Boost Your Donations: 3 Easy Ways to Add a PayPal Donate Button in WordPress

Nonprofits often struggle to simplify the donation process for their supporters. If donating feels complicated or requires too many steps, potential donors may abandon their efforts before finishing the transaction.

This is why we frequently suggest using PayPal donate buttons. They are easy to set up, widely recognized by donors, and compatible with nearly all WordPress websites.

We have also extensively utilized PayPal in our eCommerce projects, so we can confidently say that the platform is dependable, user-friendly, and trusted by people globally.

In this guide, we will show you three effective methods to add a PayPal donate button in WordPress. These approaches are quick, secure, and have been tested on actual nonprofit websites, making them ideal for starting to collect donations immediately.

Why Should You Use a PayPal Donate Button in WordPress?

A PayPal donate button is a highly effective method for collecting online donations due to its easy setup and the trust donors have in the PayPal brand. This familiarity can significantly increase the likelihood of contributions to your cause.

Here are the main advantages of using PayPal for donations:

• Recognized and Trusted by Donors:With over 430 million active accounts, PayPal is a well-known global brand. Donors feel confident using a platform they are familiar with and trust.
• User-Friendly for Everyone:The donation process is simple for you to set up and allows your visitors to contribute in just a few clicks.
• Increases Donation Amounts:Due to the high level of trust in the PayPal brand, visitors are more inclined to complete their donations.

Many bloggers incorporate PayPal donate buttons on their WordPress sites to help offset the costs of running their websites.

Non-profit organizations also leverage their websites for fundraising efforts to support their missions.

To begin, you must create a PayPal account or log in to your existing account.

This guide includes a table of contents for easy navigation to the sections you need.

Are you ready? Let’s begin.

Method 1: Utilize a Free and Simple PayPal Donation Plugin

This approach is ideal if you are seeking a free PayPal donation plugin for WordPress. It is straightforward but has limited functionality.

First, install and activate the Donations via PayPal plugin. For detailed instructions, refer to our step-by-step guide on installing a WordPress plugin.

After activation, navigate to the Settings » PayPal Donations page to generate your donation button.

Enter your PayPal email address here. This is the email you use to log into your PayPal account.

By default, the donation currency is set to US dollars. To change this, simply select your desired currency from the dropdown menu.

Consider creating a Thank You page on your site and setting it as the ‘Return Page’ in the ‘Optional Settings’ section.

You can also add a default donation amount, purpose, and reference for your PayPal donations.

Next, choose a style for your PayPal donate button or enter a URL for a custom button image. You can also adjust the donation country and language, which defaults to the United States and US English.

Once you have completed your settings, make sure to click the ‘Save Changes’ button to apply them.

Integrating Your PayPal Donate Button into Your Website

The plugin enables you to easily place the PayPal donate button anywhere on your WordPress site using a shortcode.

Edit the post or page where you want the donate button to appear, and then insert the Shortcode block in the content editor.

In the settings, you need to add [paypal-donation]a shortcode. You can now save your changes and preview your post or page.

Here’s the live PayPal donate button showcased on our demo site.

This plugin also allows you to add the button to a sidebar or footer widget area.

Simply navigate to the Appearance » Widgets section from the WordPress dashboard. Then, click the + button and add the ‘PayPal Donations’ widget block to your sidebar or footer.

The widget has identical settings, so all you need to do is provide a title and description. Don’t forget to click the ‘Update’ button to save your widget.

Here’s the donate widget displayed in the sidebar of our demo website.

Method 2: Create a Custom PayPal Donation Form with WPForms

Another excellent way to set up a PayPal donation button is by using WPForms. It is the leading WordPress form builder plugin, trusted by over 6 million website owners.

During our testing, we discovered that it enables you to easily design attractive donation forms to accept payments via credit card and/or PayPal.

This method offers greater flexibility and control. For instance, with WPForms you can:

• Gather donor information such as names and email addresses.
• Automatically add donors to your email list to foster a community.
• Automatically send personalized thank-you receipts.
• Easily incorporate additional fields into your form, such as surveys or polls.

For more information about this tool, check out our comprehensive WPForms review.

First, install and activate the WPForms plugin. For detailed instructions, refer to our step-by-step guide on installing a WordPress plugin.

After activation, navigate to WPForms » Settings to input your license key. This information can be found in your account on the WPForms website.

Next, go to WPForms » Addons.

Here, you need to install the PayPal Standard Addon. Locate it in the list and click the ‘Install Addon’ button below. The addon will be installed and activated automatically.

Now, it’s time to create your donation form.

Simply navigate to the WPForms » Add New page in your WordPress admin dashboard to open the form builder.

First, give your form a title and select the ‘Donation Form’ template.

WPForms will automatically load your selected form template in the builder, allowing you to easily add, remove, or modify fields.

To add a new field, simply drag it from the menu on the left. We’ve included a multiple-choice field asking ‘How Did You Hear About Us?’

You may want to change the text on the Submit button to say Donate instead.

To accomplish this, click on the button or navigate to the Settings » General tab of your form. Under ‘Submit Button Text,’ replace it with the word ‘Donate.’

Next, let’s go to Payments » PayPal Standard to configure the payment settings for your form.

