Does Aliexpress take PayPal? [ Explainer + Other Payment Methods]

PayPal no doubt is a leading electronic payment solution that many ecommerce platforms support. However many buyers on Aliexpress, an ecommerce giant in China often ask this question – Does Aliexpress take PayPal?

I guess you are one of those people and that’s why you are on this page to satisfy your curiosity. No worries. I am here to help you. At the end of this post, you will learn if Aliexpress accepts PayPal as a payment method and other payment methods available to you as a shopper on Aliexpress.

Does Aliexpress take PayPal?

Yes, you can use PayPal to make payment for the products you have added to cart only if the seller or supplier accepts PayPal as a payment option.

A few years ago, suppliers or sellers on Aliexpress didn’t have PayPal as a payment option. But as their customers began to complain through reviews, some of them saw the need to add it since payment via PayPal is easy, fast, and secure. 

At the time of writing this post, PayPal is available on Aliexpress for buyers from first-world countries like the United Kingdom, United States, Germany, Spain, and Italy. Although PayPal doesn’t have a direct partnership with Aliexpress, buyers that make payments using it on Aliexpress are protected against fraud.

Just like it does for customers on other top ecommerce stores like Amazon and eBay. One would have expected that considering that Aliexpress is a leading online store, its partnership and full integration with PayPal, an electronic payment giant, would have been done a long time ago. At least to ensure that buyers who shop from countries where PayPal is supported pay with it on Aliexpress. 

How to know if you can pay with PayPal on Aliexpress 

There are two ways to go about it. The first is to check the product page. After reading about the product and clicking on Add to Cart, open the cart to see the payment options available to you. If you see the Aliexpress PayPal Icon, congrats. It means that the seller and the country you’re shopping from support it.

The second method is to contact the seller. Click the Contact Seller button and a window will open for you to chat with them. Ask if you can make payment via PayPal.

You can also visit the seller’s store and click on “Help Now” drop-down menu and you see the option for customer service.

  Many of the top-rated sellers on Aliexpress have this page. 

How to pay with PayPal on Aliexpress 

Let’s say the seller of the product you want to buy on Aliexpress accepts payment via PayPal and you plan to opt for it as someone that lives in countries where Aliexpress PayPal payment works, take the following steps:

• Navigate to Cart( where you added products you want to buy)
• Tap on All Payment to see payment options available to your location
• Choose PayPal if it’s one of them
• Enter your PayPal details( PayPal ID and password)
• Click Confirm and you are done

Alternative payment methods to PayPal on Aliexpress 

If you love shopping on Aliexpress and payment via PayPal isn’t supported in your location, there are other options for you. I discussed them below. 

1. Alipay

Alipay is to Chinese nationals what PayPal is to the United States, United Kingdom, and other western worlds. It is a third-party mobile payment app that is popular in China. Alibaba Group, the owners of Aliexpress founded it in Hangzhou in 2004.

It has an e-wallet service that you can download and use to make payments online including on Aliexpress. Its mode of operation is similar to Apple pay.

Most of the sellers on Aliexpress have it as a payment method. So you can consider downloading the app and funding it, so as to make payment for products on Aliexpress. 

2. Credit & Debit cards 

Mastercard, Verve, Visa, and any other type of cards are acceptable on Aliexpress. Almost all the sellers have it as a payment option. If you live in developing countries where PayPal isn’t supported, you use your debit or credit card to make payments. 

3. Other payment options 

Apart from Alipay, PayPal, and card payments, you can pay for products on Aliexpress via the following methods:

• Bank transfer 
• DOKU
• Webmoney
• Western Union 
• Sofort Banking
• Mercado Pargo
• Bolero
• Giropay
• Ideal
• Ticket
• TEF

Note: You have to chat with the seller to request that you pay via any of these methods listed above. 

PayPal vs. Alipay ( Which is a better option on Aliexpress)

When it comes to e-commerce, PayPal has more coverage than Alipay. For example, leading ecommerce stores like Amazon, eBay, Walmart, etc fully accept PayPal as a payment option.

Also, it is available in most North American, European and  Asian countries. Alipay is a Chinese electronic payment giant that is popular with Alibaba group and Chinese nationals. It is pushing to get more users in Asia. 

