PayPal is a wonderful service. You can add money to it and then use it to pay for everything without releasing your bank account and other personal information. You just provide your PayPal account, and the service does the rest. You can even use it at grocery stores and other retailers.
Yes, all grocery stores accept PayPal as payment in some way. However, most of the time, they will require you to use your PayPal debit card. Even then, there is some variation on how each store will accept the card.
Despite this general acceptance, each store handles PayPal transactions differently. By reading further, you will learn which grocery stores accept PayPal directly and how to pay with the service even when they do not.
Grocery Stores Do Accept PayPal
As PayPal is fully digital, using it offline is a challenge. You need to patronize stores that either allow phone payments or some other means to access your account’s funds. Luckily, most grocery stores today have such policies, making your job easy. You may require a third-party payment system to act as a middleman, but they are easy to find. PayPal even offers one themselves.
Once you set up your account, it is also safe and easy to use. To initiate a transaction, you just follow the link and log into PayPal. The service will take care of the rest. You never have to give out your bank or credit account number, address, or any other personal information to the store.
Even if a store does not provide a dedicated PayPal link, you can still use it through your PayPal debit card, which works anywhere where MasterCard is accepted. You can even take out a PayPal Credit line if you need a little more spending cash.
How to Pay for Grocery Store Items with PayPal
While grocery stores are not required to accept PayPal, many do accept the service in one form or another. As such, we must split our list into the various ways you can pay for goods using PayPal. Each method has its benefits and downsides, but you should be able to use your favorite method somewhere.
Shop and Pay Online
The easiest and quickest way to buy groceries with PayPal is shopping at online grocery stores or delivery services that accept PayPal directly. These places let you select PayPal as your payment method, taking you through the standard PayPal payment process. You can also go with a service that accepts Google Pay or another third-party payment service with a PayPal option.
To get you started, we included a few popular PayPal-compatible grocery stores below. You will rarely find a local shop on this list, but these national chains offer the most popular items:
Using PayPal Credit
While not as widely available as the standard PayPal service, some grocery stores will let you buy your groceries using their PayPal Credit line of credit. Over 700 online stores already accept the service underwritten by Synchrony Bank.
PayPal Credit does not provide you physical credit or a credit card number. PayPal just links the credit line to your PayPal account. As such, it uses the normal PayPal payment process. You just select PayPal Credit as your payment source.
Because PayPal Credit uses the usual process, you can apply it to the same stores mentioned above. However, you may not receive any special offers PayPal might offer. To promote the service, PayPal develops relations with a few retailers which accept PayPal Credit directly. Some of these grocery stores may or may not accept your regular PayPal account balance as payment as well.
As new offerings come and go, you must use PayPal’s list of associated stores to see if your favorite grocer was included. In the meanwhile, here is a list of grocery stores that accept PayPal Credit. However, they may place restrictions on how much you can buy at any one time:
- Dollar Tree – applicable only on bulk orders of 10 to 25 items
- Wal-Mart – select PayPal at checkout
- Target – select PayPal at checkout
Paying with the PayPal Debit Card
While most stores will not accept PayPal directly, there is still a chance that you can pay for your groceries through PayPal. You must use the PayPal Debit Card, but it opens the vast majority of retailers to your PayPal account.
The PayPal Debit Card is a debit card that links directly to your PayPal account balance. Every time you use it, the card withdraws the transaction amount from your PayPal balance and presents it to the retailer as an electronic check. Depending on how you set it up, the card can even pay your bill with your PayPal Credit line.
The card is versatile enough that you can use it as a credit card if your grocery store does not offer debit as an option.
Grocery Stores That Accept the PayPal Card
As you can use your PayPal card in any store that accepts debit cards, you can shop for groceries at your favorite store and not worry about it. To get you started, here is a list of popular online grocery stores that accept the card:
Amazon
Amazon’s grocery departments, Amazon Fresh and Amazon Prime Now, accept numerous payment options, but none of them are PayPal. However, they will accept your PayPal card like any other debit card. The online retailer accepts all three card versions, including Key accounts, Business Debit, and Cash Card.
