Payment Gateway Setup - PayPal Integration

Set up PayPal to accept payments for BreezeDoc invoices. This guide covers adding your PayPal email address, enabling PayPal on invoices, how clients pay via PayPal, updating your PayPal email, and troubleshooting PayPal payment issues.

Prerequisites

  • Account: Active BreezeDoc account (all plans support PayPal)
  • Plan: Free, Pro, or Agency (PayPal available on all plans)
  • PayPal Account: Active PayPal Business or Personal account
  • Verified Email: PayPal account email address verified
  • Access: Ability to receive PayPal payments (account in good standing)

What is PayPal Integration?

PayPal integration allows your clients to pay BreezeDoc invoices using their PayPal accounts or credit/debit cards through PayPal's payment system. Unlike Stripe, PayPal setup in BreezeDoc is simple—just add your PayPal email address. Key features:

  • PayPal Account Payments – Clients pay using their PayPal balance or linked accounts
  • Guest Checkout – Clients can pay with credit/debit cards without a PayPal account (if enabled in your PayPal settings)
  • Simple Setup – No OAuth or complex integration; just enter your PayPal email
  • Global Currency Support – Accept payments in 25+ currencies
  • Buyer Protection – PayPal's dispute resolution and fraud protection
  • Mobile-Friendly – Clients can pay via PayPal mobile app
  • Available on All Plans – No upgrade required; works on Free, Pro, and Agency plans

Plan Availability

PayPal integration is available on all BreezeDoc plans:

  • Free Plan: ✅ PayPal integration available
  • Pro Plan ($19/month): ✅ PayPal integration available
  • Agency Plan ($49/month): ✅ PayPal integration available

Note: Unlike Stripe, PayPal does not require API access, so it works on the Free plan.

PayPal vs. Stripe: Which to Use?

Feature PayPal Stripe
BreezeDoc Plan Required Any (Free, Pro, Agency) Pro or Agency only
Setup Complexity Simple (just email) OAuth Connect flow
Payment Methods PayPal balance, cards via PayPal Direct credit/debit cards
Client Experience Redirects to PayPal Stripe-hosted checkout
Processing Fees 2.9% + $0.30 (US commercial) 2.9% + $0.30 (US cards)
Payout Speed Instant to PayPal balance 2 business days to bank
Best For International, Free plan users Professional checkout, Pro+ users

Recommendation: Enable both PayPal and Stripe on invoices to give clients maximum payment flexibility.

Adding Your PayPal Email

Step-by-Step: Set Up PayPal

  1. Ensure you have an active PayPal account (create one at paypal.com if needed).
  2. Verify your PayPal account email address is confirmed in PayPal.
  3. Log in to your BreezeDoc account.
  4. Go to Account ➜ Payments.
  5. Scroll to the PayPal section.
  6. You'll see: "Connect with your Paypal account to accept payments with this method".
  7. Below this message, you'll see a form with an email input field.
  8. Enter your PayPal account email address in the text field:
    • Example: your-business@example.com
    • This must be the email address associated with your PayPal account
    • Use the email that receives PayPal payments
  9. Click the Save button next to the email field.
  10. You'll see the success message: "Paypal email updated!"
  11. Your PayPal email is now saved in BreezeDoc.

Verifying PayPal Setup

To verify PayPal is configured correctly:

  1. Go to Account ➜ Payments.
  2. Check the PayPal section:
    • ✅ Your PayPal email should be pre-filled in the input field
  3. Create a test invoice:
    • Go to Invoices ➜ + Create Invoice
    • Scroll to Payment Methods section
    • ✅ PayPal checkbox should be enabled (not greyed out)
    • Check the PayPal box and save the invoice
  4. If all steps succeed, PayPal is set up properly.

