PayPal Me is now here to simplify the way you send personalized links to friends, family members, or business customers to request a payment straight to your PayPal account. You now have a convenient way of sharing costs with local friends with unique service options.
PayPal Me
PayPal Me is a service offered by PayPal Inc. It is a service that enables you to create a personalized PayPal.Me URL (‘PPM Link’). This link enables you to create a personalized Me page that will enable others to find, recognize, and transact with you.
How Does PayPal Me Work?
This service was launched a few years back in the US, to enable users who have an account to create a customized link to send to friends, family, clients or customers, to request a payment.
This service can be used both personally, as well as for business. All you are required to do in order to use it is to create your personalized link and send same to whoever you want. You can either include a dollar amount you want to be paid or leave it open.
Before we go further into telling all about this service, let’s see some ground as stated by the platform that users are expected to follow to successfully make use of this service:
PayPal Me User Guidelines
Here are a few ground rules by the platform that users are expected to comply with when using the service.
- You are prohibited from providing your account password or other credentials to any other person to enable such other party to manage your PPM Link(s), and neither are you permitted to use any other account holder’s username and password to do the same.
- Also, you may not engage in any activity, post any content, or register and/or use a URL to establish a PPM Link, which is, or includes material that:
- That comes off as offensive, abusive, defamatory, pornographic, threatening, or obscene;
- Is illegal, or intended to promote or commit an illegal act of any nature, including but not limited to violations of intellectual property rights, privacy rights, or propriety rights of PayPal, any other PayPal user or any other third party;
- Includes your password or intentionally includes any other user’s password or intentionally includes personal data of third parties or is for the purpose of soliciting such data;
- One that impersonates or misrepresents your affiliation with another user, person, or entity, or is otherwise fraudulent, false, deceptive, or misleading; or one that violates or is conflicting with the Agreements, as stipulated by the platform.
Below you will find more about the guidelines.
More About the Guidelines
Keep reading below for more about the guidelines.
- Note also that, PayPal reserves the right to update these terms and conditions using its sole discretion for any reason by posting an updated version of these terms and conditions at https://www.paypal.me/pages/terms.
- The updated terms become effective as of the date of posting and your continued use of any PPM Link will constitute your acceptance of the updated terms.
- You have to agree and acknowledge that violation of any of the above may result in the immediate termination or suspension of your PPM Links(s) and or in PayPal reclaiming your PPM Link for any reason.
Now that you know the terms and conditions you are to adhere to and are comfortable with them, let’s see the fees you have to pay to use this service:
PayPal Me Fees
PayPal Me is not all free. There are costs involved in using the feature for business, and you may also incur fees while using it personally, mostly if there is any currency conversion or international payment involved.
When you set up your Me link, the terms and conditions, as well as the costs, will vary. It depends on whether you are using the link for personal or business use. If you try to boycott the business fees by classifying payments as personal when they are actually using it for goods and services, then you can be sure that the platform will still charge you the appropriate fees later.
How PayPal Explains the Fees
Here is how the platform explains the fees in its terms and conditions. The use of capitals by the platform indicates that their lawyers likely thought that this is a point worth emphasizing for clearer understanding.
- You may not use a personal PPM link to receive payments for commercial purposes, nor are you permitted to use a commercial PPM link for personal transactions.
Later, the terms cover the consequences of breaking the rules:
In case the platform determines, in its sole discretion that you have gotten payments for goods and services on a Personal PPM Link, then PayPal may retroactively charge you the required fees and prospectively reclassify the PPM Link as Commercial.
When this happens, you will be charged business use fees if the platform believes you are taking business payments while covering them up as a personal one. Note also that if you have a Business Account, the assumption is that the PayPal Me link associated with that account will be for business purposes, and whenever you send a link and request money, it will be identified as commercial and charged as such.
Domestic PayPal Me Fees (Friends & Family)
The platform will charge you the following fee if you are sending money to friends and family in the US or Canada
- Paying by balance or linked bank account – No fee
- Paying by credit or debit card – 2.9% of the total transaction amount + a fixed fee depending on the currency in use.
Domestic PayPal Me Fees (Goods & Services)
If you have a US account and you are being paid by a customer who also has a US account, then this is what you will be paying:
- 2.9% of the transaction amount +a fixed fee depending on the currency.
International PayPal Me Fees (Friends & Family Outside)
This is what it entails to send money to friends and family outside of the US or Canada:
- Paying by balance or linked bank account – Charged between 0.3 – 2% of the transaction amount, based on the country involved.
- Paying by credit or debit card (partially or fully funded) – Fee of 3.4 – 3.9% with an additional fixed fee based on the currency of the country involved.
- Currency conversion fee (added on top of the base exchange rate) – 2.5 – 3% based on the situation added on top of the base exchange rate. 4% if you are a registered user in a “relevant country other than the UK or Ireland”.
Above are some of the basic fees associated with transactions outside the country.
More on International Fees
When it comes to the currency conversion fee, PayPal adds this fee to the exchange rate by use when you make an international payment. What this implies is that you won’t get the real exchange rate you find on Google.
