A PayPal refund generally takes different amounts of time depending on the original payment method used:

• If you paid using your PayPal balance, the refund is usually processed and returned to your balance on the same day the refund is issued

• If you used a bank account, the refund typically takes about 3 to 5 business days to appear in your bank account, though in some cases it can take up to 30 days depending on the bank and payment status at the time of refund

• If you paid with a debit card, refunds usually take up to 5 business days but can sometimes take as long as 30 days depending on your card issuer

• For credit card payments, refunds can take longer-up to 1 or 2 billing cycles (roughly 28 to 31 days) to complete, depending on the credit card issuer

In most cases, you can expect to receive your refund within about a week, but it can take longer if there are complications or if the refund is processed through a credit card

. PayPal itself processes refunds promptly once the merchant issues them, but the actual time for the funds to appear depends on the payment method and external factors like bank or card issuer processing times

. Summary:

Payment Method| Typical Refund Time| Possible Maximum Time
---|---|---
PayPal Balance| Same day| Same day
Bank Account| 3-5 business days| Up to 30 days
Debit Card| Up to 5 business days| Up to 30 days
Credit Card| 1-2 billing cycles (~1 month)| Up to 30 days or more

Refunds must be requested within 180 days of purchase, and the seller must approve the refund before processing

. This timing reflects typical cases but can vary by country, bank policies, and specific transaction circumstances