You can’t complain there are no PayPal alternatives. In fact, there are dozens, if not hundreds, of payment systems out there, but there isn’t a single PayPal alternative that is the best. It all depends on what you need the alternative for – to send money to a friend, to shop online, to pay your bills, etc., but one way or another, all seven of these payment services are good options.
1. Skrill
One of the best PayPal alternatives you can find is Skrill. Its principle is similar – all you need is an email address or a phone number to send/receive money. Skrill is truly an international service with global coverage – it operates in 200 countries and 40 currencies. Its fees are low – receiving money is free and there is a 1% charge (capped at €10) for sending money. The best part is that Skrill is widely popular, and it’s accepted on many sites and by many individuals.
2. Bitcoin
Bitcoin is different from the other payment systems on the list because its principle is different. Bitcoin is not a single site or service. It doesn’t have a central authority to own and control it – it’s a peer-to-peer system. More or less Bitcoin has gone mainstream, but it’s still not as popular as PayPal. You need to create a bitcoin address and give it to your friends to send you bitcoins to. To exchange bitcoins for real money, you go to a Bitcoin exchange.
3. Payza
Payza is very similar to PayPal. It’s an international service available in more than 190 countries and in 21 currencies. Payza isn’t as popular as PayPal or even Skrill, but it does have millions of users worldwide, and there are some shops that accept Payza. Its fees are higher than the fees of Skrill, but they are still acceptable – free to send and 2.90 % + €0.30 EUR to receive money.
4. Google Wallet
If you are in the US/UK, and you don’t care about international payments, then Google Wallet could be suitable for you. This service is good for mobile payments in particular, otherwise it’s not as popular as the above listed options. Fees vary – some of the transactions are free while others cost 2.9%.
5. Neteller
Neteller is very similar to Paypal. You can use it to send and receive money as well as withdraw to a card. Its money transfer fees are 1.9%. The service offers tons of ways to fund your account, including Bitcoin. You can also use Neteller to shop online.
6. Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger is the youngest service on this list. After you add a debit card issued by a US bank, you can send money to your friends while you chat. I would say this service is the simplest to use, but it requires a Facebook account, and you need to be in the US. The best is that (at least for now) sending and receiving money via Facebook Messenger is free.
7. Payeer
If none of the services above are an option for you, you might want to consider Payeer. In terms of worldwide popularity (except Russia), it’s far behind the rest, but it just might be the service for you. Their 0.95% fee for international transfers is lower than what most of the others charge.
These seven PayPal alternatives are all good, though in your particular case not all of them might be applicable. Try them and see if any of them are good for you. If not, you can always search for other services, but never forget to read reviews before you sign because some of the payment services not included on the list have a very shady reputation. Unfortunately, scammers among payment systems aren’t unheard of.
