PayPal payments

PayPal payments definition

PayPal payments are electronic transactions processed through PayPal’s platform, enabling businesses and individuals to send and receive money online, via mobile, or at point of sale. As one of the world’s most widely adopted online payment methods, PayPal payments are accepted in more than 200 countries and support over 25 currencies — making them a go-to solution for businesses operating across borders.

For merchants, PayPal payments can be collected via checkout integrations on e-commerce platforms, shareable payment links, digital invoices, or direct API integrations. Whether a customer pays by credit card, debit card, or directly from their PayPal balance, the funds are processed and credited to the merchant’s PayPal account — typically within minutes. PayPal payments are also widely used for B2B transactions, subscription billing, and cross-border supplier payments. Learn more about how PayPal compares to other payment methods on the official PayPal for Business page.

Types of PayPal payments

PayPal offers several distinct payment types designed to suit different business models. One-time payments are the most common: a customer completes a single transaction for a product or service. For businesses with ongoing relationships, PayPal recurring payments allow automatic billing on a defined schedule — weekly, monthly, or annually — without requiring the customer to re-authorise each charge. PayPal also supports bulk payouts, invoice-based payments, and payment links that work without a website, making the platform flexible for businesses of all sizes.

PayPal recurring payments — also referred to as PayPal subscriptions or billing agreements — are particularly valuable for SaaS companies, membership platforms, and service providers who rely on predictable revenue. Once set up, PayPal recurring payments run automatically, reducing administrative overhead and improving cash flow visibility. However, they carry the same transaction and currency conversion fees as standard PayPal payments, which can accumulate quickly for businesses billing international customers in multiple currencies.

PayPal payment fees for businesses

PayPal payment fees vary by transaction type, geography, and volume. Standard PayPal Checkout in the US costs 3.49% plus a fixed fee per transaction. Cross-border PayPal payments attract an additional 1.50% surcharge. For PayPal Pay Later options, the fee rises to 4.99% plus a fixed charge. On top of these transaction costs, PayPal applies a currency conversion markup of approximately 3–4% above the mid-market exchange rate whenever funds move between currencies — a significant cost for internationally active businesses.

For businesses receiving PayPal payments from customers in different currencies, these costs compound quickly. A company processing EUR 150,000 per year in international PayPal payments and converting to CHF at a 4% markup would face roughly EUR 6,000 in conversion costs alone — before any transaction fees. Understanding the full fee structure of PayPal payments is essential for any finance team managing cross-border cash flows and looking to protect profit margins.

How PayPal payments work with amnis

amnis connects directly with PayPal’s merchant platform, giving businesses a smarter way to receive and manage PayPal payments internationally. Instead of letting PayPal convert funds automatically at an inflated rate, amnis acts as a multi-currency acquiring layer: your PayPal payments arrive in the original transaction currency, are held in your amnis account, and converted only when you choose — at transparent, mid-market-aligned FX rates. Businesses using amnis alongside PayPal typically save up to 4% on every cross-currency withdrawal compared to converting within PayPal.

Getting started takes just a few minutes. There is no paperwork, no complex IT integration, and no lengthy onboarding. Once your amnis account is live, your PayPal payments bypass the costly automatic conversion and flow directly into a dedicated multi-currency wallet. From there, you can hold balances across 20+ currencies, schedule conversions at the right moment, pay international suppliers in their preferred currency, and gain real-time visibility over all your payment flows — all from one platform. Whether you are managing one-off PayPal payments or high-volume PayPal recurring payments, amnis gives your finance team full control over every transaction.