What PayPal charges for instant transfers
A US personal account pays 1.75% of the amount for an instant transfer, at least $0.25 and at most $25. A business account pays 1.5%, at least $0.50, with no maximum (PayPal Consumer Fees, PayPal Merchant Fees). Standard transfers to your bank are free.
The two schedules cross twice. From about $29 to $1,667 the business rate is cheaper; above that the personal $25 cap wins, because 1.5% keeps growing while 1.75% stops at $25. Below $29 the business $0.50 minimum makes personal cheaper.
| Instant transfer | Fees | Fee rate | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| $200 · personal | $3.50 | 1.75% | $196.50 |
| $200 · business | $3.00 | 1.50% | $197.00 |
| $5,000 · personal | $25.00 | 0.50% | $4,975.00 |
| $5,000 · business | $75.00 | 1.50% | $4,925.00 |
PayPal Transfer Fee: Free to Your Bank, Paid for Instant
PayPal’s transfer fee only applies to speed. A standard transfer lands in your bank in about 1–3 business days for nothing. An instant one arrives within minutes and costs the percentages above.
Our view: business sellers moving a month of sales at once should almost never use instant. On $8,000 the fee is $120, which is real money for a day’s wait.
PayPal Instant Transfer: Bank vs Debit Card, Same Fee
The fee is the same whether the instant transfer goes to an eligible bank account or to a debit card: it depends on your account type, not the destination. What changes is eligibility, so PayPal only offers instant to banks and cards that support it.
| Fee | Amount | Charged on | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard transfer | Free | Amount moved | Standard transfers to your bank are free and usually arrive in 1–3 business days.source |
| Instant transfer · Personal | 1.75% of the amount, at least $0.25 and at most $25 | Amount moved, deducted from it | Instant transfers go to an eligible bank account or debit card within minutes.source |
| Instant transfer · Business | 1.5% of the amount, at least $0.50, with no maximum | Amount moved, deducted from it | Instant transfers go to an eligible bank account or debit card within minutes.source |
Fees you paid before the money reached your balance
The transfer fee comes on top of whatever PayPal took when you were paid. A goods and services payment costs a US seller 2.99%; see the PayPal goods and services fee calculator, or the full PayPal fee calculator for invoices, checkout and international sales.
How PayPal compares with other apps
| Cash out $1,000 instantly | Fees | Fee rate | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| PayPal personal | $17.50 | 1.75% | $982.50 |
| PayPal business | $15.00 | 1.50% | $985.00 |
| Venmo | $17.50 | 1.75% | $982.50 |
| Apple Cash | $17.00 | 1.70% | $983.00 |