Tell HN: PayPal Blocks GrapheneOS

This is arguably the most irritating thing with just about every largecorp developer: "os that hasn't been updated in 6 years? Sure boss!". Os that is built specifically around security and privacy with daily updates: "No, you can't do that". Annoying - yes. Safe way to make sure I will stop being your customer - also YES!

I see this happen from time to time. Lately, almost all of the apps work fine on GrapheneOS. The best strategy is to keep writing the business once every two or so weeks that you can’t log in to and use the app. Don’t go too technical at first, because most of the time, the moment they hear things like “rooted” or “unofficial,” they just say your phone is the issue. To date, I was able to convince, or at least contribute to, making three apps work on GOS.

Dumb idea, but I wonder if the underlying os can see who is asking questions like do you have root, And if an app has no need to know, it just plays dumb and responds...of course not. It's a bit of a chicken and egg problem, in that if you don't know what apps need to know if you have root, or not, then you can't determine that at the OS level...maybe an option for the user (popup) to tell the program, tell them we are rooted or not? (Or a settings page you can determine what apps can know root or not)

It works here. Running in a work profile, no contactless payments.

Play Integrity API: Not blocked

Hardened memory allocator: Enabled

Memory tagging: Enabled

Extended virtual address space: Enabled

Secure app spawning: Enabled

Native code debugging: Allowed

WebView JIT: Disabled

Dynamic code loading via memory: Allowed

Dynamic code loading via storage: Allowed

Why would anyone still use PayPal after so many cases of accounts being banned and funds being frozen for no reason, and all the other terrible stuff they've done?

Still works for me.

I had to update exploit protection after their latest update — I think it was enabling dynamic code loading via both memory and storage that did the trick.

Edit: checked now, I have also disabled secure app spawning.

I remember when I had to boot up an old windows machine because TurboTax refused to run on a Linux (might have been something related to flash as well... been too long to recall), then I just ran Windows in a VM, then extensions allowed me to do User-Agent spoofing (honestly should have thought of this sooner), and now they don't seem to care at all. I did my taxes on OpenBSD last year.

Does the website still work?

Has PayPal blocked GrapheneOS, or have they blocked every OS they're unable to verify and done a poor job of implementing their checks?

Hanlon's Razor is a useful tool. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanlon%27s_razor

This wouldn't be that bad if they had a functional website you could use instead, but their website doesn't even let you do things like pick your monthly rewards category or configure auto-replenish for your debit card.

I've not been able to use Paypal on Firefox+Linux, on and off for years now. The pop-up appears where it would ask you to log in and then normally you log in and either get "something went wrong" or it works. Now, it just immediately goes to "please try again later", before asking for who I am. This has been an issue on and off for so long, it's just the normal state for Paypal to be in for me. We're currently in a "not working" spell. It'll pass. Or not. It's paypal..

Frankly I don't mind the incentive to not use Paypal; gives me a good reason to tell business owners to support giving them the money directly (not through paypal or visa or whatever, just offer pre-paying via normal bank transfer) if they want my custom

I'm on Debian Testing sometimes on amd64 and sometimes on m1. Paypal also doesn't like me. Than I have two options: I use a Windows VM to do the payment or I use another payment method. Most of the time I use the other payment method.

Can it still run in browser like it would on a regular pc?

I would bet that fewer than 1/1,000 non-HN users have ANY clue what it means to root a device. I sure don't!

Update: it seems to work when disabling "secure app spawning" (for now)

Switched to Wero and haven't looked back.

https://wero-wallet.eu

Why do you need PayPal APP? I have grapheneos and just tested logging in to PayPal web. Works.

This is likely incompetence. PayPal/Thiel are deep state and for sure the CIA has all PayPal transactions.

So they'd want to enable an app trojan on GrapheneOS.

The question is why anyone would use GrapheneOS and use apps from hostile publishers?

I'm starting to see these restrictions as a deterrent for using the products in question. My GOS handset is slowly fizzling away into a dumbphone with Firefox, organic maps and k9. And you know what, I am starting like it.

I was always suspicious of GrapheneOS, thought it was too good to be true. But this makes me reconsider and want to install GrapheneOS.

Does this really have anything to do with GOS and more to do with apps not wanting to run on rooted phones? A rooted phone is more likely to be tampered with and have its sandbox rules relaxed. There's a big business of security companies selling tools to harden mobile apps and the bare minimum is not running on rooted phones.

I've been using it in the browser with GOS no problem. Any reason why one would need the app besides a little more convenience?

I also ran into the eBay application being blocked just recently. Other than that I've had no issues, but I imagine this is going to become more and more common as time goes on.

I've disabled auto-update for PayPal in the Play Store and also Disabled the app locally (so I can re-enable when rarely needed). They'll force people to update soon enough given how banking apps are.

Hopefully these stupid companies that are refusing to allow their apps to run on GrapheneOS will have a change of heart when Motorola begins launching their new phones:

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/08/motorolas-grapheneos...

Confirmed on my phone too. I left a 1-star review on the play store saying it crashes on every launch, uninstalled and will use the website from now on. (Luckily, I dont use contactless payments, ai just send and receive money from friends from time to time)

This is what really makes me question if I want to continue to use GOS, already some UK banks apps (which are app only) don't want to run. I'm considering switching back to stock as I can't be bothered to try to find hacks and workarounds for daily necessities.

Looking at the description, the title should be changed to "Contactless PayPal card does not run on GrapheneOS"

I use latest Aurora Store PayPal version and it still works. I just dont use contactless payment.

I still remember when my bank wanted me to run Android 9 instead of my Android 15 rom (without root) on my Samsung S8 because "muh security!!"

Funnily enough, the only way to hide those detections was to Root my phone... And i still remember when i had an appointment there, they wanted to see something in my Bank app, i opened it (and i assume it had an update since i then last used it) and a big "THIS DEVICE IS NOT SUPPORTED. ROOT IS NOT SUPPORTED" poped up

But was as simple as readding the bank app to my root hiders.

but still, i hate this security theater

Why would you use PayPal anyway? It's a t#rd.

It works for me after enabling exploit protection compatibility mode. Pixel 9a on latest versions of GOS and PayPal.

Similarly, Cash App does not work on Graphene

Still works fine for me. PayPal and GrapheneOS are both on the current release.

How is it that PayPal is still relevant? What does it even offer these days that other platforms don't do better?

Still works on my up to date pixel 9 xl. I haven't enabled NFC payments though

This should be illegal, but it won't. Corrupt politicians want people to be only on the approved operating systems so they can be surveilled.

P10F, 2026081301, Aurora Store, secondary profile, flawless. Try harder.

When threat comes knocking, the door gets bolted-shut.

did you re-lock the bootloader?

With or without Google Play Services running?

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"RootDetectionSecurityException" .. there's your answer ... it doesnt't want to run on "rooted" devices.

Paypal doesn't work on LineageOS since a long time, even though the connections of that dubious Graphene distro with the US government are always in the horizon it is just natural that paypal doesn't work there now.

Otherwise it would just continue to raise suspicious that Graphene is favored by governments and big tech.