Using PayPal on Invoices

Enabling PayPal for an Invoice

  1. Go to Invoices ➜ + Create Invoice.
  2. Fill in customer information and line items.
  3. Scroll to the Payment Methods section.
  4. Check the PayPal checkbox.
  5. Optionally, check other payment methods (Stripe, Bank Transfer, etc.) to offer multiple options.
  6. Click Create and Send to send the invoice.
  7. The client receives an email with a "Pay with PayPal" button/link.

Client Payment Experience

When a client receives an invoice with PayPal enabled:

  1. Client opens the invoice email.
  2. Client clicks the Pay with PayPal button or payment link.
  3. Client is redirected to PayPal's payment page.
  4. Client sees the invoice amount and your PayPal email/business name.
  5. Client has two payment options:
    • Log in to PayPal – Pay using PayPal balance or linked bank account/card
    • Pay with Card – Enter credit/debit card info without PayPal account (if guest checkout enabled)
  6. Client completes payment on PayPal.
  7. PayPal processes the payment and shows confirmation.
  8. Client receives payment receipt from PayPal.
  9. You receive notification from PayPal and funds appear in your PayPal account.
  10. Manually update invoice status in BreezeDoc to "Paid" (or track payments via PayPal dashboard).

Managing PayPal Payments

Viewing Payments in PayPal

All PayPal payments appear in your PayPal account dashboard:

  1. Log in to your PayPal account at paypal.com.
  2. Go to Activity or Transactions.
  3. You'll see all payments including:
    • BreezeDoc invoice payments (labeled with customer name)
    • Payment amounts
    • Customer PayPal accounts or emails
    • Transaction dates
    • Processing fees
  4. Click any transaction to see full details and issue refunds if needed.

PayPal Processing Fees

PayPal charges standard payment processing fees:

  • US Commercial Transactions: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
  • International Transactions: 4.4% + fixed fee (varies by currency)
  • Currency Conversion: 3-4% for currency conversion
  • PayPal Balance: No fee for PayPal-to-PayPal balance transfers (sender pays fee)
  • BreezeDoc Fees: $0 – BreezeDoc does not charge additional fees

Example: $100 invoice paid via PayPal = $97.10 deposited to your account ($2.90 PayPal fee)

Receiving PayPal Funds

  • Instant Availability: Funds appear in your PayPal balance immediately after payment
  • PayPal Balance: Keep funds in PayPal for future purchases or transfers
  • Bank Transfers: Transfer to your bank account (1-3 business days, usually free)
  • Instant Transfer: Available for eligible accounts (1% fee, $10 max)
  • PayPal Debit Card: Use funds immediately with PayPal debit card

Updating or Changing PayPal Email

When to Update PayPal Email

  • Switching to a different PayPal account
  • Changed your PayPal account email address
  • Using a new business PayPal account instead of personal
  • Correcting a typo in the original email entry

Step-by-Step: Update PayPal Email

  1. Log in to BreezeDoc.
  2. Go to Account ➜ Payments.
  3. Scroll to the PayPal section.
  4. The email input field shows your current PayPal email.
  5. Clear the existing email and enter your new PayPal email address.
  6. Click Save.
  7. You'll see the success message: "Paypal email updated!"
  8. New invoices will use the updated PayPal email for payments.

Important: Updating the PayPal email does not affect previously sent invoices. Old invoices still direct payments to the old email address. To change the email for an existing invoice, you must edit and resend the invoice.

Configuring PayPal Account Settings

Enabling Guest Checkout (Card Payments)

To allow clients to pay with credit/debit cards without a PayPal account:

  1. Log in to your PayPal account at paypal.com.
  2. Go to Settings ➜ Account Settings.
  3. Click Payment Preferences.
  4. Find Guest Checkout option.
  5. Select On to enable guest checkout.
  6. Click Save.
  7. Clients can now pay invoices with cards without creating a PayPal account.

Note: Some PayPal accounts (personal or in certain countries) may not have guest checkout available.

