Accept PayPal payments on your Pulse Commerce store. This guide covers PayPal Express Checkout, PayPal Pro, and PayPal Standard setup, including API credential retrieval and logo customization.
Pulse Commerce supports three PayPal payment methods. Choose based on your business needs:
Prerequisites
- PayPal Premier or Business account
- For PayPal Pro: Additional sign-up with PayPal
- API credentials from PayPal
PayPal Express is the recommended option for most merchants - no start-up fees, no monthly fees, no cancellation fees, and competitive transaction rates.
Sign Up for PayPal Business Account
1Log into your Pulse Commerce admin panel.
2Navigate to Settings > Pay Methods > Other Real-Time Payment Options tab.
3Find PayPal Express Checkout and click click here to sign up.
4On the PayPal website, click Sign Up Today at the bottom.
5Follow PayPal's instructions to create a Business account.
6Once your account is created, proceed to get your API credentials.
Benefits of PayPal Express
- No setup or monthly fees
- Lower transaction fees than many merchant accounts
- Fast checkout for customers with PayPal accounts
- Mobile-optimized payment experience
- Customer trust and fraud protection
You need your API Username, API Password, and API Signature to connect PayPal to Pulse Commerce.
Retrieving API Credentials
1Log into your PayPal Business account at www.paypal.com.
2Hover over your name in the top right and click Account Settings.
3Click the Profile tab.
4Verify your account before requesting API credentials (if not already done).
5Go to Account Access under Account & Security and click Update.
6Under Custom checkout experience, go to NVP/SOAP API integration (Classic) and select Manage API Credentials.
Or navigate directly to: https://www.paypal.com/businessmanage/credentials/apiAccess
7Select Request API signature and click Agree and Submit.
8Save these 3 values to a secure location:
- API Username
- API Password
- API Signature
Submit your PayPal API credentials securely to configure PayPal Express, Pro, or Standard.
Submit Credentials Securely
1Go to our secure credential upload form: https://mtfiles.egnyte.com/ul/eGbQGUB0oJ
2Upload a document with your PayPal credentials in this format:
Store Name: YourStoreName.com
Payment Method: PayPal Express Checkout
API Username: [Your API Username]
API Password: [Your API Password]
API Signature: [Your API Signature]
Currency: USD (or specify if different)
Request: Please configure PayPal Express for
[your domain]
3Create a support ticket at support.pulse-commerce.com:
- Subject: "PayPal Express Setup - [Your Store Name]"
- Reference your secure form submission
4Support will configure your PayPal integration and notify you when complete.
Verifying Configuration
After Support confirms setup:
1Navigate to Settings > Pay Methods > Other Real-Time Payment Options tab.
2Verify PayPal Express Checkout shows as Enabled.
3Click Edit to review settings:
- Merchant ID: Shows configured (credentials are masked)
- Payment Type: Authorize and Capture (only option for PayPal Express)
- Sort Order: Display order during checkout
- Order Confirmation Message: Message shown to customers
PayPal Pro vs PayPal Standard
PayPal Pro: Same credential submission process as Express. Specify "PayPal Pro" in your support request.
PayPal Standard: Basic PayPal button integration. Requires different configuration - create a support ticket for setup instructions.
Display your business logo on PayPal's checkout screen to maintain branding during payment.
Upload Custom Logo
1Prepare your logo image:
- File format: GIF, JPG, or PNG
- Recommended size: 190 x 60 pixels
- File name:
pp_site.gif(or .jpg/.png)
2Access your FTP account (or file manager in hosting control panel).
3Navigate to: /images/products/
4Replace the existing pp_site.gif file with your custom logo using the same filename.
5Test by placing an order and proceeding to PayPal checkout - your logo should appear.
Logo Best Practices
- Use high-contrast logo for visibility
- Keep file size small (<50KB) for fast loading
- Use transparent background if possible
- Test on mobile devices
Testing Your PayPal Integration
1Place a test order on your storefront as if you were a customer.
2Add items to cart and proceed to checkout.
3Select PayPal Express as payment method.
4Complete the PayPal checkout flow (redirects to PayPal, log in, approve payment, return to store).
5Verify order appears in Orders > Order List with payment status captured.
6Log into PayPal Business account and verify transaction appears.
7Issue refund if needed for test order.
Common Issues
Error: "PayPal cannot process this transaction"
- Verify API credentials are correct
- Check PayPal account status (verified and in good standing)
- Confirm currency matches (USD vs other)
Customer redirected but payment not captured
- Check if customer completed PayPal approval step
- Review PayPal account for pending/unclaimed transactions
- Create support ticket with order details
Getting Help
For Pulse Commerce configuration:
Create a support ticket at support.pulse-commerce.com
For PayPal account questions:
Contact PayPal support through your PayPal Business account
Related Articles
- Payment Gateway Setup Guide - Understanding payment methods
- Authorize.net Payment Gateway Setup - Alternative payment gateway