PayPal is a multinational e-commerce financial company, and it offers an assortment of many electronic functions on its platform.
However, if you use PayPal, or would like to begin to use PayPal, you might be curious about how long PayPal refunds take. I did the research, and here is what I found out!
How Long Do PayPal Refunds Take In 2024?
PayPal refunds have different lengths of processing periods, depending on the original payment method. Bank account refunds take 7-10 business days to process, PayPal balances take 3-5 business days to process, and credit or debit cards take up to 30 days to process in 2024.
If you want to learn more about PayPal’s refund policy, how to use it, and much more, then keep reading for more useful facts and tips!
Understanding How PayPal Refunds Work
The original method you used to pay with is where your refund will go.
Therefore, it can take 3-5 business days to clear your PayPal account, 7-10 business days to clear your bank account, and up to 30 days to clear your credit or debit card.
Additionally, PayPal does not issue refunds, rather, the merchant you paid is the one who issues the refund.
So, if a refund is taking a long time, it’s most likely not PayPal’s fault, but the responsibility of the merchant.
Unfortunately, PayPal refunds are not instant.
If the funds were transferred from the seller to your bank or PayPal account, the money may appear in your account instantly, but it will be pending for 3-5 business days.
Unless it’s being refunded to your credit or debit card, which as stated previously, your refund will take up to 30 days.
As well, there is no way to speed up a PayPal refund. Thankfully, they don’t take very long, unless you use a credit or debit card.
However, that does not mean it will take the full 30 days to arrive. If there are no problems with the refund, it should be back on your card before 30 days.
How Long Does It Take PayPal to Refund a Dispute?
If you receive a refund after a dispute, the refund is from the seller, as PayPal does not get involved in disputes.
Rather, a dispute is between the buyer and seller, and PayPal does not get involved until the dispute is escalated to a claim.
However, the same processing rates, as any other refund, apply.
As previously stated, it will either be 3-5 business days, 7-10 business days, or up to 30 days, depending on where the refund is going.
If a dispute is escalated to a claim, PayPal will intervene, and the seller will have to respond within 10 days.
If the seller doesn’t respond in 10 days, then the claim will automatically be decided in the buyer’s favor, and they will receive a full refund.
However, if the seller responds within 10 days, PayPal will evaluate the information given and decide the outcome.
This process usually takes around 30 days, but if a case is more difficult than normal, then it may take longer than 30 days.
Does PayPal Refund Money If Scammed?
Fortunately, PayPal does refund your money through PayPal’s Purchase Protection if you were the victim of a scam.
PayPal’s Purchase Protection works if you notice a charge you didn’t make, your order was never received, or your order arrived but is not in the correct condition.
If you notice an unauthorized charge, you have 60 days to file a dispute. If your order never arrived, or your order is not in the correct condition, you will have 180 days to file a dispute.
If you file a dispute through PayPal Purchase Protection for any of these reasons, you will receive full reimbursement of the payment including shipping fees.
Also, you will not be held responsible for any unauthorized charges.
If you are unable to use PayPal Purchase Protection, then you can also get your money back by canceling a payment if it’s still pending, requesting a refund from the seller, or filing a dispute with the seller.
Furthermore, if none of these work, you can also escalate a dispute to a claim, which will bring the issue to PayPal to decide the outcome.
However, if it’s a scam, then most likely none of these will solve the problem, except escalating to a claim or using PayPal’s Purchase Protection.
Why Is My PayPal Refund Not Showing up in My Bank Account?
Your PayPal refund might not be showing in your bank account because it’s still pending.
If a refund is pending, it’s because the funds were refunded before your bank account was cleared.
Another reason could be if the seller that issued the refund used money from their bank account that has not been cleared yet.
Fortunately, though, the process will only take 3-5 business days to complete and show up in your bank account.
To know more, you might also be interested in reading up on how does Paypal make money, PayPal friends & family refund, and if PayPal is a bank.
Conclusion
A refund into your bank account will take 7-10 business days, a refund into your PayPal account will take 3-5 business days, and a refund to a credit/ debit card can take up to 30 days.
PayPal refunds are generally a very short process. Sometimes, they can be longer, such as if a refund request turns into a dispute, and even into a claim, but even then they only take up to 30 days.
