PayPal Alternatives: 15+ Top Apps To Use in 2025

In a more digital age, electronic payment systems have revolutionized the way we pay and get paid.

PayPal, the top undisputed champion, has faced stiff competition in recent times as new and innovative digital wallets and payment apps made their entry in the market.

These apps offer comparable or even superior features, sometimes at lower charges or with improved ease of use.

Whether you need a PayPal alternative for transaction fees, one for international transfers, or apps with added features, there are plenty to choose from in 2025.

Here we'll discuss the top PayPal alternatives - apps that not only offer easy international transfers, but target millennials and Gen Z.

We will also look at how these alternatives differ and why they may be more appropriate for your needs than PayPal.

Interested in creating your PayPal alternative? First, know all about these top apps like PayPal, then you can go on creating one.

Top 15+ PayPal Alternatives You Should Know About

Although PayPal is a well-known digital wallet, there are more options than that on the market.

Nowadays, a lot of new apps are providing cool features, low fees, and the extra security that we need.

Let’s take a look at some of the most revolutionary PayPal alternatives in 2025 !

1. Venmo: PayPal Alternative for Social Payments

Venmo is one of the most extensively growing peer-to-peer (P2P) payment apps, owned by PayPal, yet operates under its separate platform.

It allows speedy and effortless transfers between friends and businesses, enjoying great fame owing to its social features.

Venmo enables you to send money to friends; you can also split a bill and add a note and emoji to your payment.

Available for both Android and iOS, the app is firmly heading toward reaching even wider user bases than ever.

Venmo is mostly used in the US, but is still growing up as a global payment application, this is why many take it as a perfect blueprint to create an app like Venmo .

Features:

• Add notes, emojis, or even split the bills with friends.

• You can send instant payments to your friends or business with just a few taps.

• No charges for friends' transfers and no charges for debit card transactions.

Why You'll Love Venmo:

Venmo is one fun and social experience for payments. It's as easy to use as it is for making each transfer a personal one with a note and emoji.

2. Cash App: More Than Just Payments-Invest, Trade, and Send Money

Cash App is the best financial app trusted for sending and receiving money, investing, and even buying Bitcoin.

People believe creating an app like Cash can be revolutionary. It is among the most popular competitors of PayPal for personal use in the USA.

Many also wonder, “Is PayPal like Cash App?” Indeed, it is & even better Cash App supports features like direct deposits, debit cards, and some credit-building tools.

One main reason many people really love Cash App is due to its friendlier user interface, which offers instant money transfer.

It offers an amazing & Free alternative to PayPal for anyone looking to send money to friends and spend wisely.

Features:

• Buy and sell Bitcoin with ease through the app.

• Sending or receiving cash instantly for urgent needs.

• Free debit card for instant purchases or cash withdrawals at ATM.

Why You'll Love Cash App:

With simplicity, apps like Cash and PayPal make it easy and convenient for you to send and receive money fast. Whether you're investing or just paying a friend, it's the ease of use that makes it perfect for anyone.

3. Google Pay: PayPal Alternative for Google Ecosystem Users

Google Pay makes for very convenient payments, online ordering, and support for loyalty cards and tickets.

Google Pay is accessible on both Android and iOS for ease of use for literally anyone. Engineering one such app like Google Pay is not easy.

Moreover, one can use Google Pay to pay for in-store purchases with your smartphone, thus becoming a convenient electronic wallet for you.

Just as with PayPal, it would allow you to seamlessly send or receive money directly from a bank account.

If you are already in the Google ecosystem, Google Pay will also easily integrate with other Google services.

Features:

• Supports payments for in-app purchases and online orders.

• Store loyalty cards and tickets into a single space for easy access.

• Makes transferring payments easy through the Google ecosystem.

Why You'll Love Google Pay:

Google Pay works for users who are looking for a PayPal competitor for Android.

Connecting payments to Google accounts is behind the convenience, especially for Android users.

4. Apple Pay: Sleek PayPal Competitor for iPhone Users

Apple's all-in-one payment solution lets you send money, pay for goods and manage transactions from your device.

