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What are PayPal’s international fees and how to avoid them: US guide
If you’re planning on making an international payment or transfer with PayPal, it’s important to understand its pricing structure.
While PayPal can be convenient for international transactions or payments, many people don’t realize that the fees are fairly steep. Plus, PayPal's exchange rate includes a currency spread markup, which means that you'll lose even more money when switching from USD to another currency.¹
Here's everything you need to know about PayPal's international transfer fees.
We'll also introduce Wise — your international money transfer alternative. Use Wise to send stress-free transfers to over 140 countries - all at the standard mid-market exchange rate.
Does PayPal charge a fee to send money internationally?
Yes, PayPal charges fees for international money transfers. While sending money within the US is free when you use your PayPal balance or a linked bank account, international transactions come with costs.¹
| PayPal charges 5% of the transaction amount for international transfers, with a maximum fee of 4.99 USD.¹ |
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This means if you're sending 100 USD internationally, you'll pay the full 4.99 USD fee. For smaller amounts like 50 USD, you'll pay 2.50 USD in fees.
💡 You can send money to over 110 countries through PayPal, but your recipient must have a PayPal account.² If your recipient doesn't use PayPal or prefers other payment methods like cash pickup or bank deposits, this can be problematic.
What are PayPal’s exchange rates?
PayPal doesn't just charge transaction fees. They also make money through unfavorable exchange rates when you make an international transfer.
When you switch from USD to a foreign currency like EUR, PayPal adds a currency conversion markup that ranges between 3% and 4% above the mid-market exchange rate, with 4% being the most common markup.¹
For example, if the mid-market exchange rate (the one you see on Google) is 1 USD = 0.85 EUR, PayPal might offer you an exchange rate of 1.00 USD = 0.82 EUR. This 0.03 difference may seem small, but it adds up on every USD you send and can quickly cost you way more than the transfer fee.
If you're sending 500 USD to Europe with this example rate, your recipient would get 410 EUR instead of 425 EUR, which is a difference of 15 EUR just from the exchange rate markup alone, on top of the transfer fee for your wire transfer.
This is already a much bigger amount than the 4.99 USD international transfer fee, and the cost of the currency exchange rate increases the more money you send. Overall, PayPal currency conversion fees are a big expense that may seem small or even "hidden” at first.
| 💡 Wise can help you save on exchange rate markups and hidden fees. See how Wise compares and make a fast, cheap and secure international transfer: |
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PayPal international fees breakdown
Here's a full breakdown of PayPal's international fees for US users:
| Transaction type | PayPal international transfer fee¹ |
|---|---|
| Sending money internationally | PayPal balance or bank account: 5% of the amount (max 4.99 USD) Credit/debit cards: 5% of the amount (max 4.99 USD) + 2.90% + fixed fee |
| Receiving money internationally | No base fee, but currency conversion fees may apply |
| Currency exchange rate | 3% to 4% markup above the mid-market rate |
The PayPal wire transfer fee is the most expensive when you use a credit or debit card to fund your transfer. You'll pay the 5% international transfer fee as well as the 2.90% + fixed fee for using a card.¹ On a 1,000 USD transfer, you'll pay about 34 USD just in transfer fees.
The 5% fee for sending money internationally is capped at 4.99 USD, which means you'll never pay more than that amount in transaction fees regardless of how much you send.¹ However, this cap doesn't include currency conversion costs or card fees, which have no cap.
While there isn’t a fee when you receive money from your friends and family via PayPal, additional fees can still apply when currency conversion is involved.
For example, if your family or friends send you money from the UK in GBP, PayPal first converts it to USD before depositing it into your account.
Usually, PayPal does this conversion themselves. However, if you’re funding your payment with a credit or debit card, you might have the choice to have your card provider make the conversion instead.
If PayPal converts your funds, there’s a markup of either 3% or 4%, depending on your scenario, which is applied to the wholesale exchange rate.¹ This can mean that you might receive less money from your friends or family than you expected by looking at the mid-market rate.
Make fast, secure and low cost international transfers with Wise
Send money to 140+ countries with the mid-market exchange rate and low, transparent fees with Wise. Set up a free Wise account online or in the Wise app, to transfer money fast in 40+ currencies.
