Paying for items

When you're ready to pay, simply go to checkout. You'll be able to select your payment method and review your order details, including your shipping address, before you pay.

Ways to pay

In most categories, credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and PayPal are accepted. You'll find the payment methods accepted by going to the Shipping and Payments section of the listing.

Checks, money orders, and bank wire transfers aren't allowed for most eBay purchases. However, you can use these payment methods to buy vehicles, capital and business equipment, real estate, and items you pick up in person. See our Payment methods policy for more details.

If you're buying a wristwatch for $10,000 or above (after seller discounts but before shipping and taxes), you can pay with Escrow.com. For wristwatches, eBay covers any service fees charged by Escrow.com for use of its services. You can also pay with Escrow.com if you're buying a vehicle. Find out more in our article about buying vehicles, parts and accessories.

You may see a choice of payment currency options at checkout. For example, if you live in the US, and want to pay for an item located in the UK, you may see the option to pay in either GBP or USD.

If you choose to pay in your local currency and it's different from the currency the item is listed in, you’ll see the exchange rate along with the order total in your local currency at checkout. You’ll also see the currency you used in your winning bid confirmation email.

Troubleshooting payment errors

If you have problems paying for your items or if you receive an error message at checkout, try the following troubleshooting tips to resolve the issue:

• Check you've entered your payment details correctly
• Make sure your billing address matches the address on your payment method
• Try checking out on another device. If you're using the eBay desktop site, try checking out on the mobile site or app, or vice versa
• Try checking out on another browser. You can also try signing out, clearing your cache and cookies, and signing in again before trying to check out again
• Make sure your payment method hasn't expired. For example, if you're paying with a credit or debit card, check the expiry date on the card
• If you're using a new credit or debit card, you may need to activate the card before you can use it. We recommend contacting your bank or card issuer for instructions
• When you place an order for items from different sellers on eBay, you may see duplicate pending charges appear in your credit card or bank account. Don’t worry, this doesn’t mean you’ll be overcharged. These payment authorizations are not charges, and will typically be removed from your account within a week. In some cases, your bank may take up to 30 days to remove these authorizations

If you're still having trouble paying, choose your payment method below for more information:

• Paying with PayPal
• Paying with a credit or debit card
• eBay gift cards
• Coupons and discount offers
• eBay Bucks

Timelines for paying

When you buy an item on eBay, whether you won an auction or used Buy It Now, you'll need to pay the seller within 4 days. The sooner the seller receives your payment, the sooner they'll send your item.

You'll find everything you've bought recently – including items you still need to pay for – in your Purchase History - opens in new window or tab.

When you buy an item, it's important to pay as quickly as possible. If you haven't paid within 4 calendar days, a seller can cancel your order. If this happens, you won't receive your item and the unpaid item will be recorded on your account. Buyers who have excessive unpaid items or canceled orders may have limits imposed or lose their buying privileges.