How to Use PayPal
Learn about the service., Sign up for an account., Upgrade if you want., Verify your account.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Learn about the service.
PayPal's home page is located at PayPal.com.
From here, you can immediately request an account, or explore and learn a bit more about it.
Here's a quick run-down in case you don't want to take the time to poke around yourself.
PayPal is an online banking service.
As one of the oldest and most recognized names in the internet banking business, PayPal enjoys widespread acceptance as a payment medium for all kinds of online transactions.
PayPal is associated most closely with eBay, the famous online marketplace.
However, it is also used in many other places.
There are different account levels.
The most basic account is the Personal account.
It's free, and comes with a $500 monthly withdrawal limit.
Most people opt for the Personal account, which is essentially free to use as a purchasing tool.
Those who sell goods or services regularly online might consider getting a higher-caliber account.
A Premier account, which costs money, lifts the monthly withdrawal limit, allows the account holder to accept personal credit and debit cards as payment for a modest fee, and adds live customer support service.
A Business account is the most expensive and full-featured type of PayPal account.
It comes with everything added by the Premier account, as well as a number of other features useful to small businesses:
Access to advanced tools and reports from PayPal and eBay The option to hold the account in the name of a business, rather than a person Limited access options for employees to interact with the account The ability to receive payments from buyers without PayPal accounts.
A PayPal credit card is available.
This is a fairly straightforward Mastercard brand credit card with a middling range of interest rates and some perks for regular online shoppers who use the service.
PayPal comes with guarantees.
PayPal is popular in part because it has features and services in place to help protect buyers and sellers alike from scams and problems with payment.
Partly because of this, the service is also notorious for placing unnecessary holds on user accounts, often for unclear reasons.
PayPal's basic financial protection philosophy can be described as “better safe than sorry.” -
Step 2: Sign up for an account.
Once you're ready to get a PayPal account for yourself, click the blue button in the upper right corner of the window that says “Sign Up.” Choose your account type.
On the first page, fill in your country information and then choose whether you are registering a personal account or an account for a business or nonprofit organization.
You can still upgrade your personal account to one of the other types later, so don't apply as a business just to get a Business-level account.
Move on to page two.
Fill in the required information and then carefully read over the four policies hyperlinked near the end of the page.
The four documents are the User Agreement, the Privacy Policy, the Acceptable Use Policy, and the Electronic Communication Delivery Policy.
They mostly boil down to common sense rules, but be sure you have reviewed them before you finish signing up just in case.
Finalize your account.
When you have read over the material, check the box to indicate you've read it and click the yellow button at the bottom of the page that reads “Agree and Sign Up.” PayPal only allows one individual account per person.
If you want to make another individual account, you will have to close this one first. , Once your account has been created, you can log in using the information you provided.
The first page you see when you log in should be an overview display of your account.
Under your name there is a link that reads “Upgrade.” Follow this link if you would like to purchase a Premium or Business account. , Look for a link on the main page that will allow you to do this.
Your account can be verified by linking it to another bank account, proving you are a real person.
Some of PayPal's services are restricted until you have verified your account, so do it as soon as possible. -
Step 3: Upgrade if you want.
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Step 4: Verify your account.
Detailed Guide
PayPal's home page is located at PayPal.com.
From here, you can immediately request an account, or explore and learn a bit more about it.
Here's a quick run-down in case you don't want to take the time to poke around yourself.
PayPal is an online banking service.
As one of the oldest and most recognized names in the internet banking business, PayPal enjoys widespread acceptance as a payment medium for all kinds of online transactions.
PayPal is associated most closely with eBay, the famous online marketplace.
However, it is also used in many other places.
There are different account levels.
The most basic account is the Personal account.
It's free, and comes with a $500 monthly withdrawal limit.
Most people opt for the Personal account, which is essentially free to use as a purchasing tool.
Those who sell goods or services regularly online might consider getting a higher-caliber account.
A Premier account, which costs money, lifts the monthly withdrawal limit, allows the account holder to accept personal credit and debit cards as payment for a modest fee, and adds live customer support service.
A Business account is the most expensive and full-featured type of PayPal account.
It comes with everything added by the Premier account, as well as a number of other features useful to small businesses:
Access to advanced tools and reports from PayPal and eBay The option to hold the account in the name of a business, rather than a person Limited access options for employees to interact with the account The ability to receive payments from buyers without PayPal accounts.
A PayPal credit card is available.
This is a fairly straightforward Mastercard brand credit card with a middling range of interest rates and some perks for regular online shoppers who use the service.
PayPal comes with guarantees.
PayPal is popular in part because it has features and services in place to help protect buyers and sellers alike from scams and problems with payment.
Partly because of this, the service is also notorious for placing unnecessary holds on user accounts, often for unclear reasons.
PayPal's basic financial protection philosophy can be described as “better safe than sorry.”
Once you're ready to get a PayPal account for yourself, click the blue button in the upper right corner of the window that says “Sign Up.” Choose your account type.
On the first page, fill in your country information and then choose whether you are registering a personal account or an account for a business or nonprofit organization.
You can still upgrade your personal account to one of the other types later, so don't apply as a business just to get a Business-level account.
Move on to page two.
Fill in the required information and then carefully read over the four policies hyperlinked near the end of the page.
The four documents are the User Agreement, the Privacy Policy, the Acceptable Use Policy, and the Electronic Communication Delivery Policy.
They mostly boil down to common sense rules, but be sure you have reviewed them before you finish signing up just in case.
Finalize your account.
When you have read over the material, check the box to indicate you've read it and click the yellow button at the bottom of the page that reads “Agree and Sign Up.” PayPal only allows one individual account per person.
If you want to make another individual account, you will have to close this one first. , Once your account has been created, you can log in using the information you provided.
The first page you see when you log in should be an overview display of your account.
Under your name there is a link that reads “Upgrade.” Follow this link if you would like to purchase a Premium or Business account. , Look for a link on the main page that will allow you to do this.
Your account can be verified by linking it to another bank account, proving you are a real person.
Some of PayPal's services are restricted until you have verified your account, so do it as soon as possible.
About the Author
Jeffrey Cole
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow practical skills tutorials.
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