Bootiga documentation
PayPal setup for Drupal Commerce
Connect PayPal to your store and test the complete payment flow.
Use this guide when you want to connect PayPal to a Drupal Commerce store. It summarizes the setup flow in practical steps and links to the official Drupal Commerce PayPal documentation for deeper technical details.
Before you start
- Have access to the PayPal account that will receive payments.
- Decide whether you are configuring Sandbox mode for testing or Live mode for real transactions.
- Keep the store checkout flow ready so you can test the full purchase process after saving the gateway.
Create a PayPal app
- Open the PayPal Developer Portal and sign in with your PayPal account.
- Go to the apps and credentials area and create a REST API app.
- Create separate credentials for sandbox and live environments so testing never touches real payments.
Copy credentials
- After creating the app, copy the Client ID and Secret values.
- Use sandbox credentials only with a sandbox gateway and live credentials only with a live gateway.
- Store secrets carefully and avoid sharing them in screenshots, tickets, or public documentation.
Configure the gateway
- In Drupal Commerce, add or edit the PayPal Commerce Platform payment gateway.
- Paste the Client ID and Secret into the gateway configuration form.
- Choose the payment feature you want to offer: PayPal Smart Payment Buttons or credit card payments.
Smart Payment Buttons
- Use Smart Payment Buttons when you want customers to start PayPal checkout directly from the cart or checkout flow.
- Confirm that the PayPal Checkout checkout flow exists and is assigned correctly.
- For a custom checkout flow, keep only the required review, completion, order summary, and PayPal process panes.
Credit cards
- If you accept cards through PayPal Commerce Platform, complete the PayPal onboarding flow for card fields.
- Use the sandbox onboarding flow for tests before moving to live mode.
- Do not use the PayPal Checkout checkout flow for order types that should collect card details in the normal checkout.
Test before going live
- Place a complete test order with sandbox credentials.
- Check order state, payment state, confirmation emails, taxes, shipping, and refunds if your flow uses them.
- Switch to live credentials only when the full checkout behaves as expected.
Source and advanced reference
- This Bootiga guide is a practical summary based on the Drupal Commerce PayPal documentation.
- For advanced details, review the official Drupal.org page linked below.