How to delete a PayPal account

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Are you done with your PayPal account? Perhaps you’ve found a worthy replacement. Or maybe you don’t agree with the company’s ever-changing policies. Or perhaps the ease of transactions is causing you to overshop.

Let’s be honest—if it’s the latter, do you really think PayPal is the problem? It’s like a crack addict blaming an ATM for dispensing money for drugs.

Anyway, if you do want to nuke your PayPal account, you’re in luck because the process is actually quite simple. Let’s get to it.

What to do before deleting your PayPal account

Before you delete your PayPal account, whether it’s a personal or business account, you’ll want to make sure to withdraw any remaining Paypal balance by logging in to your Paypal account using the Paypal website or Paypal app.

Firstly, you should make sure you’re totally, undoubtedly, absolutely, positively sure you want to delete your account. Because once you take such a final, drastic step, there’s no going back.

When you close a PayPal account, it’s gone forever. To some, the thought is liberating. To others, it’s distressing—so make sure you’re sure before you delete your PayPal account permanently.

Secondly, you should transfer any remaining money out of the account you’re about to close, whether that’s business or personal. That’s an obvious one.

Thirdly, you should complete any outstanding transactions and pay any unpaid invoices. PayPal won’t let you close your account until you address any financial concerns, including a negative balance.

Once you’ve got your affairs in order, you’re ready to annihilate your PayPal account and remove it from existence.

How to delete a PayPal account using the website

Delete a PayPal account using the mobile app

If you’d prefer to close your PayPal account via the mobile app, you can do so by following these steps:

1. Launch the PayPal app and ensure you’re logged in to the account you want to close

2. Tap the Profile icon in the top right corner

3. Scroll down and select Close your account

4. Tap Close Account on the next prompt to confirm and permanently delete your account

That’s it. Once you complete the final confirmation, you can consider your PayPal account taken care of. It won’t be around to bother you anymore.

Can you reopen a closed PayPal account?

As mentioned, closing a PayPal account is a permanent action, and there’s no way to resurrect a nuked account.

However, if you change your mind and decide you do want PayPal in your life, you can always create a new account and start fresh. You can even use the same email address as before.

Basically, if you’ve had a change of heart, you can recreate your old account and act as if nothing ever happened.

How can I transfer my PayPal balance before deleting my account?

• Log into PayPal
• Click “Wallet”
• Under “PayPal balance”, click “Transfer Money”
• Click “Transfer to your bank”
• Select your bank account
• Enter the amount and click “Next”
• Review and click “Transfer Now”

Can I create a new PayPal account with the same email after deletion?

Absolutely! Once you’ve said goodbye to your old PayPal account, you can use the same email to start fresh with a new one. Just make sure you’ve given the deletion process some time to fully wrap up before you dive back in.

Will deleting my PayPal account affect my credit score?

Closing your PayPal account isn’t like closing a credit card – it won’t ding your credit score. PayPal doesn’t chat with credit bureaus like Experian, TransUnion, or Equifax about your account activity. So, you can delete your account without any credit score concerns. But if you have a PayPal Credit account, that’s a different story. Always best to check with a financial advisor or directly with PayPal if you’re unsure.

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