The PayPal Credit Card is a Mastercard issued by Synchrony Bank that adds a physical card to a PayPal Credit line, so you can pay online and in store everywhere Mastercard is accepted, not only at PayPal checkout. In the UK, the PayPal Credit card starts as a free virtual card you can use the moment it's issued.
Here's what people get wrong. It isn't a rewards card. PayPal says plainly that you won't receive cash back with the PayPal Credit Card, and that it's a different product from the PayPal Cashback Mastercard. What you get instead is the same 6-month special financing as the digital line, on qualifying purchases everywhere PayPal or Mastercard is accepted, with interest charged from the purchase date if the balance isn't paid in full within 6 months.
Card or digital line: what's different
| US, as of October 2026 | PayPal Credit digital line | PayPal Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Where it works | Wherever PayPal checkout is available | Everywhere Mastercard is accepted, online and in store, plus PayPal checkout |
| 6-month special financing | On qualifying PayPal purchases | On qualifying purchases anywhere PayPal or Mastercard is accepted |
| Physical card | No | Yes, swipe or tap to pay |
| Use outside the US | Not covered | A foreign transaction fee applies |
| Cash back | No | No |
| APRs | Your current terms | The same APRs as your digital line |
You can't pick one when you apply. If you're approved for PayPal Credit, you get either the card or the digital line based on your credit history. Many existing digital line customers are now being moved to the card through an upgrade.
How the US upgrade works
If you're eligible, PayPal sends you a notification with the details and a deadline to decline. To accept, you do nothing at all. The upgrade isn't guaranteed: PayPal may skip it if your account no longer meets its criteria, and if you aren't upgraded or you decline, your existing account isn't affected.
- Read the notification, which includes the deadline if you want to decline.
- To decline, follow its instructions or call Synchrony Customer Service.
- Check your mailing address in the Profile section of PayPal Credit in your wallet, so the card reaches you.
- Keep using your digital line meanwhile, though transaction details may update with a slight delay.
- When the card package arrives, about 12 to 15 weeks after you're notified, follow its activation instructions.
The upgrade itself won't trigger a credit inquiry, and your account open date on your credit report stays the same. The account name does change, so don't be alarmed if a credit monitoring service sends you an alert about it.
What changes once you're upgraded
You'll manage the card in the PayPal app and on the website, and you'll no longer be sent to the Synchrony servicing site. Your alerts reset to the card's defaults, which may differ from what you'd set, and push notifications in the PayPal app replace text messages.
Your terms change too. The APRs stay the same, but the new account terms in your card package add a fee if you use the card internationally or take a cash advance. The postal address for mailed payments moves to a new PO box, and if you pay through your own bank's bill pay, update it with the new card account number. For one-time, scheduled and automatic payments, the bank account in your PayPal wallet must show as Confirmed. If it says Ready to confirm, follow the prompt in the app or on the website first.
The UK PayPal Credit card
In the UK you request the card yourself from your PayPal Credit account on PayPal.com or in the app. To be eligible you need to be a UK resident with a PayPal Credit account in good standing, and a PayPal account that's also in good standing, meaning no negative balance and no restriction or lock.
- Request the card from your PayPal Credit account view. A virtual card is issued and ready to use straight away.
- If you want plastic, go back into the app and request a physical card. Shipping typically takes 7 to 10 working days.
- Activate the physical card on PayPal.com or in the app by entering the three-digit CVV on the back.
Neither card costs anything, and you can keep just the virtual one if you prefer. Both work everywhere Mastercard is accepted, even where PayPal isn't, and the card is contactless. The 4-month interest-free offer works on qualifying purchases online and offline, but you can't make instalment purchases with the card or withdraw cash from an ATM. Your interest rate, credit line, repayments and billing cycle don't change.
PINs, lost cards and UK protection
With only a virtual card, you can change the PIN at any time online or in the app. Once you have a physical card, the PIN can only be changed at an ATM. Activating the physical card also changes the virtual card's CVV and expiry date to match, so any recurring payments set up on the virtual card need updating with those merchants.
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If the card's lost or stolen, report it in the app, on the web or by message, and you'll get a new virtual card immediately. You can also lock it yourself and lift the lock later. Locking or cancelling the card only affects the card: your PayPal Credit account still works at PayPal checkout, and automatic payments funded by the account carry on.
Spending in another currency adds a cross-border fee on the converted amount, at Mastercard's exchange rates. In-store purchases with the physical card or a card in a digital wallet don't get PayPal Buyer Protection, though you keep your Section 75 rights under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 and Mastercard chargeback rights. Online purchases made with the card still get Buyer Protection.
My verdict on the PayPal Credit Card
If you're in the US and the upgrade notice lands, I'd let it happen: there's no credit inquiry, your account history stays, and the card works in far more places. Before it arrives, update your address and make sure your bank shows as Confirmed so payments don't stall. Don't take it for rewards, because there aren't any. In the UK, the virtual card is free and instant, but keep instalment purchases on PayPal checkout, since the card can't do them. For smaller splits without a credit line, compare PayPal's Pay in 4 option. And if you run a business account in the UK, you'll need a personal one to apply, so read which PayPal account type you need first.
Frequently asked questions
Does the PayPal Credit Card earn cash back?
No. You won't receive cash back rewards with the PayPal Credit Card. The PayPal Cashback Mastercard is a different product.
Will the PayPal Credit Card upgrade affect my credit report?
The upgrade won't trigger a credit inquiry. The account name changes on your credit report, but the open date stays the same.
How long does the PayPal Credit Card take to arrive?
In the US, about 12 to 15 weeks after you're notified. In the UK, a physical card typically ships in 7 to 10 working days.
Can I use the PayPal Credit Card where PayPal isn't accepted?
Yes. It works everywhere Mastercard is accepted, online and in store.
Can I withdraw cash with the UK PayPal Credit card?
No. You can't withdraw cash from an ATM with it, and you can't use it for instalment purchases.
