If you don't trust a merchant your credit card company should have your back, there are chargeback processes you can go through in the event you get defrauded. Just make sure you never use a debit card online.
With PayPal you risk PP defrauding you or otherwise screwing with you, I've personally had them overdraft my linked bank account for no reason. My bank was pissed at them and only reversed the charges after I promised to never give ACH details to PP again.
> If you don't trust a merchant your credit card company should have your back, there are chargeback processes you can go through in the event you get defrauded.
Sure, but it’s still quite the pain to deal with. Your card can stop working at an random inconvenient time, you quickly have to switch any upcoming recurring payments, you have to spend time on hold with the CC company, etc. My last CC I had compromised I got into a bananas situation where I was having large/expensive packages I never ordered getting dropped off at my door and was then having to deal with the rigmarole of my CC issuer telling me I needed to return them to the shipper for a refund.
With PayPal you risk PP defrauding you or otherwise screwing with you, I've personally had them overdraft my linked bank account for no reason. My bank was pissed at them and only reversed the charges after I promised to never give ACH details to PP again.