How to Add Money to PayPal Without a Bank Account?

ByTristan Published on
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It’s common knowledge that you have to link your bank account or a credit/debit card to your PayPal account to add funds to your PayPal balance. But a lot of people have been wondering whether it’s possible to add money to their PayPal account without a bank account. In this article, I’ll be explaining in full how you can add money to your PayPal without a bank account. 

Yes, it’s possible for you to add money to your PayPal without a bank account. You’ll have to visit a retail store where you’ll hand over cash which will then be added to your PayPal balance. Specific information about how to do this will be given below. 

People have varying reasons why they may want to add money to their PayPal balance without a bank account. And it’s good news that PayPal has provided this option to users. Continue reading to find out how to add money to your PayPal balance without a bank account. 

Adding money to PayPal without a bank account

There are a  number of ways you can add money to PayPal without a bank account and they’ll be discussed below:

Add money online using the PayPal app

You can add money to your PayPal by using the PayPal app by following the steps below:

  • Open the app, navigate to PayPal balance and click on it. 
  • Select ‘More’
  • After that, click on “Add at store”. 
  • The next step is to select a retail store where you want to add your cash. There are several retail stores available like 7-Eleven, CVS, Walmart, and so on. 
  • After choosing a store, click on “Generate barcode”. The purpose of this is to ensure that your cash is added to the correct PayPal account as the code identifies your account. 
  • Take your barcode to any location of the retailer store you selected and present the cashier with the code. You’ll be asked the amount you want to add to your account. PayPal allows you to add anywhere between $20-$500.
  • You’ll receive an email notification that the funds have been added after completing the transaction. The money will be made available for you (i.e added to your PayPal balance) in 15 minutes. 

I must mention that most retailers charge a service fee that could be up to $3.95. The fee may depend on the amount you add to your account. And you can then use your PayPal balance for transactions.

Adding money through a PayPal Cash card/Checks

You can also add money to your PayPal without a bank account if you have a PayPal Cash or Cash Plus account. Another option is to add money to your PayPal account using checks if they are approved. Note that there are fees attached to these services. 

To add cash to your PayPal account via a PayPal cash card, go to a retail store – CVS, Dollar General, Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, Rite Aid, 7-Eleven, Walgreens, and Wal-Mart. The next step is to give your PayPal cash card along with the amount of money you want to add to your account to the clerk in your chosen store. The clerk will add money to your PayPal account via your card by swiping it. 

You will receive a notification either by email or phone informing you that the amount has been successfully added. Note that you might incur a service fee of up to $4.95 depending on the retail store you visit. 

To add money to your PayPal account through a check, follow the following steps:

  • Open the PayPal app and select the “More” button which can be found on the bottom of the app’s home screen. 
  • Select Cash Checks. 
  • After that, follow the onscreen instructions. You’ll be promoted to take a picture of the check which will be sent to PayPal for verification. 
  • Should your check be approved, PayPal will add the amount on it to your account within 10 days for free. You could however speed up the process by paying a charge for priority process. The charge for priority service is just 1% for government checks that have a printed signature, or 5% for all other checks, up to a maximum of $5. 

Can you receive money on PayPal without linking a bank account?

This is a question that regularly comes my way. The answer to the above question is yes. You can receive money on PayPal without linking a bank account. However, the main question is if you can withdraw your funds without linking a bank account?

Withdrawal options, especially if you don’t have a linked bank account vary from country to country. If you are in the US and don’t have a bank account linked to your PayPal account, a way to withdraw your funds is by check. You’ll have to follow the steps below:

  • Log in to your PayPal account.
  • Click Transfer to your bank under your PayPal balance.
  • Click Request a check by mail instead.
  • Your check should arrive in 1-2 weeks.
  • Note that there is a service fee of $1.50 for each check withdrawal and the minimum amount you can request by check is $1.51. You will have to verify your address before you can withdraw money from PayPal by check. 

Another way to withdraw money without a bank account in the US is for you to get a Paypal prepaid debit card and then move your money to that card. If you are from a European country, you may be able to withdraw your money by downloading a bank-issued VISA card although this depends on which bank is in the VISA Europe network.