Save cards with the JavaScript SDK

CurrentLast updated: November 7th 2023, @ 9:47:43 am

Select a payment method

After customers save their credit or debit card, they can select it for faster checkout. Customers won't have to enter payment details for future transactions.

Use the JavaScript SDK to save a payer's card if you aren't PCI Compliant - SAQ A but want to save credit or debit cards during checkout.

Availability

Australia
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Canada
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
United Kingdom
United States

Know before you code

This integration requires a PayPal Developer account.
You'll need to have an existing advanced credit and debit card payments integration. PayPal must approve your account to process advanced credit and debit card payments.
Complete the steps in Get started to get the following sandbox account information from the Developer Dashboard:
- The sandbox client ID and secret of.
- An access token to use the PayPal REST API server.
This client-side and server-side integration uses the following:
- PayPal JavaScript SDK
- Orders REST API

How it works

PayPal encrypts payment method information and stores it in a digital vault for that customer.

The payer saves their payment method.
For a first-time payer, PayPal creates a customer ID. Store this within your system for future use.
When the customer returns to your website and is ready to check out, pass their PayPal-generated customer ID to the JavaScript SDK. The customer ID tells the JavaScript SDK to save or reuse a saved payment method.
The payer completes a billing agreement.
The JavaScript SDK populates the checkout page with each saved payment method. Each payment method appears as a one-click button next to other ways to pay.

The checkout process is now shorter because it uses saved payment information.

Use cases

Businesses save payment methods if they want customers to:

Check out without re-entering a payment method
Pay after use, for example, ride-sharing and food delivery

1. Set up sandbox to save payment methods

Set up your sandbox and live business accounts to save payment methods:

Log in to the Developer Dashboard.
Under REST API apps, select your app name.
Under Sandbox App Settings > App Feature Options, check Accept payments.
Expand Advanced options. Confirm that Vault is selected.

2. Add checkbox for payers to save card

Add a checkbox element grouped with your card collection fields to give payers the option to save their card.

1<div>
2  <input type="checkbox" id="save" name="save">
3  <label for="save">Save your card</label>
4</div>

3. Pass checkbox value

Pass document.getElementById("save").checked to your server with the following details in the createOrder() method:

Value of the checkbox
Optional: Card name
Optional: Billing address

No verification
3D Secure

1const cardFields = paypal.CardFields({
2  createOrder: (data) => {
3    // Create the order on your server and return the order ID
4    const saveCheckbox = document.getElementById("save");
5    return fetch("/api/paypal/order/create/", {
6      method: "POST",
7      body: JSON.stringify({
8        // Include the saveCheckbox.checked value
9        // Optionally, include the card name and billing address
10      }),
11    }).then((res) => {
12      return res.json();
13    }).then((orderData) => {
14      // Return the order ID that was created on your server
15      return orderData.id;
16    });
17  },
18  onApprove: function (data) {
19    // Authorize or capture the order on your server
20    const { orderID } = data;
21    return fetch('/api/paypal/orders/${orderID}/capture/', {
22      method: "POST"
23    }).then((res) => {
24      return res.json();
25    }).then((orderData) => {
26      // Retrieve vault details from the response
27      const vault = orderData?.paymentSource?.card?.attributes?.vault;
28      if (vault) {
29        // Save the vault.id and vault.customer.id for future use
30      }
31      // Handle successful transaction
32    });
33  },
34  onError: function (error) {
35    // Handle any error that may occur
36  }
37});
38if (cardFields.isEligible()) {
39  cardFields.NameField().render("#card-name-field-container");
40  cardFields.NumberField().render("#card-number-field-container");
41  cardFields.ExpiryField().render("#card-expiry-field-container");
42  cardFields.CVVField().render("#card-cvv-field-container");
43} else {
44  // Handle the workflow when credit and debit cards are not available
45}
46const submitButton = document.getElementById("submit-button");
47submitButton.addEventListener("click", () => {
48  cardFields.submit().then(() => {
49    // Handle successful transaction
50  }).catch((error) => {
51    // Handle any error that may occur
52  });
53});

4. Create order and save card

Server side

Set up your server to call the Create Order API. The button that the payer selects determines the payment_source sent in the following sample.

