CaliDiary is coming soon: a free booking plugin for WordPress, with Solo and Pro plans for payments and teams. See the plans
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Product Your data stays on your websiteOnline payments and depositsInvoices and credit notes, built inWorks with the tools you already useBooking forms that ask the right questionsTeam sign-in, no dashboard accessAccessible to every customerSafe, signed updates All features
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Payments

Connect PayPal

PayPal payments go straight to your own PayPal account, using an app you make in the PayPal Developer Dashboard.

Plans
Plans: Solo, Pro
In the plugin
CaliDiary → Settings → Payments → Online payments

Solo and Pro plans. On the Free plan you see a preview of this in the plugin, with Start free Solo trial and See plans. Compare the plans.

When you need it

  • Your clients prefer to pay with PayPal.
  • You want to test payments with PayPal's sandbox before going live.

Step by step

  1. In the PayPal Developer Dashboard, open Apps & Credentials and make an app (or open the one you have).

  2. Copy the app's Client ID and Secret. Sandbox and live apps have different ones.

  3. In WordPress, open CaliDiary → Settings → Payments. In the Online payments card, go to the PayPal section.

    [Screenshot to come] It will show: The PayPal section with Client ID and Secret filled in (blurred), Sandbox (testing: no real money) on, Offer PayPal to customers on, and Save PayPal.
    The PayPal section with sandbox credentials and Sandbox switched on (Settings → Payments → Online payments (PayPal))

  4. Paste them into Client ID and Secret. Switch on Sandbox (testing: no real money) for sandbox keys; switch it off for live keys.

  5. Switch on Offer PayPal to customers and press Save PayPal.

  6. Press Test connection. In sandbox you see Connected to the PayPal sandbox. No real money is taken; pay with a sandbox buyer account.

    [Screenshot to come] It will show: The success notice “Connected to the PayPal sandbox. No real money is taken; pay with a sandbox buyer account.” in the PayPal section.
    PayPal’s test connection succeeding in the sandbox (Settings → Payments → Online payments (PayPal))

  7. When you are ready, paste your live Client ID and Secret, switch Sandbox off and press Save PayPal again.

Tips

  • PayPal payments are confirmed when customers come back from PayPal, and by a check every few minutes. There is no webhook to set up.
  • Some currencies take only whole amounts in PayPal. If so, customers are asked to choose another way to pay for prices with pence or cents.
  • PayPal sometimes renames its menus. If Apps & Credentials has moved, search PayPal's developer site for it.

Common problems

“PayPal didn't accept this client ID and secret. Check they are from the same app, and that the sandbox switch matches…”
Sandbox keys only work with Sandbox on, and live keys only with it off. Check both values come from the same app.
“Enter your PayPal client ID and secret first.”
One of the boxes is empty. Paste both, press Save PayPal, then test.
Customers see “PayPal only takes whole amounts in this currency. Please choose another way to pay.”
PayPal doesn't take fractions in that currency. Offer another payment method, or use whole-number prices.

New to CaliDiary?

Start on the free plan, with no booking limit. Upgrade only when you need to.

Start freeSee pricing and plans