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Make Money Online4 min read

Make Money With PayPal: Receiving Your Online Income Safely

PayPal does not make you money, it is a way to receive money others pay you. Here is how to use it wisely, which programs offer it, and how to avoid the traps.

A smiling woman shows her phone displaying a received payment

PayPal earns you nothing by itself

Searches like "make money with PayPal" often start from a misunderstanding. PayPal is a payment service: it is used to send, receive and hold money. It does not create income. Any site claiming you will "earn on PayPal" by clicking, signing up or filling in a form should be viewed with the greatest suspicion.

On the other hand, PayPal is a common payment method for many honest activities. The right question is therefore: which serious activities let you be paid through this channel, and under what conditions?

Which activities allow payment through PayPal?

Depending on the case, several types of activities pay through PayPal:

  • Independent assignments: a client pays you directly or through a platform offering this method.
  • Affiliate programs: many networks offer bank transfer and PayPal among their options. This is the case with Prelinker, which pays earnings in euros by bank transfer or PayPal.
  • Selling products: customers can pay you through this service.
  • Some content or survey programs, provided they are identifiable and serious, with often modest amounts.

In affiliate marketing, this choice is made in your account settings. The payout schedule and threshold are in each program's terms, and it is wise to reread them before choosing.

Fees to watch

Receiving money on PayPal does not always come at no cost. Several items can reduce the sum that actually reaches your account:

  1. Receiving fees. For a business account, PayPal generally charges a percentage and a fixed amount on each payment received. Check the current fee schedule on the official website.
  2. Currency conversion fees. If you are paid in a currency other than the euro, a margin is applied to the exchange rate.
  3. Withdrawal fees to your bank. Depending on the amount and withdrawal method, some fees may apply.

Compare with bank transfer. With Prelinker, for example, a transfer carries no fee in France, €3 in the euro zone and €20 internationally. For a small amount paid outside France, PayPal may be cheaper; for a larger amount, a transfer is often more advantageous. It is up to you to do the math for your situation.

Run a simulation with a typical amount before choosing: write down the sum received, subtract the fees of each option, and compare the net.

If you are just starting, a personal account sometimes suffices for very small amounts, but once the activity becomes regular, a business account is more appropriate: it lets you display your business identity, keep a clean history and avoid mixing private spending with your receipts. Check PayPal's terms of use, which may change, before receiving significant sums.

Security: good habits

PayPal is a frequent target for fraudsters. A few habits limit the risk:

  • Always check the site address. Fake sites imitate the login page. Type the address yourself rather than clicking a link received by email.
  • Turn on two-factor authentication to protect your account.
  • Never share your password. No serious program needs it.
  • Beware of payments that are "too high". A fake client who sends you more than agreed and asks you to refund the difference is setting up a refund scam.
  • Keep supporting documents. Keep invoices, exchanges and proof of delivery for your service.

No serious site will ask you to pay in order to receive money on PayPal. Such a request is a sign of a scam. Our guide to avoiding scams details the most common cases.

One last word on tracking: regularly download your activity statement and match it against the payouts announced by your programs. A gap of a few euros may come from a fee or an exchange rate, but an unexplained gap deserves a question to the support team of the program concerned. Keeping this habit from the first payout saves a lot of trouble.

Promises to ignore

Some ads claim you will receive money on PayPal by watching videos, testing games or installing apps. In most cases the sums are tiny or nonexistent, and the real goal is to collect your data or push you to buy. Others require a "refundable" initial deposit into your account. These are the classic signs of a fraudulent setup. If the offer does not clearly say who pays you, for what work, and within what timeframe, move on.

Declaring what you receive

The payment method changes nothing about your obligations. Sums received on PayPal, like those received by bank transfer, are business income to be declared whenever they come from an activity. Keep a record of each payout and separate in your account what belongs to your activity from what belongs to your private life. For general guidelines, see the article on declaring your income.

In practice

First choose a serious activity, then the payment method that costs you the least. If you are new to affiliate marketing, the getting started page guides you through opening your account, and the guide to making money online gives you an overview of realistic options.

Frequently asked questions

Can you make money directly with PayPal?

No. PayPal is a payment method, not a source of income. Offers promising earnings simply for signing up or clicking should be avoided.

Does Prelinker pay earnings through PayPal?

Yes, payment is made in euros by bank transfer or PayPal. The schedule and exact conditions are in the terms of your publisher account.

Do you have to declare sums received on PayPal?

Yes, if they come from an activity. The payment method does not change the obligation to declare. Keep supporting documents and ask your country's tax authority or an accountant for advice.

How do you avoid PayPal-related scams?

Check the site address before logging in, turn on two-factor authentication, never share your password and refuse to refund any suspicious overpayment.

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