Online checkout

With PayPal Checkout, you pay a little more than you would for Expanded Checkout because we help you manage the checkout experience. That means we help you manage unauthorized transactions, chargebacks, and compliance reporting.

With Expanded Checkout, you pay a lower fee since you’re managing checkout and handle refunds and chargebacks for any unauthorized transactions. You'll also be responsible for compliance reporting.

A payment API helps apps and websites accept payments by making sure that all aspects of checkout, from card processing to the eCommerce platform, communicate with each other. In short, they're what makes a smooth checkout experience possible.

We are PCI compliant, so the processing, storing, and transmitting of card data for your transactions will meet the PCI compliance standards. We also offer optional services that can help further reduce the compliance burden for your business.

The best online checkout option depends on the payment methods and design control your business needs. PayPal Checkout is best for businesses that need a fast, hosted setup with little coding. Expanded Checkout is best for businesses that have developer resources, want more control over their checkout design, and need to accept additional payment methods, like Apple Pay and Google Pay.

When a customer reaches checkout, they can choose to pay with the payment method they prefer, such as PayPal, Venmo, Pay Later, a digital wallet, or a card. PayPal Checkout runs the whole flow on a PayPal-hosted page, while Expanded Checkout uses PayPal's REST APIs and JavaScript SDK to build the payment form into your own site. Either way, PayPal processes the payment and confirms the order.

Businesses using PayPal Checkout can accept a wide variety of payment methods online, in person, or on the go. Available payment options include:

• PayPal: Let customers pay using their PayPal balance, linked bank accounts, or Pay with Crypto.⁴
• Venmo: Reach millions of active Venmo users (only available in the US).
• Pay Later: Give customers the flexibility to pay over time with Pay in 4 or Pay Monthly, while you get paid up front.
• Major credit and debit cards: Accept payments from Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express.

With Expanded Checkout, in addition to the payment methods above, you can also accept digital wallets like Apple Pay® and Google Pay.

Additionally, businesses can accept payments through customized Payment Links, QR codes, recurring subscriptions, and manual entry via Virtual Terminal.

No. Customers can pay using their preferred credit or debit card without needing to create or log in to a PayPal account. Both PayPal Checkout and Expanded Checkout support guest checkout options.

It's possible to integrate PayPal Checkout in a few different ways. If you use a major eCommerce platform, you can typically connect your store with no coding required. You can also generate Payment Links, Payment Buttons, and QR codes to send directly through text or social media or copy and paste onto your site. If you have a developer, they can use our REST APIs and JavaScript SDK to build a customized checkout experience.

There are no monthly fees or setup costs to use PayPal Checkout. You only pay a processing fee when you make a sale. Fees vary depending on the payment method used by the customer. See our business fees.

In most cases, funds from sales are available in your PayPal business account within minutes of a completed transaction. From there, you can keep the money in your PayPal balance or transfer it to a linked bank account.