Cash App excels for peer-to-peer payments with lower fees (0% on standard transfers) and faster instant deposits ($0.50 fee), while PayPal offers broader merchant acceptance, buyer protection, and invoice capabilities for business users. Cash App is optimized for personal money transfers; PayPal serves both personal and business needs.
Cash App vs PayPal — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Square's peer-to-peer payment app focused on fee-free money transfers between individuals.
Global digital payments platform serving 426 million users with merchant, business, and personal payment solutions.
Standard P2P Transfer Fee. Instant Withdrawal Fee. Merchant Acceptance. Business Features. Buyer Protection Coverage. Mobile App Rating (iOS). International Transfers
Choose Cash App if you primarily send money to friends and family domestically and want to avoid fees—its 0% transfer rate is unbeatable for casual P2P use. Choose PayPal if you need broader merchant acceptance, business invoicing tools, purchase protection, or international capabilities—it's the more comprehensive solution for diverse payment needs.
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: 1 (US only) | PayPal: 200+ 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
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: $0.50 flat | PayPal: $0.25-$1.50 (variable)
Cash App: <1 million (Cash App Pay only) | PayPal: 29+ million merchants
Cash App: 70-75 million (US-focused) | PayPal: 426 million globally
Cash App: Limited (friends/family unprotected) | PayPal: $500 purchase protection
Cash App: 4.6/5 (2.8M reviews) | PayPal: 4.5/5 (2.2M reviews)
Cash App: Yes (Cash App for Business) | PayPal: Yes (advanced invoicing suite)
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: 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: 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
Cash App: N/A | PayPal: 1,440-4,320 minutes (1-3 days standard)
Cash App: N/A | PayPal: N/A (standalone platform)
Cash App: N/A | PayPal: 24M+ active merchants (2024)
Cash App: N/A | PayPal: 100% (eligible transactions)
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 111 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.
Cash App is superior for peer-to-peer payments—it charges 0% on standard transfers versus PayPal's 1.75%. However, PayPal offers buyer protection if you're paying for goods or services. For pure friend-to-friend money splitting, Cash App saves you money.
Can I use Cash App or PayPal to pay for online shopping?
PayPal is accepted at 29 million+ merchants online and in-store, making it the clear winner for shopping. Cash App has limited merchant acceptance through Cash App Pay at select retailers. If you want a universal online payment method, PayPal is essential.
PayPal provides $500 purchase protection on goods/services transactions, protecting both buyers and sellers. Cash App's protection is limited—friends & family transfers are unprotected. If you're receiving payment for items or services, PayPal offers stronger security.
Cash App offers instant deposits for $0.50, while standard transfers take 1-3 business days for free. PayPal's instant transfer option costs $0.25-$1.50 depending on the method, with standard transfers taking 1-3 days. Both are comparable in speed for standard transfers.
PayPal supports international transfers to 200+ countries through its Xoom integration with competitive rates. Cash App does not offer international transfers—it only works for domestic (US) payments. For global money movement, PayPal is your only option.
How to Choose Between Cash App and PayPal
Standard P2P Transfer Fee: Cash App has 0%, while PayPal has 1.75% for standard transfers.
Instant Withdrawal Fee: Cash App has $0.50, while PayPal has $0.25-$1.50 (varies by method).
Merchant Acceptance: Cash App has Limited (Cash App Pay at select retailers), while PayPal has Accepted at 29 million+ merchants globally.
Business Features: Cash App has Cash App for Business (invoicing, receipts), while PayPal has Full suite: invoicing, multi-user accounts, advanced reporting.
Buyer Protection Coverage: Cash App has Limited protection (friends/family transfers unprotected), while PayPal has $500 purchase protection + seller protection.
Mobile App Rating (iOS): Cash App has 4.6 stars (2.8M reviews), while PayPal has 4.5 stars (2.2M reviews).
International Transfers: Cash App has Not available, while PayPal has Available in 200+ countries with xoom integration.