Configuring PayPal Checkout (MemberMouse 3.1.2 and later)

Which MemberMouse versions this applies to

• MemberMouse 3.1.2 and later: follow this article to set up PayPal Checkout.
• MemberMouse 3.1.1 and earlier: PayPal Checkout is not available. Update MemberMouse first, or see Configuring Legacy PayPal (Website Payments Standard).
• Already using legacy PayPal? Don’t follow this article. Use Migrating from Legacy PayPal to PayPal Checkout instead; its wizard registers your webhook and syncs your products for you.

PayPal Checkout is the PayPal payment method added in MemberMouse 3.1.2. It uses PayPal’s REST APIs, takes one-time payments and subscriptions, and returns buyers to your confirmation page automatically. It replaces the original PayPal method (Website Payments Standard), which PayPal retires in January 2027.

Before you start

• A PayPal Business account, signed in at developer.paypal.com.
• Your site on its live domain over https. PayPal will not send webhooks to an http:// address.
• MemberMouse 3.1.2 or later.

Step 1: Install or update MemberMouse

Go to Plugins > Add Plugin > Upload Plugin, choose membermouse.zip, click Install Now, then Activate Plugin.

Step 2: Turn on PayPal Checkout

Go to MemberMouse > Payment Settings > Payment Methods. Under Offsite Payment Methods, tick PayPal Checkout. Do not tick PayPal: that is the legacy method.

The PayPal Checkout settings open below it:

• Client ID and Secret: from your REST app (Step 3).
• Webhook ID (required when activating): from the webhook you add in Step 4.
• Webhook URL: your site’s address for PayPal webhooks. Copy this for Step 4.

To test first, tick Enable Test Mode (Sandbox). The fields change to Sandbox Client ID, Sandbox Secret and Sandbox Webhook ID, and two links appear: Create Sandbox REST App (Client ID / Secret) and Log into PayPal Sandbox.

Leave this page open in its own tab.

Step 3: Get your Client ID and Secret

1. Sign in at developer.paypal.com and open Apps & Credentials.
2. Use the Sandbox / Live switch at the top left to choose the environment.
3. Click Create App, give it a name, leave Type set to Merchant, and click Create App.
4. On the app’s page, copy the Client ID, and click the eye icon next to Secret key 1 to show and copy the Secret.

Use a separate REST app for each website, including staging copies.

Step 4: Add a webhook in PayPal

1. On the same app’s page, scroll to Sandbox Webhooks (or Live Webhooks) and click Add Webhook.
2. In Webhook URL, paste the Webhook URL from MemberMouse. It must start with https://.
3. Under Event types, expand Billing subscription and tick:
   • Billing subscription activated
   • Billing subscription cancelled
   • Billing subscription expired
   • Billing subscription payment failed
   • Billing subscription suspended

4. Expand Payments & Payouts and tick:
   • Payment capture completed
   • Payment capture refunded
   • Payment sale completed

Do not tick All Events. MemberMouse only uses these eight.

5. Click Save. PayPal shows Webhook added successfully and lists the webhook with its Webhook ID. Copy the ID.
   

Step 5: Enter your details in MemberMouse and save

Back in MemberMouse, paste the Client ID, Secret and Webhook ID (or Sandbox Client ID, Sandbox Secret and Sandbox Webhook ID in test mode), then click Save Payment Methods.

You should see Payment method settings saved successfully.

Recurring products

There is nothing to do here. Subscriptions through PayPal Checkout use a PayPal billing plan for each recurring product. MemberMouse creates the plan when you save a recurring product, and at checkout if a product does not have one yet. If you change a recurring product’s price or billing period, MemberMouse creates a new plan for new subscribers.

Step 6: Make a test purchase

1. Open a purchase link or your checkout page while logged out.
2. Fill in the form and click Checkout using PayPal.
3. MemberMouse shows a short page with PayPal’s buttons: PayPal, PayPal Credit and Debit or Credit Card (Subscribe versions for recurring products). Click one and complete the payment in the PayPal window.

4. The buyer returns to your confirmation page automatically.
   

5. In MemberMouse > Manage Members, the new member is Active.
6. In the PayPal Developer Dashboard, Event Logs > Webhook Events (choose your app) lists the Billing subscription activated and Payment sale completed events for the purchase.

With only PayPal Checkout active, the checkout shows a single PayPal button:

Going live

Untick Enable Test Mode (Sandbox), enter your Live Client ID, Secret and Webhook ID (a Live app has its own webhook, which you add the same way with the Sandbox/Live switch on Live), and save. Make one low-value live purchase and refund it from PayPal to confirm.

Related articles

• Configuring Legacy PayPal (Website Payments Standard), for MemberMouse 3.1.1 and earlier
• Migrating from Legacy PayPal to PayPal Checkout
• Troubleshooting PayPal
• Using the PayPal IPN Log