Can I Pay My American Express Bill With Paypal?

Paying your American Express bill can be confusing if you don’t have a linked bank account or credit card. Many American Express cardholders wonder if they can use PayPal to pay their bill. The short answer is yes, you can pay your American Express bill with PayPal, but there are a few steps you need to take to set it up. In this article, I’ll explain how paying your American Express bill with PayPal works, the pros and cons, and walk through the process step-by-step.

How Does Paying Amex With PayPal Work?

You need to connect your American Express card to a PayPal account in order to pay your Amex bill with PayPal. This makes it possible for PayPal to pay off your Amex balance when you tell it to.

Here’s an overview of how it works

• Link your Amex card to a PayPal account. This can be done on the Amex or PayPal website.
• Add funds to your PayPal balance by transferring from a bank account, debit card, or another funding source.
• When your Amex bill is ready to pay, log into your PayPal account and schedule a payment to American Express.
• PayPal will use your balance to make the payment towards your Amex bill.
• American Express will receive the payment from PayPal and credit it to your account balance.

It’s a simple process that allows you to securely pay your American Express bill through PayPal rather than directly from your bank account or card.

Pros of Paying Amex with PayPal

There are a few advantages to paying your American Express bill through PayPal

• No bank account required – If you don’t have a U.S. bank account PayPal provides a way to pay your Amex bill without one. You can fund your PayPal account with an international bank account debit card, or credit card.

• Earn rewards—When you pay with PayPal, you don’t use a credit card or bank account to make the payment. This means you can still use your credit card to buy things.

• FDIC insurance – PayPal provides FDIC insurance on PayPal account balances up to the maximum amount. This gives you peace of mind your funds are protected.

• Payment flexibility – PayPal allows you to pay any amount towards your Amex bill, so you can pay the minimum, a portion, or your full balance.

• Payment reminders – PayPal can send you reminders when your Amex bill is due to help you avoid missing payments.

Cons of Paying Amex with PayPal

There are a couple potential downsides to be aware of:

• Funding delays – It takes 1-3 business days for money transferred into PayPal to become available for paying your Amex bill. You need to plan ahead.

• Not able to set up automatic payments—Unlike some bank accounts, PayPal does not allow you to set up automatic recurring payments. You have to manually schedule each payment.

• Funds withdrawal limits – PayPal has limits on how much money you can withdraw from your balance back to your bank. Excess funds may get stuck in PayPal.

• PayPal fees – Certain funding sources like credit cards incur fees when transferring money into PayPal to pay bills.

As long as you understand the limitations, PayPal can still be a good option for paying your monthly Amex bill.

Step-by-Step Guide to Paying Amex with PayPal

Follow these steps to set up PayPal payments for your American Express card:

Step 1: Link Your Amex Card to a PayPal Account

You first need to link your Amex account to PayPal so it’s authorized to make payments.

There are two ways to do this – through the American Express or PayPal website:

On American Express:

1. Log into your online Amex account.
2. Go to ‘Account Services’ then ‘Card Management’.
3. Click on ‘Add to Wallets & Merchants’.
4. Select PayPal and choose your Amex card.
5. Review and agree to the terms.

On PayPal:

1. Log into your PayPal account.
2. Go to your Wallet page.
3. Under ‘Link cards’, choose ‘Link a card’.
4. Enter your American Express card details.
5. Follow the verification steps.

Either way, your Amex card will now be connected to your PayPal account.

Step 2: Fund Your PayPal Account

Before you can pay your Amex bill, you need money in your PayPal balance. Add funds by:

• Transferring money from your bank account
• Sending funds from another PayPal account
• Using a debit card, credit card, or ACH transfer

I suggest that you transfer money from your bank account or load your debit card with money right away so that you can pay your Amex bill. Credit cards and ACH transfers take 1-3 days to process.

Step 3: Schedule Your Amex Payment in PayPal

Once your American Express card is linked and PayPal balance funded, you’re ready to pay your bill.

1. Log into your PayPal account and go to the ‘Transfer or Send Money’ page.
2. Choose ‘Pay bills for free’ and search for American Express.
3. Enter your Amex card number and payment amount.
4. Review and confirm your details.

PayPal will withdraw the funds from your balance and send a payment to American Express, just like any other bill.

Step 4: Pay Your Remaining Amex Balance

If your PayPal payment doesn’t cover your entire Amex balance, you’ll need to pay the remainder before the due date. You can do this directly on the Amex website through your remaining payment options. The PayPal payment will be reflected in your account activity.

And that’s it! By linking your American Express card to PayPal and funding your account balance, you can securely pay your Amex bill. Just follow the step-by-step process outlined above.

Tips for Paying Your Amex Bill With PayPal

Here are some extra tips to help you successfully manage PayPal payments for your American Express card:

• Set payment reminders in PayPal to avoid late fees.
• Verify your payment went through on the Amex account activity page.
• Allow 3-5 days for PayPal transfers to fully process.
• Pay more than the minimum amount due to save on interest.
• Load extra funds to PayPal to cover future bills.
• Withdraw excess balances to prevent funds getting stuck.
• Choose bank/debit funding for immediate use of the money.

Common Questions About PayPal Amex Payments

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions:

Can I set up automatic PayPal payments to Amex?

Unfortunately, PayPal doesn’t support automatic or recurring payments like some bank accounts. You have to manually schedule each payment.

What happens if my PayPal payment is late?

If your PayPal payment doesn’t process in time, you may incur late fees and interest charges from American Express. Avoid this by scheduling your payment 3-5 days before the Amex due date.

Is there a fee to pay Amex through PayPal?

PayPal doesn’t charge a fee to use your PayPal balance to pay bills. But funding your PayPal account with a credit card may incur fees. Bank transfers are free.

Can I earn rewards by paying with PayPal?

Yes, paying your Amex bill with your PayPal balance will not impact your ability to earn rewards on new purchases. It’s the same as any other payment in that regard.

Do I need to link every Amex card to pay the bills?

Yes, you have to separately add and link each of your American Express cards to your PayPal account. PayPal treats each one as a unique payment.

The Bottom Line

Paying your American Express bill through PayPal provides flexibility and convenience, especially if you don’t have a U.S. bank account. While there are some limitations to be aware of, the process is straightforward.

To get started, simply link your Amex card to PayPal, fund your account balance, and schedule one-time payments each month. Maintain your remaining payment methods for any leftover balance. With a few easy steps, you can securely pay your American Express statement with your PayPal funds.