Yes, you can use a credit card on PayPal, but how it works depends on what you're trying to do
You can add a credit card to your PayPal account and use it to send money, make purchases, or pay bills. PayPal accepts most major credit cards: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. When you link a card, PayPal holds a small temporary charge (usually $1 to $2) to verify the card is real — that charge drops off within a few days.
The catch is that not every PayPal transaction lets you choose your credit card as the payment method. If you have a PayPal balance or a linked bank account, PayPal may pull from those first. You can change the payment order in your account settings, but some transactions — like paying a bill through PayPal's bill pay feature — only accept bank accounts or PayPal balance, not credit cards.
Key Takeaways
- You can add Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover to PayPal by entering the card number, expiration date, and CVV in your wallet settings.
- PayPal will charge and refund $1 to $2 to verify the card is real; this takes a few days and does not affect your credit.
- Some PayPal features — like bill pay and money transfers to other people — may not accept credit cards as a payment method.
- If you have a PayPal balance or linked bank account, PayPal may use those before your credit card unless you change the payment order in settings.
- Using a credit card on PayPal counts as a purchase, so your card issuer may charge a cash advance fee or treat it differently than a regular purchase.
How to add a credit card to your PayPal account
Log into PayPal on a web browser or the mobile app. Go to Wallet (or My Money on the app), then select Add a card. Enter your card number, expiration date, CVV (the three-digit code on the back), and billing zip code. PayPal will ask for your name and billing address if it does not already have them.
After you submit, PayPal will charge your card $1 to $2 within a few minutes. This is a verification charge, not a fee. Check your card statement in a few days — the charge will disappear on its own. You do not need to do anything to remove it. Once the charge clears, your card is active and ready to use.
If you want to add a card through the mobile app, the steps are the same, but the menu location may differ slightly depending on whether you use iOS or Android. Look for Wallet or Payment methods in the app's main menu.
When PayPal will and won't let you use a credit card
PayPal lets you use a credit card for online shopping at stores that accept PayPal, sending money to friends and family, and paying invoices from sellers. You can also use it to fund your PayPal balance by transferring money from your card into your account.
PayPal does not let you use a credit card to pay bills through PayPal's bill pay service — that feature only accepts bank accounts or PayPal balance. You also cannot use a credit card to send money internationally in most cases; those transfers require a bank account or PayPal balance. If you try to use a credit card for a transaction that does not support it, PayPal will ask you to choose a different payment method.
If you have both a PayPal balance and a linked credit card, PayPal will usually pull from your balance first, then your bank account, then your credit card. You can change this order in your account settings under Payment preferences or Payment methods, but the option to reorder is not available for every transaction type.
Credit card fees and how your card issuer treats PayPal charges
PayPal itself does not charge you a fee when you use a credit card to make a purchase or send money. However, your credit card company may treat a PayPal transaction as a cash advance or a purchase, depending on the card and the type of transaction.
A cash advance typically carries a higher interest rate and an upfront fee (often 3% to 5% of the amount). A regular purchase uses your card's standard interest rate and has no upfront fee. Most credit card companies treat PayPal purchases as regular purchases, but some treat transfers of money from your card to your PayPal balance as cash advances. Call your card issuer's customer service number (on the back of your card) and ask how they classify PayPal transactions before you link your card if you want to be certain.
Using a credit card on PayPal does not hurt your credit score directly. The transaction shows up on your card statement like any other purchase, and it counts toward your card's monthly balance and credit utilization ratio.
What to do if your credit card is declined on PayPal
If PayPal rejects your card, the most common reasons are an incorrect card number, expiration date, or CVV; a mismatch between your billing address and the address on file with your card issuer; or your card issuer blocking the transaction because they flagged it as suspicious.
First, double-check that you entered the card number, expiration date, and CVV correctly. Make sure your billing zip code matches what your card issuer has on record. If those are correct, contact your credit card company directly — they may have blocked the PayPal transaction as a fraud precaution. Ask them to allow PayPal transactions and try again.
If your card is still declined after you have confirmed the details and contacted your issuer, try removing the card from PayPal and adding it again. Sometimes a fresh verification resolves the problem. If it continues to fail, your card issuer may not support PayPal, or there may be a temporary issue with their system. In that case, use a different payment method or contact PayPal support through the Help Center.
Removing or updating a credit card on PayPal
To remove a card, go to Wallet, find the card you want to delete, and select the menu icon (three dots) next to it. Choose Remove or Delete. PayPal will ask you to confirm. Once you remove a card, PayPal will no longer be able to charge it, but the card will stay in your transaction history.
To update a card — for example, if your expiration date changed or you got a new card number — remove the old card and add the new one. PayPal will run the verification charge again. You cannot edit a card's details directly; you have to delete and re-add it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does PayPal charge a fee when I use my credit card?
PayPal does not charge you a fee for using a credit card to make purchases or send money. Your credit card company may charge a fee if they classify the transaction as a cash advance, but most treat PayPal purchases as regular transactions with no fee.
Can I use a credit card to send money to another person on PayPal?
Yes, you can use a credit card to send money to friends and family through PayPal's money transfer feature. However, if the recipient is in another country, PayPal may require you to use a bank account or PayPal balance instead of a credit card.
What if I don't want PayPal to use my credit card first?
You can change the order in which PayPal uses your payment methods. Go to Payment preferences or Payment methods in your account settings and reorder your linked cards and accounts. PayPal will then pull from the method you list first.
Is it safe to link my credit card to PayPal?
PayPal uses encryption and fraud detection to protect your card information. Your actual card number is not shared with merchants when you pay through PayPal — they only see that you paid with PayPal. However, if your PayPal account is hacked, the person with access could use your linked card, so use a strong, unique password for PayPal.
Can I use a prepaid credit card on PayPal?
Most prepaid cards work on PayPal as long as they are branded with Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover. Some prepaid cards have restrictions or do not support online verification, so if PayPal declines your prepaid card, contact the card issuer to ask if they support PayPal.