PayPal Credit Card Processing: How to Accept Card Payments With PayPal

How do you accept credit card payments with PayPal?

Setting up PayPal as your payment processor is relatively straightforward. However, the process will differ depending on your business and transaction types. Here’s how it works.

Searching for a credit card processor and not sure where to start? Tell us a little more about your business and get customized quotes from qualified providers.

E-commerce payment processing setup steps

If you run an e-commerce business, follow these steps to start accepting card payments with PayPal:

1. Set up a PayPal business account: Your first step is to visit PayPal’s business account setup page. Complete the form with your:

• Legal name
• Business name
• Bank account information
• Email address and password 

PayPal does not run a hard credit check and requires minimal documentation upfront. PayPal may request verification documents, such as your business registration or tax identification number, at a later date as your transaction volume grows.

2. Connect to PayPal’s payment gateway: To start, you’ll generate API keys from your PayPal developer dashboard and add them to your website’s payment settings. For an easy setup, PayPal Checkout offers smart payment buttons for a simple customer checkout experience. Merchants who need more customization can use PayPal Braintree for greater design autonomy. Once connected, your website can accept credit cards, debit cards and digital wallets like Apple Pay through PayPal.

In-person payment processing setup steps

Follow these steps to start accepting card payments with PayPal if you have a brick-and-mortar store:

1. Set up a PayPal business account: Follow all of the steps above to set up your account by visiting PayPal’s business account setup page and providing your name, business name, bank account details and email address.
2. Get set up with PayPal Point of Sale (formerly Zettle) online or via the app: You use PayPal POS to accept card payments. You set up with PayPal POS via your online account or the app for iOS or Android:
   1. Online: Go to the PayPal POS registration page and enter your business’s employer identification number and your mobile number. Read PayPal’s terms and conditions and privacy statement. If you agree, select Submit.
   2. In-app: Download the iOS PayPal POS app from the App Store or get the PayPal POS app for Android from Google Play and complete this step on your mobile device.
3. Set up product details: Set up your products and their details, including prices, in the app or online in your account.
4. Purchase a card reader: If needed, purchase a card reader or POS system from PayPal POS. Hardware orders typically ship within a few business days and arrive within a week.
5. Set up your reader:
   1. Turn on the card reader and charge it with the enclosed charger cable.
   2. Log in to your PayPal app. Under Payment Settings, find PayPal and tap Activate.
   3. The app or online account will connect to the reader via Bluetooth. To finalize the connection, type in the code shown on the app using the buttons on the reader. The reader is now synced with your PayPal POS account and ready to take in-person payments.
6. Ring up a purchase: After ringing up a customer’s purchase, tap Charge. Choose Card as the payment method, and hand the reader to the customer. The customer uses the reader to tap or insert their credit or debit card. The reader has a numeric pad for customers to input their debit card PIN, if necessary. (If the customer is paying with their PayPal account or Venmo, choose PayPal or Venmo as the payment method.) Tap Done.
7. Have the customer finish the transaction: Ask the customer to open their phone camera or their PayPal or Venmo app. Present the customer with your QR code to scan. Once it’s scanned, ask them to tap Confirm.

Card-not-present transactions

Follow steps one through five above for in-person payment processing, and then take the following steps to accept credit card payments over the phone or by mail:

1. Ready your system for manual transactions: Before your first manual card entry, you must have already taken a payment with your card reader or POS system via chip or tap. Once you complete this transaction, wait at least three hours for the system to be ready for manual entries.
2. Set up a manual transaction: Go to the app or online account menu, select Manual Card Entry and press Activate. This will enable the Manual Card Entry option as a payment option for future transactions.
3. Conduct a manual transaction: To accept a sale when the customer’s card is not present, select Manual Card Entry on the reader. Use the app or your online account to manually enter the customer’s payment details and the transaction amount into the app for processing.

Note: Funds from manual card entry transactions do not appear in your PayPal POS daily deposit email or on the PayPal POS deposits page. Instead, they go directly into your PayPal account.

What is a PayPal business account?

