How to Buy PayPal Holdings Inc (PYPL) Stock for Beginners in 2025

Use our step-by-step guide to learn how to buy PYPL stock, make an investment for the first time, and compare the best PayPal Holdings Inc trading platforms for beginners.
Written by
Updated on Aug 9, 2024
Reading time 3 minutes

With technology today, you can buy PYPL stocks from the comfort of your home. PayPal (PYPL) stocks are available through many online brokers, and it usually takes just a few minutes to buy shares in PYPL when following our step-by-step guide.

In order to make an investment in PayPal Holdings Inc for the first time, you need to consider several important factors: is now the right time for me? how much should I invest? which trading platform is best for me? Furthermore, you’ll want the lowest fees, a user-friendly interface, and access to a wide range of other stocks.

That’s why we’ve compared the best places to buy PayPal Holdings Inc stocks. Our broker comparison below helps you make an informed decision on the best way to invest in PayPal Holdings Inc.

Let’s begin with where to get started, before moving onto setting up an account, and then placing your first PayPal Holdings Inc trade.

Where to buy PayPal Holdings Inc stock?

Copy link to section

Based on our research, the best stock trading app to buy PayPal Holdings Inc stock is Plus500 .

We’ve ranked the top five brokers where you can buy PayPal Holdings Inc shares according to how easy they are to use, how low their fees are, their safety and security rating, and average customer reviews.

We found 4 online brokers for users based in

Plus500 review
4.5
Plus500
Min. Deposit $100
Fees From 2%
No. assets 2800+
Demo account Yes

Plus500 review

CFD service. 82% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

This information is NOT relevant to EU residents who are to be serviced by EU subsidiaries of the Plus500 Group, such as Plus500CY Ltd, authorised by CySEC (Reg. 250/14). Different regulatory requirements apply in Europe such as leverage limitations and bonus restrictions.

eToro review
4.6
eToro
Min. Deposit $100
Fees 1%
No. assets 50+
Demo account Yes

eToro review

51% of retail CFD accounts lose money. Your capital is at risk.

Public.com review
4.4
Public
Min. Deposit $20
Fees 1-2%
No. assets 9000+
Demo account No

Public.com review

Cryptocurrency execution and custody services are provided by Apex Crypto LLC (NMLS ID 1828849) through a software licensing agreement between Apex Crypto LLC and Public Crypto LLC. Crypto trading on Public platforms is served by Public Crypto LLC and offered through APEX Crypto. Please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved before trading.

Read more about how we test, rank & review platforms.

How to buy stock in PayPal Holdings Inc in 3 steps

Copy link to section

Buying PayPal Holdings Inc stock is quick, all you need is an internet connection, a copy of your photo ID, and the amount you wish to invest. Here’s how to do it.

Step 1. Sign up to an online broker

Copy link to section

Our rankings suggest that Plus500 is the best stock trading platform for beginners.

When you sign up, you’re prompted to fill in your details to create an account, as you would with any online account creation process.

After that, you need to send a copy of your ID to verify the account before you can use it. This is because stock brokerages are required by law to comply with financial regulations, and these demand each customer confirm their identity before they can buy and sell shares on the stock market.

Plus500 review
4.5
Plus500
Min. Deposit $100
Fees From 2%
No. assets 2800+
Demo account Yes

Plus500 review

CFD service. 82% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

This information is NOT relevant to EU residents who are to be serviced by EU subsidiaries of the Plus500 Group, such as Plus500CY Ltd, authorised by CySEC (Reg. 250/14). Different regulatory requirements apply in Europe such as leverage limitations and bonus restrictions.

Step 2. Make a deposit

Copy link to section

You can’t invest in PayPal Holdings Inc stock without any money in the account, so next you have to fund your trading account.

Head to the ‘bank’ or ‘account’ section of your dashboard and select the ‘deposit’ option. Transfer money to your new account via a debit or credit card, bank transfer, or an alternative payment method, like PayPal.

