- Accept payments through PayPal-hosted links.
- Offer multiple payment methods, including PayPal, Venmo, Pay Later, Apple Pay, and major credit and debit cards.
- See transactions happen in real time. PayPal sends email notifications to both buyers and merchants.
- Protect eligible online sales with PayPal Seller Protection.
| Use case | Endpoint |
|---|---|
| Create payment links and buttons | POST /v1/checkout/payment-resources |
| List payment links | GET /v1/checkout/payment-resources |
| Get payment link details | GET /v1/checkout/payment-resources/{id} |
| Update payment link | PUT /v1/checkout/payment-resources/{id} |
| Delete payment link | DELETE /v1/checkout/payment-resources/{id} |
Eligibility
- This API is available in all countries where PayPal operates.
- See Countries and Currencies for a list of supported currencies.
Prerequisites
- Set up a PayPal Business Account.
- Use the PayPal Developer Dashboard to obtain your client ID and secret, then integrate your backend using OAuth 2.0. See Get started with PayPal REST APIs for more information.
- Navigate to the Apps and Credentials section on the PayPal Developer Dashboard to ensure the Payment Links and Buttons option is checked.
How it works
The Payment Links and Buttons API helps merchants create and manage PayPal-hosted checkout experiences.- Obtain an OAuth access token using your PayPal Business account credentials.
- Use the API to create payment links that define items, pricing, and return URLs.
- Share the generated links directly or embed them on your website. The API doesn’t currently support button code snippets, but you can create your own embeddable button using the link.
- Buyers select the link to complete payment securely through PayPal’s hosted checkout page. The payment is completed in real time.
- Both merchants and buyers receive an email notification for each transaction. Merchants can view all transactions in their PayPal Business account. PayPal customers can view transaction details in their PayPal accounts.
- You can retrieve, update, or delete existing payment links as needed.
Endpoints
The following table lists the available endpoints for managing payment links.| Use case | Endpoint | Request | Response |
|---|---|---|---|
| Create payment links | POST /v1/checkout/payment-resources | Include product details such as name, price, description, variants, taxes, shipping information, and return URL. | Returns 201 Created with the payment link ID, shareable link URL, status, and creation timestamp. |
| List payment links | GET /v1/checkout/payment-resources | No payload required. Use optional query parameters like page_size for results per page and page_token for pagination. | Returns 200 OK with an array of payment links and pagination metadata. |
| Get payment link details | GET /v1/checkout/payment-resources/{id} | Use the payment link ID in the URL path to retrieve details. | Returns 200 OK with complete details for the specified payment link. |
| Update payment link | PUT /v1/checkout/payment-resources/{id} | Use the payment link ID in the URL path. Include the updated product information in the request body. | Returns 200 OK with the updated payment link details. |
| Delete payment link | DELETE /v1/checkout/payment-resources/{id} | Use the payment link ID in the URL path to delete it permanently. | Returns 204 No Content to confirm successful deletion. |
Product fields
Payment Links use product information and prices to showcase to buyers what your business is selling. To create a payment link, create a product with the following information.| Field | Description |
|---|---|
name (Required) | Name of the product or service being sold. |
product_id | Unique identifier for the item, useful for merchant tracking and inventory management. |
description | Text explaining the product or service for customer clarity. |
unit_amount (Required) | Fixed amount set for the item. |
taxes | Tax amount applied to the product or service. |
shipping | Shipping charge applied to the product or service. |
collect_shipping_address | Option to require customers to provide a shipping address at checkout. |
customer_notes | Text input field with a customizable label that captures customer information at checkout such as special instructions, delivery preferences. This field can be set as either optional or required. |
variants | Product options such as size, color, or material with potential price differences. Supports up to 5 variants, each with up to 10 options. The first variant is classified as primary and can have prices assigned to each option. |
adjustable_quantity | The maximum number of units that can be purchased. |
return_url | Redirects customers to a merchant-specified URL after payment completion. |
Use cases
See how to create payment links that address common scenarios and requirements.Sample POST requests
The following are different sample use cases of the POST API that demonstrate how to create payment links for various scenarios.
