The simplest way to add a PayPal donate button is to use PayPal’s Payment Buttons block. On WordPress.com, insert the block directly in the page or post editor. On a self-hosted WordPress.org site, install and activate PayPal’s Payment Buttons plugin first, then insert the block. PayPal’s documented WordPress workflow requires a Business PayPal account.
Choose the instructions for your WordPress setup
| Site type | What you need to do | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| WordPress.com | Insert the PayPal Payment Buttons block in the editor. | A standard donate button with no plugin upload. |
| Self-hosted WordPress.org | Download, upload, install, and activate PayPal’s Payment Buttons plugin, then insert its block. | Sites where you manage WordPress plugins and hosting. |
| Custom site or custom donor experience | Use PayPal’s Donate SDK and JavaScript integration. | Developers who need an in-site pop-up or callbacks. |
These are different routes. The SDK is not required for the normal WordPress block/plugin method.
Before you start
- PayPal account: PayPal’s WordPress Payment Buttons instructions say you need a Business account. PayPal’s general donation page can be created with a personal account, but that page cannot be updated after creation and has fewer customization features; that separate capability does not replace the Business-account requirement for the WordPress Payment Buttons workflow. See PayPal’s WordPress help.
- Editor access: You need permission to edit the page or post where the button will appear.
- Button decisions: Decide whether to accept one-time donations, recurring donations, suggested amounts, a custom amount, or an optional donor note. The choices shown can vary by account and region.
How to add the button on WordPress.com
- Sign in to PayPal and open the PayPal Donate Button flow.
- Create or customize a Donate button. Select the available donation type and amount options, and add a donor note if your account offers that field. Save the button or hosted donation details PayPal provides.
- In WordPress.com, open the page or post editor and place the cursor where the button should appear.
- Insert a block by searching for PayPal or typing
/PayPal, then choose the PayPal Payment Buttons block. - Connect or configure the block with the PayPal button information requested by the editor.
- Publish or update the page only after using the preview to check its appearance on desktop and mobile.
How to add the button on self-hosted WordPress.org
- In PayPal, create and customize the Donate button at paypal.com/donate/buttons. Keep the button settings and account details available while configuring WordPress.
- Download PayPal’s Payment Buttons plugin. PayPal describes it as the official plugin built and supported by PayPal; its WordPress guidance is at the PayPal Help Center.
- In the WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins → Add New Plugin → Upload Plugin, select the downloaded plugin ZIP file, choose Install Now, and then select Activate Plugin. If your host provides a different upload screen, use its normal WordPress plugin-install process.
- Open Pages → Add New or Posts → Add New, or edit an existing page or post.
- Insert the PayPal Payment Buttons block by searching for PayPal or typing
/PayPal. - Complete the block’s PayPal setup, choose the button and donation options available to your account, and save the page.
- Preview the page, click the button yourself, and verify that the donation screen shows the correct PayPal account, currency, amount choices, and recurring/one-time behavior before sharing the URL.
Which donation options can you offer?
PayPal documents several button and payment formats, including one-time donations, recurring donations, custom buttons, hosted donation links, and QR codes. Your account may not show every option. During customization, check whether PayPal lets you:
- Offer preset amounts or let donors enter an amount.
- Allow monthly or other recurring donations.
- Add an optional text field for a donor note. PayPal documents this option separately at its donor-note help page.
- Use a hosted donation page or QR code instead of embedding a button in a post.
Do not assume a setting is available merely because it appears in another PayPal account or country; confirm the controls shown after signing in.
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Test the donor experience before publishing
- Use the WordPress preview and test the button at the final page location, not only in the PayPal builder.
- Confirm the button opens the expected PayPal donation page and that the recipient account and currency are correct.
- Check both a one-time donation and a recurring choice if you enabled both.
- Test on a phone, where a cramped block or hidden button can prevent completion.
- Make sure your site explains what donations support and provides a contact route for payment questions.
When the PayPal Donate SDK is the better choice
Use the PayPal Donate SDK only when you need a custom developer integration, such as a donation pop-up that keeps the visitor on your site or an onComplete callback for application logic. It requires manually loading PayPal’s JavaScript SDK and rendering the button into a page container, so it is substantially more complex than the WordPress block.
SDK implementation outline
- Sign in to PayPal’s Donate button flow. PayPal says that if you can begin creating a Donate button, you are eligible for the SDK.
- Create the button in PayPal’s sandbox and copy the hosted button ID for a Business account, or the documented
businessvalue for a personal account. - Load the Donate JavaScript SDK and render the button into your chosen container, following PayPal’s current developer instructions rather than copying an outdated script.
- Click the rendered button and complete a sandbox donation. Confirm that the pop-up and donation page appear as expected.
- For production, replace sandbox IDs and account data with live values and production settings. Handle any returned transaction fields and the optional
onCompletecallback only if your application needs them.
This developer route is separate from installing the WordPress Payment Buttons plugin. Most site owners should use the block/plugin workflow instead.
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Fees, charity eligibility, and account limits
PayPal transaction rates depend on the country, account terms, and transaction type. PayPal says eligible charities may receive lower donation rates, but eligibility requires PayPal’s verification and the discount is not universal. Check the current fee information and your account’s country-specific terms before publishing a fundraising target. Do not treat a general donation-button page or a promotional rate as a guaranteed rate for your organization.
PayPal’s 2025 WordPress article reported a 28% average sales increase after merchants implemented Payment Links and Buttons, based on PayPal internal data from April 1 through September 30, 2024, covering 558 merchants and accounting for seasonality. That is a PayPal-reported sales statistic, not evidence that adding a donate button will increase nonprofit donations.
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Common setup problems
The PayPal block does not appear
On WordPress.org, confirm that the PayPal Payment Buttons plugin is installed and activated. On WordPress.com, search the block inserter for PayPal or type /PayPal rather than looking only through a favorite-block list.
The account cannot create the WordPress button
Recheck the account type and sign-in. The documented WordPress Payment Buttons workflow calls for a Business PayPal account; a personal account’s separate ability to create a general donation page is not the same workflow.
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The button works in the editor but not for visitors
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