You can even use your card to pay Amazon with your PayPal Credit account. Once you set your credit line as your card’s funding source, the card becomes a virtual credit card, drawing from the credit line instead of your regular balance.
Argos
If you find yourself in the United Kingdom, you should be happy to know that the supermarket chain Argos accepts PayPal payments in all of its forms except for PayPal Credit. You can buy groceries from them either online or in-person using the same account.
To use your PayPal account at Argos, you need an Argos online account. You can then select the PayPal option at checkout. From there, it is the usual PayPal payment process. If you use your PayPal card, you may even get around their restriction on using PayPal Credit.
Costco
Costco accepts PayPal indirectly through third-party apps such as Samsung Pay, Google Pay, and Apple Pay. The stores may accept the PayPal card in their brick ad mortar locations, as well as the Business card version online. Unfortunately, Costco will not accept PayPal Credit regardless of the transaction.
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart accepts direct PayPal payments online, but not at its physical stores. You can buy anything online, including grocery department items, using the secure PayPal system, but you must use your PayPal card when shopping in person.
CVS
While not a traditional grocery store, CVS Pharmacy does let you pay for their grocery items using your PayPal account. You can do this through your PayPal card, third-party payment apps, or via PayPal directly in some cases.
Rite Aid
Rite Aid only accepts PayPal Card payments in their stores, and only business card payments online. There are no other restrictions. Just make sure that your location accepts the card network listed on the back of your card.
Target
Target also accepts PayPal payments everywhere. You can use PayPal on their website. You can use the card in their physical stores. Plus, they also accept many third-party apps that are compatible with PayPal.
Regional Grocery Stores That Accept PayPal
While most PayPal-friendly grocery stores are national chains, some local, regional outlets will let you use PayPal in their stores. If your local store is not on this list, you can check their website to see if they support PayPal or the Mastercard debit network:
- Imperfect Foods
- Hungry Harvest
- Peapod
- Kroger
- Hungryroot
- Shipt
- Sam’s Club (only PayPal Card accepted in physical stores)
Physical Grocery Stores That Accept PayPal Through a Payment App
No grocery store accepts PayPal directly in its physical location. For the most part, they will only accept a PayPal card. However, there might still be a chance that you can use your PayPal account to buy stuff from them with or without your card.
Many grocery stores accept mobile payments through third-party apps such as Samsung Pay and Google Pay. You must register your PayPal account with them as your funding source, but these digital wallets let you use PayPal through your phone. The only exception is Apple Pay, which only accepts PayPal for online or app purchases.
Before you whip out your phone and run to the store, you must understand that not every grocery store accepts every payment app out there. This is especially true for small independent stores or those still in the process of rolling out the options for their customers.
To that end, we provide the list below from First Quarter Finance for your convenience. They are all stores that we can confirm accept PayPal-friendly payment apps. Please contact your local store if you do not see it on this list or to check if things changed:
- Albertsons
- ALDI
- BI-LO
- BJ’s Wholesale Club
- Brookshire’s Food & Pharmacy
- Costco
- Cub Foods
- Dillons
- Food Lion
- FoodMaxx
- Fred Meyer
- Giant Eagle
- Giant Food Stores
- H-E-B
- Hornbacher’s
- Jewel-Osco
- King Soopers
- Kroger
- Martin’s Foods
- Meijer
- Publix
- Raley’s
- Ralphs
- Save Mart Supermarkets
- Schnucks
- Shaw’s
- SHOP ‘n SAVE Supermarkets
- Shoppers
- Spring Market
- Sprouts Farmers Market
- Star Market
- Stater Bros. Markets
- Stop & Shop
- Super 1 Foods
- Supervalu
- Target
- Trader Joe’s
- Vons
- Wegmans
- Whole Foods Market
- WinCo Foods
- Winn-Dixie
The PayPal Payment Process
The PayPal payment process is safe, simple, and secure. However, with all the options available, it can still confuse people. Most of the confusion extends from knowing which stores accept the digital wallet. We provided several above that do accept it to varying degrees, but you can still be perplexed with this knowledge.
