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PayPal Integration

RaiseNow supports various PayPal payment methods through PayPal's PayPal Complete Payments (PPCP) infrastructure. For a complete overview of supported payment methods and modes, see Payment Methods | RaiseNow EPMS Technical Documentation.

What is it​

PayPal integration with RaiseNow uses PayPal's PayPal Complete Payments (PPCP) infrastructure to process payments directly on RaiseNow forms. This enables organisations to accept both card payments and PayPal Wallet payments through a single provider.

PayPal Complete Payments (PPCP) Custom is PayPal's advanced payment solution that enables card processing directly on your website without redirecting donors to PayPal. It provides unbranded card checkouts while PayPal handles compliance, authorisation, and settlement.

What can it do and what does it look like​

Card Payments​

Card payments allow donors to enter their credit or debit card details directly on RaiseNow forms without visible PayPal branding. The payment is processed securely by PayPal in the background, and donors do not need a PayPal account. Note that donors may see the PayPal logo in 3-D Secure dialogs.

PayPal Wallet Payments​

PayPal Wallet payments redirect donors to PayPal's interface where they can log in to their PayPal account and complete the payment using their existing PayPal balance, linked cards, or bank account.

One-off vs Recurring Payments​

One-off payments are single transactions where the donor's card is charged immediately and not stored for future use.

Recurring payments involve securely storing the donor's payment method in PayPal's vault during the first transaction. RaiseNow then creates a subscription linked to that vaulted payment source, allowing future donations to be charged automatically on the defined schedule as well as enable out-of-schedule charges, for example in the context of dunning flows.

How it works conceptually​

  1. The donor enters their payment details on a RaiseNow form.
  2. The donation form sends the payment data directly to PayPal via PayPal's JavaScript SDK — no plain card information passes through or is stored by RaiseNow, ensuring PCI DSS compliance.
  3. PayPal authorises the payment and performs all necessary 3-D Secure checks.
  4. Once approved, the payment is captured and displayed in RaiseNow Hub.
  5. Funds are settled through the organisation's connected PayPal account.
  6. The payment shows up in RaiseNow Hub as any other payment method, complete with the usual properties of a RaiseNow payment object, such as fees and analytics. Payments are accessible via API and fully supported by RaiseNow integrations.

From the donor's perspective, card payments look like standard card transactions without PayPal popups, redirects, or login steps.

For whom is it beneficial​

PayPal integration with RaiseNow is ideal for merchants who want to:

  • Get PayPal and card payments from a single provider — unified payment processing
  • Offer both card payments and PayPal Wallet payments — broader payment options
  • Maintain their own branding — card payments without visible PayPal branding
  • Ensure compliance and security — PayPal handles PCI DSS compliance and fraud protection
  • Leverage existing PayPal merchant account — no additional setup required

Prerequisites​

PayPal Status Verification

RaiseNow automatically verifies your PayPal product and capability status when you connect your PayPal account via the RaiseNow Hub. If you experience issues processing card payments, contact RaiseNow support to check your PayPal status directly.

To process PayPal card payments via RaiseNow, merchants must complete PayPal onboarding with PayPal and connect RaiseNow and Paypal via the RaiseNow Hub. During this process, RaiseNow will verify the following capabilities on the merchant account:

1. PayPal Product: PPCP Custom (PPCP_CUSTOM) This is the base product that enables custom card processing. It must be successfully subscribed and approved by PayPal after the merchant's vetting process.

Possible status values:

  • ✅ SUBSCRIBED – Merchant is approved and can process card payments
  • ⏳ IN_REVIEW / NEED_MORE_DATA – Application under review; card processing not yet available
  • ❌ DENIED – Application rejected; PayPal card processing unavailable

Only merchants with SUBSCRIBED status can process card payments.

2. Capability: Custom Card Processing (CUSTOM_CARD_PROCESSING) This capability activates the unbranded card processing functionality. It must be ACTIVE in order to process transactions.

Possible status values:

  • ✅ ACTIVE – Capability enabled and operational
  • ⚠️ LIMITED – Active with restrictions (e.g. volume limits)
  • ❌ INACTIVE – Capability not yet enabled or restricted by PayPal

RaiseNow automatically checks both the product and capability status before a transaction starts. Only merchants with SUBSCRIBED vetting status and an ACTIVE CUSTOM_CARD_PROCESSING capability (with no limits defined) can process card payments. Merchants without these capabilities can still process payments via the standard PayPal checkout procedure.

Compliance and security​

Every payment remains fully compliant and secure:

  • Card data never passes through RaiseNow systems
  • 3-D Secure (SCA) is automatically applied when required
  • Fraud prevention and risk checks are handled by PayPal
  • PCI DSS compliance is maintained through PayPal's infrastructure

Settlement and reconciliation​

All PayPal payments:

  • Appear in RaiseNow Hub alongside other PayPal transactions
  • Are settled through the merchant's connected PayPal account
  • Follow the merchant's regular PayPal payout schedule
  • Include detailed transaction data such as PayPal order ID, capture ID, and PayPal fees

No special reconciliation steps are needed beyond your normal PayPal workflow. You can checkout this resource on guidance of PayPal settlement reconciliation in your accounting workflows.

Supported scope​

  • Payment types: One-off and recurring card payments, PayPal Wallet payments
  • Recurring support: Supported through PayPal vaulting and subscription flows
  • Eligibility: Merchants with PPCP Custom and Custom Card Processing enabled
  • Availability: RaiseNow Growth plan or higher
  • Currencies: All currencies supported by PayPal PPCP

FAQs & Summary​

Frequently asked questions​

Do donors need a PayPal account for card payments? No. Donors can pay directly by card without needing a PayPal account.

Can this be used for recurring donations? Yes. PayPal Card payments can be used for recurring donations through RaiseNow's PayPal vaulting and subscription flows. In this setup, the donor's card is securely stored (vaulted) by PayPal during the initial transaction, and future recurring payments are processed automatically based on the subscription schedule configured in RaiseNow.

Are there extra fees? Standard PayPal processing fees apply, identical to other PayPal transactions.

Summary​

PayPal integration with RaiseNow provides a comprehensive payment solution that supports both card payments and PayPal Wallet payments through a single provider. This integration is ideal for organisations that:

  • Already use PayPal with RaiseNow
  • Want to offer both card payments and PayPal Wallet payments
  • Need a compliant, fully integrated payment experience from a single provider

RaiseNow manages the full integration layer, including security, eligibility validation, and communication with PayPal, ensuring consistent and reliable payment processing.