5 Best VPNs for PayPal: Send and Receive Money Safely (2023)

Every time you log into your PayPal account, you risk your financial information getting into the hands of hackers, identity thieves, and other online criminals. The risk is especially high when using PayPal on public WiFi.

VPNs are a great way to keep your transactions safe and secure, but not every VPN is suitable for PayPal. Some don’t have the right security features to protect your financial transactions, while others (mostly free VPNs) can infect your device with malware and put your privacy at even greater risk.

After extensive testing, I found ExpressVPN to be the best one for PayPal. It has military-grade encryption that ensures no one will snoop on your login credentials and transactions. It also has a 30-day money-back guarantee that lets you try the service risk-free. If you're not completely satisfied, you can get a full refund.

Access PayPal With ExpressVPN Today

Access PayPal With ExpressVPN Today

Best VPNs for PayPal — Full Analysis (Updated in 2023)

1. ExpressVPN — Powerful Security Features to Safely Access PayPal From Anywhere

I found ExpressVPN’s strong focus on security impressive. It uses AES 256-bit encryption and a 4096-bit RSA key, the same encryption standard used by the military. This turns all your internet traffic into a jumbled string of characters that can only be decrypted with a secret key. So you PayPal data is safe and unreadable to third parties. ExpressVPN also uses Perfect Forward Secrecy, which uses a new encryption key for every session, making your internet traffic even more secure.

ExpressVPN comes with its proprietary protocol known as Lightway, which gives you a balance between speed and security. However, it also supports other protocols, including OpenVPN, IKEv2, and L2TP, and lets you choose between them based on your needs. If you’re not sure which one to choose, I recommend selecting the “automatic” option. This lets the VPN choose the best protocol for your network.

It also has a kill switch that automatically blocks your internet access if your VPN connection drops accidentally. This prevents your real IP from getting exposed during the short period between each server change, so you don’t have to worry about getting PayPal alerts because of your sudden IP change. To test this, I tried switching between servers without disconnecting the VPN. As expected, ExpressVPN blocked my internet connection until it successfully connected to the new server.

To further protect your traffic, ExpressVPN also has IPv6 and DNS leak protection, which ensures that your IP address and browsing activity don’t leak as it routes your traffic to PayPal servers. I tested ExpressVPN on dnsleaktest.com and confirmed that its DNS leak protection really works.

A DNS leak test while connected to ExpressVPN confirmed that my DNS wasn’t leaking

I found ExpressVPN’s split tunneling feature very handy. It lets you route some traffic through the VPN, while the rest accesses the internet directly using your real IP address. This is very useful when you want to use PayPal from a different country and at the same time use local services in that country. For example, I could use PayPal while connected to servers in my home country and order an Uber without switching off ExpressVPN.

Another thing I like about ExpressVPN is that it has a no-logs policy. This means it doesn’t collect any data that could be used to identify you, such as your DNS requests or traffic data. PwC, a global audit, assurance, and consulting firm, independently audited and confirmed that the VPN adheres to its no-logs policy. ExpressVPN also has TrustedServer technology, which wipes all data whenever a server reboots, further ensuring your privacy will never be compromised.

It has a network of over 3,000 superfast servers in 94 countries, most of which are approved PayPal countries. This means you can access your PayPal account regardless of the country from which you signed up. By connecting to ExpressVPN's servers in my home country, I could transact on my PayPal account even when traveling abroad. There were no interruptions since the speeds were really fast on all servers I tested, with an average drop of 8%.

My only concern with ExpressVPN is that it’s a bit more expensive than the other options on this list. However, you shouldn’t worry too much about the price since you can save up to 49% with its long-term plans, which start at $6.67/month. It also allows you to pay in Bitcoin, which gives you added privacy.

ExpressVPN has a 30-day money-back guarantee, which lets you try the VPN for yourself at no risk. If you decide it's not for you, you can get a full refund. To check whether the money-back guarantee is legitimate, I requested a refund through the 24/7 live chat option. The support agent wanted to know why I wished to canceled my subscription, but they still processed my request quickly, and I had my money back within 2 days.

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2. CyberGhost — Multiple Encryption Protocols to Protect Your PayPal Transactions Better

CyberGhost lets you choose between 3 VPN protocols — IKEv2, OpenVPN, and WireGuard — based on your needs. A protocol is simply a set of rules that tell the VPN how to encrypt your data before sending it over the internet. To protect your PayPal transactions, I recommend using OpenVPN, which is one of the most secure VPN protocols. Same as ExperssVPN, CyberGhost also uses 256-bit AES encryption, which is unbreakable without the correct decryption key. Therefore, you don’t have to worry about anyone intercepting your transactions.

