Short answer: PayPal is a wallet with 440 million active accounts and a payments business that includes Braintree. Bolt is one-click checkout, payments and fraud protection for US online businesses. Most businesses should keep the PayPal button, because shoppers trust it. The real choice is what runs the rest of your checkout and your card payments. Bolt gives you lower card and dispute fees on Bolt Payments, Bolt fees returned on refunds, a choice of 11 processors, and fraud chargebacks covered on approved orders*. You can offer PayPal inside Bolt checkout.
This guide is for teams that sell online in the US: retail brands, subscription and digital goods businesses, platforms and marketplaces, higher-risk categories and enterprise. PayPal facts come from PayPal's own pages, read November 11, 2026, and each one cites a source ID.
*Qualifying transactions, under your Bolt agreement.
Bolt vs PayPal at a glance
PayPal cells cite a source ID. Sources and read dates are listed near the end of this page.
| Bolt | PayPal (including Braintree) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | One-click checkout, payments and fraud protection for US online businesses | Consumer wallet with 440 million active accounts in 200+ markets, plus card processing through PayPal and Braintree [P1][P13] |
| Card rate (list price) | 2.5% + 30¢ per card transaction on Bolt Payments, or keep your own processor's rate | Advanced card processing 2.89% + 29¢. Standard card checkout 2.99% + 49¢. Braintree 2.89% + 29¢. International cards add 1.5% on PayPal [P1][P2] |
| Wallet rate | PayPal orders inside Bolt are processed and priced by PayPal | PayPal Checkout and Venmo 3.49% + 49¢. Pay Later 4.99% [P1] |
| One-click network fee | 1.35% Bolt Network fee, only when an existing Bolt user signs in. None on guest orders or on shoppers who created their account on your site | No published price for Fastlane [P10] |
| Dispute or chargeback fee | $7.50 per chargeback on Bolt Payments | $20 per card chargeback on PayPal. $15 per PayPal dispute, or $30 for high-volume sellers. $15 per chargeback on Braintree [P1][P2][P3] |
| Fees on refunds | Bolt fees are returned. Payment processing fees are not | Not returned, on PayPal or Braintree [P1][P2] |
| Free protection | Basic fraud protection included | Seller Protection, free, on eligible purchases of physical goods made through PayPal's own checkout [P4] |
| Paid chargeback cover | Total Fraud Protection covers 100% of fraud chargebacks on approved orders*, at 0.79% per transaction (rates may vary by industry). Works with Bolt Payments or an approved third-party processor | Chargeback Protection at 0.40% per transaction, or 0.60% for the Effortless tier. Covers fraud and item-not-received chargebacks on card payments that PayPal processes and approves. Covered losses are capped at 1.20% of eligible monthly volume. Excludes subscriptions [P1][P5][P6] |
| One-click network | Over 100 million shoppers. Recognized by email plus a one-time code | Fastlane: "more than 171M eligible accounts" in the US, as of October 2024. Recognized by email plus a texted code [P10][P11] |
| Processor choice | Bolt Payments or your existing processor. Works with 11 processors | Fastlane runs on PayPal or Braintree processing. PayPal has also announced it through Adyen and Fiserv [P10][P12] |
| Commerce platforms | Shopify (Managed Checkout), Salesforce Commerce Cloud, Adobe Commerce, BigCommerce, WooCommerce, or custom via API | Fastlane partner integrations: Adobe Commerce, BigCommerce, Salesforce, Bold and WooCommerce [P10] |
| Contract | No lock-in | No monthly or setup fees on PayPal Checkout. Braintree merchants can terminate on one day's notice [P14][P6] |
| Where it works | US merchants only | 200+ markets and 130+ currencies [P13] |
*Qualifying transactions, under your Bolt agreement. PayPal figures are US list prices as published by PayPal on November 11, 2026 (fee page last updated November 4, 2026). Large merchants often negotiate custom pricing with either company, so confirm current terms for your volume.
Cost: fees per order, per refund and per dispute
Card and wallet rates
PayPal's price depends on how the shopper pays. A payment through the PayPal button or Venmo costs 3.49% + 49¢. A card through standard checkout costs 2.99% + 49¢. A card through PayPal's advanced card processing or through Braintree costs 2.89% + 29¢ [P1][P2]. Bolt Payments is 2.5% + 30¢ per card transaction.