Create a payment link with a return URL
Create a payment link for a wireless mouse priced at $39.99 USD. After completing payment, customers are redirected to the specified return URL, such ashttps://merchant.example.com/thank-you.
Create a payment link with variants
Create a payment link for a T-shirt priced at $20.00 USD. TheColor dimension is marked as primary and includes two options: White and Black. The Size dimension is secondary and includes 11oz and 15oz options. The base price of $20.00 applies to all variant combinations.
Create a payment link with variant-level pricing
Create a payment link for a T-shirt with variant-specific pricing. TheColor dimension is marked as primary and includes two options: White priced at $19.00 USD, and Black priced at $20.00 USD. The Size dimension is secondary and includes 11oz and 15oz options, with no price difference. No base unit_amount shows up in the payload because each color variant specifies its own price.
Create a payment link with taxes and shipping
Create a payment link for a coffee mug priced at $12.00 USD with tax and shipping calculations. Thetaxes and shipping arrays specify type: PREFERENCE and value: PROFILE to apply the merchant’s preconfigured tax and shipping settings from their PayPal account. Merchants must configure these tax and shipping settings in their PayPal account for this feature to work.
Create payment links and buttons (POST)
Create a buy now payment URL that links directly to a PayPal-hosted checkout experience. Use this endpoint to generate shareable payment URLs or various purchase flows.
Endpoint: POST /v1/checkout/payment-resources
Request
The following sample request includes these key settings:- Creates a reusable payment link for Premium Wireless Headphones with Noise Cancellation.
- Includes variant-specific pricing for four primary colors.
- Includes three variants where the color dimension is marked as primary and includes four options. The other two variants are
Warranty, which has three options, andPackage Type, which has two options. These variants do not affect pricing. - Adds an 8.25% tax, applies a flat shipping rate, and requires customers to provide a shipping address.
- Provides customers with the option to add a gift message at checkout.
- Sets a maximum order quantity of 10 units.
- Redirects customers to a return URL after the transaction.
Response
The following response contains a fixed-price payment resource link with product details and variants. The API returns HTTP status code201 Created and content type application/json.
List payment links (GET)
Retrieve a paginated list of all payment links created by the merchant. This endpoint supports filtering and pagination through query parameters, including filtering by link status and tags.
Endpoint: GET /v1/checkout/payment-resources
Request
The following sample request includes these key details:- Sends a
GETrequest to list payment links you created. - Uses the
page_sizeparameter to limit results. For example, settingpage_size=2returns two payment links per page. - Includes an OAuth 2.0 Bearer token for authentication.
- Headers set to Accept:
application/jsonandContent-Type: application/json. - Uses a
page_tokenfrom the response to retrieve additional pages.
Response
The following sample response includes these key details:- Returns a resources array with two payment links.
- The first payment link is for a
Wireless Mouse, priced at $29.99 USD. This link is active, set toBUY_NOW, and is reusable. - The second payment link is for a Wireless Keyboard, priced at $99.99 USD. It has the same status, type, and reusability settings as the first link.
- Each resource includes a shareable
payment_linkURL, metadata such as ID, product name, price, status, type, and creation timestamp, and a links array with HATEOAS actions to retrieve, update, edit, delete, or access the payment link. - The response also includes a top-level links array for navigation, with a self link referencing the current request and a next link with a
page_tokenfor retrieving additional results.
Get payment link details (GET)
Get the details of a specific payment link by its unique ID. This endpoint returns all available metadata, including payment status, links, reusable type, and line item details for the requested payment link.
Endpoint: GET /v1/checkout/payment-resources/{id}
Request
The following sample request includes these key details:- Includes the complete details for a specific payment link identified by the resource ID
PLB-X7MNK9P2QR8Tusing aGETrequest. - Uses an OAuth 2.0 Bearer token in the Authorization header to authenticate the request.
- Sets the
AcceptandContent-Typeheaders toapplication/jsonfor proper formatting.
