Comparison

PayPal vs HMRC

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

PayPal

Manage your finances with a secure app for online and in-store shopping, sending money globally, and earning cash back. It also offers savings accounts, cryptocurrency trading, and package tracking.

Highlights
  • Send and receive money globally
  • Earn cash back offers
  • Request a debit card
  • Buy, sell, and hold cryptocurrency
  • High-yield savings accounts
  • Track packages
Features
Read full description

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

About

HMRC

Manage your taxes, benefits, and savings securely and easily. Check your tax code, claim refunds, and track your State Pension. Access Self Assessment and Child Benefit information, and find your National Insurance number.

Highlights
  • Quick secure sign-in
  • Check tax code and pay
  • Claim tax refunds
  • View State Pension details
  • Self Assessment payments
  • Manage Child Benefit
  • Find National Insurance number
Features
Read full description

Take control of your money and tax with the HMRC app It’s secure, free to download, and easy to use. Get on it, and join millions of people already saving time with the HMRC app. Key Features: - Quick setup: sign in using face recognition, fingerprint scan, or a six-digit PIN - Stay in control: check your tax code and see your pay before it even shows in your bank, so you know you're paying the right amount - Claim a tax refund: find out if you’re due any tax back from us and quickly claim a refund if you’re owed one - Check your State Pension: see how much State Pension you could get, when you can get it and how to increase it, if you can - Self Assessment: a safe and secure way to make Self Assessment payments and get information you'll need to file - Child Benefit support: claim, manage, and update your Child Benefit details - National Insurance: find and save your National Insurance number so you have it when you need it - Go paperless: opt to receive key messages from HMRC online Download the HMRC app today and stay on top of your money and taxes

Screenshots

PayPal4 screens
HMRC4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: HMRC at none against PayPal's shown. HMRC also leads on review sentiment (47% vs 21%) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). PayPal's advantage is ratings volume (6.3M vs 583) and update cadence (weekly vs monthly). On price, rating and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for PayPal against 4.8 for HMRC. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PayPal has 6.3M ratings behind it against 583, 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 47% of HMRC's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PayPal ships an update weekly, HMRC monthly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
PayPal versus HMRC: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPayPalHMRC
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (6.3M ratings)4.8 (583 ratings)
Positive reviews21.4% of reviews47.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings6.3M — better583
Update frequencyWeekly — betterMonthly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#4 — better—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.415.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size767 MB34 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPayPal, Inc.HMRC

Customer experience

PayPal

All ratings6,298,685 ratings
Positive95.2%
Neutral1.8%
Negative3.0%
Written reviews5,622 reviews
Positive21.4%
Neutral5.1%
Negative73.4%

HMRC

All ratings583 ratings
Positive95.0%
Neutral1.7%
Negative3.3%
Written reviews857 reviews
Positive47.3%
Neutral5.0%
Negative47.7%

User reviews

PayPal

From 6.3M App Store ratings

What 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

HMRC

From 583 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Straightforward payment process
  • 💡 Useful information and updates
  • 🔒 Secure authentication

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent login issues and app crashes
  • 🤔 Confusing navigation and UI
  • ⚠️ Lack of communication about tax changes
  • 🕰️ Slow and unresponsive app

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

HMRC

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Endless login loops and redirects
  • App freezing and becoming unresponsive
  • Inconsistent behavior after app updates
  • Issues with Face ID and biometric authentication

Requested features

4 requests
  • Improved notification system for tax updates
  • Ability to view and manage tax details in-app
  • Better integration with banking apps for payments
  • More user-friendly design and navigation

In-app purchases

None

PayPal

No in-app purchases

None

HMRC

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PayPal free?
PayPal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is HMRC free?
HMRC is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, PayPal or HMRC?
PayPal and HMRC are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 6.3M and 583 ratings respectively.
Do PayPal or HMRC have ads?
PayPal shows ads; HMRC does not.
Which is updated more often, PayPal or HMRC?
PayPal ships an update weekly, and HMRC monthly. Most recently, PayPal was updated on September 24, 2026 and HMRC on September 24, 2026.

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