Among other advantages, Apple Pay supports iPhone users and integrates seamlessly into the Apple ecosystem.

With Apple Pay, people enjoy that the app is accepted in places, online stores, as well as mobile apps.

The security factor for Apple Pay includes transaction confirmation procedures like Face ID or Touch ID, which adds a layer of security.

Features:

• Great integration with Apple ecosystem across all devices.

• Greater security using Face ID or Touch ID for transactions.

• Fits perfectly with your Apple Card, which makes tracking easy.

Why You’ll love Apple Pay:

Apple Pay is meant for people who have already immersed themselves in the ecosystem of Apple, a much more secure way to hassle-free payments.

For those wanting Apple convenience mixed with some peace of mind, Apple Pay is just the right PayPal alternative for iOS.

5. Zelle: PayPal Alternative for Fee-Free Transfer

Zelle is a payment app that is supported by pretty much all major American banks.

It allows users to send money directly between bank accounts and is a fast and reliable option for bank-to-bank transfers.

Zelle is much more economically friendly, as it has no charges for most transactions, unlike its PayPal Counter-Alike.

It is seamless and you will not have to wait a few days for the money to show up in your account.

As it works well with all the major banks in the U.S., thus making it very easy for most people to use without a third-party app.

Features:

• Send money from one bank account to another without needing a third-party app.

• You'll receive the funds in virtually no time at all because the system does not honor weekends for this service.

• Supported by major U.S. banks for seamless use.

Why You'll Love Zelle:

This offering is suitable for anyone looking for uncomplicated, clean transfers of money.

Most transfers are basically free, and since it's integrated into your bank, there's no need to worry about using a third-party app. Innovating an app like Zelle can be the new standard in the payment industry.

6. Square: Ideal PayPal Alternative For Small Businesses

Square is another top eWallet app providing payment processing, thus competing with PayPal and providing payment solutions for businesses.

It also includes another feature owned by Square. That feature is the peer-to-peer payment service called Cash App.

It's great for small businesses to enable credit card payments via a small card reader. The POS solutions offered by Square also make it ideal for a retail business.

For those people that don't wish to use PayPal, Square makes a reasonable PayPal alternative.

Features:

• Square's card reader allows for easy payment.

• Powered by Cash App, Square facilitates money transfers.

• Others include invoicing, inventory management, and reporting tools.

Why You'll Love Square:

Square is a perfect PayPal alternative for small businesses needing to accept payments easily without extraneous hassle. POS solutions meld together with person-to-person to facilitate personal and business uses.

7. Stripe: Perfect App like PayPal for Developer & Businesses

Stripe is an online payment processing service through which online and offline businesses can receive payments.

It primarily caters to web merchants, developers, and subscription businesses.

Unlike other apps like PayPal, which has its sights set on both personal and commercial users, Stripe focuses mainly on facilitating businesses at the backend for payment processing.

With its simple APIs for integration, Stripe is great for developers needing to embed payment solutions into websites or mobile apps.

It's one of the popular alternatives of PayPal for the business community in terms of a secure and efficient way of receiving payments.

Features:

• Allows developers to easily integrate Stripe into websites or apps.

• Supports recurring billing for subscriptions.

• Accept payments in over 135 currencies.

Why You'll Love Stripe:

Stripe is suitable for businesses, especially e-commerce websites, that are looking for a flexible payment solution friendly to developers.

The global appeal and ability to grow with its users make it just right for an ever-expanding company looking to fluidly handle payments.

8. Revolut: The Global Money App Outshining PayPal for Travelers

Revolut offers global money transfers, multi-currency accounts, and cryptocurrency trading.

It's an international competitor to PayPal with further services like budgeting and savings features.

Transfer money across borders for free; it's the best tool for people who often travel.

In addition to currency conversion, users are provided with a whole range of other financial tools like insurance, loans, and trading investments.

It holds popularity as PayPal and is extending its reach across many countries, where Revolut is gathering acceptance as the top alternative.

Features:

• Send, receive, and keep multiple currencies without additional fees.

