PayPal on Squarespace Setup Guide
TL;DR:
- Connect a PayPal Business account through your Squarespace Store payments panel
- Customers need their own PayPal account to complete purchases
- Maximum transaction limit is $10,000 USD per PayPal payment
- Refunds work up to 180 days after payment (only variable fees are refundable)
- PayPal doesn't work with PayPal Payments Pro or PayPal POS apps on Squarespace
Getting Started with PayPal Integration
Setting up PayPal on your Squarespace store is straightforward. You'll need a PayPal Business account, which you can connect through your Store payments panel in Squarespace.
Your customers will need their own PayPal accounts to complete purchases. During checkout, they'll be prompted to log in or create an account if they don't have one.
PayPal vs Other Payment Options
You don't have to use PayPal. Squarespace Payments lets you accept credit cards, debit cards, and digital wallets directly without requiring customers to have third-party accounts.
If you want customers to enter card details directly on your site, you'll need Squarespace Payments or Stripe rather than PayPal alone.
Payment Limits and Features
PayPal on Squarespace has a maximum transaction limit of $10,000 USD. You can accept donations and apply discount codes through PayPal.
Customers can use credit or debit cards through their PayPal accounts at checkout, but they still need to log into PayPal to do this.
Managing Refunds
You can issue full or partial refunds through Squarespace for PayPal transactions up to 180 days after payment. Keep in mind that only the variable transaction fee gets refunded, not the fixed portion.
For refunds beyond 180 days, you'll need to handle these directly through your PayPal Business account.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
If you're having connection problems or seeing error messages, try reconnecting your PayPal Business account through your Squarespace settings first.
Keeping your email and payment settings updated in PayPal prevents most common issues. For persistent problems, PayPal's support team can help with account-specific issues.
Make sure to check PayPal's list of supported countries to ensure your region is covered.
FAQs
Do I need a special Squarespace plan to use PayPal?
No, all Squarespace Commerce plans support PayPal integration.
Can I set up recurring payments with PayPal on Squarespace?
No, Squarespace doesn't support recurring PayPal payments. You'll need Squarespace Payments or Stripe for subscription services.
What should I do if payments aren't working?
First, check your PayPal settings and try reconnecting your PayPal Business account. If problems continue, contact PayPal support for account-specific help.
Do customers have to have PayPal accounts?
Yes, customers need personal PayPal accounts to complete purchases using PayPal as the payment method.
Jargon Buster
PayPal Business Account – A PayPal account type designed for businesses to accept payments and manage transactions
Variable Transaction Fee – The percentage-based part of PayPal's fee structure that changes based on your transaction amount
Squarespace Commerce – Squarespace's built-in e-commerce functionality for selling products and services
Wrap-up
PayPal integration gives your customers a familiar payment option, though it does require them to have PayPal accounts. The setup process is simple through your Squarespace dashboard, and you can manage most payment issues directly from there.
Consider whether PayPal fits your customer base. If you want to offer more payment flexibility, combining PayPal with Squarespace Payments gives customers the most options at checkout.
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