The Pros and Cons of Using a PayPal Account For Your Shopify Business

There’s no better feeling than receiving payment for all your hard work. However, accepting this money can cause headaches, and if you’re like one of the 361 million individuals that use PayPal as their business’s go-to payment method, you’ve probably wondered whether a personal PayPal account is the best option for your online store’s needs.

For a Shopify business, there are many reasons why a personal PayPal account is and isn’t the best payment gateway, and here is a breakdown of all of them:

Pros for You

• Integrates seamlessly with Shopify
• Easy to register, set up, and link to personal or business bank accounts
• Offers an encrypted and safe means of sending and receiving payments
• Simple digital invoicing capabilities
• Accepts many different currencies

Pros for Your Customers

• A widely known and trusted service
• Instant payments on services and goods
• Existing PayPal account isn’t necessary

Cons For You

• Cannot receive payments from credit or debit cards
• High fees
• Withdrawing money from a PayPal account into a bank account can take up to 5 business days
• PayPal’s seller protection does not cover digital goods
• International currency conversion rates aren’t very competitive

Cons for Your Customers

• Phone-based customer service known for its inconsistency
• PayPal requires customers to go offsite to complete a transaction
• Because of its popularity, there are many frauds and scams that may leave some customers feeling apprehensive

Conclusion

When it’s all broken down, using a personal PayPal account for your online Shopify store has both good and bad sides. For pros, there is the ease of use, strong customer trust, and encrypted security, while for the cons, online businesses are looking at high fees and less than desirable currency conversion rates.