PayPal is a payments network built around a consumer wallet, offering merchants wallet checkout, card acquiring, invoicing, payment links and payouts.
Company
Who makes PayPal
PayPal Holdings operates the PayPal wallet and network alongside Braintree, Zettle and Venmo in supported markets; merchant fees and protections are published per country.
Official website: www.paypal.com ↗
Product
What it actually does
Merchants use PayPal for wallet checkout, card processing, invoicing, payment links, mass payouts and buy-now-pay-later methods where available. Braintree serves as the developer-oriented gateway within the same family.
Product family
- · PayPal Checkout
- · Braintree
- · Zettle
- · Invoicing
- · Payouts
- · Venmo
Use cases
What people hire it for
- Adding a recognised wallet alongside a primary card processor
- Invoicing clients with no integration work
- Paying contractors, sellers and affiliates cross-border
- Selling to buyers who prefer not to enter card details
Platforms
Where it runs
WebREST APIMobile SDKsHosted buttons and invoices
Categories
Where PayPal appears
Buying guides
Featured in these buying guides
Comparisons
Head-to-head
Editorial roadmap
Planned reviews
Full review published — read it here.
Related reviews
Read next
- StripeThe developer-first payments platform: card acquiring, subscriptions, invoicing and marketplace payouts behind one API.
- SquareCommerce infrastructure that starts at the counter: till software, first-party hardware and one catalogue across channels.
- WiseReal mid-market exchange rates, transparent fees and local account details in 10+ currencies — the default modern option for cross-border money.
- PayoneerCross-border receiving accounts for freelancers, sellers and contractors paid by overseas clients.
Alternatives
Considered instead of PayPal
Glossary