Pros of PayPal

• A brand with a good reputation 
• Awesome reward system 
• Available in over 200 countries and in 150 currencies 
• Fraud monitoring, protection, and fast dispute resolution 
• Supports all devices 

Cons of PayPal

• Can easily freeze your account for any questionable transaction
• Higher transaction fees

Pros of Alipay

• Low transaction fees
• Full reimbursement for an unauthorized transaction 
• Supports all smart devices 
• Leading mobile app payment in China

Cons of Alipay 

• Supports only 18 currencies worldwide 
• Not fully supported in English 
• Mostly available in Asian countries 

Making a choice between Alipay, PayPal, and Card payment 

The payment you choose when you want to pay for products on Aliexpress depends on what the seller offers. Sellers that have most of their customers from China won’t bother adding PayPal as a payment option.

Sellers that have more customers from the US, and the UK will likely add PayPal as a payment option. So if you don’t fall into any of the categories, using your debit or credit card will be the best option since almost all the sellers have it as a payment option.

FAQs on paying with PayPal on Aliexpress 

Before I call it a wrap, let’s look at key questions you ask that relate to payment on Aliexpress using PayPal. 

How do I use PayPal on Aliexpress?

When you add a product to the cart, tap on payment to see the payment options the seller accepts. If you see  PayPal, enter your details which are your PayPal ID and password. Click on Confirm. 

Note: Although some sellers accept payment via PayPal, you must live in countries where Aliexpress PayPal payment is supported to use it. Examples of such countries are the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Spain.

Should I use PayPal on Aliexpress?

Yes, it is safe and secure to pay for products on Aliexpress with PayPal. However, the seller must be able to offer PayPal as a mode of payment. Also, Aliexpress PayPal payment must be available in your country.

What payment methods are accepted on Aliexpress?

Alipay, Debit, and Credit cards are popular payment methods sellers on Aliexpress accept. Some sellers accept payment via PayPal. You can also contact a seller and request a payment method you think is convenient for you. 

Why can’t I pay with PayPal on Aliexpress?

Three are two reasons you can’t pay for products you added to your cart on Aliexpress using PayPal:

Most of the sellers on Aliexpress don’t accept payment via PayPal 

If you don’t shop from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and Spain. These are countries where Aliexpress PayPal payment is supported.

Is it safe to use PayPal on Aliexpress?

Yes, paying for products on Aliexpress using PayPal is safe and secure. PayPal has a reputation for ensuring that its users are protected from fraud.

Is it safe to use a debit or credit card on Aliexpress?

Yes, it is safe to use debit and credit cards to make payments on Aliexpress. Sellers on Aliexpress accept any type of card, be it Mastercard, Visa, Verve, or any other type of card. 

Why can’t I make payment on Aliexpress?

Check if you have properly added a product to cart and selected a payment option. If you choose a debit or credit card as a payment option, check if there is a sufficient balance on your card and if the card hasn’t expired. 

For Alipay, check if your e-wallet is funded. For PayPal,  check if your PayPal balance is sufficient and that you haven’t been restricted from making payments. 

Does Aliexpress take Apple pay?

Apple pay isn’t a common payment method on Aliexpress.  Chinese sellers and manufacturers dominate Aliexpress. So it will be hard for them to ignore Alipay which is popular in China and opt for Apple pay.

However, you can ask a seller you want to buy from if they can accept Apple pay. Some of them may be willing to do so, especially if you want to buy in bulk.

Does Aliexpress accept Afterpay?

Aliexpress does not accept Afterpay. Also, Afterpay does not have Aliexpress in its shop directory where you can use their service to make purchases and pay later. 

Final thought on Aliexpress PayPal payment 

Having come this far, I trust you have learned that paying with PayPal on Aliexpress is possible on the condition that the seller must offer it as an option. Plus you must live in countries where Aliexpress PayPal is supported.

I also showed you how to make payment on Aliexpress using PayPal, listed other payment methods available on Aliexpress, and answered some key questions you ask about payment methods on Aliexpress.

Note that you can contact a seller to request that you make payments through methods that they didn’t list on their product page.