Are you confused about PayPal vs. TransferWise? When you send money abroad, you much be very careful. Sending your own currency in exchange some other currency may have some unexpected hidden charges. Also, if you are working for a foreign client and you need to take payment online then Paypal and Transferwise are two most reliable option. But which one is the best? Let us discuss the keen differences between PayPal and Transferwise.
Paypal and TransferWise are two best of all when things come to foreign money transfer. Transferwise is only available for foreign transfers while with PayPal you can transfer money in domestic as well as international regions.

PayPal vs. TransferWise: which one is best for foreign transfers?
TransferWise is a platform that practices in sending money between two different countries with different currencies. The cost of transferring money is reasonable and they do not have any hidden cost. No margin on Exchange Rates!
PayPal is better for domestic transfers and provides the best platform for all use cases like making online payments or send money to friends, as long as you send in the same currency. If you need to transfer money across the globe to some other country then it is not a good option to go for as it proves out to be costly. PayPal takes some margin of the transfer!
How the process of transferring Works?
TransferWise: You pay from your bank account, debit or credit card and send money directly to the recipient’s bank account. The options may change depending upon the boundaries For example, if you are transferring money from the US to the UK you also have the option to pay from your bank account via ACH (Automated Clearing House), from various countries in Europe you can make a SOFORT transfer. The main thing is fees and exchange rates are clear and mentioned very well on the website. The platform warns you about all the fees including hidden fees if there is any which they can’t control.
PayPal: With PayPal also, you pay the money from your bank account, debit or credit card. Also, you can send through your PayPal balance or PayPal credit and to the recipient’s PayPal account. It is purely the recipient’s choice if he wants to send the money to his own bank account or leaves it in PayPal account only. One more thing to note, Here the fees and exchange rates are NOT clear and transparent. So there is an idea, GO through the whole FAQ or real-time customer support to know better before transferring.
Differences Between PayPal and TransferWise
1) Overall Performace/ User Ratings
- PayPal: 5/10
- TransferWise: 9.2/10
What do people like about Transferwise?
- You get the true mid-market rate
- Low and transparent transfer fees
- Fantastic user experience
- Exceptional customer reviews on Trustpilot.
What do people like about PayPal?
- Credibility: PayPal is the largest internet payment company in the world
- Widely available and convenient
- With over 250 million active account holders globally, many people already have PayPal accounts and are already familiar and comfortable with using PayPal’s services
What do people Dislike about PayPal?
- The total cost of a cross-border transfer with currency exchange is at least 2.5%
- In most extreme cases, you could lose close to 10% of the amount you transfer
- Lack of transparency about exchange rates
- Extremely poor Trustpilot reviews
Winner: TransferWise
2) Fees
TransferWise charges very less share of the money you transfer. Roughly 0.6% to 1 % is chargeable during transfer. Well, it depends too. If you are using a credit card then you may have to go through fees of 0.3% to 2% of the total money transferred. The charges may fluctuate depending upon the card you are using and the region from where it is issued. If you pay via ACH there is a 0.15% fee.
PayPal fees are zero if you transfer money from your PayPal account or your bank account, but fees rise to 2.9% of your transfer if you pay through cards Debit/credit or PayPal card. Paypal charges you $1 to $5 per transaction. Over it, if you are paying with your credit card, debit card or PayPal Credit and they hit you with another fee of 2.9% of the total transaction amount along with a fixed fee based on currency. On Total, PayPal costs you around 5-6% of the transfer amount, which is very costly.
Winner: Transferwise
3) Exchange Rates
TransferWise‘s exchange rate is based on the standard, mid-market rate. This means that unlike other money transfer providers, they do not add a margin on top of that rate.
PayPal’s exchange rate is based on the rate they get from their bank and they add a 2.5% margin on top of that. It is impossible to know what their bank rate is, but bank exchange rates are notorious for being poor–in other words, they are generally bad for the customer and good for the bank.s
4) Speed
Along with, fees and Exchange rates, Speed is also necessary. The major factor on which speed is dependent is the currency.
TransferWise promises to transfer funds within 1-4 working days while PayPal is slow and claims to send money within 3-5 business days.
Winner: TransferWise
Our Verdict
TransferWise is the best option if you want to send money to a foreign country. The hefty charges of PayPal will leave you stunned and make it difficult for you to spend your hard-earned bucks. The winner is TransferWise. Rest, the choice is purely yours.
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