Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

PayPal vs Remitly

PayPal 4.8★ · Free to download 55
Winner Remitly
Remitly 4.9★ · Free to download 80

Remitly is the better choice for international money transfers due to its speed, ease of use, and competitive rates, while PayPal struggles with app functionality, customer support, and holds on funds.

Full reviews: PayPal · Remitly

Remitly excels in international money transfers, offering fast, secure, and affordable options, making it ideal for sending money to family abroad. PayPal, while widely used, faces significant user complaints regarding app reliability, customer service, and issues with held funds and notifications.

Head to head

International Money Transfers edge: RemitlyR3R24R25R54
PayPal PayPal users report issues with money being put on hold for weeks, currency conversion fees, and difficulties changing account details when moving countries R24R3. Some users also complain about funds being held ransom or accounts being closed without clear reasons R25R54.
Remitly Remitly is highly praised for its speed, ease, and affordability in international money transfers, with many users calling it the best option for sending money to family R62R65R71R77. However, some users experience transfers taking longer than expected, or getting stuck in processing .
App Functionality & Reliability edge: RemitlyR6R9R10R12
PayPal Many PayPal users report significant app issues, including inability to open the app, problems moving money, slow cashback points processing, payments not proceeding, and being stuck in portrait mode on iPad R6R9R10R12. Users also note the app lacks full functionality compared to the website, such as recovering chat history or applying discounts to invoices .
Remitly Remitly is generally seen as easy to use and navigate . While some users report occasional technical hiccups or transfers failing , the core functionality for sending money is often described as fast and direct .
Customer Support & Account Issues tieR3R4R7R25
PayPal PayPal users frequently criticize customer support, describing it as unhelpful, non-existent online, only accessible by phone, and failing to resolve issues R3R7R52R56. There are numerous complaints about accounts being suspended or disabled for unclear reasons, money being held, or cards not being accepted R4R25R35.
Remitly Remitly's customer service receives mixed reviews. While some users appreciate helpful assistance , many are extremely disappointed, reporting accounts suspended without warning, unhelpful support chats, and inability to get clear answers on held funds .
Notifications & User Experience edge: RemitlyR1R19R28R31
PayPal PayPal users are frustrated by unwanted push notifications for ads and promotions, which persist even after turning off marketing settings R19R28R31. The app also has issues with remembering default names and addresses, leading to incorrect information being used for purchases R1.
Remitly Remitly users generally appreciate receiving updates throughout the transfer process, which contributes to a sense of security and knowing where their money is . There are no significant complaints about unwanted notifications.
Pick PayPal if

you primarily use it for general online payments within your country and appreciate features like 'Pay in 4' .

Pick Remitly if

you frequently send money internationally, especially to family, and prioritize speed, ease of use, and competitive exchange rates R62R65R71R77.

Evidence note: Both apps are free to download, so the free-vs-paid asymmetry is not a factor. While PayPal has a higher number of overall ratings, recent negative reviews indicate significant issues with app functionality and customer support.

Frequently asked

Which app is better for sending money internationally?
Remitly is generally better for sending money internationally, with users frequently praising its speed, ease, and competitive rates for transfers to various countries R62R65R71R77.
Do these apps have good customer support?
Neither app consistently receives high marks for customer support; PayPal users report unhelpful chatbots and a reliance on phone support for issues R7R52R56R58, while Remitly users also express extreme disappointment with support, citing suspended accounts and unhelpful responses .
Are there issues with money being held or delayed?
Both apps have users reporting issues with money being held or delayed; PayPal users complain about funds being put on hold for weeks or accounts being closed without clear reasons R24R25R35R50, and Remitly users also experience transfers taking longer than estimated or getting stuck in processing for days .