You can add as much as you like as long as you meet the minimum deposit threshold, which might be as low as $10, but is usually around $50-100 depending on your country of residence.

Top tip: consider how much you want to actually invest and over what period. You might need to deposit $200 or so in order to afford the shares, or $1,200 if you’re investing $100 per month for 12 months, for example. 

Step 3. Buy PayPal Holdings Inc stocks

Copy link to section

With funds now in your account, it’s time to make your first investment, aka place your first trade.

Search for PayPal Holdings Inc using the ticker symbol, PYPL. Click the ‘trade’ button and enter the details of your investment, such as how many shares you want to buy or how much you want to spend.

Having entered the amount, you’ll see all the details of the trade to confirm its what you expected. Once ready, hit the ‘trade now’ button to invest in PayPal Holdings Inc, completing your purchase.

It’s as easy as that! You can buy PayPal Holdings Inc shares in just 10-15 minutes and now you’re a PayPal Holdings Inc shareholder.

Top tip: remember though, the process is easy, but making money can be much harder. You still need to do lots of fundamental research, create a budget, and design a strategy that’s suitable for you. 

Compare the best platforms to buy PayPal Holdings Inc stock

Copy link to section

We found 4 online brokers for users based in

1. Plus500. Best for international trading*

Copy link to section
4.5
Ratings

$100

Min. deposit

From 0.8%

Fees

2,800

No. assets

Yes

Demo account

Overview

We love Plus500 because it is one of the industry’s most transparent and reliable brokers. Its fees are clear and you’ll know exactly what you will be paying before you trade. Its technology driven platform gives access to futures for a range of instruments, including forex, commodities, and cryptocurrencies among several others.

Plus500 has something for all types of traders, no matter what level of experience. Its low margin requirements (starting at $20) and different contracts make it a top choice for day traders. At the same time, its trading academy is packed with educational content, perfect for beginners just starting. 

For accurate instrument availability, visit plus500.com.

The fees: Plus500 charges a commission of $0.49 per Micro contract and $0.89 per Standard contract (per side). There is an Auto-Liquidation fee of $10 per contract. Other exchange fees may be applicable and can be found on the CME group website. 

*Based on a comparison of 60+ leading brokers and trading platforms.

Highlights

Fees & Costs

Pros & Cons

Buy or sell stock CFDs with Plus500. 82% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

2. eToro. Best for beginners, copy-trading & demo-account

Copy link to section
4.5
Ratings

$100

Min. deposit

0% commission

Fees

50

No. assets

Yes

Demo account

Overview

We love eToro because it’s a crypto trading platform built with beginners and casual traders in mind. The platform combines an interactive, social trading experience with an easy-to-use interface, making it ideal for novice traders.

The far-reaching catalog of 100 cryptocurrencies includes big names like Bitcoin and Ethereum, as well as smaller crypto tokens with high growth potential. Some supported tokens can be seamlessly transferred to the eToro Money crypto wallet for safekeeping.

One feature we particularly appreciate is the ability to interact with eToro’s 35 million users on any asset, market, or portfolio page. If you find traders whose strategies match your risk tolerance, you can copy their portfolios automatically using eToro’s flagship copy trading functionality. eToro crypto’s Smart Portfolios offer a great entry point into digital currencies, an opportunity to learn and potentially benefit from the expertise of more experienced traders.

If you don’t feel comfortable investing your cash straight away, you can use a free demo account, credited with $100,000 virtual dollars. This offers plenty of opportunities to try out a trading strategy that works for you across the 100 crypto tokens available.

Highlights

Fees & Costs

Pros & Cons

51% of retail CFD accounts lose money. Your capital is at risk.

3. Public. Best for AI analysis

Copy link to section
public.com logo
4
Ratings

$20

Min. deposit

Spreads

Fees

9,000

No. assets

No

Demo account

Overview

We love Public because it makes use of cutting-edge AI technology to enhance your trading and investing experience. Public’s AI-powered feature, Public Alpha offers personalized insights and recommendations through its natural language interface in real time. 

Public’s AI technology helps you make more informed decisions by analyzing massive amounts of data and providing actionable insights. These AI-driven insights are easily accessible and give users access to the latest advancements in financial analysis and trading. 

Not only do can you use AI to help your investments, Public is one of the lowest cost brokerage firms out there. You can invest in stocks and ETFs commission free. You can also buy and trade fractional shares and if you want to diversify, you can explore a range of alternative investments including music and film royalties. 

The fees: There are no fees for investing in stocks during regular trading hours in the US – 9.30am-4pm EST. There is a $2.99 fee for trades outside of regular hours. 

Highlights

Fees & Costs

Pros & Cons

Cryptocurrency execution and custody services are provided by Apex Crypto LLC (NMLS ID 1828849) through a software licensing agreement between Apex Crypto LLC and Public Crypto LLC. Crypto trading on Public platforms is served by Public Crypto LLC and offered through APEX Crypto. Please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved before trading.

What are the fees for investing in PayPal Holdings Inc stock?

Copy link to section

It depends on the stock broker. Some platforms charge a flat fee per trade, others charge a commission as a percentage of the total trade value each time you buy PayPal Holdings Inc stocks. These can range anywhere from $0.10 per trade, right up to 3% of the total amount you’re investing.

Consider that there may be other costs to trading too. Other fees can include deposit and withdrawal fees, or inactivity fees if you don’t use your account for three months or more. 

These are the trading platforms that charge the lowest fees for buying stocks in PayPal Holdings Inc.

Asset Plus500 fees eToro fees Public fees
Crypto From 2% 1% 1-2% (spread)
Commodities From 0.04% From 2 pips
From 0.8%
Index prices From 0.7% From 0.75 pts
Stocks From 0.08% 0% commission Spreads
View more > Plus500 > eToro > Public >

Are there other ways to invest in PayPal Holdings Inc?

Copy link to section

Yes, you can invest in PayPal Holdings Inc stock in a few different ways. One option is to buy stock in PayPal Holdings Inc directly through an investment platform as laid out above, while another popular choice is to invest in a fund. 

A fund buys stocks in lots of companies on your behalf, to create a diversified portfolio of different assets. Diversified portfolios are typically considered safer than investing in a single stock, because their values fluctuate at different times and their peaks and troughs can balance out.

Many of the best index funds contain PayPal Holdings Inc, while another option is to invest in an ETF. ETFs are similar to funds, except rather than someone choosing what to invest in, it buys stocks automatically according to a set of guiding principles. PayPal Holdings Inc is a popular choice in many of the top performing ETFs.

A third option is to use a social copy trading platform, like Plus500 . Find a trader who you like and copy their PayPal Holdings Inc trades directly to your own account. 

This can be a good investment strategy for beginners and a way to learn how to buy PayPal Holdings Inc shares from someone with more experience.

How to sell PayPal Holdings Inc stock

Copy link to section

When you decide the time is right to sell and lock in some profit (or cut your losses), the process is pretty much the same as having purchased the stock. The steps are as follows:

  1. Log into your broker account and navigate to your portfolio. 
  2. From there, find your PayPal Holdings Inc stock and you’ll see a ‘sell’ option next to it. 
  3. Click that to set the details of the trade. You don’t have to sell all your stocks at once, you could choose to sell half for example. 
  4. Once you’ve decided accordingly, click the ‘sell’ or ‘close’ button to sell back to cash.

Should I buy PayPal Holdings Inc stock now?

Copy link to section

It’s your investing goals and style that define whether now is a good time to buy. The current PayPal Holdings Inc stock price plays into it but ultimately it depends on your investment horizons.

