How to Set Up a PayPal Account
PayPal is a popular online payment system that lets you shop online without having to re-enter your information for every transaction. You can easily set up a PayPal account and start using it in a matter of minutes.
1
Visit the PayPal website or open the PayPal app. You can create an account from the PayPal homepage or from the app. You can install the app for free from your device's app store. The account creation process is largely the same for both the website and the app.[1]
2
Click "Sign Up for Free" or tap "Sign Up". This will begin the account creation process.
For business accounts, there are two different options, each of which have different cost structures and benefits. Standard accounts free, but customers must route through PayPal in order to check out. Pro accounts cost $30 per month, but you get to full control over how you want to design the checkout process.
The Standard free business account is the same as the old PayPal Premier account. This account is best suited for users who do lots of buying and selling on eBay.[2]
3
Enter your email address and create a password. Make sure that you create a strong password so that nobody else can access your financial information. See How to Create a Secure Password for some tips.
Make sure that you enter a valid email address, as you'll need to use it to verify your account.
4
Fill out the form with your personal information. You'll need to enter your legal name, address, and phone number. All of this information is required in order to create your account.
5
Enter your credit or debit card (optional). After entering your personal information, you'll be prompted to enter your credit or debit card. You can enter this now or later, but you'll need to at some point if you want to verify your PayPal account.
If you don't want to enter your card information now, click "I'd rather link my bank first".
6
Enter your bank account information (optional). You'll need a bank account linked if you plan on receiving money and want to be able to transfer it to your bank. You don't have to do this now if you don't want to. Just click "I'll link my bank later" to skip it for now. You'll be prompted to confirm that you want to skip the process.
7
Apply for PayPal credit (optional).Before you're taken to your account's Summary page, PayPal will prompt you to sign up for a line of credit. This is optional, and you should read all of the terms carefully before applying. If you'd rather not apply for credit, click "No thanks".
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1
Confirm your email address. In order to receive money at your PayPal account, you'll need to confirm your email address. You should have received an email when you created your account. Click the "Yes, this is my email" button in the email message to confirm your email address.
If you can't find the message, check your Spam folder or "Purchases" label in Gmail. You can have PayPal send another message from your account Summary page. Click "Confirm Email" to send another message.
2
Link your bank account. In order to send money from your bank account or transfer funds you receive to your account, you'll need to link it with PayPal. Click the "Link a bank" option on your account Summary page to get started. Sending money to friends and family from your linked bank account is cheaper than using your debit or credit card.
If your bank is listed, you'll be able to enter your online banking login information to automatically link your account.
If your bank is not listed, you'll need to enter your account number and routing number. You can find these on the bottom of your checks. This will take a day or two to confirm. PayPal will make two small deposits into your account, totaling less than a dollar. You'll need to enter these two values in order to confirm that you are the owner of the bank account. You'll be able to find these deposits on your online statement after 24-48 hours.
3
Link your debit or credit cards. You can use PayPal to manage your various credit and debit cards, allowing you to checkout from websites without having to enter your information each time. Click the "Link a card" option on your Summary page to add a card to your PayPal wallet. You'll need to enter the card number, expiration date, and security code. The name on the card must match the legal name you entered when creating your account. Cards are linked instantly.
You can also use this method to add a prepaid gift card from Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover.
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Community Q&A
Question
What if I have a peso account and they deposit dollars. Is it fine?
wikiHow Contributor
Community Answer
Yes, PayPal should convert other currencies to the rate of the time you get it. It'll show up as dollars on your statement, however.
Question
Can I link a savings account instead of a checking account?
wikiHow Contributor
Community Answer
Yes, you can link any kind of bank account to your PayPal account.
Question
Do I have to have a credit card or bank account to open a PayPal account?
wikiHow Contributor
Community Answer
No, but if you don't, you can only receive money by check.
Question
Can I set up a PayPal without a bank account?
wikiHow Contributor
Community Answer
Yes, you can. You won't be able to move funds from your bank account to your PayPal account, but you can load it with a debit card, credit card, PayPal gift card, or have other people send you money.
Question
How do I withdraw money from my PayPal account?
wikiHow Contributor
Community Answer
There should be a withdraw button on your PayPal account page. You then need to select the bank account to send it to and the amount you want sent.
Question
Can I open a PayPal account without a credit or debit card?
wikiHow Contributor
Community Answer
If you have a bank account and can provide the account/routing number for that, yes.
Question
Why do they need my address?
wikiHow Contributor
Community Answer
They need your address to verify your identity. It's just a security measure.
Question
Can I open a PayPal account if I live outside the US?
wikiHow Contributor
Community Answer
Yes, anyone, anywhere can open a PayPal account. You'll just have to link it to an existing credit card, debit card, or bank account number.
Question
Can I register with eBay without setting up PayPal?
wikiHow Contributor
Community Answer
Yes. You can just for browsing; however, it will ask you for a payment method if you try to buy something. It is safest to use PayPal.
Question
What does it cost to use PayPal?
wikiHow Contributor
Community Answer
Nothing, it's a free service. You just have to sign up and link your bank account, not for any fees, but to make payments with the service.
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I need to know what I need to do to have customers pay by pay pal.
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Do I need to pay any deposits?
Answer
How do you get a pay pal account when living in the Virgin Islands
Answer
I have a Visa gift card how do I use it to put coins on a game?
Answer
What do I need to open a PayPal account for my church
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Quick Summary
To get started setting up a PayPal account, go to paypal.com and click “Sign up” in the top right corner of the page. Enter your email and create a password for your account that will be hard for others to guess. Then, fill out the form with your name, address, and phone number. You can also enter your bank account information so you can transfer money between your accounts.
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798 votes - 86%
Co-authors: 28
Updated: 6 weeks ago
Views: 1,195,889
Categories: PayPal
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