On a $1,000 order, that is $35.39 through the PayPal button, $29.19 on PayPal's advanced card processing and $25.30 on Bolt Payments, before any custom pricing. PayPal and Braintree both offer interchange-plus pricing for established businesses [P1][P2].
The Bolt Network fee, stated plainly
Bolt charges a 1.35% Bolt Network fee only when an existing Bolt user signs in. There is no network fee on guest orders or on shoppers who created their account on your site. On orders where it applies, Bolt's total can be higher than PayPal's card rate, so weigh it against what recognition is worth: Bolt account holders convert 50% better than guest shoppers (Bolt internal data). Merchants who go live by January 1, 2027 get discounted network fees.
Refunds
When you refund a PayPal payment, the fees you paid to receive it are not returned. Braintree doesn't return them either [P1][P2]. On Bolt, Bolt's own fees (checkout, network, Checkout OS and add-on fees) are returned on refunds. Payment processing fees are not returned.
Disputes and chargebacks
PayPal charges $20 for a card chargeback. For disputes on PayPal-account payments it charges $15, or $30 if you are classed as high-volume, which means a dispute ratio of 1.5% or more. The high-volume fee applies even when you win [P1][P3]. Braintree charges $15 per chargeback, plus an excessive-chargeback fee of $2,000 to $200,000 for merchants above a 0.9% chargeback rate [P2]. On Bolt Payments a chargeback costs $7.50, half the industry standard of $15.
Fees are only part of the cost. A Javelin study for Mastercard found that each chargeback costs large US merchants $46 in third-party fees plus $82 in internal costs [T3].
Lock-in
PayPal Checkout has no monthly or setup fees, and Braintree merchants can terminate on one day's notice [P6][P14]. Bolt has no lock-in. On contract terms, neither side traps you.
Total Fraud Protection vs PayPal Seller Protection and Chargeback Protection
PayPal has two programs, and both are real. The question is what each one reaches.
PayPal Seller Protection (free)
Seller Protection covers unauthorized-transaction and item-not-received claims on eligible purchases made through PayPal's own checkout. It applies to physical goods shipped to the address PayPal gives you, with proof of delivery. It doesn't cover "significantly not as described" claims, or item-not-received claims the buyer files with their card issuer. For Braintree merchants, it applies to PayPal button purchases only [P4][P18].
PayPal Chargeback Protection (paid)
PayPal and Braintree sell Chargeback Protection at 0.40% per transaction, or 0.60% for the Effortless tier, where you don't submit evidence for fraud claims [P1][P9]. On price it is lower than Bolt's 0.79%, and it covers item-not-received as well as fraud. Its limits, from PayPal's agreements [P5][P6][P7][P8]:
- Cards on PayPal's processing only. It applies to card payments through PayPal's advanced card processing or Braintree.
- PayPal decides. It covers only transactions PayPal's risk engine approves, and you can't override a decline.
- A loss cap. Covered losses are capped at 1.20% of eligible monthly volume.
- No subscriptions. Subscription and recurring payments are excluded.
- Not alongside PayPal's Fraud Protection tools. You choose one or the other.
Bolt Total Fraud Protection
With Total Fraud Protection, Bolt covers 100% of fraud chargebacks on approved orders*. It costs 0.79% per transaction (rates may vary by industry). The main difference from PayPal's product is where it works: with Bolt Payments or an approved third-party processor with API hook-ins, and as a standalone add-on. You don't have to process cards with one company to get the cover. For merchant-liable disputes, Bolt gives you a dispute portal and a tool that compiles the evidence, but you represent yourself and carry the loss if the dispute is lost.
Two honest limits. Bolt's guarantee is for fraud chargebacks, not item-not-received claims. And orders paid with the PayPal wallet inside Bolt checkout are covered by PayPal Seller Protection, not by Bolt. Ask both companies for their cover terms in writing, including any cap.
*Qualifying transactions, under your Bolt agreement.
The one-click experience: Bolt vs Fastlane and the PayPal button
PayPal offers two fast paths. The PayPal button sends the shopper to PayPal to approve the payment. Fastlane is PayPal's guest checkout, which fills in saved card and shipping details on your own page. For a detailed product comparison, see Bolt vs PayPal Fastlane.
- Recognition. Bolt recognizes shoppers by email plus a one-time code, and can recognize them on their first visit to your store. Fastlane recognizes shoppers by email and a texted code [P11].