This SDK uses the Orders v2 API to save payment methods in the background. Use the following request using the Orders API to add attributes needed to save a card.

First-time payer
Returning payer

Save payment method for first-time payers

This request is for payers who:

Don't have a payment source saved into the vault.
Selected the save checkbox. The document.getElementById("save").checked value is true.

To run 3D Secure on the card, set the payment_source.card.attributes.verification.method to SCA_ALWAYS or SCA_WHEN_REQUIRED.

SCA_ALWAYS triggers an authentication for every transaction, while SCA_WHEN_REQUIRED triggers an authentication only when a regional compliance mandate such as PSD2 is required. 3D Secure is supported only in countries with a PSD2 compliance mandate. .

Note: In the following requests, the payment_source.attributes.vault.store_in_vault with the value ON_SUCCESS means the card is saved with a successful authorization or capture.

1curl -v -X POST https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v2/checkout/orders \
2 -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
3 -H "Authorization: Bearer 'ACCESS-TOKEN'" \
4 -d '{
5      "intent": "CAPTURE",
6      "purchase_units": [{
7        "reference_id": "d9f80740-38f0-11e8-b467-0ed5f89f718b",
8        "amount": {
9          "currency_code": "USD",
10          "value": "100.00"
11        }
12      }],
13      "payment_source": {
14        "card": {
15          "name": "Firstname Lastname",
16          "billing_address": {
17            "address_line_1": "123 Main St.",
18            "address_line_2": "Unit B",
19            "admin_area_2": "Anytown",
20            "admin_area_1": "CA",
21            "postal_code": "12345",
22            "country_code": "US"
23          },
24          "attributes": {
25            "vault": {
26              "store_in_vault": "ON_SUCCESS"
27            },
28            "verification": {
29              "method": "SCA_ALWAYS"
30            }
31          }
32        }
33      }
34    }

Response

Pass the order id to the JavaScript SDK. The SDK updates the order with the new card details. PayPal handles any PCI compliance issues.

After the SDK is updated, it triggers the onApprove() method, which receives an object containing the orderID. You can authorize or capture the order when you have the orderID.

Note: The request to save the payment method is made when the order is created through payment_source.attributes.vault.store_in_vault. Vault details are available only after an order is authorized or captured.

1{
2    "id": "5O190127TN364715T",
3    "status": "CREATED",
4    "intent": "CAPTURE",
5    "payment_source": {
6      "card": {
7        "brand": "VISA",
8        "last-digits": "1881",
9        "billing_address": {
10          "address_line_1": "123 Main St.",
11          "address_line_2": "Unit B",
12          "admin_area_2": "Anytown",
13          "admin_area_1": "CA",
14          "postal_code": "12345",
15          "country_code": "US"
16        }
17      }
18    },
19    "purchase_units": [{
20      "reference_id": "d9f80740-38f0-11e8-b467-0ed5f89f718b",
21      "amount": {
22        "currency_code": "USD",
23        "value": "100.00"
24      }
25    }],
26    "create_time": "2021-10-28T21:18:49Z",
27    "links": [{
28        "href": "https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v2/checkout/orders/5O190127TN364715T",
29        "rel": "self",
30        "method": "GET"
31      },
32      {
33        "href": "https://www.sandbox.paypal.com/checkoutnow?token=5O190127TN364715T",
34        "rel": "approve",
35        "method": "GET"
36      },
37      {
38        "href": "https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v2/checkout/orders/5O190127TN364715T",
39        "rel": "update",
40        "method": "PATCH"
41      },
42      {
43        "href": "https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v2/checkout/orders/5O190127TN364715T/capture",
44        "rel": "capture",
45        "method": "POST"
46      }
47    ]
48  }

5. Authorize or capture order and save card

Server side

Set up your server to call the v2 Orders API:

Call the authorize order endpoint if the intent passed was AUTHORIZE.
Call the capture order endpoint if the intent passed was CAPTURE.