A PayPal business account lets you send and receive payments with access to tools designed specifically for merchants. Its functionality differs significantly from that of a PayPal personal account. PayPal business accounts provide access to PayPal’s payment solution platform, which includes a range of services and features for businesses of all sizes.

What payment solutions services does PayPal provide?

The PayPal payment solutions platform supports online sellers, brick-and-mortar stores, and even crowdfunding and nonprofit ventures. Together with your business account, the platform’s primary functions include:

• Accept payments: Your business can accept payments with PayPal for online shopping, in-person purchases, and phone or email transactions. It can also accept Venmo and PayPal Pay Later payments as well as alternative payment methods.
• Make payments: Your business account allows your organization to make payments in several ways. Mastercard powers the debit option, which lets you spend from your PayPal balance and comes with rewards. The account also enables PayPal Pay Later payments and can link to a bank account to create a third payment option.
• Fraud and seller protection: Your PayPal business account offers protection services. Fraud protection measures detect credit card fraud, while seller protection works to minimize claims and avoid chargebacks. PayPal is uniquely empowered with this feature, as it sees both sides of any PayPal transaction.
• Capital loans: PayPal Working Capital is a business loan plan that helps secure funding for business investments. It’s paired with promotional resources and international selling to make ROI easier. Read our review of PayPal business loans to learn more about PayPal’s lending options.
• Partner directory: PayPal Partner Directory connects your business to a marketplace of third-party integrations and tools designed to streamline operations, automate workflows and support business growth.
• Cash flow, dispute management and payment processing: PayPal Open provides businesses with a resource suite designed to help business operations. This includes access to financing and dispute management that streamlines dispute processing beyond the standard business resource.
• Business insights: This built-in analytics resource tracks sales performance, customer shopping behavior and optimization — giving small business owners data to make smarter decisions.

How much does PayPal charge for credit card processing?

PayPal’s flat-rate pricing and pay-as-you-go terms are laid out transparently on its website. Here are the current rates for its credit card processing services:

• Credit card payments: starting at 2.29 percent + $0.09 per transaction. Applies to credit cards, debit cards, and contactless payments (e.g., Apple Pay, Google Pay) processed using the PayPal POS app and card reader. PayPal works with all major credit card networks, including Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express.
• Manual-entry transactions: 3.49 percent + $0.09 per transaction. Applies to credit and debit card payments manually keyed in via the PayPal POS app or POS system.
• QR code payments: 2.29 percent + $0.09 per transaction. Applies to payments accepted via QR code for in-person purchases through the PayPal POS system.
• E-commerce transactions: 2.99 percent to 3.49 percent + $0.49 per transaction for payments using Visa, Mastercard, Discover or American Express. Applies to standard online card transactions on e-commerce sites. 
• Virtual terminal: 3.39 percent + $0.29 per transaction. Applies to credit and debit card payments accepted through PayPal’s Virtual Terminal, where the seller manually enters card information.

Although PayPal’s transaction fees tend to be higher than many full-service credit card processors, the absence of account setup and maintenance fees easily offsets the costs. This makes PayPal a cost-effective option for small businesses that process a low volume of monthly transactions. Additionally, PayPal doesn’t require long-term contractual commitments.

Here are the other fees you don’t have to pay with PayPal:

• Application or setup fees
• Monthly fee for statements and customer support
• Monthly minimum processing requirement
• Gateway setup fee
• Monthly gateway fee
• Annual fee
• Annual or monthly PCI compliance fees
• Early-termination or account closure fees

There are some additional costs:

• Chargebacks: $20 per occurrence
• Recurring billing service: starting at $10 per month
• Advanced fraud protection services: $0.07 per transaction
• Cross-border fee: PayPal adds 1.5 percent  to the transaction fee when you accept payments from customers outside the U.S. PayPal adds a fixed fee that varies by currency if the cross-border payment requires currency conversion.

In addition, eligible charitable organizations are charged 1.99 percent of each transaction plus $0.49 for online donations. In-person donations cost the same as regular business accounts at 2.29 percent + $0.09 per transaction. 

Businesses with transactions under $10 may qualify for PayPal’s micropayment fees, which cost 4.99 percent of each transaction plus $0.09 per transaction. 

Jennifer Dublino contributed to the reporting and writing in this article.