The reality is if you’re trying to choose between using PayPal or credit cards when purchasing online, it really comes down to personal preference. Both offer pretty robust security measures to help protect your financial information and have their own advantages and disadvantages. There are, however, some key points you should consider.
Privacy and security
There are security and privacy measures in place to protect you whether you use a credit card or PayPal. PayPal offers an advantage by allowing you to make payments without sharing your financial information directly with the merchant.
But that doesn’t mean credit card payments aren’t secure. Credit card networks use the 3D Secure protocol, which adds an additional layer of security for online credit and debit card transactions. This ensures that your sensitive information is safeguarded during online transactions, further enhancing security.
Convenience
PayPal offers a convenient checkout process that only requires you to enter your login credentials to make a payment. However, with a credit card, the more secure option is to enter your card details each time you want to check out rather than save them with the merchant and put them at risk.
For those who prioritise convenience, PayPal might be more suitable in this respect. However, it's worth noting that not all online merchants offer PayPal as an option when making a purchase, whereas credit cards are more globally accepted by all.
Rewards and benefits
Some credit cards offer rewards programs, cashback deals, or other benefits on the purchases you make using your card, perhaps with other requirements as well. If earning rewards is important to you, using a credit card might be beneficial.
But if you prefer PayPal, you can always add your rewards-based credit card to your PayPal account, which means you can still use it for purchases but have the added convenience of the details being stored in PayPal. However, make sure to read your card’s terms and conditions to ensure you’re still eligible to collect points when using it via PayPal, as there might be some exceptions.