PayPal is useful when trust and convenience matter more than owning a full registration workflow. Attendees recognize the brand, Venmo can help in the US, and setup is straightforward. The tradeoff is that fees, holds, chargebacks, currency conversion, and account reviews can surprise teams that treat PayPal like a simple cash drawer.
PayPal's merchant fees differ across checkout, Venmo, card, international, currency, chargeback, and advanced payment cases.
PayPal collects money but does not manage attendee records, badges, session capacity, or check-in by itself.
Payment processors can review accounts and hold funds, which matters when event cash flow is time-sensitive.
International events should model PayPal's cross-border and currency conversion impact before committing.
| Plan | Price | Details |
|---|---|---|
| PayPal Business Account | $0/month for basic account | No monthly fee for many common payment workflows; merchant transaction fees apply |
| PayPal Checkout, Pay with Venmo, or Guest Checkout | 3.49% + fixed fee in the US | Official US merchant fee table lists this rate as of February 9, 2026 |
| Advanced card and POS scenarios | Varies | Card-present, online card, manual entry, virtual terminal, chargeback, international, and currency fees vary |
PayPal is often the easiest payment option to add when an event needs a trusted way to collect money quickly. It is familiar to attendees and flexible enough for payment links, invoices, Venmo, and basic checkout.
It should not be treated as an event system. Model the exact fee path, confirm payout timing, and keep attendee registration records somewhere purpose-built.
Get a shortlist of the best-fit options for your event workflow.
Compare My OptionsFree Google form and survey builder for simple RSVPs, feedback forms, quizzes, and lightweight event registration, with automatic response collection in Sheets.
Collect simple registration details in Forms and route payment separately through PayPal
Drag-and-drop form builder for event registration, surveys, waivers, payment forms, file uploads, signatures, approvals, and lightweight workflows.
Use Jotform payment forms when registration fields and PayPal collection need to sit together
A dependable email marketing workhorse for invite flows and post-event nurture, but one that gets more expensive as contacts pile up and automation needs mature.
Follow up with paid registrants or donors through segmented email campaigns
The payment engine many event tools rely on, with excellent developer ergonomics and flexible checkout options, but no built-in event workflow of its own.
Better developer-first payment infrastructure for custom ticketing or app checkout
Point-of-sale and payment platform for event teams selling tickets, merchandise, food, donations, or onsite add-ons with card readers, Tap to Pay, invoices, and online checkout.
Better when in-person POS, card readers, and onsite sales matter
Visa-owned payment gateway for online, mobile, phone, recurring, and card-not-present payments.
More traditional payment gateway fit for organizations with existing merchant accounts
We research each tool by reviewing official documentation, pricing pages, and user feedback from Trustpilot, G2, and Capterra. If something's out of date or inaccurate, use the link below to flag it.