To help you out, we will go through the basics of the PayPal payment system. This system works anywhere PayPal is accepted, including the grocery stores mentioned above. You can even use this procedure to send money to people. To make things even better, most PayPal transactions are free. The company only makes money when you receive payment.
Making an Online Payment
Online payments are the oldest and most secure way to pay for your groceries with PayPal. While only a few stores offer it, it is in your best interest to choose this option. The procedure is relatively straightforward as well as it is as simple as logging into PayPal:
- Browse and select the items you want to buy from the store’s catalog, and then checkout.
- Select “PayPal” or “Pay with PayPal” when asked for your payment method.
- The website will forward you to PayPal’s website.
- When prompted, log into your PayPal account.
- Select the PayPal account you will use to make the payment.
- Select the payment amount and backup funding source if needed.
- Confirm your selection to be forwarded back to your store’s website.
- Review and complete your purchase.
In-Store PayPal Payments
While online payments are ideal, most stores do not offer the option. This is especially true when shopping at a physical brick-and-mortar store. Most major retail outlets do not have the infrastructure in place to handle online payments securely, let alone your local independent grocer. In these cases, you must use your PayPal card to access and pay with your PayPal account.
The PayPal card is not a single service offered by PayPal. Instead, it is four different products with varying degrees of availability depending on the type of PayPal account you have. You can also access this payment mode through a third-party payment app or QR code, depending on the store.
PayPal Card Options
PayPal offers all the various card options through the Mastercard network for both its personal and business users. Two of the options are standard Mastercard debit cards linked to your account. When using these cards, your account looks like a checking account to the store.
You can also use these cards to withdraw from your PayPal account from ATMs free of charge, though you may have to pay ATM fees. PayPal also offers a prepaid debit card which you can load from your account balance in preset increments. The company also offers two different credit cards with various benefits and features.
You can also use the PayPal app with your debit card for mobile payments where supported. You just have to pay the $3.95 service fee.
PayPal Cash Card
The Cash Card is the personal, non-business version of the PayPal Card. The card is available to you as soon as you open a personal account. All you must do is log into your account and apply for it. If you meet a short list of requirements, you will receive your Mastercard debit card in the mail in a week or two. You can then use it immediately after registering it.
PayPal charges no fees to get or use the card. As long as you keep your PayPal account funded, you are free to use the card without any issue. There is a small ATM fee if you use non-MoneyPass ATMs, but you can waive the fee if you stick to the U. S. MoneyPass network. Regardless, all non-U. S. transactions require a 2.5% fee.
PayPal Business Debit Mastercard
Business PayPal users have to access the PayPal Business Debit Mastercard. The card is just a Cash Card for businesses, and it comes with the same features. The only difference is the 1 percent cashback bonus from all purchases. Getting the card is also more involved than getting the consumer card, but it is easier than getting a similar card from a bank.
Like the consumer card, the business card has no annual or monthly fee, but it does come with a lower $1.50 ATM fee. You even get to enjoy a 1 percent fee on all non-U. S. purchases or ATMs.
PayPal Prepaid Mastercard
For added financial security, PayPal offers a prepaid Mastercard that is not linked directly to your account balance. Instead, the card draws from a separate account that you much load from your account in preset increments, government payments, or direct deposits from your employer. Beyond this restriction, the card works like any other debit card.
PayPal Credit Cards
A credit card is your last PayPal card option. PayPal offers two different cards: PayPal Extras Mastercard and the Cashback Mastercard. These cards differ in their features and rates, but these cards are entirely Mastercard credit cards. That means they are independent of your PayPal account balance and PayPal Credit.
Conclusion
PayPal offers a safe and secure digital wallet you can use to make purchases at various supported stores and delivery services. You can even use the service to buy groceries if the store does not offer PayPal as a payment option through payment apps and your PayPal debit card.