You can pay a credit card bill through PayPal by linking your card to your PayPal account and sending money to your card issuer
PayPal lets you send money to almost any bank account or card issuer in the United States. To pay a credit card bill this way, you log into PayPal, choose "Send Money," enter your card issuer's bank details (or search for them by name), and transfer funds. The payment reaches your card issuer's bank account, which then posts to your bill. This works whether your issuer is Chase, Capital One, Discover, American Express, or a smaller regional bank.
The catch is that PayPal does not have a direct "pay my credit card" button the way your card issuer's website does. You are sending money to a bank account, not paying through an official payment portal. This means the payment may take one to three business days to show up on your bill, and you need to know your card issuer's routing and account number — or be willing to search for it.
Most people use this method when they have PayPal balance or a linked bank account but do not want to give their credit card number directly to PayPal, or when they are earning cash back or rewards through PayPal and want to move that money quickly to pay down debt.
Key Takeaways
- PayPal's "Send Money" feature lets you transfer funds to your card issuer's bank account, which then posts as a payment to your bill.
- You will need your card issuer's routing number and account number, which you can find on your statement or by calling the issuer's customer service line.
- Payments sent through PayPal typically take one to three business days to reach your card issuer, so plan ahead if your payment is due soon.
- Paying through PayPal does not earn you rewards or cash back on the payment itself — you only earn rewards if you are transferring PayPal balance or cash back you already have.
Step-by-step: sending a payment through PayPal
Log into your PayPal account on the website or app. Click "Send Money" (on the website, this is in the top menu; on the app, it is a button on the home screen). Enter your card issuer's name in the search box — for example, "Chase Bank" or "Capital One." PayPal will show you the bank's verified account information.
Enter the amount you want to send. Review the details: the recipient bank name, the amount, and any fees PayPal shows (most transfers between bank accounts are free, but check the screen). Click "Send" or "Continue" depending on whether you are using the app or website. PayPal will ask you to confirm the payment one more time before it goes through.
The money leaves your PayPal balance or linked bank account when ready, but it takes one to three business days for the receiving bank to process it and post it to your credit card account. You will receive a confirmation email from PayPal with a transaction ID. Save this in case you need to track the payment later.
Finding your card issuer's bank details
Your credit card statement lists your card issuer's mailing address and customer service phone number, but not the routing and account number PayPal needs. The fastest way to find this information is to call your card issuer's customer service line — the number is on the back of your card or on your statement. Tell them you want to make a payment from another bank account and ask for the routing number and account number to receive payments.
Many card issuers also post this information on their website under "Payment Methods" or "Make a Payment." Log into your online account, look for a section about paying by bank transfer or ACH payment, and the routing and account numbers should be listed there. Write them down or take a screenshot before you open PayPal.
If you cannot find the information online or by phone, PayPal's search function often recognizes major card issuers by name alone. Type "Chase" or "Discover" and PayPal will show you the verified account. This is safer than entering numbers you are unsure about.
When PayPal payments take longer than expected
A payment that should arrive in one to three business days sometimes takes longer. Weekends and bank holidays add time — if you send money on a Friday evening, it may not process until Monday or Tuesday. If your card issuer's bank is closed for a holiday, the payment queues up and processes the next business day.
Occasionally a payment gets stuck in the receiving bank's system. If more than three business days have passed and the money has left your PayPal account but has not appeared on your credit card bill, log into PayPal, find the transaction in your history, and note the transaction ID. Call your card issuer's customer service line and give them the transaction ID and the amount. They can look up whether the payment arrived at their bank and where it is in their system.
If the payment is truly lost, PayPal and your card issuer will work together to locate it or reverse it so you can try again. This is rare, but having the transaction ID makes the process much faster.
Fees and whether this method saves you money
Sending money from your PayPal balance to a bank account is free. If you are using a linked bank account to fund the transfer, PayPal does not charge a fee for standard transfers either. However, if you choose "when ready transfer" (which moves the money in minutes rather than days), PayPal charges a small percentage — usually 1 to 2 percent of the amount, with a minimum fee of around 25 cents.
Your credit card issuer does not charge you for receiving a bank transfer payment. The payment posts to your account just like a check or an automatic payment from your bank would.
The real question is whether this method saves you money compared to paying directly through your card issuer's website. It does not. Paying through your issuer's website is free, when ready, and requires no extra steps. Use PayPal only if you have a specific reason — you have PayPal balance you want to move, you are earning cash back through PayPal and want to redirect it, or you prefer not to enter your card details on a payment portal.
Alternatives if you want faster payment
If your payment is due in the next day or two and you are worried a three-day PayPal transfer will not make it in time, pay through your card issuer's website instead. Most issuers offer same-day or next-day posting if you pay before a certain time (usually 5 p.m. Eastern). This is free and takes seconds.
If you do not have access to your card issuer's website or prefer not to use it, call your card issuer's customer service line and ask to make a payment over the phone. They will take your bank account information and process the payment when ready. This is also free and often posts within one business day.
PayPal's when ready transfer option exists if you absolutely need the money to move in minutes, but the fee usually makes this more expensive than waiting three days or using your issuer's own payment system.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does paying my credit card through PayPal hurt my credit score?
No. A payment is a payment, regardless of how you send it. Once the money reaches your card issuer's bank account and posts to your bill, it counts the same way as a payment made through the issuer's website or by check. Your credit report only cares that the payment arrived on time — not which method you used.
Can I set up automatic credit card payments through PayPal?
PayPal does not have a recurring payment feature for sending money to bank accounts. You have to initiate each payment manually. If you want automatic payments, set them up through your card issuer's website instead — most issuers let you schedule payments weekly, monthly, or on a date you choose.
What if I send money to the wrong bank account by mistake?
Contact PayPal customer service when ready with your transaction ID. If the payment has not been processed yet (usually within a few hours), PayPal can cancel it and return the money to your account. If the payment has already been processed, PayPal will work with the receiving bank to try to recover the funds, but this is slower and not always successful. Double-check the bank name and account number before you click send.
Is it safe to send credit card payments through PayPal?
Yes, as long as you are sending money to your actual card issuer's verified bank account. PayPal encrypts the transfer and confirms the receiving bank's identity before the money leaves your account. The risk is only if you accidentally send money to the wrong account — which is why calling your issuer to confirm the routing and account number is worth the extra step.