- Network size. Bolt's one-click checkout network has over 100 million shoppers. PayPal says Fastlane has "more than 171M eligible accounts" in the US, as of October 2024 [P10]. The two figures aren't measured the same way.
- Saved shipping addresses. A Bolt account stores the shopper's shipping addresses as well as payment details, and Bolt checkout pre-fills both. A Fastlane profile also stores cards and shipping addresses [P11].
- Wallets and other payment methods. Bolt checkout offers Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, Klarna, Afterpay, Affirm, Amazon Pay and Sezzle; availability varies by setup.
- Results. Bolt account holders convert 50% better than guest shoppers (Bolt internal data). Revolve saw a 10% lift in checkout conversion and 4% higher revenue with Bolt. PayPal reports that Fastlane shoppers convert "around 37% higher" than guests, from April to June 2025 data [P10]. Each company measures its own way, so test on your own traffic.
- Guarantee. Bolt offers a 10-20% conversion rate lift guaranteed. If you don't get the results you like, you can terminate at any time and get out of lock-in contracts. See the revenue guarantee.
Payment and processor flexibility
PayPal's integration guides run Fastlane on PayPal's own processing or on Braintree [P10]. PayPal has also announced Fastlane through Adyen and Fiserv, so it is not limited to PayPal's processing [P12]. Its Chargeback Protection is limited to cards PayPal or Braintree processes [P5][P6].
Bolt works with Bolt Payments or your existing processor, and works with 11 processors. The 11 include Braintree and PayPal Payflow Pro. Embeddable and Hosted Checkout work with third-party processors. PayPal is offered as an alternative payment method within Bolt Hosted Checkout, so shoppers who want PayPal still get it.
Tech stack and platform integrations
Bolt runs on Shopify through Managed Checkout, and on Salesforce Commerce Cloud, Adobe Commerce, BigCommerce, WooCommerce and custom stacks through its API and Embeddable Checkout.
PayPal lists Fastlane partner integrations for Adobe Commerce, BigCommerce, Salesforce, Bold and WooCommerce, and says a direct integration takes two to four weeks [P10]. We found no Fastlane integration for Shopify on PayPal's pages. Fastlane is web only and isn't supported in native apps [P19].
Who keeps the customer
With Bolt, the store keeps the customer data.
With the PayPal button, the shopper approves the payment at PayPal, PayPal appears on their card statement, and PayPal sends you the buyer's shipping and billing details [P14]. With PayPal's advanced card checkout, the shopper stays on your page and sees your name on the statement [P14]. A Fastlane profile belongs to the shopper and is separate from their PayPal account [P11]. If you leave Braintree, it exports vaulted card data to another PCI-compliant provider [P17].
Customer care and account stability
PayPal offers chat support and phone sales lines for businesses [P22]. We found no published paid support tier or terms for a dedicated account manager on PayPal's pages. Large merchants should ask what their contract includes.
Every Bolt plan includes access to Bolt's commerce experts, up to a dedicated team for hands-on help and ongoing optimization. Paid support plans start at $100 a month.
The concern merchants raise most about PayPal in public is held funds. PayPal's User Agreement lets it hold a payment for up to 21 days for risk reasons, hold disputed funds for up to 180 days, and set rolling or minimum reserves [P3]. Merchants on G2 name high fees most often among PayPal's drawbacks (234 mentions in about 2,700 reviews), and 109 mention poor customer support [T2]. The Better Business Bureau lists 25,853 complaints about PayPal in three years, a count that includes Venmo and other PayPal brands [T1]. PayPal is also rated 4.4 out of 5 on G2, and most public complaints come from small sellers [T2]. If held funds are a concern, ask any provider, Bolt included, to put its reserve and payout terms in writing before you sign.
Beyond retail: subscriptions, digital goods, platforms and high-risk
- Subscriptions. Bolt supports recurring plans, subscription management, usage-based pricing and payment recovery. See subscriptions. PayPal Subscriptions cost 3.49% + 49¢, and PayPal's Chargeback Protection excludes subscription and recurring payments [P1][P5].
- Digital goods. Bolt serves gaming, software and creator businesses with embedded checkout or hosted payment links. You handle fulfillment. See digital goods. PayPal Seller Protection is built for physical goods and covers digital goods only when they are marked eligible [P4].
- Platforms and marketplaces. Bolt Connect serves marketplaces and commerce platforms. See platforms.
