Comparison
Shopify Payments vs PayPal
When Shopify holds, PayPal often holds in parallel. Understanding both is critical for cashflow recovery.
| Feature | Shopify Payments | PayPal |
|---|---|---|
| Hold duration | 120 days | 180 days max |
| Buyer protection | Limited | Strong (often hurts merchant) |
| Chargeback fee | $15 | $20 |
| Cross-platform freeze | No | Yes — affects eBay, etc. |
Our take: Neither is forgiving. PayPal has slightly faster appeals.
Choosing between Shopify Payments and PayPal usually happens after a ban or hold has already hit. We see this every day at Unholdr — merchants frantically comparing processors while their funds sit frozen.
Here's the truth most comparison articles miss: switching processors doesn't recover held funds. You need to do both — fight the existing hold AND set up a stable alternative. We help you with the first part. Then we recommend the right second part based on your country, industry and volume.
Neither is forgiving. PayPal has slightly faster appeals.
Held funds need a specialist, not just a new processor.
200+ merchants recovered. 95% win rate. 100% refund if we don't deliver. We're the only firm in the world built for this.
- 200+ merchants recovered
- 95% win rate on accepted cases
- 14–21 day average resolution
- 100% refund if we don't deliver