Paypal international transfer fees from France: everything you need to know

PayPal is an exclusively online service dedicated to receiving and sending funds from France and abroad. It's an easy-to-use and reliable service used by over 400 million users worldwide. But before using PayPal, you need to ask yourself the right questions: what do you know about how this service works? What are the main fees to keep in mind for international transfers? We'll cover them in this focus.

A practical, economical, and easy-to-use solution, the Wise account allows you to send money to 140+ countries around the world while relying on the mid-market exchange rate when converting currencies.

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PayPal international fees from France: everything you need to know

The rates shown below correspond to those published on the PayPal website and are subject to change at any time.

If no currency conversion is required, sending money is free¹. This is the case, for example, for a transfer made in euros within France or to/from one of the EEA (European Economic Area) countries.

PayPal international transfer fees for individuals

Here are the rates charged by PayPal for international money transfers involving currency conversion.¹

PayPal international transfer fees for businesses

For transactions from a business account to a recipient who agrees to handle the currency conversion, a 3% fee applies and is added to the base exchange rate.

The base exchange rate, or market exchange rate, corresponds to the official foreign exchange market rate on the day the conversion is requested. The problem: This makes it difficult for consumers to anticipate fees, whether charged to their own bank account or that of their receiving client/service provider.

Other possible fees for PayPal international transfers

Here are some other potential fees to consider if you use PayPal¹:

You could benefit from low fees and the mid-market exchange rate when sending your money with Wise from France!

F.A.Q PayPal international transfer from France

Sending money with PayPal without fees: is it possible?

PayPal is a secure and easy-to-use online money transfer service that allows you to send money subject to transfer fees.

PayPal charges fees that vary greatly depending on your status (personal or business), the country receiving the funds, the currency, and the recipient's bank.

This can be problematic for users who need to send money quickly and require an estimate of the fees.

In comparison, the Wise account makes it easy to send money to 140+ countries and uses the mid-market exchange rate when converting currencies. Moreover, all fees that must be paid are clearly stated by Wise before the transaction is validated.

Sending money abroad with PayPal: how to do it?

Here are the main steps to follow to make an international transfer with PayPal:

• Start by opening an account online. During this step, you must specify your country of residence, your language, and complete a form to provide your identity and bank details.

• As a secure service, PayPal will validate your personal or business account by making a transfer of a few euro cents, which will then be refunded.

• Please note that to open a PayPal account, you must be of legal age (18 years or older), have a valid email address, and set a password to protect access to your account.

• Account validation is effective when the user has uploaded proof of identity and proof of address less than 12 months old.

What information is required to send and receive funds?

To send money to a recipient with a PayPal account, all you need is their email address. There is no need to provide their bank details, as these are pre-registered in their PayPal account.

To receive money with PayPal, you simply need to have an account and provide your email address to the sender of the transfer.

How do I make a business transaction with PayPal?

If you want to send money to a merchant or business, simply use your PayPal Business account to transfer the amount corresponding to your purchase.

The only prerequisite: the recipient must have accepted payments made through PayPal.

If you are a seller and your customers have the option to make PayPal payments, a commission applies to each payment.

What payment methods does PayPal offer?

PayPal offers several payment options:

• Online payment via a personal account from your computer. Instant (EU) or contactless payments via the PayPal app, including QR codes

• Payment (free for consumers) on merchant websites

• Sending money abroad via Xoom (bank deposit, sending to a Visa debit card, sending money to a pickup location or to the recipient's address)

How long does it take to send money with PayPal?

PayPal processing times are as follows:

• Receiving money from your bank account into your PayPal account: between 1 and 2 business days²

• Online payment on a merchant website: instant

• Withdrawing money from your PayPal account to your personal account: up to 5 business days³

Are there any conditions or maximum limits with PayPal?

For international transfers (outside the EEA), expect additional fees that vary depending on the sending country, the receiving country, and the account type (personal or business).

On PayPal, verified users have no limits on the amount they can send. However, it's not possible to send more than USD 60,000 per transaction, and in some cases, PayPal may limit this amount to USD 10,000⁴.

On the other hand, users with unverified accounts have more limits on the amounts they can transfer. The maximum amount that can be sent is not displayed until the transaction is completed.

With a Wise account, send money to 140+ countries using the mid-market exchange rate

While PayPal can be a convenient option for sending and receiving money, international transfers may involve fees and exchange rate markups that add up. This is why some expats look for alternatives such as Wise, which could help reduce costs when sending money abroad.

With a Wise account, you could benefit from the following advantages:

• No exchange rate markup: The Wise account uses the mid-market exchange rate when converting currencies.

• The ability to transfer money to 140+ countries worldwide, with fees shown upfront.

• An account that supports 40+ currencies, including EUR, USD, and GBP.

• The ability to obtain account numbers in 8+ currencies to receive money like a local.

• All fees payable by the originator for both domestic and international transfers are clearly specified by Wise.

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Sources:

Sources last verified on April 14, 2025

This article is a translation of the original article published in French and was translated within 365 days of publication. While the content has been translated for accessibility, the data and sources referenced have not been updated since the original publication date.