How can I use my cell phone to accept PayPal at an in person event like a street fair, flea market, convention or meet-up?

If you have a smartphone or app ready tablet, accepting PayPal in person is as simple as downloading the free cell phone app for your phone platform. Just search in your local app store for the free official PayPal app.

If you don’t have a fancy smart phone, you can still accept PayPal mobile payments using SMS text messages. How? It’s pretty easy.

Link your cell phone number with your PayPal account. I can’t give you the direct link to do this because it’s part of the logged in PayPal site but go to My Account > Profile > Add or Edit Phone Numbers. Then set up your phone for mobile payments.
Then you can start sending and accepting payments using a few simple commands.
See the full list of simple and advanced commands here.

Now here’s a question for you advanced mobile users: How do you choose the method of payment such as to specify it as a gift versus goods or to decide who pays the fees (sender or reciever)?

Examples:

Send money
Send a text to 729725 (PAYPAL). Specify the amount and the recipient’s phone number or email address.

Examples

Send 10.99 to 2125551981
10.99 21255519815 name@domain.com
Send 5 to name@domain.com

Request money

Send a text to 729725 (PAYPAL). Include the words getand from, and then specify the amount and the phone number of the person you’re requesting money from. You can even enter several phone numbers – just separate them with a comma.

Examples