  • If you’re a short term trader: the goal is to make money by buying and selling stocks regularly to secure a profit or avoid a loss. That can mean trading hourly, daily, or weekly but the focus is always on the near future. Traders learn how to buy stocks in PayPal Holdings Inc based on short term technical analysis and don’t hold shares for a long time, so any time can be a good time to buy PayPal Holdings Inc.
  • If you’re a long term investor: you’re more interested in long term price appreciation than whether a stock is up or down on any given day. The important thing is finding a stock with a strong foundation where you think the share price will be up over a period of months or years. If you think PayPal Holdings Inc’s fundamentals are solid then the best time to invest in PayPal Holdings Inc stock is after a dip or a pullback in price.

Most new traders sit somewhere between these two positions. Many investors don’t want to actively trade PayPal Holdings Inc stock all hours of the day, but nor do they want to wait years for a return either.

Top tip: investing small amounts regularly (known as Dollar-Cost-Averaging (DCA)) over a long period of time is proven to be the most successful investing strategy for normal people without trading skills.

Either way, following PayPal Holdings Inc price news and analysis will help you decide when to dip your toe into the market.

Fundamental analysis of PayPal Holdings Inc shares

Copy link to section

How has PayPal Holdings Inc’s share price performed in recent years?

Copy link to section

Overall, PYPL is +2.89% over the last week. The PYPL share price is +40.34% in 2025 so far.

Is Paypal a good investment for me? 

Copy link to section

The right answer is different for each person, so here is some information to help you decide whether to buy stocks in Paypal.

  • PayPal lets its customers process cheap transactions. PayPal’s main advantage is its ability to facilitate affordable and easy online transactions, making it a popular choice for individuals and businesses.
  • Its business has grown into a large-scale money transfer platform. Its origins are rooted in providing a solution for companies unable to accept debit cards on eBay. Still, it has since expanded into a full-fledged online payment system that enables users to transfer and spend money in multiple currencies.
  • PayPal’s revenue is larger than its competitors. For many years, PayPal has been a market leader in online payments, with a large user base and a history of steady revenue growth that dwarfs its competitors, such as Square and Stripe.
  • Investing in PayPal is less risky than similar stocks. Although its competition may offer more potential for growth, PayPal is considered a lower-risk investment due to its established reputation and reliable source of income from transaction fees.
  • Some of its competitors offer more innovation. However, the competitive landscape in online payments has changed in recent years, with new entrants offering innovative solutions that have led investors to look for growth opportunities elsewhere.
  • PayPal allows you to buy cryptocurrency. To remain competitive, PayPal has made several strategic acquisitions, including making inroads into the cryptocurrency market and becoming the first foreign payment company to operate in China. These moves are worth keeping an eye on for existing and potential investors.
  • Its share price has fallen in recent times. PayPal’s stock price has declined in recent years. However, this stock price drop could give investors a chance to purchase shares at a lower price and potentially reap the benefits of any future recovery or growth. 

It’s always a good idea to think about any potential risks there might be as well. Use this summary of Paypal’s pros and cons before you make a final decision on whether to buy Paypal stock.

Pros

Copy link to section
  • It is a leader in online payments
  • PayPal added cryptocurrencies recently
  • It processes billions of transactions yearly

Cons

Copy link to section

FAQs

Copy link to section
01

Is PayPal stock overvalued?

02

Do I have to pay capital gains tax on any profits I make?

03

What is PayPal’s ticker symbol?

04

Does PayPal pay dividends?

05

Is PayPal ESG friendly?


Sources & references

James Knight

James Knight

Editor of Education

  • Stock Market
  • Cryptocurrencies
  • Commodities
  • Investing
  • Sport
James is the Editor of Education for Invezz, where he covers topics from across the financial world, from the stock market, to cryptocurrency, to macroeconomic markets. His main focus is on improving financial literacy among casual investors. He has been with Invezz since the start of 2021 and has been...