Overview
Braintree offers a few options when accepting PayPal payments. Choose whether you would like to use our Drop-in UI or a custom integration. Learn more about Drop-in UI.
Vaulted Payments vs. One-Time Payments vs. Recurring Payments vs. Checkout with Vault
When integrating PayPal, you can choose between One-Time Payments, Vaulted Payments, or Recurring Payments, depending on your business model and user experience needs:
- One-Time Payments: This flow allows customers to complete a single payment without storing their payment method. Use this integration for infrequent payments with higher average order value (AOV), typically physical goods purchases.
- Vaulted Payments: This flow securely saves a customer’s payment method for seamless future payments. Use this integration for high-frequency, low-AOV payments, such as delivery apps or services that bridge online-to-offline experiences.
- Recurring Payments: This flow enables customers to set up recurring payments using PayPal Checkout, reducing friction for ongoing purchases. Use this integration for businesses offering subscriptions or automated billing.
- Checkout with Vault combines the checkout experience with automatic vaulting. When customers complete their first payment, their payment method is stored in the Vault for future use. Use this integration to offer a streamlined initial purchase while preparing for potential future transactions, such as easy repeat purchases or account top-ups.
Feature | One-Time Checkout | Vaulted Purchases | Recurring Payments | Checkout with Vault |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Use Case | Infrequent payments, higher AOV, physical goods. | High-frequency, low-AOV purchases such as delivery apps and ride-sharing. | Subscriptions, memberships, automated billing. | Ride-hailing app |
Payment Method Storage | Not stored. | Stored for future purchases. | Stored for recurring billing. | Stored for future purchases. |
User Experience | Customer completes a single purchase without saving payment info. | Customer saves payment method for seamless future payments. | Customer authorizes recurring payments upfront. | Customer completes a single purchase by saving payment info. |
Ideal for | Retail, e-commerce, one-time payments. | Food delivery, ride-hailing, marketplace platforms. | Streaming services, SaaS purchases, utility payments. | One‑time PayPal checkout flow that also stores a billing agreement. |
Checkout Experience | One-click PayPal Checkout. | One-click or seamless payments after initial authorization. | User agrees to recurring billing terms at checkout. | One-time payment and seamless future transactions. |