- High-risk categories. PayPal's Acceptable Use Policy requires pre-approval for categories such as dating, gambling and prescription drugs [P20]. Bolt's high-risk page lists adult and dating, gaming, travel, CBD and wellness, and tobacco and e-cigarettes, subject to underwriting. High-risk chargebacks cost $22.50.
- Enterprise. Both sell to large brands. PayPal names Microsoft, Samsung, Nike and Sephora among its customers [P21]. Bolt's customers include Revolve and FWRD. See enterprise.
When PayPal may be the better fit
- Your shoppers ask for PayPal. PayPal has 440 million active accounts, and shoppers who prefer it expect to see the button [P13]. Keep the button. You can do that with Bolt too.
- You sell worldwide. PayPal works in 200+ markets and 130+ currencies [P13]. Bolt serves US merchants only.
- You want Pay Later and Venmo from one provider. PayPal pays you up front on Pay Later orders, and Venmo is part of the same integration [P1][P21].
- You want low-cost cover for both fraud and item-not-received. Chargeback Protection at 0.40% does that, if you process cards with PayPal or Braintree and can live within its cap and exclusions [P5].
- You are small and want to start today. PayPal Checkout has no monthly or setup fees [P14].
- You also take payments in person. PayPal lists QR code payments at 2.29% + 9¢ [P1].
- You want to accept crypto. PayPal's Pay with Crypto is open to US merchants at 0.99% until July 31, 2027, then 1.5% [P16].
Can you use both?
Yes. PayPal is offered as an alternative payment method within Bolt Hosted Checkout. Shoppers who want PayPal choose it. Everyone else gets Bolt's one-click checkout.
You connect your existing PayPal account to Bolt. PayPal processes those orders and charges its own fees, and PayPal Seller Protection applies to them, not Bolt's fraud cover. PayPal inside Bolt is supported on Adobe Commerce, BigCommerce, Salesforce Commerce Cloud, WooCommerce and custom integrations; it isn't listed for Shopify.
If Braintree processes your cards today, you can keep it. Braintree is one of the 11 processors Bolt works with. One limit: Bolt and Fastlane are both one-click networks, so you choose one for a given storefront. See Bolt vs PayPal Fastlane.
How to switch, and what implementation takes
Implementation typically takes between a few days and a few weeks. Headlights Depot was live in 27 days and saw a 51% checkout conversion lift and an 8.3% sitewide lift.
- Keep the PayPal button. Add it as a payment method in Bolt checkout so no shopper loses their preferred way to pay.
- Pick the card processing model. Keep your current processor, or move card processing to Bolt Payments at 2.5% + 30¢ per card transaction.
- Connect your platform. Use Managed Checkout on Shopify, the integration for Salesforce Commerce Cloud, Adobe Commerce, BigCommerce or WooCommerce, or the API for a custom stack.
- Plan saved cards. If you leave Braintree, request a vault export to your new PCI-compliant provider [P17]. Bolt is Level 1 PCI compliant. Saved-card migrations can require additional configuration.
- Test before you commit. Bolt supports a controlled rollout, so you can send a share of traffic to Bolt first.
- Decide on fraud cover. Add Total Fraud Protection if you want fraud chargebacks on approved orders covered*.
*Qualifying transactions, under your Bolt agreement.
Sources
PayPal sources (read 2026-11-11):
- [P1] paypal.com/us/business/paypal-business-fees (last updated November 4, 2026)
- [P2] paypal.com/us/enterprise/paypal-braintree-fees (updated May 7, 2026)
- [P3] PayPal User Agreement (November 4, 2026)
- [P4] PayPal Seller Protection Program (January 26, 2026)
- [P5] PayPal Online Card Payment Services Agreement, section 1.14 (updated September 1, 2026)
- [P6] Braintree Payment Services Agreement, sections 7 and 9 (updated March 2, 2026)
- [P7] PayPal Help: What is Chargeback Protection?
