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Last updated: June 4, 2026
Payflow Gateway is PayPal's secure and open payment gateway. Using the Payflow Gateway APIs, merchants can process debit and credit card payments, PayPal, PayPal Credit®, authorizations, captures, and credit voids. PayPal Payments Pro internally utilizes Payflow Gateway and its API, providing the same features. PayPal Payments Pro merchants use PayPal as their credit card processor, while Payflow Gateway merchants can choose to process their online store payments with any major payment processor, bank, or card association. Merchants who want total control over the checkout experience can host their own checkout pages and send transactions to PayPal using the open Payflow Gateway API or choose to have PayPal host the checkout pages and manage security for sales and authorizations.
Payflow refers to a suite of products. The following table explains the main differences between these products:
| Product | PayPal hosted checkout page or template | Merchant's checkout page | Processor | Merchant Bank | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PayPal Payments Pro | ✓ | ✓ | PayPal | PayPal | US & UK |
| Payflow Link | ✓ | Any supported processor | Any supported bank | Legacy * | |
| Payflow Pro | varies | ✓ | Any supported processor | Any supported bank | CA, AU, NZ, and US |
* Legacy products remain available for pre-existing users.
Create a free developer account using these instructions. Or, sign up for a live Payflow Gateway account today. Select a country in which you conduct business from the following list:
Payflow Gateway is available in the following countries. If your country does not appear in the list and you use Payflow without PayPal as your processor, Payflow is not available.
When you purchase Payflow Gateway, PayPal provides localized email and phone support. Choose your country from the following list:
United States & Canada Email 888-883-9770 (8:00 AM - 8:00 PM CDT, Monday - Friday)
Australia & New Zealand Email 1 800 073 263 (9:00 AM - 5:00 PM AEDT, Monday - Friday)
The following video tutorials explain how to integrate Payflow with PayPal hosted checkout pages: