A:If asked for a one-time passcode, say "I don't have one", then press 0 through the next 4-5 questions/requests to verify account. You will reach a live agent, who will then ask you to verify account info.Our free phone can also navigate phone menus to get a live human at PayPal for you.
Q:
Does PayPal offer 24 hour customer service?
A:Yes! This call center operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.The least busy day is Sunday, and the most busy day is Tuesday.
Q:
How long will I wait on hold?
A:The average hold time is 1 minute and 14 seconds.The longest hold times are on Saturday, and the shortest are on Thursday.You can skip the hold time for free.
24 hours, 7 days · If asked for a one-time passcode, say "I don't have one", then press 0 through the next 4-5 questions/requests to verify account. You will reach a live agent, who will then ask you to verify account info. · What are the last 4 digits of your Social Security number?
Toll-free · 24 hours, 7 days · If asked for a one-time passcode, say "I don't have one", then press 0 through the next 4-5 questions/requests to verify account. You will reach a live agent, who will then ask you to verify account info. · What are the last 4 digits of your Social Security number? · Free tools available: Talk for me, Skip the wait, Schedule my call
Toll-free · 24 hours, 7 days · If asked for a one-time passcode, say "I don't have one", then press 0 through the next 4-5 questions/requests to verify account. You will reach a live agent, who will then ask you to verify account info. · For the Merchant Sales division: To get support with an existing account, press 1. To inquire about a new account, press 2. · Free tools available: Talk for me, Skip the wait, Schedule my call
How do I get through the phone menu to a live person?
Consider using our free service that calls and talks to customer service for you, then sends you a report. Or use our free service that waits on hold and tells you when a human rep is on the line. But if those options don't appeal to you, our team has also documented the phone menu for PayPal below.
Our AI powered phone can dial, navigate the phone menu, wait on hold, and even talk to customer service for you, for free. You don't even need to learn about the path through the various phone options.
That same, free GetHuman Phone can call and navigate the menus and wait on hold for you, but you can opt to do all the talking. We notify you when a rep is on the line and ready to talk, so no need to worry about changing menu options and weaving your way through the maze.
Of course, we completely understand if you prefer to do all the dialing, waiting, and talking yourself. All of these free tools are optional.
GetHuman researchers routinely call this PayPal phone number to document the phone system.
Here is how our research team describes the way the PayPal phone system greets you: What are the last 4 digits of your Social Security number?
Here is our latest tip for weaving through the phone menu to get to a real person the fastest:If asked for a one-time passcode, say "I don't have one", then press 0 through the next 4-5 questions/requests to verify account. You will reach a live agent, who will then ask you to verify account info.
Below are some clips we've found from PayPal's phone menus and tips that help give an idea of what you will encounter when you call. We've highlighted why they are important as well:
They may need the phone number on your account
"Thanks for calling PayPal. This call, including conversations with you or any other other person, may be recorded or monitored for quality or security purposes.
To get started, what's the ten digit phone number on your PayPal account?"
Excerpt from a call with PayPal
Thursday, November 7, 2024 12:25 PM
They may ask your reason for calling (instead of a menu)
"If you need a minute to find the card number, just say one moment.
Or you can say, I don't know it."
Excerpt from a call with PayPal
Monday, November 25, 2024 7:45 PM
They may ask you to enter information with the dial pad
"I don't know it. Or I don't have an account.
I didn't hear anything. Using your keypad, please enter your phone number including area code."
Excerpt from a call with PayPal
Saturday, October 12, 2024 11:16 AM
They may ask you to say or enter information
"Thanks for calling PayPal.
This call, including conversations with you or any other person, may be recorded or monitored for quality or security purposes.
For verification, enter or say the last four digits of the debit or credit card on your PayPal account or say one moment."
Excerpt from a call with PayPal
Friday, November 15, 2024 4:17 PM
The first phone menu
"Thanks for calling PayPal.
This call, including conversations with you or any other person, may be recorded or monitored for quality or security purposes.
To get started, what's the ten digit phone number on your pay account?
Please say or enter your phone number, one digit at a time, including the area code.
Or you can say enter a passcode, I don't know it, or I don't have an account.
I didn't hear anything. Using your keypad, please enter your phone number including area code.
If you don't know the phone number, press one.
If you're on the PayPal website and have a onetime passcode, press two."
Excerpt from a call with PayPal
Friday, May 24, 2024 5:59 PM
What are the hours and when should I call?
PayPal operates the call center for this 888-221-1161 phone number 24 hours 7 days.The short answer is that you should call on a Thursday.This observation and the following section are based on analysis of a sample set of 7,491 calls made in the last 90 days using our free, web-based phone (see above).
When you use our free AI-powered phone to call and talk, wait on hold, or navigate for you, it will automatically wait until the PayPal call center opens before trying to call. It will ask your permission before it places the call, so you can also further delay that scheduled call until you are ready. But that means you can "set it and forget it" ahead of time.
An important note: busy times vs hold times vs best time to call
When we refer to busy or less busy times, we are talking about the volume of calls. The busiest times are when the most people are calling this PayPal phone number (least busy times have fewer people calling). This high call volume does not necessarily mean that you will have a long hold time when you call. Companies like PayPal staff their call centers differently based on the time of day and day of the week, so you may experience a shorter wait on hold at the busiest of times. When we refer to the best time to call, we are referring to the optimal combination of lower call volume and shorter wait times.
The least busy time to call
The least busy day to call PayPal is Sunday.The most busy day to call is Tuesday, which averages 102% more phone calls by comparison.Again, this is based on a sample of 7,491 calls made with our AI-powered, web-based phone in the last 90 days.
Sun
Quietest
Mon
Tue
Busiest
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
The shortest wait on hold
We measured the shortest hold times to be on Thursday.The longest wait in the queue on average occurs on Saturday, which is 518% longer than the minimum.As you can see, there is more fluctuation in hold time over the course of the week than there is in call volume.
In summation, the best day to call PayPal is Thursday.It isn't the least busy day, but the fact that hold times are shortest combined with it being on the busy side tells us that PayPal staffs up on Thursday to handle the higher call volume, and that makes it the best time to call.
I needed to update the mailing address associated with my account and was experiencing some issues attempting to use the app, so I decided to just call PayPal directly. I am due for them to send me a replacement card soon, so I needed to ensure the address on file was correct. Overall, the call wasn't bad. I had to work my way through an automated assistant that didn't always catch what I was saying, but with a little bit of patience, I was able to make it through to talk to someone.
While I understand that there are a lot of different reasons that people may need to call PayPal, I think there is a better way to sort through the system than an automated assistant. When I called, it knew who I was based on my phone number, meaning there should be a directory of options that fit my profile. People might be calling to report fraud or to change account details like me. Others might have problems activating their cards or need replacement cards. There should be a better way of helping people access information than arguing through an automated assistant.
When I first called, the automated system said, "Thanks for calling Paypal," and informed me that the number I was calling from matched their records. It then asked me to provide them with the last four numbers of my Social to verify my account, which I did. It then told me my current PayPal balance and asked me, "Are you calling about an unauthorized transaction?" That seemed slightly odd to me, but I said no. It then said, "Sorry I didn't get that; what can I help you with?"
I said, "Talk to someone," because I didn't want it to think I was calling about fraud as it had randomly guessed, and it responded, "Alright, but first, to get you to the right place, say change account status, claims or disputes, or tell me what I can help you with." I then said I needed help changing my account info, and it responded, "Okay, you need help updating your account. You will need to speak to someone about that. Please hold while I connect you." It took a few minutes after that, and I listened through a privacy speech, but then Aria picked up and was able to help me finish updating my account. She did have an accent, but it was still clear enough that I could understand her.
Christian has been writing about long hold times and customer service call center experiences since 2010. He's been featured in Bloomberg, the Wall Street Journal and the Boston Globe.
Why Customers Call PayPal
If you have time to do a bit of reading before you call PayPal, we recommend you read over some of our problem-specific articles.
