Introduction

To work with PayPal’s REST API environment, developers need to create a REST API app inside their PayPal developer account.

The purpose of a REST API app is to generate your OAuth 2.0 credentials for the sandbox and live environments.

Developers can create, edit, and manage multiple PayPal apps. In each app, you may select the specific PayPal capabilities you want to offer to your customers.

Every app gets a unique set of live and sandbox API credentials. Let’s see step by step how to build a PayPal app for use with the REST APIs.

Create Sandbox and Live PayPal App

To access PayPal Developer site, you must have a PayPal business account. If you don’t have an account then create one first.
After you create a PayPal account, you can use this account to login to the PayPal Developer site as outlined below.
You will need to create a PayPal sandbox account so that you can link it to your PayPal app.

1) Log into Dashboard

Go to PayPal’s Developer site at https://developer.paypal.com/ and login with your PayPal business account email and password.

2) Click on My Apps & Credentials

After login, you can see list of functionalities provided for developers in PayPal.
- Create and Manage PayPal Apps
- Manage Webhooks
- Generate Test Credit Cards
- Notification Logs
- API Calls
- Negative Testing
- Etc.
Click on My Apps & Credentials under Dashboard.

3) Create App

You will see a list of REST PayPal Apps and a Create App button.
- In this example, I have one app created already called PayPal Plus.
To create a new app, click the Create App button.

Add an App Name, select a sandbox account from Sandbox Business Account, and then click on Create App.

4) Get PayPal App Client ID and Secret

When you create your REST app, PayPal assigns default Sandbox client credentials and Live client credentials to your app.
- You can view each of these by clicking the Sandbox or Live settings toggle in the top right of the app settings page.
- If you don’t want default credentials then you can also generate your own.
Copy and save the Client ID and Secret for your Sandbox/Live app.
- You may come back here at any time to obtain the values.

5) Other Settings

You can define your application settings like adding a Return URL and feature options like Invoicing, Login with PayPal, PayPal Here, Payouts, Customer Disputes, Accepting Payments.

Return URL : The URL to which you redirect buyers from the PayPal website.
- The test return URL can be different from the live return URL.
Accept Payments : Accept one-time and/or subscription payments from PayPal account holders.
- To configure this option, click Advanced Options.
- For a live app to accept PayPal payments, you must have a PayPal business account.
Invoicing : Issue invoices for and manage balances and enable custom net payment terms.
Payouts : Send batch payments to multiple PayPal accounts at once. You can vary the amount by recipient and deliver payments by phone number or email.
Customer Disputes. Use the Customer Disputes API to list disputes, provide evidence for a dispute, accept claims, show dispute details, and appeal disputes.

PayPal Here. Process swiped/card-present card transactions.
- To develop a custom PayPal Here app, use the PayPal Here SDK.
Connect with PayPal. Enable your customers to use their PayPal login for account management on your website or application.
Transaction Search. Access your PayPal transaction history.

Summary

Now that you have created your PayPal app with REST API credentials and necessary features enabled, you are ready to follow any of our other PayPal tutorials that require a PayPal app for development.

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10 Comments

Yusuf on January 15, 2020 at 5:27 am

I don’t see my rest apps name in my sandbox account. Here i see “something went wrong.. try again”….. What’s the issue here? How to solve that?
- Drew Angell on January 16, 2020 at 5:22 am
  
  You mean you’re seeing that when you try to view your apps in your developer account? I’m a little confused where you’re seeing this..??
Dario on June 2, 2020 at 8:23 am

Yeah i’m having the same problem i cannot i see that when i try to make purchase to my website, when i try with SANDBOX i cannot see my clients address only ONE CLICK BUY as email!
- Drew on June 2, 2020 at 11:34 pm
  
  I’m not sure I understand the issue you’re having..?? Please elaborate and I’ll try to help.
romoxi on October 3, 2020 at 12:39 pm

What is the reason for more than one Return URL?

How can I (or PayPal) decide, which one should be used?
- Drew on October 4, 2020 at 4:11 am
  
  The return URL is specified inside your API request. You may want different URLs for different payments. Any URL you use needs to be added to the app in order for it to accept it.
Garima on March 26, 2021 at 4:51 am

How to generate private key, public key and merchant id for checkout.
- Drew on March 26, 2021 at 6:49 am
  
  Did you read the article? That’s covered in Step 4.
Pooja on June 1, 2022 at 5:48 am

Is the One-click upsell possible?
- Drew on June 24, 2022 at 11:12 pm
  
  It is through the PayPal Vault as now documented, but only if you’re using 1st party credentials. The Vault for 3rd party onboarded merchants isn’t going to be available until the end of the year (maybe).