PayPal vs Barclays US
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PayPal
Securely shop online and in-store, earn rewards with a debit card, send money internationally, and manage subscriptions. Offers purchase protection and flexible payment options like 'Pay in 4'.
- Purchase protection
- Rewards points on purchases
- Send and request money
- Buy Now Pay Later options
- Package tracking
- Subscription management
- Unified financial overview
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PayPal is a smart way to securely shop in-store and online, earn rewards points on brands you love, send money and much more. SHOP WITH PURCHASE PROTECTION Get built-in protection before and after you buy, with support when something doesn't go as planned. *PayPal Purchase Protection is available on eligible transactions. See terms and limitations: https://www.paypal.com/us/legalhub/paypal/buyer-protection EARN POINTS ON EVERYDAY PURCHASES WITH THE PAYPAL DEBIT CARD Choose a monthly category and earn 5% back in rewards points on up to $1000 spend/month. Terms apply: http://paypal.com/rewardspal No monthly fees. The PayPal Debit Mastercard® is issued by The Bancorp Bank N.A. ("The Bancorp"), pursuant to a license by Mastercard International Incorporated and may be used everywhere Mastercard is accepted. Mastercard and the circles design are registered trademarks of Mastercard International Incorporated. The Bancorp is issuer of the Card only and not responsible for the associated accounts or other products, services, or offers from PayPal. PayPal is a financial technology company, not a bank. The Card is linked to your PayPal Balance account. See PayPal Balance Terms and Conditions: https://www.paypal.com/us/legalhub/pp-balance-tnc#holding SEND AND REQUEST MONEY, SECURELY & IN SECONDS Send money fast within the US and internationally to 110+ countries. Encrypted payments help keep financial details private and secure. BUY NOW PAY LATER In store single-use card is valid for one purchase and must be used within 24 hours of loan approval. *Pay in 4 is available upon approval for purchases of $10 - $2000 and is currently not available to residents of MO. 18 years old or older to apply. The lender for Pay in 4 is PayPal, Inc. (NMLS #910457). Loans to CA residents are made or arranged pursuant to a CA Financing Law License. RI Small Loan Lender Licensee. NM residents: Go to paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/campaigns/newmexicodisclosure. Learn more at paypal.com/payin4. TRACK YOUR PACKAGES View orders and delivery status until they arrive safely at your door. Not all sellers are participants. MANAGE YOUR SUBSCRIPTION ALL IN ONE APP The easy way to link and track all your subscriptions. ALL YOUR MONEY AND TRANSACTIONS IN ONE PLACE The new Me Tab lets you navigate your money, accounts, and settings right where you’d expect them. PayPal 2211 N 1st St San Jose, CA 95131
Barclays US
Manage your accounts and credit cards securely and conveniently. Features include biometric login, digital wallet integration, spending analysis, and credit score access. Enjoy easy transfers and card controls for a seamless banking experience.
- Biometric login
- Digital wallet integration
- Spending Analyzer
- Free FICO® Credit Score access
- Card control (lock/replace)
- Customized notifications
- Online transfers
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Access your account anywhere, anytime with the Barclays US App. With biometric login, customized notifications, mobile wallets, easy direct deposits and online transfers, banking online or using your credit card is faster and easier. If you already have a credit card login with Barclays, you can use the same online credentials. If not, and you already have a Barclays Savings or CD account, you can set up an online account through the app. Faster • Digital wallet: pay with just a tap. Add your card to Google Pay ™ or Samsung Pay and replace your cards and cash • Biometric login: skip the password. Log in quickly and securely with your fingerprint • Rewards: all your rewards at your fingertip • Online transfers to and from other banks Easier • Quick and easy payments • View all your accounts in one place • Spend Analyzer: get a big picture view of your spending with our handy tool • Free online access to your FICO® Credit Score • Direct deposit to make saving simple and easy • No monthly maintenance fees on savings accounts Safer • Card control: lost card? Not a problem. Lock your card instantly • Notifications: personalized alerts and push notifications • Replace your card: get a new card in just a few easy steps • Secure, 24/7 online access to your funds FICO is registered trademark Of Fair Isaac Corporation in the United States and other countries.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Barclays US at none against PayPal's shown. Barclays US also leads on review sentiment (43% vs 21%) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). PayPal's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs monthly) and chart position (#3 vs #63). On price, rating, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for PayPal against 4.9 for Barclays US. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PayPal has 6.3M ratings behind it against 568K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 21% of PayPal's written reviews are positive against 43% of Barclays US's.
PayPal ships an update weekly, Barclays US monthly. Both last shipped on November 11, 2026.
| Parameter | PayPal | Barclays US |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (6.3M ratings) | 4.9 (568K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 20.7% of reviews | 43.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 6.3M — better | 568K |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Monthly |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #3 — better | #63 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.4 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 806 MB | 219 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | PayPal, Inc. | Barclays Bank Delaware |
Customer experience
PayPal
Barclays US
User reviews
PayPal
From 6.3M App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Extremely effective and reliable crypto recovery service
- 🔒 Secure payment processing
- 💰 Convenient way to send and receive money
- 👍 Easy to use app with simple interface
Room to improve
- 🐛 Inconsistent customer support responses
- 🕰️ Slow money transfer times
- 💳 Holds on funds for new accounts
- 🤖 Overly automated with lack of human interaction
Barclays US
From 568K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Convenient app functionality
- 🔒 Secure app with Face ID/Touch ID login
- 💡 Useful features like tracking credit score
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent login issues with password and biometrics
- 🐛 Inaccurate balance displays and transaction tracking
- 🐛 Buggy app crashes and performance issues
- 🔍 Lack of push notifications for transactions
- 💻 Outdated and clunky app design
Bugs and requests
PayPal
Reported bugs
3 issues- Account limitations and freezes with unclear reasons
- Issues linking bank accounts and cards
- Problems with refunds and chargebacks
Requested features
4 requests- Faster money transfers
- More transparent policies and fees
- Improved dispute resolution process
- Better customer service accessibility
Barclays US
Reported bugs
3 issues- App crashes after updates
- Login issues with password and biometrics
- Inaccurate balance and transaction display
Requested features
4 requests- Dark mode option
- Ability to easily pay current balance
- Improved transaction history and balance tracking
- More customization options
In-app purchases
PayPal
No in-app purchases
Barclays US
No in-app purchases