Yes, you can link your PayPal account to PayPal Smart Connect. Linking these two accounts allows you to easily manage your purchases made through PayPal Smart Connect. By linking your accounts, you can access and view your PayPal Smart Connect transactions through your PayPal account. This integration also provides a convenient way to make payments towards your PayPal Smart Connect balance using your PayPal balance or any linked bank account. Moreover, linking your accounts enables a streamlined checkout process, allowing you to select PayPal Smart Connect as a payment option directly from your PayPal account. Overall, linking your PayPal account to PayPal Smart Connect enhances your payment experience while providing seamless integration between these two services.
PayPal Credit is a digital credit line offered by PayPal, enabling users to make purchases online and pay later. It provides customers with a flexible and convenient financing option for their online shopping needs. With PayPal Credit, users can make purchases at millions of stores that accept PayPal. It allows customers to buy now and pay over time, giving them the flexibility to choose from various repayment options. Opening a PayPal Credit account is quick and easy, without any annual fees. Users can also enjoy promotional financing offers, such as no interest if paid in full within a specified period, depending on the purchase amount and terms. PayPal Credit simplifies the online shopping experience by providing customers with a digital credit solution that is secure, widely accepted, and offers convenient payment flexibility.
PayPal Smart Connect is a digital payment method that allows users to make online purchases, transfer funds, and manage their finances securely and conveniently. It is a line of credit that can be used anywhere PayPal is accepted as a payment option. With PayPal Smart Connect, users can shop online without the need to enter their credit card information repeatedly. It offers a seamless checkout experience, eliminating the hassle of manually entering payment details. Users can easily link their PayPal Smart Connect account to their PayPal account, making it easier to manage and track their transactions. PayPal Smart Connect also provides flexible payment options, allowing users to pay off their balance over time. It offers competitive interest rates and has no annual fee, making it a cost-effective and convenient payment option for online shopping.
Click the link above to get answers to just about any PayPal customer service question, including step by step guides for the most complex issues. You can also detail a new issue and get answers instantly.
Below is a sample of recent calls to PayPal, and their purpose. Are any of these similar to the reason you are trying to call?
Payment status issue: "I am having an issue with my payment status."
- From a call lasting 9m 16s , Dec 3, 2024 11:15 PM
Information about why customers call PayPal is extracted from issues that customers have reported to GetHuman.
One of PayPal Twitter pages which deals with general questions about your account, payment or how PayPal works
PayPal, like many companies, provides customer service on the X platform (formerly Twitter). While it rarely entails live dialogue with a customer service rep, this channel can yield rapid response times and can be a useful option if you have an X/Twitter account.
Some customer service teams, like that of PayPal, accept inquiries through Facebook Messenger. This is a good option if you have a Facebook account, and you may even be able to converse live with an agent this way.
As a last, sometimes only, resort- PayPal customer service can be accessed through their website. This can entail digging through help articles before finding a form and "being allowed" to submit a problem to their team, and rarely leads to a real-time conversation, which is why GetHuman does not recommend this unless it's the only way.
Conclusion and closing notes
This is PayPal's best phone number, the real-time current wait on hold and tools for skipping right through those phone lines to get right to a PayPal agent. This phone number is PayPal's best phone number because 528,660 customers like you used this contact information over the last 18 months and gave us feedback. Common problems addressed by the customer care unit that answers calls to 888-221-1161 include Refund, Can't Login, Account Access, Dispute a Charge, Account Restricted and other customer service issues. The PayPal call center that you call into has employees from Arizona, Philippines, Ireland, India and is open 24 hours 7 days according to customers. In total, PayPal has 4 phone numbers. It's not always clear what is the best way to talk to PayPal representatives, so we started compiling this information built from suggestions from the customer community. Please keep sharing your experiences so we can continue to improve this free resource.
GetHuman does not provide call center services or customer support operations for PayPal. The two organizations are not related. GetHuman builds free tools and shares information to help customers of companies like PayPal. For large companies that includes tools such as our GetHuman Phone, which allows you to call a company but skip the part where you wait on the line to get a live human rep. We continue to work on these tools to help customers like you (and ourselves!) navigate the messy phone menus, hold times, and confusion with customer service. As long as you keep sharing it with your friends and loved ones, we'll keep doing it.
