Side-by-side comparison
Mastercard vs PayPal
As of Nov 11, 2026, P/E is 34.4x for Mastercard vs 11.3x for PayPal; revenue growth is 15.3% for Mastercard vs 4.4% for PayPal; operating margin is 58.6% for Mastercard vs 17.0% for PayPal; net margin is 46.7% for Mastercard vs 13.8% for PayPal.
What stands out
- Mastercard is growing revenue faster: 15.3% vs 4.4% for PayPal Holdings.
- PayPal Holdings is cheaper on earnings: 11.3x P/E vs 34.4x for Mastercard.
- Mastercard keeps more of each sale as operating profit: 58.6% margin vs 17.0% for PayPal Holdings.
- PayPal Holdings carries less debt relative to equity: 0.56 vs 3.29 for Mastercard.
Key metrics
| Metric | MA | PYPL |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $656.83 | $59.15 |
| Market cap | — | $49.13B |
| P/E | 34.4x (#2) | 11.3x (#1) |
| P/S | — | 1.4x (#1) |
| Revenue growth | 15.3% (#1) | 4.4% (#2) |
| Operating margin | 58.6% (#1) | 17.0% (#2) |
| Net margin | 46.7% (#1) | 13.8% (#2) |
| Debt / equity | 3.29 (#2) | 0.56 (#1) |
| 1-year return | +17.0% (#1) | -12.0% (#2) |
| Research score | 66/100 (#1) | 60/100 (#2) |
Higher is better for growth, margins, one-year return and overall score; lower is better for valuation and debt ratios. Ties share a rank and missing values are excluded.
Company research
- Mastercard Incorporated (MA) — Credit Services
- PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL) — Credit Services