PayPal vs Samsung Wallet
Updated November 2026 · AppBreakup editorial
PayPal
Online payment account and app for paying shops, sending money and buying now, paying later.
Samsung Wallet
Samsung's wallet for Galaxy devices, combining Samsung Pay, passes, IDs and digital keys.
The short answer
PayPal and Samsung Wallet do different jobs. PayPal is an online payment account for checking out on websites and sending money to people, on any phone or in a browser. Samsung Wallet is the tap-to-pay, passes and digital-keys wallet built into Galaxy phones and watches. Galaxy owners often want both; anyone not on Samsung hardware can only use PayPal.
PayPal or Samsung Wallet: our take
PayPal links your cards and bank accounts to one account so you can pay online without typing card details, send and request money between people, split costs, and pay in instalments with Pay in 4 or Pay Monthly in eligible regions. Eligible purchases are covered by Purchase Protection. It works on iPhone, Android and the web, and opening an account is free, though fees apply to some transfers, currency conversion and receiving payments for sales. It is not mainly a tap-to-pay phone wallet, and features such as Pay Later and crypto vary by country.
Samsung Wallet is the opposite shape. It is a free app built into Samsung Galaxy phones and watches (Galaxy Watch6 or later) that brings together Samsung Pay for contactless payments in shops, Samsung Pass for biometric sign-ins, loyalty cards, boarding passes, tickets and transit cards, and digital keys for cars, homes and hotels. Car keys work over NFC and, on supported cars, UWB. In select places it can also hold a student ID, company ID or driver's license. Data is protected by Samsung Knox. It only runs on Galaxy devices, and ID and key features depend on country, model and partner support.
Choose PayPal if you shop online a lot, send money to friends who may use iPhone or Android, or want buyer protection and instalment options at checkout. Choose Samsung Wallet if you own a Galaxy phone and want to pay at the till by tapping, keep passes and tickets in one place, or use a digital car key. Because one covers online checkout and person-to-person payments and the other covers in-person payments and passes, many Galaxy owners simply use both.
Which should you pick?
Choose PayPal if…
- People who pay online often or send money to friends across iPhone and Android
- You need Web and iOS, which Samsung Wallet doesn't list
- Accepted at a very large number of online stores
- Works on any phone and in the browser
Choose Samsung Wallet if…
- Samsung Galaxy owners who want payments, passes and keys in Samsung's ecosystem
- Combines payments, passwords (Samsung Pass) and passes in one app
- Digital car keys over NFC and UWB
About each app
What is PayPal?
PayPal is a digital wallet that links your cards and bank accounts to one account, so you can check out on websites and in apps without typing card details. The app also handles sending and requesting money between people, splitting costs, paying in instalments with Pay in 4 or Pay Monthly in eligible regions, a PayPal debit card, savings and buying cryptocurrency in some countries. Eligible purchases are covered by Purchase Protection, and logins can use biometrics and passkeys. It works on iPhone, Android and the web and is accepted by a huge number of online stores. Opening an account and using the app are free for buyers; fees apply to some transfers, currency conversion and receiving payments for sales. Unlike Apple, Google or Samsung Wallet, it isn't mainly a tap-to-pay phone wallet, and feature availability varies a lot by country.
What is Samsung Wallet?
Samsung Wallet is the wallet app built into Samsung Galaxy phones and watches. It brings together Samsung Pay for contactless payments, Samsung Pass for biometric sign-ins, and storage for loyalty and membership cards, boarding passes, tickets, transit cards, and digital keys for cars, homes and hotels. In some places it can hold a student ID, company ID or mobile driver's license. Car keys work over NFC or, on supported cars, UWB so the doors unlock as you walk up. Data is protected by Samsung Knox with on-device storage and card encryption. The app itself is free. Its main restriction is hardware: it's meant for Galaxy devices, and features such as IDs and digital keys depend on your country, model and partner support.
Side by side
| Attribute | PayPal | Samsung Wallet |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan + paid | Free |
| Open source | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Android |
| Best for | People who pay online often or send money to friends across iPhone and Android | Samsung Galaxy owners who want payments, passes and keys in Samsung's ecosystem |
| Status | Active | Active |
PayPal vs Samsung Wallet pricing
Samsung Wallet: free
We couldn't verify Samsung Wallet's plan details on its own site yet, so we don't list them.