You can choose between OpenVPN, IKEv2, or WireGuard

It has 9,487 servers in 91 countries, so you can access your PayPal account from wherever you are. I tested CyberGhost together with 3 other colleagues who come from different countries, and we were all able to transact on PayPal by connecting to servers from our home countries.

The VPN also comes with an always-on kill switch, which prevents accidental exposure of your IP address if you lose your VPN connection. Additionally, it has DNS and IPv6 leak protection, which protect your IP address and browsing activity, so no one will know where you’re using PayPal from or see your transactions. I performed DNS and IPv6 leak tests on ipleak.org, and as expected, there were no leaks.

An impressive thing I noted about CyberGhost is that its security features, such as malware scanning, ad blocking, and DNS leak protection are always on by default. This is great because beginners and non-technical users don’t have to tinker with multiple configurations to protect their financial information. Simply connecting to a server gives you all the protection you need.

CyberGhost safeguards your privacy thanks to its strict no-logs policy and the in-house NoSpy servers that are only accessible to its internal staff. Therefore, it’s nearly impossible for anyone to access your data. Also, CyberGhost is based in Romania, where there’s no legal obligation for VPNs to share information with the government.

I was also pleasantly surprised to learn that CyberGhost has a feature known as “Identity Guard,” which scans for your email address against known data breaches. If your email is compromised, CyberGhost alerts you so that you can quickly change your passwords.

The only drawback I noted with CyberGhost is that its speeds are slightly slower when connecting to long-distance servers. However, this isn’t much of a problem since you can always find servers close to you, which are really fast. Additionally, the connection speeds for long-distance servers are still fast enough for your PayPal transactions.

CyberGhost is reasonably priced. Prices start at $2.19/month if you go for the long-term plans, allowing you to save up to 83%. However, if you only want to use PayPal abroad while traveling for a short time, you can choose the monthly plan.

If you’re not sure whether CyberGhost is the right PayPal VPN for you, it comes with a 45 money-back guarantee that lets you try its service risk-free. I tested CyberGhost’s refund process and found it quick and painless. After reaching out through the 24/7 live chat, the support agent processed my request within minutes. I got the refund within 5 days.

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3. Private Internet Access — Court Proven No-Logs Policy to Keep All Your PayPal Transactions Private

Private Internet Access (PIA) is a privacy-focused VPN with a very strict zero-logs policy. I found out that American courts have asked PIA to provide user logs as evidence during 2 different cases, but it didn’t have any logs to give. Therefore, you can be confident that all your personal and financial data will remain private. It also has an ad and tracker blocker, which helps keep your transactions and online activities even more private.

I noticed that PIA has one of the largest server networks, with 29,650 servers in 84 countries. While it doesn’t have servers in as many countries as ExpressVPN or CyberGhost, the servers are still adequate for you to access PayPal anywhere. My friends and I connected to different PIA servers and had no issues logging into our PayPal accounts, despite being away from our home countries. The large server network also leads to less server overcrowding, reducing the likelihood of PayPal detecting that you’re using a VPN.

When testing PIA, I noticed that it lets you choose between 2 VPN protocols, OpenVPN and WireGuard. WireGuard provides faster connection speeds, but if you want to safeguard your PayPal transactions, I recommend OpenVPN, which provides better security.

I recommend using OpenVPN when using PIA with PayPal

Additionally, PIA lets you choose between 128 and 256-bit AES encryption with RSA-2096 to protect your PayPal credentials and transactions from hackers. The default standard is 128-bit AES, but I recommend switching to 256-bit AES, which offers the strongest level of encryption.

To protect your real IP address from getting exposed and to avoid PayPal alerts, PIA has 2 kill switches. The first one is a regular kill switch that blocks your internet connection to prevent websites from seeing your real IP address until the VPN reconnects. The advanced kill switch works even when the VPN is switched off, meaning your internet will be off until you connect to the VPN.

I noticed that PIA is based in the US, which is a member of the 5 Eyes Alliance. This can be a concern for some users because of the risk of government surveillance. However, you shouldn’t be worried about that since PIA has strong encryption and does not log any of your data.

It offers both short-term and long-term plans. If you travel regularly and need to use PayPal on your travels, I recommend the long-term plans, which start at $2.03/month and can help you save up to 83%. You can also pay for PIA using Bitcoin, which is a great option if you want to keep your purchase private.

You can try PIA at no risk with its 30-day money-back guarantee. If you’re not happy, just cancel your subscription and get a full refund. The process itself is pretty straightforward. I made my refund request through the customer support form and received a confirmation within 24 hours. My money was back after 8 days.