• Buy, sell, and exchange cryptocurrencies.

• Send money across borders with minimal fees.

Why You'll Love Revolut:

Revolut is a clear winner for anyone who travels a lot or conducts business across borders.

9. Skrill: Low-Cost International Transfers and Crypto Support

This electronic wallet and online payment system allows users to transfer money internationally and shop online.

It is one of PayPal's competitors with similar features, including the ability to send funds and shop online.

Skrill allows payments through their bank or a card in certain territories, even including Bitcoin.

It is a pretty good option for users wanting to create a multi-currency account, send money internationally, and not pay high fees for it.

The app is also a business-oriented payment tool, making it versatile for personal and business use. To create an app like Skrill is the dream of many aspiring entrepreneurs.

Features:

• Send money to over 40 countries.

• Lower transaction fees than PayPal.

• Let's you buy and sell Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies!

Why You'll Love Skrill:

Skrill is an excellent low-fee alternative for international payments.

Moreover, it accepts cryptocurrencies, offering users extra flexibility for those interested in such digital currency.

10. Payoneer: Freelancers’ Favorite Alternative to PayPal

This platform was designed for business owners and professionals to help them manage their international payments.

This is a great option for freelancers and e-commerce vendors who work with cross-border payments.

Similar to PayPal, Payoneer offers a prepaid Mastercard that can be used for both offline and online purchases.

It also provides support for payments in various currencies, which is excellent for businesses dealing with clients from around the world.

If you're looking to take payments from customers worldwide, Payoneer is a fantastic alternative to PayPal.

Features:

• Use it like any debit card for online and offline purchases.

• Ideal for freelancers and global businesses.

• Accept payments in several currencies.

Why You'll Love Payoneer:

Payoneer suits freelancers or businesses that require international payments.

It opens payments worldwide in other currencies and thus provides great flexibility to its customers, making it a popular app like PayPal.

11. MoneyGram: Cash Pickups and Bill Payments-A PayPal Alternative

MoneyGram is a global money transferring service that enables its users to send money to over 200 nations.

Among the competitors to PayPal for international money transactions and remittances, MoneyGram makes it easy to send money online or in person.

This app is most famous for the locations where users can get cash sent from overseas.

Bill payments and mobile phone top-ups are also done via this app.

If you're looking for a reliable, efficient alternative to PayPal, MoneyGram can be a great way to go.

Features:

• Send money to over 200 countries.

• Allows you to pay bills through the app.

• Access cash from thousands of physical locations worldwide.

Why You'll Love MoneyGram:

MoneyGram is a great option if you're looking to send money internationally but want the receiver to pick it up in person.

It has a global reach and is a trusted PayPal alternative in the field of money transfers, withdrawing cash, and making bill payments.

12. Dwolla: PayPal Alternative for ACH Transfers

Dwolla is an ACH-centric payment platform, and since it enables bank-to-bank transfers, it is the best fit for business and personal use.

Unlike PayPal, with its credit and debit card payment processing mechanisms, Dwolla predominantly relied upon ACH transfers, which generally have lower fees.

It is a smart option for businesses willing to move funds efficiently, without using credit card payments.

Dwolla also has integration features for businesses, making it appealing for tech-savvy merchants.

Features:

• Primarily make use of ACH transfers (cheaper than say, credit cards).

• Allows website and app support through APIs.

• Costs less to run than credit card-dependent systems.

Why You'll Love Dwolla:

Looking for an inexpensive and downright easy way to send money between bank accounts? Look no further than Dwolla.

With its affordable fees and business-friendly features, it's a very compelling alternative to PayPal for businesses.

13. Alipay: E-Commerce Giant Taking on PayPal in Asia

Alipay is developed by Alibaba, one of the largest tech firms in China, and a super popular payment app in China.

This app makes it quite seamless to send money, pay bills, and shop online.

Alipay is similar to PayPal in many aspects but provides extra facilities for purchasing insurance, getting loans, and wealth management.

Having a clear user base of over a billion, it is one of the largest payment platforms, especially in Asia.

