> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://learn.nexudus.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# PayPal

> Choose between the PayPal options in Nexudus and set up PayPal Standard so customers can pay invoices through PayPal.

## Overview

PayPal allows customers to pay using their PayPal account or a card via the PayPal payment flow. Customers are redirected to PayPal to authorize the payment, then returned to the portal once complete.

## Choosing a PayPal option

Search for "PayPal" under **Available payment methods** and you'll see several options. Pick the one that matches how you want customers to pay:

| Option | How customers pay | Automatic recurring payments | Use it when |
| - | - | - | - |
| **PayPal Standard (Members Portal v5 only)** | Redirected to PayPal to pay each invoice | No | You use the current Members Portal. **Recommended** |
| **PayPal Standard (legacy)** | Redirected to PayPal to pay each invoice | No | You still use an older Members Portal version. |
| **PayPal** card gateway (through Spreedly) | Enter card details without leaving the portal. No PayPal branding. | Yes | You have a PayPal business account and want PayPal to process card payments. See [Card gateways (Spreedly)](/integrations/payment-gateways/spreedly#paypal-card-gateway). |
| **PayPal Adaptive** | — | — | Deprecated. Don't use for new setups. |

<Warning>With PayPal Standard, customers must sign in to the Members Portal and pay each invoice themselves: Nexudus can't collect later invoices automatically. Offer an automatic method, such as a card gateway or direct debit, alongside it for recurring plan invoices.</Warning>

## Features

| Feature | Supported |
| - | - |
| Card payments | Yes (via PayPal checkout) |
| ACH / Direct debit | No |
| Recurring payments | No |
| 3D Secure | N/A |
| Sandbox mode | Yes |

## Configuration Parameters

To configure PayPal, go to **Settings → Billing and payments → Payments and currency → Payment methods** and select **PayPal Standard (Members Portal v5 only)**.

### Required Settings

| Setting | Description |
| - | - |
| **Enabled** | Master switch to enable or disable PayPal payments. |
| **PayPal Client ID** | Your PayPal REST API Client ID. |
| **PayPal Secret Key** | Your PayPal REST API Secret Key. |

### Optional Settings

| Setting | Description |
| - | - |
| **Use test servers** | Enable sandbox mode for testing with PayPal's sandbox environment. |

## Setting up PayPal

1. Create or log in to your PayPal developer account at [developer.paypal.com](https://developer.paypal.com)
2. Navigate to **Apps & Credentials** in the PayPal Developer Dashboard
3. Create a new app (select Sandbox for testing or Live for production)
4. Copy your **Client ID** and **Secret** from the app details
5. In Nexudus, enable PayPal and paste your credentials
6. Enable "Use test servers" for sandbox testing before going live

### Sandbox testing

When sandbox mode is enabled:

1. Create sandbox test accounts in the PayPal Developer Dashboard (Business and Personal accounts)
2. Use the sandbox personal account credentials when testing PayPal checkout
3. Payments will not be real charges but will simulate the full PayPal flow

<Note>Make sure to disable "Use test servers" and use your live API credentials before going production. Sandbox credentials will not process real payments.</Note>

## Legacy PayPal Integrations

### PayPal Standard (legacy)

The older PayPal Standard integration only needs the email address of your PayPal business account:

| Setting | Description |
| - | - |
| **Enabled** | Turns the integration on. |
| **Use test servers** | Sends payments to PayPal's sandbox. |
| **PayPal business email** | The email address of your PayPal business account, exactly as it appears in PayPal. |

Customers need their own PayPal account to pay this way.

### PayPal Adaptive

A deprecated integration for splitting payments across multiple receivers. It asks for an API username, API password, API signature, application ID and payment limits.

<Warning>PayPal Standard (legacy) and PayPal Adaptive are kept for existing setups only. Use **PayPal Standard (Members Portal v5 only)** for new configurations.</Warning>

## Troubleshooting

* **Customers not redirected to PayPal** — Verify your Client ID and Secret Key are correct and match (both from sandbox or both from live)
* **Sandbox payments failing** — Ensure you are using a valid sandbox test account and sandbox mode is enabled
* **Return URL not working** — PayPal requires return/cancel URLs to be configured. These are handled automatically by Nexudus.

## Related

* [Payment gateways](/integrations/payment-gateways)
* [Card gateways (Spreedly)](/integrations/payment-gateways/spreedly)


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