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4. IPVanish — Unlimited Device Connections to Use PayPal Securely on All Your Devices

IPVanish supports unlimited simultaneous device connections, allowing you to use PayPal safely on all your devices. You don’t have to switch to a specific device whenever you need to use PayPal. Instead, install IPVanish on all your devices and transact from whichever device is most convenient at the time. I was able to log into IPVanish on my Android smartphone, PC, a colleague’s MacBook, and a couple of my friends’ phones, all at the same time without connection issues.

It has 2,200 servers in 75 countries and over 40,000 IP addresses. This makes it pretty decent at accessing PayPal since you can easily find servers in whatever country you’re interested in. The high number of IP addresses also means it’s highly unlikely that multiple people will access PayPal from the same IP, making it harder for the service to detect that you’re using a VPN.

With IPVanish, your PayPal login details and transactions are safeguarded by AES-256 encryption, which guarantees the security of your sensitive information. This encryption method instilled confidence in me, as it ensures that hackers, snoopers, and other malicious individuals are unable to gain access to your personal data.

To ensure that PayPal doesn't put limitations on your account when you travel abroad, IPVanish also has IPv6 and DNS leak protection and a kill switch. These ensure that your real IP address and DNS never get revealed accidentally. I tested IPVanish on ipleak.org, and true to its claims, my IPv6 did not leak.

I was impressed to find out that IPVanish has a Scramble option that lets you obfuscate your OpenVPN connection, making it impossible for your ISP and websites to tell that you’re using a VPN. This feature makes it harder for PayPal to tell whether you’re using a VPN or not, so there’s less risk of account restrictions.

IPVanish’s Scramble option makes it harder for PayPal to detect that you’re using a VPN

Unfortunately, IPVanish doesn’t support cryptocurrency payments, which can be a minor drawback to some users. However, you shouldn’t be too concerned since it accepts PayPal and all major credit cards.

It offers flexible pricing with monthly, quarterly, and annual plans. The longer plans provide the best value for money since they help you save up to 77% with offers from as low as $2.49/month. The long-term plans also come with ransomware and malware protection, which are unavailable on the shorter plans.

IPVanish has an industry-standard 30-day money-back guarantee that you can use to try its services for free. I was surprised by how easy the refund process is. Simply canceling my subscription in the IPVanish control panel automatically initiated my refund. The money was back in my account within a day, but it could take up to 3 business days. However, this automatic refund process only works with the annual plans. If you have any questions regarding your refund, you can easily reach IPVanish’s live customer service, which is available 24/7.

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5. PrivateVPN — Easy-to-Use VPN for Securing Your PayPal Transactions on Public Networks

One of the first things I noticed when I tested PrivateVPN is the intuitive user interface that makes it very easy to use. It has a Simple View that lets you protect your PayPal transactions without messing with dozens of settings. You simply need to select your preferred server from the server list and click on the power button to connect. It also has an Advanced View that you can use to configure the security settings according to your preferences.

PrivateVPN lets you choose between Simple and Advanced View

PrivateVPN has 200 servers distributed across 63 countries, so you won’t have trouble finding servers in your home country. I randomly picked 10 countries where PayPal is available, including Croatia, Iceland, Latvia, and Vietnam, and I found at least one server in each of these countries.

To prevent PayPal and other websites from finding out your real IP address (and, therefore, your actual location), PrivateVPN is equipped with an automatic kill switch. I tested the kill switch by quickly disconnecting and reconnecting to a server. As expected, it blocked my internet connection until the VPN connection was established. The kill switch is complemented by the DNS/IP leak protection, which further protects your real IP address. Additionally, PrivateVPN doesn’t keep any logs, so you can use it with confidence knowing that your online activities will remain private.

While evaluating PrivateVPN, I observed one drawback, which is the lack of WireGuard support. However, I don't view this as a significant drawback considering that the service utilizes robust 256-bit encryption and supports the OpenVPN protocol. The latter offers enhanced security for your transactions, making it a suitable alternative.

If you want to get PrivateVPN for the lowest price, you can save up to 85% by getting its long-term plan, which starts at $2/month. If you don’t intend to use the VPN regularly, however, the shortest plan is an excellent choice. You also have the option to pay with Bitcoin.

PrivateVPN offers a 30 money-back guarantee on all its plans. This means you can try it at no risk. You can request a refund through the contact form on your account dashboard or by emailing customer support. Note, however, that you need to give a reason why you want a refund. I made my request via email and got the refund after 5 days, though PrivateVPN says it could take up to 14 days.

