QUICK ANSWER
Getting a refund on PayPal can be as quick as the same day the refund is issued if you paid with your PayPal balance, But it can also be potentially as long as 30 days if you paid with a credit or debit card.
JUMP TO KEY SECTIONS
Credit or debit card
If you paid with a credit or debit card, PayPal would return the money to the card account. The card provider may take up to 48 hours to claim the funds and take up to 30 days to apply the credit to your card account. The 48-hour and 30-day durations are upper limits, so you will likely get your money back much sooner, but not instantly.
Bank account
If you’ve used your bank account to make the payment through PayPal, the money will be available in your PayPal balance in three to five business days. PayPal will automatically transfer the funds to your bank account. If the automatic transfer doesn’t happen, you can use it as a PayPal balance or move it yourself.
PayPal balance
This is the fastest option. If you paid using your PayPal balance, you would get the funds when PayPal issues the refund.
Read more: How to cancel a payment on PayPal
FAQs
How long will it take to get a refund if I made part payments with my PayPal balance and credit card?
The timeline stays the same as mentioned above. The part of the payment made with your PayPal balance will be available the same day. It could take up to 30 days for the rest to reflect in your credit card account.
Where can I find the refund status?
On the PayPal app, tap on the $ icon and tap on Activity. On the website, click on the Activity tab. Click on Filters and select Refunds. You will see the status of your refund in this section.
What does my refund status mean?
You will see different options when you check your refund status on PayPal.
- Pending: The bank or card provider is still processing the refund.
- Refunded or partially refunded: PayPal and the bank or card provider have completed the refund process. You should see the money in your PayPal balance or card account.
- Temporary hold: This means that a transaction refund process started before the initial payment cleared the bank, usually when you cancel a payment. The bank will take three to five business days to clear the payment before issuing the refund.
Will PayPal refund my money if I’m scammed?
PayPal has different safeguards in place if you get scammed or see unauthorized transactions. There is a 180-day refund policy, Purchase Protection to help with disputed charges, and Chargebacks if your debit or credit card has been charged.
