for this service, although it’s worth noting that the bank account you use must be in the same name as you’ve used to register with PayPal.

   Option 2. Add money to your PayPal account with credit card or debit card

   An alternative way to top up your PayPal may be to add money to PayPal with a credit card or debit card.

   It’s good to know though that this service isn’t always available for credit cards, depending on how your PayPal is set up, so you may need to pick another option from our list.

   When you set up your PayPal account you’ll have the choice to link one or more bank accounts and cards.

   At this stage if you choose to add a debit or credit card or two to your account you may be able to use these to add balance to PayPal. Here’s how to link a card to PayPal³:

   1. Go to your PayPal Wallet
   2. Click Link a debit or credit card
   3. Follow the instructions to link your card manually by completing a verification step, or automatically by logging into your online banking service

   Once your preferred card is linked, you can follow the steps outlined above for adding funds from a linked account to add money. Simply select the card you want to use as a payment method instead of a bank account, and follow the on screen prompts.

   Option 3. Add cash to your PayPal account

   Wondering how to add cash to PayPal? The good news is that it’s also pretty easy to add cash using the PayPal app, if you have a PayPal Cash Plus account.

   Just visit a supported retailer, and hand over the cash you want to add to your account, along with the barcode generated from your app. Here’s what to do⁴:

   1. Log into the PayPal app
   2. Click the More button on the bottom of the app’s home screen
   3. Tap Add cash, select the retailer you want to visit, and generate a barcode
   4. Show the store clerk the barcode, and give them the money to add to your account

   Barcodes last for only 1 hour, so you’ll need to do this just before you visit your chosen store.

   There’s a fee of $3.95 for this service⁴, and you can add amounts from $20 - $500, with a limit of $500 per day, or $4,000 per month.

   Option 4. Add money using the PayPal app or website

   Adding money to PayPal using your smartphone and linked card or bank account may be the easiest option of all. Top up your PayPal on the move or without even needing to leave home.

   Here’s how to add money to the PayPal app:

   1. If you use the PayPal app, you can add money easily from a linked bank account or card
   2. Open the app and tap PayPal balance
   3. Select Add money
   4. Confirm how much you want to top up, and follow the onscreen prompts to complete the transaction

   If you’d rather complete the same process online that’s also an option. Just log into your PayPal from the desktop site and follow the same steps.

   Option 5. Receive money from friends and family into your PayPal account

   Finally, you can also have family or friends send you money through PayPal, which will be added to your balance.

   It’s worth noting that they may pay a fee to do this. For the recipient, getting paid by family and friends is super easy. Just let them know the email address you’ve got your PayPal registered to, and wait for the money to arrive.

   If you’re receiving money from another US PayPal account, the sender will pay no fee as long as they fund the transfer with their own balance, or a linked bank account.

   When using a credit or debit card to make a domestic transfer, the sender will pay 2.9% of the transfer amount, plus a fixed fee based on the currency sent⁵. Payments from an Amex Send account have fees waived.

   If you’re receiving money from someone overseas, the costs for them are even higher, including a currency conversion cost which is usually 3% or 4% depending on the sender’s country — more on how to dodge these fees next.

   One account for all your international needs: meet Wise

   

   PayPal is great for a lot of domestic transactions — but the costs can be very high if you’re receiving money from someone based overseas. Read more about PayPal international fees, here.

   If you’re receiving payments in a foreign currency — or if you need to send money to people based overseas — you could be better off with Wise.

   The Wise Account lets you hold multiple currencies in one place, and switch between them when you need to, using the mid-market exchange rate.

   You’ll also get a linked debit card for simple spending, and local banking details to get paid like a local in over 30+ countries.

   You won’t need to pay any foreign transaction fees with Wise when you travel, or shop online with retailers based overseas.

   Simply top up your balance in dollars for free, switch to the currency you need, and use your debit card to spend like a local. You’ll only ever pay a low, transparent fee for the currency conversion. Easy.

   Get started with Wise 🚀

   Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up-to-date pricing and fee information

   ---

   Sources:

   1. PayPal US
   2. PayPal Help Center - Add money from confirmed bank account
   3. PayPal Help Center - Link a debit/credit card
   4. PayPal Help Center - Add cash
   5. PayPal US - Fees

   Sources checked on 12.12.2022

   ---

   This publication is provided for general information purposes only and is not intended to cover every aspect of the topics with which it deals. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content in this publication. The information in this publication does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from TransferWise Limited or its affiliates. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether express or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date.

   How do I put money on PayPal with debit card?

   Here's how to add money to your PayPal account:.

   Go to your Wallet..

   Click Transfer Money..

   Select your preferred way of adding money. Enter the amount..

   Choose either 'In seconds with debit' or 'up to 5 days with your bank'..

   Can I transfer money from debit card to PayPal?

   Option 2: Add Money to PayPal from a Debit Card You cannot use a debit card to add money to your PayPal Balance account. However, you can link a card to your PayPal account so that when you make a payment, the money is automatically taken from your linked debit card.

   Why can't I add money to my PayPal from my debit card?

   If you keep trying to add money to your PayPal account but the transfer isn't going through, it could be because: You haven't set up a PayPal Cash or PayPal Cash Plus account. There is a limitation placed on your account. The feature you're trying to use is not available for your region or country.

   How to put money into PayPal?

   Click “add money to your balance” to add money from your linked bank account to PayPal. Select the bank account you wish to transfer money to or from. Then click “Add”. PayPal does have fees for international transfers.