Request

Authorize or capture order request

Authorize
Capture

1curl -v -X POST https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v2/checkout/orders/5O190127TN364715T/authorize \
2 -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
3 -H "Authorization: Bearer 'ACCESS-TOKEN'" \
4 -d '{}'

Response

1{
2    "id": "5O190127TN364715T",
3    "status": "COMPLETED",
4    "payment_source": {
5      "card": {
6        "brand": "VISA",
7        "last_digits": "4949"
8        "attributes": {
9          "vault": {
10            "id": "nkq2y9g",
11            "customer": {
12                "id": "695922590"
13            },
14            "status": "VAULTED",
15            "links": [{
16                "href": "https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v3/vault/payment-tokens/nkq2y9g",
17                "rel": "self",
18                "method": "GET"
19              },
20              {
21                "href": "https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v3/vault/payment-tokens/nkq2y9g",
22                "rel": "delete",
23                "method": "DELETE"
24              },
25              {
26                "href": "https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v2/checkout/orders/5O190127TN364715T",
27                "rel": "up",
28                "method": "GET"
29              }
30            ]
31          }
32        }
33      }
34    },
35    "purchase_units": [{
36      "reference_id": "d9f80740-38f0-11e8-b467-0ed5f89f718b",
37      "payments": {
38        "captures": [{
39          "id": "3C679366HH908993F",
40          "status": "COMPLETED",
41          "amount": {
42            "currency_code": "USD",
43            "value": "100.00"
44          },
45          "seller_protection": {
46            "status": "NOT_ELIGIBLE"
47          },
48          "final_capture": true,
49          "seller_receivable_breakdown": {
50            "gross_amount": {
51              "currency_code": "USD",
52              "value": "100.00"
53            },
54            "paypal_fee": {
55              "currency_code": "USD",
56              "value": "3.00"
57            },
58            "net_amount": {
59              "currency_code": "USD",
60              "value": "97.00"
61            }
62          },
63          "create_time": "2022-01-01T21:20:49Z",
64          "update_time": "2022-01-01T21:20:49Z",
65          "processor_response": {
66              "avs_code": "Y",
67              "cvv_code": "M",
68              "response_code": "0000"
69          },
70          "links": [{
71              "href": "https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v2/payments/captures/3C679366HH908993F",
72              "rel": "self",
73              "method": "GET"
74            },
75            {
76              "href": "https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v2/payments/captures/3C679366HH908993F/refund",
77              "rel": "refund",
78              "method": "POST"
79            }
80          ]
81        }]
82      }
83    }],
84    "links": [{
85      "href": "https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v2/checkout/orders/5O190127TN364715T",
86      "rel": "self",
87      "method": "GET"
88    }]
89}

In the response from the Authorize or Capture request, the Orders v2 API interacts with the Payment Method Tokens v3 API to save the card.

The payment_source.card.attributes.vault stores the card information as the vault.id, which can be used for future payments when the vault.status is VAULTED.

Save approved payment source

If the payment has been authorized or captured, the payer doesn't need to be present to save a payment_source. To keep checkout times as short as possible, the Orders API responds as soon as payment is captured.

If the attributes.vault.status returned after payment is APPROVED, you won't have a vault.id yet. An example of the attributes object from this scenario is in the following sample:

1"attributes": {
2    "vault": {
3      "status": "APPROVED",
4      "links": [
5        {
6          "href": "https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v2/checkout/orders/5O190127TN364715T",
7          "rel": "up",
8          "method": "GET"
9        }
10      ]
11    }
12  }

The Payment Method Tokens API still saves the payment source even after the Orders API returns its response and sends a webhook after the payment source is saved.

In order to retrieve a vault_id when an APPROVED status is returned, you'll need to subscribe to the VAULT.PAYMENT-TOKEN.CREATED webhook.