Features:

• Ideal for online shopping and paying for goods and services.

• Allows for sending and receiving international payments.

• Offer investment products and insurance to users.

Why You'll Love Alipay:

Alipay is perfect for anyone looking to blend e-commerce with financial services.

With its huge list of features and an immense user base, it is a global leader in mobile payments.

14. WeChat Pay: Social Meets Payments in This PayPal-Like App

WeChat Pay is an integrated part of the WeChat app, the social networking platform popularly used in China.

Alongside sending money, users can also pay for goods and services, transfer funds to others, and even use it for bill payments.

Driven by WeChat's huge user base, WeChat Pay is a direct competitor to PayPal, as it is intertwined with daily life in many aspects in China.

Given the all-round usage of WeChat Pay along with its enormous adoption rate, it is a force to reckon with in the world of payment operations.

Features:

• Allows payments within the social app.

• Use it to buy things in stores and online.

• A natural fit within the WeChat ecosystem, a go-to for Chinese users.

Why You'll Love WeChat Pay:

WeChat Pay is ideal for users who are already in the WeChat ecosystem.

It's incredibly convenient because it allows you to send money, shop, and connect socially all inside one app.

15. Bitcoin Wallet: Perfect PayPal Competitor for Bitcoin Enthusiast

A Bitcoin wallet app gives users the best way to send and receive Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

Unlike PayPal, this Bitcoin wallet app gives users a decentralized alternative for international transfers of funds.

Considering the ease of global payment, this app is gaining popularity as an alternative to PayPal for money transfer services.

Features:

• Send and receive Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies.

• Ensures that your money is yours alone, without any third parties having access to your money.

• The blockchain technology provides extra security.

Why You'll Love Bitcoin Wallet:

For someone interested in some cryptocurrency exploration outside of PayPal, the Bitcoin wallet would be an excellent alternative.

Greater security and freedom by placing the transaction process outside the confines of centralization.

16. Braintree: PayPal Alternative for Customizable Payment Solutions

Braintree, owned by PayPal, provides businesses online payment gateway services.

It has support for mobile payments, subscription billing, and more; hence it's a great alternative for businesses.

With Braintree, businesses easily can accept all types of credit cards, PayPal, or even digital wallets like Apple Pay or Google Pay.

Although it is part of the PayPal family, Braintree would offer something a little more specific to developers and businesses wanting to scale their payment solutions.

Features:

• Accepts payments online and via mobile apps.

• Fully integrated with mobile wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and others.

• Easily manage recurring payments, ideal for subscription-based businesses.

Why You'll Love Braintree:

Braintree is perfect for businesses seeking a customizable and secure payment system. Although, unlike other apps like PayPal, it is specifically designed to cater to developers and businesses that need more advanced and flexible payment processing solutions.

What Makes a Great PayPal Alternative?

Some simply search for PayPal Competitor and others want to develop an app like PayPal , it can be a matter of anything?

Some salient features make the best alternatives stand out in making apps across the board with PayPal. They are:

Security

In the current time, digital wallet security is greatly emphasized.

Most of these PayPal competitors have implemented high levels of encryption and offer other safety measures.

This includes from two-factor authentication to fraud protections and monitoring systems for layering security.

Minimal or No Fees

There are so many PayPal alternatives for personal use & even business.

Transaction fees create pain among PayPal users, and users are especially picky when it comes to international transfers.

Many apps like PayPal focus on the fundamental ‘no fee or low fee’ for personal transfers, making for a very friendly platform on any budget.

Global Reach

The bills for doing that are beyond an average person using PayPal as international transfers are quite costly.

Many PayPal competitors, like Wise and Revolut, are geared toward providing cheap international payments, giving great exchange rates, ideal for global transactions.

User Experience

Ease of use is another feature that sets the best PayPal competitors apart.

All these apps lean toward effortless interfaces, which users can use to send money to friends, family, or regular users.

Extra Features

Some PayPal-like apps offer advanced features that go beyond just making some transfers.

