Cash App excels as a peer-to-peer payment app with lower fees (1.5% for instant transfers) and simpler design, while PayPal offers broader functionality including invoicing, seller tools, and credit services, making it better suited for businesses and international transactions.
Cash App vs PayPal — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Square's mobile payment and financial services app offering P2P transfers, investments, and cryptocurrency.
Global digital payment and financial services platform with merchant checkout, peer-to-peer transfers, and cryptocurrency support.
Instant Transfer Fee. International Money Transfers. Business Invoicing Tools. Debit Card Available. Cryptocurrency Support. User Base (Global). Dispute Resolution Time
Choose Cash App if you prioritize simplicity, low P2P transfer fees, and cryptocurrency trading for personal payments. Choose PayPal if you need business tools, international transfers, seller protection, or plan to invoice clients—PayPal's broader ecosystem justifies slightly higher fees for merchants and frequent users.
Cash App: 57 million MAU (Q1 2025) | PayPal: N/A
Cash App: $16.2 billion (2024) | PayPal: N/A
Cash App: $30-40 billion estimated | PayPal: N/A
Cash App: Financial services & crypto | PayPal: N/A
Cash App: 1-3 business days | PayPal: N/A
Cash App: Stocks, ETFs, Bitcoin, crypto | PayPal: N/A
Cash App: Yes (Bitcoin, stablecoin 2026) | PayPal: N/A
Cash App: No (email/phone only) | PayPal: N/A
Cash App: Bitcoin and crypto available | PayPal: N/A
Cash App: Available with fractional shares | PayPal: N/A
Cash App: Domestic only (US) | PayPal: 195 countries
Cash App: 70 million users | PayPal: 432 million users
Cash App: 10 business days | PayPal: 180 days
Cash App: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin | PayPal: Cryptocurrency checkout only
Cash App: 65+ million (2024) | PayPal: 435 million
Cash App: Minimal integration ecosystem | PayPal: 3.7 million merchants
Cash App: 1-3 minutes | PayPal: 1-2 business days
Cash App: 4 (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, Litecoin) | PayPal: N/A
Cash App: No (manual only) | PayPal: N/A
Cash App: $60,000 (with verification) | PayPal: N/A
Cash App: Standalone (not bank-dependent) | PayPal: N/A
Cash App: $2-$3 per transfer | PayPal: N/A
Cash App: Stocks, ETFs, Bitcoin, direct deposit, paycheck splitting | PayPal: N/A
Cash App: Limited consumer protection; $2,000 dispute limit | PayPal: N/A
Cash App: Instant (phone number + email) | PayPal: 10-15 minutes
Cash App: N/A | PayPal: Free (bank account)
Cash App: N/A | PayPal: No published limit
Cash App: N/A | PayPal: Invoicing, payment collection, reports
Cash App: N/A | PayPal: 2-3 business days
Cash App: N/A | PayPal: Comprehensive buyer/seller protection
Cash App: N/A | PayPal: Basic transaction history
Cash App: N/A | PayPal: 50% (2026 target)
Cash App: N/A | PayPal: Complex with business verification
Average Transaction Speed (Domestic P2P)
Cash App: N/A | PayPal: 1,440-4,320 minutes (1-3 business days)
Cash App: N/A | PayPal: $0 (friends/family with bank account)
Cash App: N/A | PayPal: 15+ million merchants
Cash App: N/A | PayPal: 2.99% + $0.30 per transaction
Cash App: N/A | PayPal: Direct signup (not institution-dependent)
Cash App: N/A | PayPal: 24-48 hours standard
Cash App: N/A | PayPal: 3-7 days typical
Cash App: N/A | PayPal: Basic AVS/CVV only (~8%)
Cash App: N/A | PayPal: 5 primary methods
Cash App: N/A | PayPal: Basic (PayPal Tracking)
Cash App: N/A | PayPal: 10-15 currencies
Cash App: N/A | PayPal: 1-3 business days
Typical Savings on $1,000 Int'l Transfer (vs bank)
Cash App: N/A | PayPal: 1-5 business days
How to choose between Cash App and PayPal
Cash App vs PayPal — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Cash App vs PayPal. Contains 95 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Cash App vs PayPal — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Cash App vs PayPal.
Which app is better for splitting bills with friends?
Cash App is superior for personal bill splitting. It has a cleaner interface, lower instant transfer fees (1.5% vs 1.99% + $0.25), and is optimized for peer-to-peer transactions. Most users report Cash App is faster to navigate for quick money transfers between friends.
Can I use these apps to send money internationally?
Only PayPal supports international money transfers to 200+ countries. Cash App is limited to domestic US transfers only. If you need to send money abroad, PayPal is your only option between these two, though fees vary by country (typically 2-4% depending on destination).
Which is better for small business payments?
PayPal is significantly better for business use. It includes professional invoicing tools, payment requests, seller protection (180 days), bulk payment capabilities, and 3.7 million merchant integrations. Cash App has no invoicing features and is designed only for personal P2P transfers.
Cash App allows you to buy and sell Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, Bitcoin Cash, and Litecoin directly in the app. PayPal only accepts cryptocurrency as a payment method (crypto checkout) but doesn't allow direct crypto purchases or trading. Cash App is the clear winner for crypto investors.
What happens if I dispute a transaction?
Cash App resolves disputes in 10 business days, while PayPal offers a 180-day buyer protection window. PayPal provides stronger protection for purchases and has a more established dispute resolution process. Cash App's faster resolution is better if you need quick answers, but PayPal's longer window gives you more time to file claims.
How to Choose Between Cash App and PayPal
Instant Transfer Fee: Cash App has 1.5%, while PayPal has 1.99% + $0.25.
International Money Transfers: Cash App has Not available, while PayPal has Available in 200+ countries.
Business Invoicing Tools: Cash App has Not available, while PayPal has Built-in invoicing & payment requests.
Debit Card Available: Cash App has Yes, Cash Card, while PayPal has Yes, PayPal Prepaid Card.
Cryptocurrency Support: Cash App has Buy/sell Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, while PayPal has Cryptocurrency checkout only.
User Base (Global): Cash App has 70 million (2024), while PayPal has 432 million (2024).
Dispute Resolution Time: Cash App has 10 business days, while PayPal has 180 days.