The Payment Method Tokens API sends a webhook after the payment source is saved. An example of the VAULT.PAYMENT-TOKEN.CREATED webhook payload is shown in the following sample:

1{
2     "id":"WH-1KN88282901968003-82E75604WM969463F",
3     "event_version":"1.0",
4     "create_time":"2022-08-15T14:13:48.978Z",
5     "resource_type":"payment_token",
6     "resource_version":"3.0",
7     "event_type":"VAULT.PAYMENT-TOKEN.CREATED",
8     "summary":"A payment token has been created.",
9     "resource":{
10        "time_created":"2022-08-15T07:13:48.964PDT",
11        "links":[
12           {
13              "href":"https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v3/vault/payment-tokens/9n6724m",
14              "rel":"self",
15              "method":"GET",
16              "encType":"application/json"
17           },
18           {
19              "href":"https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v3/vault/payment-tokens/9n6724m",
20              "rel":"delete",
21              "method":"DELETE",
22              "encType":"application/json"
23           }
24        ],
25        "id":"nkq2y9g",
26        "payment_source":{
27           "card":{
28              "last_digits":"1111",
29              "brand":"VISA",
30              "expiry":"2027-02",
31              "billing_address":{
32                 "address_line_1":"123 Main St.",
33                 "address_line_2":"Unit B",
34                 "admin_area_2":"Anytown",
35                 "admin_area_1":"CA",
36                 "postal_code":"12345",
37                 "country_code":"US"
38              }
39           }
40        },
41        "customer":{
42           "id":"695922590"
43        }
44     },
45     "links":[
46        {
47           "href":"https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v1/notifications/webhooks-events/WH-1KN88282901968003-82E75604WM969463F",
48           "rel":"self",
49           "method":"GET"
50        },
51        {
52           "href":"https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v1/notifications/webhooks-events/WH-1KN88282901968003-82E75604WM969463F/resend",
53           "rel":"resend",
54           "method":"POST"
55        }
56     ]
57  }

In this example, the resource.id field is the vault ID, and resource.customer.id is the PayPal-generated customer ID.

You can now style your card fields and test a purchase.

Payment processor codes

Payment processors return the following codes when they receive a transaction request. For advanced card payments, the code displays in the authorization object under the response_code field.

The following sample shows the processor response codes returned in an authorization (avs_code) and capture call (cvv_code) response:

1"processor_response": {
2    "avs_code": "Y",
3    "cvv_code": "S",
4    "response_code": "0000"
5  }

See the Orders API response_code object to get the processor response code for the non-PayPal payment processor errors.

6. Pay with saved payment methods

When a payer returns to your site, you can show the payer's saved payment methods with the Payment Method Tokens API.

List all saved payment methods

Make the server-side list all payment tokens API call to retrieve payment methods saved to a payer's PayPal-generated customer ID. Based on this list, you can show all saved payment methods to a payer to select during checkout.

Show saved card to payer

Display the saved card to the payer and use the Orders API to make another transaction. Use the vault ID the payer selects as an input to the Orders API.

Use supported CSS properties to style the card fields.

7. Test your integration

Test your vault integration in the PayPal sandbox.

Copy the sample request code.
Change 'ACCESS_TOKEN' to your access token.

Save payment method

On the checkout page, enter the card information and select the option to save the card. You can use test card numbers for testing.
Capture the transaction.
Log in to sandbox with your merchant account and verify the transaction.

Pay with a saved payment method

Use the list all payment tokens API to retrieve all the payment methods saved for the payer.
Capture the payment by passing the payer-selected vault ID to the Orders API.
Log in to the sandbox with your merchant account and verify the transaction.

8. Integrate front end

The following sample shows how a full script to save cards might appear in HTML:

1<!DOCTYPE html>
2      <head>
3        <!-- Add meta tags for mobile and IE -->
4        <meta charset="utf-8" />
5      </head>
6      <body>
7        <script src="https://www.paypal.com/sdk/js?components=card-fields&client-id=YOUR-CLIENT-ID&currency=USD&intent=capture&merchant-id=YOUR-MERCHANT-ID"></script>
8        <div align="center"> or </div>
9        <!-- Advanced credit and debit card payments form -->
10        <div class='card_container'>
11          <div id='card-number'></div>
12          <div id='expiration-date'></div>
13          <div id='cvv'></div>
14          <div id='card-holder-name'></div>
15          <label>
16            <input type='checkbox' id='vault' name='vault' /> Vault
17          </label>
18          <br><br>
19          <button value='submit' id='submit' class='btn'>Pay</button>
20        </div>
21        <!-- Implementation -->
22        <script>
23          // Create the card fields component and define callbacks
24          const cardFields = paypal.CardFields({
25            createOrder: async (data) => {
26              const result = await fetch("https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v2/checkout/orders", {
27                method: "POST",
28                body: JSON.stringify({
29                  intent: "CAPTURE",
30                  purchase_units: [{
31                    amount: {
32                      currency_code: "USD",
33                      value: "100.00"
34                    }
35                  }],
36                  payment_source: {
37                    card: {
38                      attributes: {
39                        verification: {
40                          method: "SCA_ALWAYS"
41                        },
42                        vault: {
43                          store_in_vault: "ON_SUCCESS",
44                          usage_type: "PLATFORM",
45                          customer_type: "CONSUMER",
46                          permit_multiple_payment_tokens: true,
47                        },
48                      }
49                    },
50                    experience_context: {
51                      shipping_preference: "NO_SHIPPING",
52                      return_url: "https://example.com/returnUrl",
53                      cancel_url: "https://example.com/cancelUrl",
54                    },
55                  },
56                }),
57                headers: {
58                  "Content-Type": "application/json",
59                  "Authorization": "Bearer ACCESS_TOKEN",
60                  "PayPal-Request-Id": "UNIQUE_ALPHANUMERIC_KEY"
61                },
62              })
63              const {
64                id
65              } = await result.json();
66              return id;
67            },
68            onApprove: async (data) => {
69              const {
70                orderID
71              } = data;
72              return fetch('https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v2/checkout/orders/${orderID}/capture/', {
73                method: "POST",
74                body: JSON.stringify({
75                  payment_source: {
76                    attributes: {
77                      vault: {
78                        store_in_vault: "ON_SUCCESS",
79                        usage_type: "PLATFORM",
80                        customer_type: "CONSUMER",
81                        permit_multiple_payment_tokens: true,
82                      },
83                    },
84                    experience_context: {
85                      shipping_preference: "NO_SHIPPING",
86                      return_url: "https://example.com/returnUrl",
87                      cancel_url: "https://example.com/cancelUrl",
88                    },
89                  },
90                }),
91                headers: {
92                  "Content-Type": "application/json",
93                  "Authorization": "Bearer ACCESS_TOKEN",
94                  "PayPal-Request-Id": "UNIQUE_ALPHANUMERIC_KEY"
95                },
96              })
97              // Retrieve vault details from the response and
98              // save vault.id and customer.id for the buyer's return experience
99              return await res.json();
100            },
101            onError: (error) => console.error('Something went wrong:', error)
102          });
103          // Render each field after checking for eligibility
104          // Check eligibility and display advanced credit and debit card payments
105          if (cardFields.isEligible()) {
106            cardFields.NameField().render("#card-holder-name");
107            cardFields.NumberField().render("#card-number");
108            cardFields.ExpiryField().render("#expiration-date");
109            cardFields.CVVField().render("#cvv");
110          } else {
111            // Handle workflow when credit and debit cards are not available
112          }
113          const submitButton = document.getElementById("submit");
114          submitButton.addEventListener("click", () => {
115            cardFields
116              .submit()
117              .then(() => {
118                console.log("submit was successful");
119              })
120              .catch((error) => {
121                console.error("submit erred:", error);
122              });
123          });
124        </script>
125        </html>

Test cards

Use the following card numbers to test transactions in the sandbox:

Test number	Card type
`371449635398431`	American Express
`376680816376961`	American Express
`36259600000004`	Diners Club
`6304000000000000`	Maestro
`5063516945005047`	Maestro
`2223000048400011`	Mastercard
`4005519200000004`	Visa
`4012000033330026`	Visa
`4012000077777777`	Visa
`4012888888881881`	Visa
`4217651111111119`	Visa
`4500600000000061`	Visa
`4772129056533503`	Visa
`4915805038587737`	Visa

Next steps

Test and go live with this integration.
- Complete production onboarding to be eligible to process cards with your live PayPal account.
- Be sure to swap the credentials and API URL from sandbox to production when going live with your integration.
Follow Use payment method token with checkout for subsequent or recurring transactions.
You can get a payment token, list all payment tokens, delete a payment token, and more with the Payment Method Tokens API.
Keep saved cards up-to-date with the real-time account updater.