This includes cryptocurrency exchange, budgeting, investment, and joint savings accounts - all appealing to tech-savvy users.

Why Consider Developing Your Own PayPal Alternative?

Today, customized solutions for online payments are highly sought after by both businesses and individuals.

Yet, developing your own PayPal alternative earns you several advantages.

Firstly, you have full control of the features, security, and user experience, unlike third-party services that might impose limitations or have exorbitantly high transaction rates.

Secondly, by tailoring an app to suit your personal specifications, you can target niche markets.

Whether appealing to limited industries or a certain region, you can customize the app for the unique tastes of your audience.

Providing a custom solution sets you apart from the competition.

Lower fees, better security, or specific special features should easily persuade users to move away from conventional platforms like PayPal.

Coming up with an alternative to PayPal also opens up many doors.

You can form partnerships with other businesses, offer white-label solutions, or earn income through transaction fees.

Key Features to Include When Making Your Own PayPal Alternative

These are ten must-have mobile wallet features you should consider while deploying PayPal alternatives:

• User Registration & Profile: Users can create an account and manage profiles.

• Payment Processing: Function to send and receive payments safely.

• Multi-currency Support: Give users the chance to handle different currencies.

• Transaction History: Let users know easily about their transaction history.

• Two-factor Authentication: Improve security with two-factor authentication for login attempts and transactions.

• Instant Transfers: You can create near-instant money transfers between users.

• Fraud Detection: Incorporate systems based on AI for fraud detection to secure all transactions.

• API Integration: Enable third-party integration, with banks or other apps.

• Wallet Facility: Ability to store money within the app for ease of access.

• Customer Service: A customer service platform should be available to help users resolve issues promptly.

How to Build an Alternative PayPal: A Step-by-Step Guide

A PayPal alternative must follow many critical steps in its development. Here’s an outline of the process of creating an eWallet app :

1. Research and Market Analysis

The first step is to research the market and find out what users want. You’ll have to identify gaps in existing services and find out what potential customers feel is missing.

2. Feature Planning

You’ll want to plan the features your app will have. Some of those include payment processing, transaction tracking, multi-currency support, fraud prevention, and many others.

3. Design and UX/UI

This step ensures a good eWallet design that enhances user experience with the app. One has to create an in-depth, easy-to-use interface to make transactions easier to retain customers.

4. Development

Then comes development. That is, you’ll need to build the front end (user interface) and the back end (server, database, and others) facilities to make sure the app functions smoothly.

5. Testing & Launching

After everything is built, you need to test the application for bugs and security. After the testing, launch the application and gather feedback to improve it.

Tech Stack to Use to Develop a PayPal Alternative

The eWallet app tech stack will play an important role in strengthening your app from all sides. Here’s a good look at it:

• Frontend Development (React, Swift, etc.)

• Backend Development (Node.js, Python, Ruby on Rails)

• Cloud Infrastructure (AWS, Azure, etc.)

• Payment Gateway Integration

• Security Tools (SSL, Encryption)

Challenges in Developing A PayPal Competitor

It might look like all rainbows and sunshines, But, here are some common digital wallet challenges you may face:

• Cybersecurity Risks: Protection from fraud and hacking is necessary for any online wallet.

• Regulatory Compliance: You'll also need various licenses, including Anti-money laundering, & KYC, to operate in different regions.

• User Trust: It can be built through providing great service and respect of users' issues along with maintaining a reliable and secure platform.

• Technology and Infrastructure: A digital wallet must be scalable to support millions of transactions without hiccups.

• Competition: Adding unique features and pointing out these benefits in a clear manner is key to differentiating from competitors.

Creating a PayPal Alternative, focusing on user engagement is the key.

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Conclusion

The world of digital payments has developed seriously in recent times, and there remains an exciting array of possible alternatives to PayPal, each addressing a different requirement.

This would range from social payment apps like Venmo to worldwide money management tools, including Revolut, and business-based platforms like Stripe.

Whether you want low fees, crypto support, or are closely tied to a particular ecosystem, these PayPal alternatives provide innovative solutions usually better than those of PayPal.