Response
The following response contains the complete details for a single fixed-price payment link. The API returns status code200 OK and content type application/json.
The following sample response includes these key details:
- Returns the full details of payment link
PLB-X7MNK9P2QR8T. - The payment link is active, set to
BUY_NOW, and configured for multiple uses. - Shows a product called Wireless Mouse, priced at $29.99 USD
- The link was created on
2025-11-29T13:13:25.832592Zwith integration modeLINK. - After payment, customers are redirected to
https://merchant.example.com/thank-youthat is specified by return_url. - Includes a shareable payment link URL at
https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/PLB-X7MNK9P2QR8T. - Provides a links array with HATEOAS actions: retrieve the link details (
self), update the link (replace), delete the link (delete), and access the customer-facing payment page (payment_link).
Update payment link (PUT)
Update a specific payment link by its unique identifier. This endpoint helps you replace the product and checkout details for a fixed price payment link with new configuration data.
Endpoint: PUT /v1/checkout/payment-resources/{id}
Request
The following sample request includes these key details:- Sends a
PUTrequest to update the payment link with IDPLB-X7MNK9P2QR8T. - Uses an OAuth 2.0 Bearer token in the Authorization header for authentication.
- Includes the
AcceptandContent-Typeheaders set toapplication/json. - Sends the updated link configuration in the request body, replacing the existing product information entirely.
- Maintains the same payment link ID and URL while applying the new settings.
Note: The API currently only usesPUTcalls instead ofPATCHcalls.
Response
The following response contains the confirmation details of an updated payment link. The API returns HTTP status204 No Content or, in some cases, a confirmation response body with the content type application/json.
The following sample response includes these key details:
- Confirms that the updated payment link
PLB-X7MNK9P2QR8Thas been successfully applied. - Returns the payment link with
ACTIVEstatus, maintaining the same ID and payment link URL. - Preserves the original creation time.
- May include a response body with updated configuration details, depending on implementation.
Delete payment link (DELETE)
Delete a specific payment link by its unique identifier. This endpoint permanently removes a payment link or button associated with the specified ID.
Endpoint: DELETE /v1/checkout/payment-resources/{id}
Request
The following sample request includes these key details:- Sends a
DELETErequest to permanently remove the payment link with IDPLB-X7MNK9P2QR8T. - Uses an OAuth 2.0 Bearer token in the Authorization header for authentication.
- Includes the Accept and Content-Type headers set to
application/json.
Response
The API returns HTTP status204 No Content with the content type application/json, indicating that the payment link was deleted. No response body is returned.
Error handling
| HTTP code | Error name | Error message | Common cause |
|---|---|---|---|
400 | INVALID_REQUEST | Request is not well-formed, syntactically incorrect, or violates the schema. | Missing required payment resource fields such as item name, amount, and return URL in the body. |
403 | NOT_AUTHORIZED | Authorization failed due to insufficient permissions. | The access token is expired or lacks the correct OAuth scopes, and the merchant account doesn’t have permission for payment buttons. Check the Apps and Credentials section to ensure the Payment Links and Buttons option is checked. |
404 | RESOURCE_NOT_FOUND | The specified resource does not exist. | The payment resource ID is wrong, expired, or deleted. You may have tried to fetch, update, or delete a link or button that no longer exists. |
422 | UNPROCESSABLE_ENTITY | The requested action could not be performed, is semantically incorrect, or failed business validation. | Invalid payment amount, unsupported currency, or business rule violation, such as a duplicate payment link. |
500 | INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR | An internal server error has occurred. | Temporary disruption during payment link or button processing. Retry the request or contact support if the issue persists. |
Test
- Create a sandbox account through the PayPal Developer Portal.
- Use your sandbox environment for all development and testing.
- All endpoints are duplicated for the sandbox (
api-m.sandbox.paypal.com) and live environments. - Test your live payment link by making a purchase. Then verify the transaction in the Activity section of your PayPal account. Be sure to refund the test transaction afterward.