Over 50% of Wise payments arrive instantly* — and all Wise transfers are deposited directly into your recipient's bank account for convenience.
No ongoing fees, no hidden charges and no hassle — just fast, transparent international transfers that can beat the banks.
*Transaction speed claimed depends on funds availability, approval by Wise’s proprietary verification system and systems availability of our partners’ banking system, and may not be available for all transactions.
PayPal international transfer limits
PayPal doesn’t put a hard cap on the total amount you can send if your account is verified, but there are still some limits for individual transactions.
Typically, you can send up to 60,000 USD in one go, although in some cases, PayPal can set your sending limit to 10,000 USD or less, depending on factors like the currency you're using and your account history.³
If your PayPal account is not verified, you’ll face lower sending limits. PayPal doesn't publish them, but you’ll see your personal limit when you try to send money.
| Need to send a large amount? With Wise, you can send up to 1,000,000 USD per wire transfer to 140+ countries — and we automatically apply a discount when you send over 25,000 USD (or equivalent). |
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🚀Send high-amount transfers with Wise
*For more information, please visit https://payout-surge.live/us/large-amounts/%3C/a%3E.%3C/small%3E%3C/p%3E
How can you send money internationally with PayPal?
You can only send money abroad with PayPal to someone who already has a PayPal account. Here's how to set up your transfer²:
- Log in to your PayPal account
- Enter your recipient’s name, email, PayPal handle, or mobile number
- Type in the amount and select the currency you want to send
- Choose your payment type (usually “Friends and Family”)
- Select how you’d like to fund the payment
- Review all the fees and exchange rates, then hit Send
Your recipient will get the money in their PayPal account, often instantly, and they can withdraw it to their bank if they’d like.
If the person you're sending money to doesn’t have a PayPal account, you won’t be able to use the standard PayPal send feature. In that case, you’ll need to use Xoom, a PayPal-owned service that supports transfers to bank accounts, for cash pickup, and for door delivery in certain countries.
However, Xoom has its own fee structure and exchange rate markups, so it’s worth comparing those costs before sending.
How to avoid international wire transfer fees
Now that you have an answer to the question, "Does PayPal charge international fees?", you're probably wondering how you can reduce these hefty costs when sending money abroad.
You won't be able to eliminate wire transfer fees completely, but you may be able to secure a better deal. Here's how:
Understand how currency conversion works
With services like PayPal, the exchange rate you get can depend on how the payment is processed. For example, if you convert currency within your account (a balance transfer), you might get a slightly better rate. If you send money and let the platform convert it during the payment process, the rate could be less favorable.
Fund your transfer wisely
Using a linked bank account or PayPal balance comes with much lower fees than paying with a debit or credit card. If you can, avoid using your cards for international transfers.
Compare providers
One of the easiest ways to cut down on fees is to shop around. Always check both the fee and the exchange rate a provider offers you, since poor rates can often cost more than the fee itself.
What’s the best way to send money internationally?
Banks are certainly one option for sending money internationally, as are services like PayPal. But the problem with banks is they can often be slow, expensive and inconvenient. Luckily, there’s a better alternative out there.
You can send money worldwide with Wise for low fees and the mid-market exchange rate. It’s easy and quick to set up a payment online, and you’re guaranteed secure transfers even when sending large sums.
Wise is a money service business (MSB) regulated by 12 international financial authorities and uses sophisticated security features to keep you and your money safe.
Open a Wise account, and you can send, spend and convert between 40+ currencies whenever you need to. You can even receive money from all over the world using your own local account details.
As if all that wasn’t enough, there’s a Wise Multi-Currency Card too. For a one-time fee of just $9, you can spend in over 150 countries in the local currency. Your USD is automatically converted at the mid-market rate for just a small conversion fee.
💡 Need to make a business payment? With the Wise Business account, you can send up to 1,000,000 USD per transfer from licensed states.
| Some key features of Wise Business include: |
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Discover the difference between
Wise Business vs. Personal
Sources
- PayPal - PayPal Consumer Fees
- PayPal - Send money internationally
- PayPal - What’s the maximum amount I can send with my PayPal account?
*Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.
This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its subsidiaries and its affiliates, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional.
We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether expressed or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date.
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