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R3] PayPal 3/5 · US PayPal: I find PayPal very unhelpful I have moved to another country and need to either change or open a new PayPal account not really sure what to do because no one from PayPal will assist me
  2. [R24] PayPal 3/5 · US It’s good: PayPal is great but sometimes they put my money on hold which is very annoying. I get it’s for security purposes but at times it’s annoying because they keep my money for weeks. And also, I use euro and my friend uses usd and when I send I get a fee but when see sends she doesn’t. But overall the app is good
  3. [R25] PayPal 1/5 · US PayPal Mastercard: PayPal Mastercard tries to hold your money ransom if you pay your card off in full. I paid my card off 7/2/26 and called today to see why the available balance hasn’t changed. They said they will release the “hold” 7/17/26 because my account was opened less than 6 months ago. When I paid $80 or so for the payment they released the “hold” after a couple days. They clearly just wa
  4. [R54] PayPal 1/5 · US Don’t use it: I got a credit card from PayPal. Never miss a payment or something else. They close my account for no reason and you ask what’s wrong and they never answer. Don’t use it. There’s a lots of app better.
  5. [R6] PayPal 3/5 · US Issues since last update: Never had a problem with this app until the latest update. Now I’m rarely able to move money around and it takes forever to get my Cash back points. The app won’t let my husband and I send money to each other and I still have points pending from almost a month ago. I hope this gets fixed soon 😕
  6. [R9] PayPal 3/5 · US Cool: It’s fine, but it won’t let me sign in. It’s says 4+ and it says I’m to young.
  7. [R10] PayPal 1/5 · US STUCK IN PORTRAIT??: This app stays stuck in portrait mode on my iPad. It is 2026, what kind of nonsense is this???
  8. [R12] PayPal 3/5 · US app: since last week i loved my pay pal now everytime i go to open my app it will not open i’ve done everything. I close the account like the account of my Facebook off my phone reinstall it shut my phone off to Noeville PayPal. I cannot get into anymore so I don’t like them.
  9. [R4] PayPal 1/5 · US Esa mierda de PayPal no sirves son estafadores él tiene mi dinero tenido esa mierda. Maldito PayPal: Ojalá y se mueran todos por estafadores ladrona, azaroso, no pueden tener mi cuarto retenido quiero mi dinero, pues si mi cuenta está suspendida deme mi dinero, coñazo, maldita, sea, le voy a poner una demanda
  10. [R7] PayPal 1/5 · US Digital company but no online support: Every time I have some issue I have to call as the chatbot and agents from support don’t solve anything. Only in the USA a digital company for online payments still living in the phone age.
  11. [R1] PayPal 2/5 · US “Default”: Wish there was a way to make your “default” name and address the default. This purchase, current business name and street address from 20 years ago. Different purchase 5 mins later, actual name, address from 10yrs ago. Next purchase, old business name, current address.
  12. [R19] PayPal 1/5 · US Ad push notifications: Started sending push notification ads today after years of trusting it for financial urgency. Turned off now.
  13. [R28] PayPal 1/5 · US Bad Behavior Notifications: PayPal app has badly behaving notifications. Two categories for notifications under ‘You’re receiving…’ that are unchecked, but are still sending notifications. I assume the category is ‘announcements offers and incentives tailored to you’ but it’s just trash promotions.
  14. [R31] PayPal 1/5 · US Sends you junk push notifications: The app sends you advertisements for PayPal garbage. There’s a setting to turn these notifications off, but it ignores that setting.
  15. [R62] Remitly 5/5 · US BEST APP EVER!: Listen, I’m not the type to be posting reviews. But this is one of the best apps that I’ve ever tried. I’ve never had a problem whatsoever. I used to send money through a store and now I could just send money through my fingertips.
  16. [R65] Remitly 5/5 · US Transfer to Mexico: It was very easy, fast and cheaper than every other way I have used for international transfers!! Thank you Remitly!
  17. [R71] Remitly 5/5 · US Excepcional: Llevo años usando este método para mandar dinero y es un proceso seguro ,rápido y responsable el mejor método, no lo cambiaría por nada fácil y desde mi casa.
  18. [R77] Remitly 5/5 · US Una buena alternativa: Puedes fácilmente encontrar muchas opciones de envío rápido y económico para muchos de los que necesitamos ayudar a la familia🫶🏻
  19. [R52] PayPal 2/5 · US Be Cautious!!: When everything goes right, it’s GREAT! However, if there is an issue with a seller you’re screwed! Real reviews are based on HOW a company acts when things don’t go right. Good luck contacting a person. PayPal only has an A.I. interface with limited help. Their system is not designed for business that engage in fraudulent practices.
  20. [R56] PayPal 1/5 · US Worst experience: The customer service is so pathetic, they promise something any they don’t keep their promises, it happened with me 3 times. Very disappointed with PayPal customer service.
  21. [R58] PayPal 1/5 · US Worst App Ever: This app is horrible and customer service sucked was put on hold for over an hour and half and when able to get a hold of a customer service they couldn’t help me at all with adding funds into account. Please just use Venmo or Cashapp as their apps actually work and better customer service.
  22. [R35] PayPal 5/5 · US VERY DISAPPOINTED: Have been holding my money against me for two months saying ill get it in 120 days they stole 52$ dollars from me and i never seen it again and customer support is no help at all if this is what users deal with I honestly don’t recommend this app at all
  23. [R50] PayPal 1/5 · US Unreliable: I don’t ever leave reviews but this app is absolutely stupid I can’t believe it has as many good reviews as it does. My account went inactive for “too long” so they PERMANENTLY disabled my account due to “scamming concerns” just because I hadn’t used the app in a while. Chatted with their AI support and it told me there’s nothing I can do about my account being disabled, it’s final an

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store