- [P8] developer.paypal.com: Chargeback Protection
- [P9] Braintree: Effortless Chargeback Protection
- [P10] paypal.com: Fastlane guest checkout
- [P11] paypal.com/us/fastlane
- [P12] PayPal newsroom: Fastlane with Adyen (August 20, 2024) and with Fiserv (August 29, 2024)
- [P13] PayPal Q3 2026 earnings release (October 27, 2026) and PayPal's history and facts page
- [P14] paypal.com/us/business/accept-payments/checkout
- [P16] paypal.com/us/business/accept-crypto-payments
- [P17] Braintree: data migration exports
- [P18] paypal.com/us/enterprise/fraud-protection-advanced
- [P19] Braintree: Fastlane overview
- [P20] PayPal Acceptable Use Policy (October 29, 2022)
- [P21] paypal.com/us/enterprise
- [P22] paypal.com/us/enterprise and PayPal's business contact pages
Third-party sources (read 2026-11-11):
- [T1] Better Business Bureau profile: PayPal, Inc.
- [T2] G2 reviews of PayPal Payments: 4.4 out of 5 from about 2,700 reviews
- [T3] Javelin Strategy & Research for Mastercard, chargebacks white paper (January 2026; 200 US merchants with $100M+ revenue)
Bolt sources: pricing, fraud protection, checkout, payments.
FAQ
Does Bolt work with PayPal?
Yes. PayPal is offered as an alternative payment method within Bolt Hosted Checkout, so shoppers can still pay with PayPal. Bolt also works with Bolt Payments or your existing processor, and works with 11 processors.
What payments does Bolt accept?
Bolt checkout accepts card payments through Bolt Payments or your existing processor, and offers PayPal as an alternative payment method within Bolt Hosted Checkout. Bolt checkout also offers Apple Pay, Google Pay, Klarna, Afterpay, Affirm, Amazon Pay and Sezzle; availability varies by setup.
Does PayPal cover chargebacks?
Partly. Seller Protection is free and covers unauthorized and item-not-received claims on eligible physical goods bought through PayPal's own checkout. Chargeback Protection costs 0.40% per transaction and covers fraud and item-not-received chargebacks on cards PayPal or Braintree processes and approves. It caps covered losses at 1.20% of eligible monthly volume and excludes subscriptions. Bolt's Total Fraud Protection covers 100% of fraud chargebacks on approved orders, for qualifying transactions under your Bolt agreement, and works with Bolt Payments or an approved third-party processor.
What happens if you get a chargeback on PayPal?
PayPal charges a $20 fee for a card chargeback, and you lose the order value unless you win or are covered. For disputes on PayPal-account payments, the fee is $15, or $30 for high-volume sellers. Seller Protection doesn't cover item-not-received claims the buyer files with their card issuer. On Bolt Payments, a chargeback costs $7.50.
Who has higher fees, Stripe or PayPal?
At US list prices, PayPal costs more for wallet payments and about the same for cards. PayPal Checkout is 3.49% + 49¢ and its advanced card processing is 2.89% + 29¢. Stripe is 2.9% + 30¢ for domestic cards. Bolt Payments is 2.5% + 30¢ per card transaction. See Bolt vs Stripe.
Why is my PayPal payment still on hold after 21 days?
PayPal's User Agreement lets it hold a payment for up to 21 days for risk reasons. It can hold funds tied to a dispute for up to 180 days, and it can set a rolling or minimum reserve on your account. If a hold runs past 21 days, check for an open dispute, a reserve or an account limitation, and contact PayPal.
Is Bolt a legit company?
Yes. Bolt is a US checkout and payments company with a one-click checkout network of over 100 million shoppers. Its customers include Revolve, FWRD, Headlights Depot and Bag Riders. Revolve saw a 10% lift in checkout conversion and 4% higher revenue with Bolt. Bolt is Level 1 PCI compliant and SOC 2 Type II compliant. Bolt's site is boltapp.com.
Is PayPal worth using anymore?
For most online businesses, yes, as a payment option. PayPal has 440 million active accounts, and shoppers who prefer it expect to see the button. The better question is whether PayPal should also run your card payments and the rest of your checkout. You can keep the PayPal button inside Bolt checkout and compare card rates, dispute fees and fraud cover separately.
Talk to Bolt
Send us your platform, processor and monthly volume. We'll show you what Bolt would cost next to your current PayPal or Braintree setup, with the PayPal button kept in place. Talk to Bolt.
*Qualifying transactions, under your Bolt agreement. PayPal, Venmo, Braintree and Fastlane are trademarks of PayPal, Inc. or its affiliates. Bolt is not affiliated with or endorsed by PayPal. PayPal information comes from PayPal's public pages as read on November 11, 2026, and may have changed since.