PayPal large transfers and transfer limits in 2025

Need to put down a deposit on a property, buy a car or pay a big bill? You’ll need to know the cheapest, safest and easiest way to make a large transfer.

One option is the popular digital money service PayPal. But how good is it for large payments?

In this guide, we’ll run through everything you need to know about sending large amounts with PayPal in the UK. This includes how to set up a payment, security considerations, transfer times, limits and more.

If you’re looking for a reliable and cost-effective way to transfer large sums internationally, consider the money services provider Wise. With low, transparent fees*, great mid-market exchange rates, and secure, trackable transfers, Wise makes international money transfers simple and stress-free.

Plus, you’ll get dedicated support and volume discounts when sending large amounts.

Get expert support for your large transfer 📞

Can you send large transfers with PayPal?

Yes, PayPal is a suitable service for making a large transfer.

You’ll need to open a PayPal account before sending and crucially, your recipient will need one too. It isn’t possible to send money straight to a bank account with PayPal. So, it could be worth checking that your recipient is ok to receive the money via PayPal.

You’ll also need to check your personal sending limits, available in your PayPal account - just in case it’s not enough for what you need.

PayPal doesn’t charge transfer fees for sending money within the UK in GBP, whether sending to friends and family or paying for goods and services.¹

However, it does have fees for international transfers or those involving currency conversion.

PayPal transfer limits

PayPal is a little vague on the subject of maximum transfer limits, and this is likely because it varies between users.

When you sign in to your PayPal account online or on the PayPal app, you’ll be able to check your own personal sending limit. If you haven’t yet followed the steps to verify your account, this limit will be much lower. So, it’s worth getting your account verified as soon as you can.

For verified accounts, PayPal suggests you should be able to send the equivalent of $60,000 USD (approx. £45,000 GBP) in one transaction.²

If you find you can’t send this much or need to send more, it’s best to contact PayPal to ask about increasing your limit. Otherwise, you may need to find an alternative service for your transfer.

What’s the maximum amount you can send with PayPal?

You’ll need to check your own personal sending limits, by signing into your PayPal account online or in the app.

But it’s likely that you won’t be able to send more than $60,000 USD (approx. £45,000 GBP) per transaction.²

Can you send multiple large transfers per day?

Yes, you should be able to send multiple large transfers with PayPal per day. However, at some point you may bump up against your personal sending limits - a message will be displayed online or in the app if this is the case.

If you need to make additional transfers, you can contact PayPal to discuss your options for lifting your sending limits.

How to transfer large amounts with PayPal: Step-by-step process

It’s pretty simple to use PayPal to send money. All you need is an account, a linked bank account or card and you’re ready to go.

However, it isn’t quite like using a bank. With PayPal, you’ll be sending money to someone’s email address (the one they signed up to PayPal with) - so you won’t be entering bank details.

The recipient will need to have a PayPal account (or sign up for one after being notified of the payment) in order to receive the money.

Here’s how to send money through PayPal in just a few simple steps:

1. Login to your PayPal account
2. Head to the ‘Send & Request’ section.
3. Type in the recipient’s email address or mobile number – these details need to be those used to register their PayPal account, so it’s worth double-checking with the recipient beforehand.
4. Enter the amount you want to send, the currency and an optional note to tell the recipient what the payment is for
5. Choose your payment type (i.e. paying for goods or a service, or paying a friend)
6. Check the amount and funding source – this will usually be set as your bank account or current PayPal balance, but you can change it if you wish. If you’re sending straight from your PayPal balance, you’ll need to add funds first.
7. Send the payment.

You can send money either online at PayPal.com, or using the PayPal mobile app.

The process is similar for sending international payments with PayPal, except that you’ll need to choose a country and currency.

You’ll also have the option to send money with the linked PayPal service Xoom, which is handy if the recipient doesn’t have a PayPal account.

Is PayPal safe for large payments?

PayPal is a respected and trusted name in the world of digital money services. It’s not a UK bank, but it is authorised and regulated as an electronic money institution.

As such, the company is required to use sophisticated security measures to protect your money and transfers.

PayPal also offers Buyer Protection when sending money to pay for eligible goods and services. This means you can raise a dispute if something goes wrong.

This being said, it’s always wise to take steps to protect yourself when sending a large sum. These include:

• Avoid sending money to people you don’t know - always do extra checks and online research to make sure that payment requests are genuine.
• Never feel pressured into sending a payment - it could be a scam.
• Avoid sharing your online or mobile banking login details with anyone.

How long do large transfers take with PayPal?

If your payment is time-sensitive, you’ll need to know average transfer times for large transfers with PayPal.

Here’s a quick look at how long large transfers usually take, based on you initiating the payment before the given cut-off time:

PayPal large amount transfer fees and costs

So, how much does it cost to send PayPal large transfers in the UK? Here are the main fees and charges you need to know about:⁵

When sending an international transfer with PayPal, you’ll also need to check the exchange rate - as well as the upfront fee.

For any transactions requiring a currency conversion, PayPal adds a fee of 3%.⁵

Wise – a low-cost alternative for transferring large amounts

Looking for a secure, convenient and low-cost way to send large sums of money internationally? Take a look at the Wise account from the money services provider Wise. It's not a bank account but offers some similar features and your money is safeguarded.

With Wise, you can send large amount transfers worldwide to 140+ countries in 40+ currencies for low, transparent fees* and mid-market exchange rates with no markup.

✅ Sign up with Wise for free

**Investments in funds are never guaranteed and your capital can be at risk. In the UK, Interest and Stocks are provided by Wise Assets — this is the trading name of Wise Assets UK Ltd, a subsidiary of Wise. Wise Assets UK Ltd is authorised as an investment firm and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Our FCA number is 839689. We do not give investment advice, and you may be subject to pay tax. If you're not sure, seek qualified advice. You can find more information about the funds on our website.

Sources used:

Sources last checked on date: 23-Oct-2025