Rather, PayPal takes an extra profit by adding a percentage charge on top of the rate in use. A Base Exchange Rate is set for the relevant currency, and then a conversion fee is added on top of that.
In case you want to transfer money to your friends and family abroad, it would be best if you choose a specialist in international money transfers. You should take one where you will be able to make a transfer using the real mid-market exchange rate, and with only a small, upfront fee charged.
The transparent fee structure and fair exchange rate imply that there are no hidden fees to worry about. Thus if you are sending money as a business, you won’t be charged a higher fee. You will be expected to pay the same low, transparent fee.
International PayPal Me Fees (Goods & Services)
The following fees will apply if you are being paid by a customer or paying an international invoice of someone who has a PayPal account based outside of the US:
- Basic fee5 – 4.4% of the transaction amounts.
- Fixed fee5 – Depends on the currency.
- Currency conversion fee (added on top of the base exchange rate) – 2.5 if you are paid in a different currency.
- International payment fee of 5 – 1.5% for an international payment.
- Paying by balance or linked bank account – Charged between 0.3 – 2% of the transaction amount, based on the country involved.
- Paying by credit or debit card (partially or fully funded – Fee of 3.4 – 3.9% with an additional fixed fee based on the currency or country involved.
These costs add up quickly, as a business owner, freelancer, or entrepreneur who deals with clients who are based abroad. If you are not comfortable with what PayPal is offering, you may choose a better option.
How to Use PayPal Me Payment Service
Here I am going to show you just how you can use the Me payment service. It’s quite easy to use as long as your friends already have or will sign up for a PayPal account. Here’s how to use it:
- Scroll to PayPal.me.
- Tap on the “Get Started” button
- Key in your desired username. This will pop up at the end of the URLs you send to people.
- Tap on “Grab This Link”.
- Next, log into your PayPal account or sign up for a new one. Once you receive money, it will get credited to your PayPal account, through which you can make payments for other transactions, or request a direct deposit into your bank account.
- Double-check to ensure that the information is accurate.
- Choose a theme color (optional).
- Then upload a picture. This stage is also optional, but very useful for helping your friends identify you and reassure them that they are on the right page.
- Lastly, “Create Your PayPal.me”.
Now you are all set and can start requesting money with your new PayPal.me link.
How to Request Payment With PayPal Me
PayPal says on its website, “No one likes to nag”. This means that you don’t have to bug your friends to return your money. You can ask them by sending a link. Here is how it’s done.
- Start by sending your link (http://www.paypal.me/YOURNAME) to your friends through text, email or IM.
- In case you want to add a specific dollar amount, you can add it to the end of your link (http://www.paypal.me/YOURNAME/YOURAMOUNT)
Above is how you can request payments using PayPal Me.
How Safe is PayPal Me?
PayPal offers buyer and seller protection but how these really work is dependent on the transaction in question. For example, PayPal does not offer seller protection on digital items. Thus web developers, or those who sell any form of digital product, thus they are not eligible for this cover.
To see where your category falls, you can check out the small print on the PayPal Me FAQ, and PayPal user agreement.
How to Use PayPal Me Link
The first step to take before you can use a link is to create your own PayPal Me link. Here, let’s show you how:
How to Create a PayPal Me Link
If you don’t already have a PayPal account, you will need one at this point and can successfully open a regular PayPal account to be able to create your link. Here is what you should do:
- Scroll to the PayPal.Me portal and tap on “Create Your PayPal.Me” Link.
- Choose a username – this name will appear at the end of the link you share to get paid.
- Tap on “Grab this link”
- You can follow these steps further to personalize and then activate the link. Thereafter, you can add a profile picture and change the colours of the background.
Above is how you can create an account.
Changing a PayPal.Me Link
Are you thinking about how you can change a PayPal.me in? Currently, it’s not possible to change your PayPal Me username, thus you have to choose wisely. Also, you can’t delete your link once it has been created. However, you can hide it from public view if you intend to stop using it.
PayPal Useful Links
Download the PayPal Mobile app from Google Play and App Store.
PayPal Social Media Links
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Does it Cost to Sign Up on Paypal Me?
Signing up for a PayPal account is free, and setting up your PayPal Me Link is also free.
Can I Use PayPal.Me on my Mobile Device?
You can use the PayPal Me link on any device, be it iPhone, Android, desktop, or tablet.
You now have a safe, easy, fast, reliable, convenient payment at your fingertips, you are just a click away with PayPal Me.
How do I Create a PayPal me Link?
To Create Your Own PayPal.Me link, just visit PayPal.me. if you already have a PayPal account, log in, and generate your link. If you don’t, signing up is fast and free.
Is PayPal Me Real?
The Email address PayPal.me is also a legitimate domain meant for sharing your PayPal account and sending money more quickly and easily.
Is a PayPal me Link Free?
Is it free to set up PayPal.? Yes! There’s no fee to create a PayPal account or a Paypal.me link.
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