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Quick Comparison Table: PayPal VPN Features

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Tips on How to Choose the Best VPN for PayPal

It's essential to understand that not all VPNs available on the internet are suitable for PayPal. Certain VPNs may inadvertently expose your financial transactions to potential hackers, which defeats the purpose of using a VPN in the first place. Consequently, I took into account the following key features to identify the top VPNs for PayPal:

• Strong security features. Security is the most important when it comes to securing your personal data. All the VPNs on this list offer military-grade encryption, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and a kill switch. However, I did not just take the VPN providers’ word for it. I tested each feature and confirmed that it works on each VPN.
• Excellent privacy. Privacy is another key concern to make sure that your PayPal transactions and data are safe. I confirmed that each VPN on this list has a zero-logs policy. Therefore, you can be sure that none of these VPNs will keep a record of your personally identifiable data or browsing activity.
• Multiple server locations. A good VPN should have servers in multiple countries. This ensures that you can always find a server in your home country when traveling abroad to avoid PayPal placing holds and restrictions on your account. All the VPNs on this list have servers in at least 60 countries around the world.
• Fast speeds. A low-quality VPN can significantly slow down your connection speeds, leading to inconveniences like failed transactions. To avoid this, I tested all the VPNs covered here and confirmed that they all offer fast connection speeds. You don’t even notice any speed changes with and without the VPN.
• Ease of use. If a VPN app is complicated to use, you might not even get the best out of the service. Fortunately, all the VPNs I recommend here have simple interfaces that make them easy to use, yet they provide the highest level of security you need to make your transactions.

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FAQs on VPNs for PayPal

Can I sign up for PayPal if it is not available in my country?

It is possible to sign up for PayPal even if it is not available in your country by using a VPN to change your virtual location. For instance, if you’re in Turkey, you can use a VPN to connect to a server in the UK and sign up for PayPal.

You should note, however, that after signing up, PayPal will often ask you to verify your account by linking it to a payment method linked to a local address. Therefore, even with a VPN, you’ll need a friend or relative in a PayPal country to help you verify your account. Otherwise, you won’t be able to receive money in your new PayPal account.

Disclaimer: The information above does not constitute legal advice. Before attempting to sign up for PayPal in a country where it’s not available, I strongly recommend that you seek advice from a legal professional.

Is it safe to access PayPal on public WiFi with a VPN?

Accessing your PayPal account on public WiFi is never a good idea. Public WiFi networks are often vulnerable to multiple kinds of hacks that malicious people can use to intercept your traffic and steal your financial information.

If you must use PayPal on a public WiFi network, you can keep your transactions safe using a good-quality VPN. A VPN keeps you safe by encrypting all your internet traffic. This way, third parties can't see your financial data or your transactions.

Can PayPal detect a VPN?

Yes, it can especially free VPNs since most of their IPs are already blocked by most services. PayPal restricts the use of VPNs and other anonymizing proxies with its service. If it detects that you’re using a VPN, PayPal could block your transactions, hold your funds, or put other limitations on your account. So, you need to choose a VPN for PayPal carefully to make sure that those things don't happen.

Is it safe to pay for a VPN using PayPal?

It is totally safe to pay for a VPN using PayPal. While the resulting paper trail could be used to prove that you bought a VPN, there’s still no way for someone to tell how you used the VPN. All your browsing activity remains private once you connect to the VPN.

If you don’t want to leave any record of using a VPN, you can use anonymous methods like cryptocurrency to purchase one. Most of the VPNs I recommend here accept Bitcoin payments.

Can I use a free VPN with PayPal?

You can but I suggest you never use a free VPN for something as sensitive as your financial transactions. A 2016 study of free VPNs by UC Berkeley found that they often have issues like weak encryption. They also usually have shady privacy policies, server overcrowding, and come with malware. These issues can easily make you vulnerable to hackers and expose your financial information.

To avoid putting your PayPal account at risk, I recommend using a reputable and trusted VPN like ExpressVPN. With it, you’re assured of the highest level of encryption, super-fast speeds, and a myriad of server options to access your PayPal account from anywhere.

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Get The Best VPN for PayPal Today

If you regularly use PayPal in public places like libraries, coffee shops, or malls, VPNs are a great way to protect yourself from hackers and identity thieves. VPNs are also beneficial when you need to use PayPal when traveling to another country.

After trying dozens of VPNs, ExpressVPN is my top recommendation for PayPal. It protects your login credentials and transactions with military-grade AES 256-bit encryption, gives you blazing-fast speeds, and doesn’t log your personal information or browsing activities.

It also comes with a 30 money-back guarantee that lets you test it risk-free. If it doesn’t work for you, simply request a refund and get all your money back.

To summarize, here are the best VPNs for PayPal