Simply enable the ‘PayPal Standard payments’ option and enter your PayPal email address. For Payment Type, select ‘Donation.’

Once you’ve completed these steps, click the Save button to apply your changes.

Integrating Your Donation Form into Your Website

After creating your PayPal donation form, it’s time to add it to your website.

WPForms makes it incredibly simple to place forms anywhere on your site.

Start by creating a new post or page, or edit an existing one. Then, add a WPForms block in the WordPress content editor and choose the form you previously created from the dropdown list.

When you’re ready, preview or publish your page to display your donation form.

Congratulations! You have successfully created a PayPal donation form in WordPress.

You are now set up to receive donations!

Method 3: Add a PayPal Button Manually Using HTML

If you prefer not to use a plugin, you can manually add a PayPal button with HTML code. This approach is also suitable for WordPress.com plans that support custom code, such as Premium, Business, or eCommerce plans.

First, log in to your PayPal account and navigate to the Pay & Get Paid » PayPal Buttons page.

On the following page, you will find various button types.

Simply select the ‘Donate’ button option.

Now, follow the on-screen instructions to create your button.

Start by selecting your country, preferred language, and button style. Once you’re finished, click the ‘Continue’ button.

Next, you’ll encounter some optional settings.

On the final screen of the button creation wizard, click the ‘Finish and Get Code’ button.

You will now see a page displaying a shareable link.

This URL is important, so make sure to keep it open in this tab or save it in a secure location.

Then, navigate to your WordPress admin dashboard and edit the post or page where you want to insert the PayPal donate button.

You need to add a new HTML block to your page, or switch to Text mode if you’re using the Classic editor.

Now, paste the following code into your HTML block:

<a href="Your Shareable Link that you got from PayPal" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">
    <img src="https://www.paypal.com/en_US/i/btn/x-click-but21.gif" alt="Click to Donate">
</a>

Be sure to replace the text ‘Your Shareable Link that you got from PayPal’ with the actual link you received from PayPal.

Now, go ahead and publish your page. You have successfully added a PayPal donate button to your WordPress site without using any plugins.

To place the donation button in different areas of your website, you can insert this HTML code into a ‘Custom HTML’ widget, allowing you to add it to your sidebar or other widget sections of your block-enabled theme.

Here’s a demonstration of the donate button:

Feel free to click on it to see how it functions. Your donations can help us continue providing valuable content if you find this article useful.

Customization Options

We opted for the shareable link rather than the complete donate button code to make it easier for you to personalize the donation image.

Below are additional official PayPal donate buttons. Just copy the code and replace the image section in your main code above.

Option 1

<img src="https://www.paypal.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_donate_LG.gif" alt="Click to Donate">

Option 2

<img src="https://www.paypal.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_donateCC_LG.gif" alt="Click to Donate">

Option 3

<img src="https://www.paypal.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_donate_SM.gif" alt="Click to Donate">

Option 4

<img src="https://www.paypal.com/en_US/i/btn/x-click-but21.gif" alt="Donate Now">

Option 5

<img src="https://www.paypal.com/en_US/i/btn/x-click-but04.gif" alt="Donate Now">

Option 6

<img src="https://www.paypal.com/en_US/i/btn/x-click-but11.gif" alt="Donate Now">

If you prefer a custom image, you can create your own. Upload your image to the WordPress media library and obtain the direct link. Then, insert that link in the code below:

<a href="Your Sharable Link that you got from PayPal" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">
    <img src="The Image URL" alt="Donate Now">
</a>

Bonus: Utilize Charitable for Comprehensive Fundraising Campaigns

The methods described are ideal for easily adding a PayPal button or creating a customized donation form. They are also effective for gathering individual contributions on your blog or website.

If you require a dedicated donation management system for ongoing fundraising efforts, Charitable is the most suitable plugin available.

Unlike a basic form builder, Charitable is a comprehensive fundraising solution designed specifically for nonprofits. It allows you to create unlimited campaigns, establish fundraising goals, and efficiently manage all your donors from a single dashboard.

Best of all, you can transfer the transaction fees to donors, ensuring that all funds go directly to your cause.

If you’re interested in launching a fundraising campaign, check out our tutorial on how to create a recurring donation form in WordPress.

Common Questions About PayPal Donate Buttons

Here are some frequently asked questions from our readers regarding the addition of a PayPal donate button to their websites:

How can I set up recurring donations with PayPal?

Setting up recurring donations is a feature provided by most advanced donation plugins, including Charitable and WPForms. During the setup process in these plugins, you can enable recurring payments and offer donors the choice to contribute weekly, monthly, or yearly.

PayPal provides a button generator that allows you to create a ‘Subscribe’ button for recurring donations. For detailed instructions, check out our tutorial on creating recurring donation forms in WordPress.

Is a PayPal Business account necessary for accepting donations?

It is strongly advised to use a PayPal Business account. Although a Personal account can receive payments, a Business account is specifically tailored for commercial and nonprofit activities.

A Business account offers additional features, improved reporting, and ensures compliance with PayPal’s regulations. For registered charities, a Business account is essential to qualify for reduced transaction fees.

We hope this article was helpful in adding a PayPal donate button to your WordPress site. You may also want to explore our guide on fundraising through crowdfunding or our expert tips for optimizing donation forms to increase contributions.

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