Payment Gateways
PaywallWP Pro supports two major payment processors: Stripe and PayPal. You can enable one or both gateways to give your subscribers payment options.
Supported Gateways
Stripe
Stripe is a developer-friendly payment platform that supports:
- Credit/debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Discover)
- Apple Pay and Google Pay
- Link (Stripe's accelerated checkout)
- 135+ currencies
- Automatic subscription management
Best for: Sites wanting the smoothest checkout experience with modern payment methods.
Setup Tutorials:
- Stripe Test Mode Setup — For development
- Stripe Live Mode Setup — For production
PayPal
PayPal is a globally recognized payment platform that supports:
- PayPal account payments
- Credit/debit cards through PayPal
- Pay Later options
- 200+ markets worldwide
Best for: Sites with international audiences who prefer PayPal.
Setup Tutorials:
- PayPal Sandbox Setup — For development
- PayPal Live Mode Setup — For production
Choosing a Gateway
| Feature | Stripe | PayPal |
|---|---|---|
| Checkout Experience | Embedded, seamless | Redirect or popup |
| Apple/Google Pay | Yes | No |
| PayPal Payments | No | Yes |
| Setup Complexity | Simple | Moderate |
| Transaction Fees | ~2.9% + $0.30 | ~2.9% + $0.30 |
| Payout Speed | 2 days | Instant to PayPal |
For the best user experience, we recommend Stripe as your primary gateway. Consider adding PayPal as a secondary option for users who prefer it.
Enabling Multiple Gateways
You can enable both Stripe and PayPal simultaneously:
- Go to PaywallWP → Settings → Payments
- Configure both gateways with their respective credentials
- Set the mode for each (Test/Sandbox or Live)
- Users will see both options in the checkout modal
Test vs Live Mode
Both gateways support test modes for development:
| Gateway | Test Mode | Live Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe | Test keys (sk_test_, pk_test_) | Live keys (sk_live_, pk_live_) |
| PayPal | Sandbox credentials | Live credentials |
Never use live credentials during testing. Always test thoroughly in test/sandbox mode before switching to live.
Webhooks Are Required
Both payment gateways require webhooks for subscription management. Without webhooks:
- ❌ Subscriptions won't activate after payment
- ❌ Renewals won't process
- ❌ Cancellations won't sync
- ❌ Refunds won't reflect
See the Webhooks Reference for details.
Currency Settings
Currency is set globally in PaywallWP → Settings → General. Supported currencies depend on your payment gateway:
- Stripe: 135+ currencies
- PayPal: 25+ currencies
Ensure your chosen currency is supported by your gateway(s).
Security
PaywallWP Pro never stores sensitive payment data:
- Card numbers are tokenized by Stripe/PayPal
- API keys are stored securely in WordPress options
- All transactions use secure HTTPS connections
- PCI compliance is handled by the payment processors