Payment Button Settings

  • Business Name: Ensure your PayPal business name is professional (shown to clients)
  • Logo: Add your business logo in PayPal settings for brand recognition
  • Return URL: PayPal redirects clients back after payment (automatically handled by BreezeDoc)

Troubleshooting

Issue: PayPal checkbox is greyed out when creating invoice

Fix: This means you haven't added your PayPal email yet. Go to Account ➜ Payments, scroll to the PayPal section, enter your PayPal account email address in the field, and click Save. Return to the invoice editor and refresh the page—PayPal checkbox should now be enabled.

Issue: Client says PayPal payment page won't load

Fix: Verify the invoice was sent with PayPal enabled (check the checkbox was selected). Verify your PayPal email is correct in Account ➜ Payments. Ask the client to try a different browser or clear cookies. Ensure your PayPal account is active and in good standing—log in to paypal.com to verify. If issue persists, try updating your PayPal email (save it again even if unchanged) to refresh the connection.

Issue: Client paid via PayPal but invoice still shows "Sent" status

Fix: BreezeDoc does not automatically update invoice status for PayPal payments (unlike Stripe). You must manually update the invoice status. Log in to your PayPal account to confirm payment was received. In BreezeDoc, go to Invoices, find the invoice, and manually mark it as paid or add a note about the payment. Consider checking your PayPal account daily for new payments.

Issue: Entered wrong PayPal email and can't update it

Fix: Go to Account ➜ Payments, clear the current email in the PayPal field, enter the correct email address, and click Save. Wait for the success message. For invoices already sent with the wrong email, you need to edit the invoice (if possible) or contact clients directly with your correct PayPal email for manual payment.

Issue: Client says PayPal wants them to create an account (can't pay with card)

Fix: This means guest checkout is disabled on your PayPal account. Log in to paypal.com, go to Settings ➜ Payment Preferences, and enable Guest Checkout. Note that some PayPal account types (personal accounts in certain countries) don't support guest checkout. Consider upgrading to a PayPal Business account for full guest checkout functionality.

Issue: Payments going to old PayPal email after updating

Fix: Updating the PayPal email in BreezeDoc only affects NEW invoices created after the change. Invoices sent before the update still use the old email. To fix old invoices: edit each invoice, update payment methods (uncheck and recheck PayPal to refresh), and resend to clients. Or, instruct clients to send payments directly to your new PayPal email manually.

FAQ

Q: Do I need a PayPal Business account?

A: No, you can use a PayPal Personal account. However, Business accounts offer more features like guest checkout (card payments without PayPal account), custom branding, and detailed reporting. Consider upgrading to Business for better client experience.

Q: Does BreezeDoc charge fees for PayPal payments?

A: No, BreezeDoc does not charge any additional fees. You pay only PayPal's standard processing fees (2.9% + $0.30 for US transactions). 100% of the invoice amount (minus PayPal fees) goes to your PayPal account.

Q: Can I use PayPal on the Free plan?

A: Yes! Unlike Stripe, PayPal works on all BreezeDoc plans including the Free plan. Just add your PayPal email in Account ➜ Payments and you can start accepting PayPal payments immediately.

Q: Do clients need a PayPal account to pay?

A: No, if you have guest checkout enabled in your PayPal account. Clients can pay with credit/debit cards without creating a PayPal account. If guest checkout is disabled, clients must have or create a PayPal account.

Q: Can I use different PayPal emails for different invoices?

A: No, BreezeDoc uses one PayPal email for all invoices. All PayPal payments go to the email address you entered in Account ➜ Payments. To use multiple PayPal accounts, you would need multiple BreezeDoc accounts.

Q: Why doesn't invoice status update automatically when paid via PayPal?

A: PayPal does not provide real-time payment webhooks in BreezeDoc's current integration. You need to manually update invoice status after confirming payment in your PayPal account. This is different from Stripe which updates automatically.


Need more help? Contact our support team – we are here to help!

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