Platforms
| Platform | PayPal | Samsung Wallet |
|---|---|---|
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android |
PayPal facts
8 of 8 verified- Buyer protection
- Purchase Protection
- Checked Nov 8, 2026paypal.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “And Purchase Protection covers your eligible purchases.”
- Account cost
- Free to open
- Checked Nov 8, 2026paypal.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “It’s free to open an account with PayPal or download the PayPal app.”
- Platforms
- iOS, Android
- Checked Nov 8, 2026paypal.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “You can download the PayPal app from the iOS App Store or Android Play Store.”
- Buy now, pay later
- Pay in 4, Pay Monthly (US)
- Checked Nov 8, 2026paypal.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Explore Offers Pay when and where you want Pay now, Pay in 4 6 , or Pay Monthly”
- PayPal Checkout fee
- 3.49% + fixed fee (US)
- Checked Nov 8, 2026paypal.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “PayPal Checkout 3.49% + fixed fee”
- Card payments fee
- 2.99% + fixed fee (US)
- Checked Nov 8, 2026paypal.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Standard Credit and Debit Card Payments 2.99% + fixed fee PayPal Pay Later options 4.99% + fixed fee All Other Commercial Transactions 3.”
- Fixed fee
- $0.49 per US dollar transaction
- Checked Nov 8, 2026paypal.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “US dollar 0.49 USD”
- International fee
- Extra 1.50% on international commercial payments
- Checked Nov 8, 2026paypal.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “international commercial transactions Payment Type Rate All Commercial Transactions 1.50%”
Samsung Wallet facts
5 of 5 verified- Includes
- Samsung Pay and Samsung Pass
- Checked Nov 8, 2026samsung.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “It brings together Samsung Pay and Samsung Pass, and supports tickets and boarding passes for everyday use.”
- Digital car keys
- NFC and UWB
- Checked Nov 8, 2026samsung.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “Samsung Wallet supports two types of digital car keys: NFC and UWB (Ultra-Wideband).”
- Security
- Samsung Knox
- Checked Nov 8, 2026samsung.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “As well, Wallet is protected by Samsung Knox”
- Digital ID
- Student, company ID, driver's license (select)
- Checked Nov 8, 2026samsung.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “keep your select Student ID, Driver’s License, or Company ID conveniently and securely in your phone.”
- Smartwatch
- Galaxy Watch6 or later
- Checked Nov 8, 2026samsung.com(opens source in a new tab)
- “use them on your Galaxy Watch6 or higher, too.”
Pros and cons of PayPal
- Accepted at a very large number of online stores
- Works on any phone and in the browser
- Purchase Protection on eligible purchases
- Fees on some transfers, currency conversion and receiving payments
- Not a full tap-to-pay phone wallet in most countries
- Features like Pay Later and crypto vary by country
Pros and cons of Samsung Wallet
- Combines payments, passwords (Samsung Pass) and passes in one app
- Digital car keys over NFC and UWB
- Protected by Samsung Knox with on-device storage
- Only for Samsung Galaxy devices
- ID and key features vary by country, model and partner
- Overlaps with Google Wallet on the same phone, which can confuse
Other apps to consider
Apple WalletInstead of PayPal
Apple Pay in stores, apps and Safari with no Apple fees, if you're on iPhone.
VenmoInstead of PayPal
PayPal's own social payments app, quicker for splitting bills and paying friends in the US.
Google PayInstead of Samsung Wallet
For Samsung Wallet's UPI users in India, the widely accepted UPI app that works on any phone.
PayPal vs Samsung Wallet: common questions
Is PayPal better than Samsung Wallet?
PayPal and Samsung Wallet do different jobs. PayPal is an online payment account for checking out on websites and sending money to people, on any phone or in a browser. Samsung Wallet is the tap-to-pay, passes and digital-keys wallet built into Galaxy phones and watches. Galaxy owners often want both; anyone not on Samsung hardware can only use PayPal.
Is PayPal free?
PayPal has a free plan, with paid plans for more features. See its verified pricing facts above for current limits.
Is Samsung Wallet free?
Yes, Samsung Wallet is free.
Is PayPal or Samsung Wallet open source?
Neither is open source.
Which platforms do PayPal and Samsung Wallet support?
PayPal: Web, iOS and Android. Samsung Wallet: Android.