which is cheaper?

[alkevin]

My question is which way is better and cheaper to buy using Ebay: paypal or credit card? Because I did notice the exchaging for paying in dollars to euro was 1,02, but the currency converter said 0,93.I´m confused.

[kitkatvintage]

I believe PayPal adds a percentage to the currency conversion for sales between US & all other countries. I read in their most recent TOS update that they are increasing the fees on international transactions at the end of March.

Most US eBay sellers only use PayPal. Credit card payments go through PayPal, so I'm not sure that you have a choice in those cases.

I know a lot of European sellers have a bank transfer option. Since that is not common in the US, I'm not very familiar with it, however that may be cheaper if you are getting a direct currency conversion without PayPal's additional charge.

[alkevin]

I noticed that the seller had a credit card option besides paypal, but it seems paypal is more secure.

[Stormness_1]

It depends on your credit card. If your credit card has a decently hassle-free claims process, and a live account balance online where you can check for any fraudulent transactions, it can be cheaper if you don't have big currency conversion fee. Paypal is easier to pay with and guaranteed secure, but often more expensive. For ebay, I use Paypal, simply because an ebay claim is quicker and easier than calling my bank and getting my card re-issued, but for local brick-and-mortar stores that have an online order process, I'll forgo Paypal and just use my credit card, less fees, and there's rarely an issue as I trust them.

[Taffeta]

I know a lot of European sellers have a bank transfer option. Since that is not common in the US, I'm not very familiar with it, however that may be cheaper if you are getting a direct currency conversion without PayPal's additional charge.

Bank transfers usually come with large fees if going abroad. I think within the Eurozone there might be different rules - never been in it, so don't know - but if you are transferring to a different currency, expect a large fee. I would avoid bank transfers in those situations unless there is no reasonable choice.

[nhal039]

On the bank transfer side of the talk i use a online intl bank called transferwise, you must sent your passport details to open an account but rest assured its a really site and not a scam i have sent money all over the world using them and the fees are less than what paypal charges, the buyer pays the small fees the seller pays nothing

[Ringlets]

I would usually use Paypal rather than credit card but it does depend on your card and also  on ebay , because even if you use a card it usually goes through Paypal in some countries such as the US.

I know a lot of European sellers have a bank transfer option. Since that is not common in the US, I'm not very familiar with it, however that may be cheaper if you are getting a direct currency conversion without PayPal's additional charge.

Bank transfers usually come with large fees if going abroad. I think within the Eurozone there might be different rules - never been in it, so don't know - but if you are transferring to a different currency, expect a large fee. I would avoid bank transfers in those situations unless there is no reasonable choice.

This is true in my experience too. I think in mainland Europe it is not such an issue  and it is (or was)  more common than Paypal ,  but from the UK I got a huge fee for doing a bank transfer to someone in Germany since we do not use the same currency . I would be very careful about doing a bank transfer unless you are doing one to someone in mainland Europe. Check fees with the bank first if transferring using a different currency to your own as Taffeta mentioned because I think you might be charged a lot of money if you did a bank transfer to someone in the US 

[lovesbabysquirmy]

In the USA and Canada, bank transfers are $40 on each side of the transaction so you're spending about $80 to receive the money digitally.  In Canada we have a debit-between-bank system called Interac but it doesn't work in the States. 

I would go with Credit-Card-Thru-Paypal as that will give you the lowest rate most of the time.  Then you're just dealing with the fee that Paypal charges to deal with that bank.

Once you get into each individual bank's policies and rates and fees, it's just too complicated!