How to receive money to your PayPal account in Singapore

PayPal¹ is a giant in the world of ecommerce, and regularly used by customers around the world to shop online, send and receive money to friends and family, and pay bills. If you’re getting paid through PayPal you’ll need to know more about using PayPal to receive money, including the fees, delivery times and steps to take.

This guide covers all you need to know about accepting payments through PayPal. And to help you make sure you’re getting the best possible deal when you’re receiving a payment, we’ll also introduce Wise and the Wise multi-currency account as an alternative way to get paid, which could offer lower fees and better exchange rates.

Table of contents
Using PayPal to receive money Getting paid to your personal account Getting paid to your business account Setting up PayPal.Me (Withdrawing money from PayPal) Fees for receiving money PayPal vs Wise (formerly Transferwise) Frequently asked questions How long does it take to receive money? Is there a limit on receiving funds? How to receive money without fees? How to receive money instantly?

Using PayPal to receive money

If you’re getting paid via PayPal, you’ll need a PayPal account to access your funds. Don’t panic if you don’t have a PayPal account up and running yet, though - if someone sends you money you’ll get an email informing you, and you’ll be prompted to set up a PayPal account to get your funds.

The first time you’re sent money on PayPal you’ll need to take a few steps to confirm your email and manually claim the funds. However, from then on your money will simply be deposited into your PayPal account as and when you get paid on PayPal.

Once you have a PayPal account you can keep your balance there, or withdraw it to your regular bank account. It’s worth noting, though, that there’s a 1 SGD fee to withdraw money from PayPal if you’re taking out a balance of under 200 SGD. You’ll also have the option to withdraw your funds to a USD bank account, or to your card - but higher fees apply for these services.

Getting paid via PayPal to your personal account

You can get paid in a few ways to your personal PayPal account²:

• Give the sender the email address linked to your PayPal account so they can send you money directly there
• Use the PayPal Request Money feature to ask someone to send you funds on PayPal
• Use PayPal.me - we’ll cover that in more detail later
• Create a PayPal invoice to provide an itemised statement and request payment from a client
• Integrate a PayPal payment solution to your website if you’re getting paid by customers

Here are the basic steps to take to request funds or start to make an invoice:

1. Log into your PayPal account online or in the PayPal app
2. Go to the Request money section of your account
3. Here you can either request money from a friend simply by adding their email address - or create an invoice for a more professional money request

Creating a PayPal invoice is pretty simple. You’ll just need to select the Create an invoice option from the Request money section of your account, and follow the onscreen prompts to add all the detail you need³. More on that below.

Read more here how to withdraw your money from PayPal.

Accepting payments through PayPal on business accounts

If you have a PayPal business account you have all the same options for receiving money as a personal account customer⁴. However, if you’re getting paid by clients the more common choices are likely to be integrating a PayPal payment solution to your website, or using a PayPal invoice to request a payment from a client.

Here’s how to create your PayPal invoice:

1. Log into your PayPal account online or in the PayPal app
2. Go to the Request money section of your account
3. Select the Create an invoice option from the Request money section of your account
4. Add line by line detail for the payment you’re requesting - you can include item names, description, numbers, prices and more
5. Give your invoice a number, date and add payment terms to make it easier for you and your customer to reconcile accounts
6. Enter your customer’s email - you can send the same invoice to multiple customers at once if you prefer
7. Click send and you’re done

Your client will receive your professional looking PayPal invoice via an emailed link, so they can pay securely into your PayPal account.

Setting up PayPal.Me

A final option open to both personal and business customers is to use the PayPal.Me function⁵. PayPal.Me allows PayPal customers to create their own link which they can send to someone who is making a payment to them. This means that the payer doesn’t need to know your email address or phone number, they can just use the link to get their payment to you.

Create a PayPal.Me link by logging into your PayPal account and going to the Account Settings section. You can then just send this to anyone who is paying you to make the process frictionless.

PayPal fees for receiving money

Here’s a look at the PayPal fees for receiving money to both personal and business PayPal accounts.

Service	PayPal Singapore fee
Receive payment to PayPal personal account⁶	No fee to receive payments in the currency of your account If currency conversion is required, a fee applies - details below
Receive payment to PayPal business account⁷	Receive domestic payment - 3.9% + fixed fee Receive international payment - 4.4% + fixed fee
Currency conversion fee	3% in most cases 4% if you’re receiving a refund into your account

For a more in-depth review, check out our guide for PayPal fees in Singapore.

Receiving money abroad - PayPal vs Wise (formerly Transferwise)

If you’re getting paid by someone based overseas it’s a smart idea to compare a few different payment options rather than relying on PayPal automatically. While PayPal is a familiar service, with great global reach, it’s not always the cheapest way to get paid internationally - either for the sender or the recipient.

Provider	Pros	Cons
PayPal	Familiar, many people already have an account Great for ecommerce businesses thanks to integrated payment buttons Fast and free to receive some domestic payments	International payments can work out costly thanks to high fees and an exchange rate markup Recipient needs a PayPal account to get their money Merchant fees aren’t necessarily the same as personal customer fees
Wise	Low cost transactions, with the real mid-market exchange rate 50+ currencies available, with local bank details for 10+ currencies No ongoing charges, just low fees for the services you use	Not as globally familiar as PayPal No branch network, so all customer service is online or by phone

One good option to compare is Wise - for low cost international transfers and the Wise multi-currency account. You can open a Wise multi-currency account online or in the Wise app, and get local bank details for 10+ countries. That means you can get paid fee free from 30+ countries - in fact, it’s like getting 10 bank accounts from around the world, online and with no ongoing fees.

Hold 50+ currencies in your Wise account, and switch between them using the mid-market exchange rate and a low, transparent fee. You’ll be able to send money to 80+ countries - and payments are deposited right into your recipient’s bank account for convenience too. Manage your money online or in the Wise app, and get a linked Wise international debit card for day to day spending and withdrawals.

If you're sending international transfers, see how Wise compares against PayPal in different currencies:

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to receive money on PayPal?

If the payment is funded from a PayPal balance or a credit or debit card it could arrive almost instantly into your PayPal account. If it’s being paid for with a bank transfer it’ll usually take a day or two, depending on the specific bank’s processes.

Is there a limit on receiving funds through PayPal?

PayPal limits can vary based on your account type - you’ll be notified if a payment has been made which can’t be received because you’ve exceeded the PayPal limit on receiving funds for your account type.

How to receive money on PayPal without fees?

PayPal domestic payments are free to receive as long as they’re sent in the same currency as your account.

How to receive money instantly on PayPal?

If a PayPal payment is funded by a credit or debit card, or from a PayPal balance, it’ll usually arrive almost instantly in the recipient’s account.

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Sources:

1. PayPal Singapore
2. PayPal FAQ - how do I receive payments through PayPal?
3. PayPal FAQ - how do I create an invoice?
4. PayPal FAQ - how do I receive payments to my PayPal business account?
5. PayPal FAQ - what is PayPal.Me
6. PayPal personal fees
7. PayPal business fees

Sources checked on 13.04.2022