Save cards for purchase later with the JavaScript SDK

Save payment methods to charge payers after a set amount of time. For example, you can offer a free trial and charge payers after the trial expires. Payers don't need to be present when charged. No checkout required.

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

See Supported Countries

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

• You are responsible for the front-end user experience. The JavaScript SDK provides back-end support.

• To save payment methods, you must be able to identify payers uniquely. For example, payers create an account and log in to your site.
• Complete the steps in Get started to get the following sandbox account information from the Developer Dashboard:
  • Your sandbox account login information
  • Your access token

• This client-side integration uses information passed through the CardFields component to save a card without a transaction.
• The SDK saves the following card types for purchase later:
  • American Express
  • Discover
  • Mastercard
  • Visa

• You'll need an existing advanced credit and debit integration. PayPal must approve your business account for advanced credit and debit card payments.

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

1. The payer saves their payment method.
2. For a first-time payer, PayPal creates a customer ID. Store this within your system for future use.
3. 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.
4. The payer completes a billing agreement.
5. 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.

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

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

You request a setup token from your server. Pass the setup token from your server to the SDK with the createVaultSetupToken callback.

The createVaultSetupToken callback:

• Calls the server endpoint you created to generate and retrieve the setup token.
• Makes a request to your server endpoint.

Then, your server uses its access token to create and return the setup token to the client.

Any errors that occur while creating a setup token show up in the onError callback provided to the card fields component.

Create a setup token for cards that have:

• No verification
• 3D Secure verification

Supported callback

No verification

3D Secure

Front-end sample

No verification

1const cardFields = paypal.CardFields({
2createVaultSetupToken:()=>{
3// The merchant calls their server API to generate a vaultSetupToken
4// and return it here as a string
5const result =awaitfetch("example.com/create/setup/token")
6return result.token
7}
8onApprove:({ vaultSetupToken })=>{
9// Send the vaultSetupToken to the merchant server to use later.
10}
11})

3D Secure

1createVaultSetupToken:()=>{
2// The merchant calls their server API to generate a vaultSetupToken
3// Send the SCA_ALWAYS or SCA_WHEN_REQUIRED contingency with the request body
4// and return it here as a string
5const result =awaitfetch("merchant.com/create/setup/token")
6return result.token
7}
8onApprove:({ vaultSetupToken, liabilityShift })=>{
9// Handle liabilityShift. Refer to response parameters for further information
10// Send the vaultSetupToken to the merchant server to use later
11}
12})

Back-end sample

Make this request from your server.

Platform

This setup token is generated with an empty card in the payment_source object. PayPal hosted fields use this token to securely update the setup token with payment details.

1curl -v -k -X POST https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v3/vault/setup-tokens \
2 -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
3 -H "Authorization: Bearer ACCESS-TOKEN" \
4 -H "PayPal-Auth-Assertion: PAYPAL-AUTH-ASSERTION" \
5 -H "PayPal-Partner-Attribution-Id: BN-CODE" \
6 -H "PayPal-Request-Id: REQUEST-ID" \
7 -d '{
8    "payment_source": {
9    "card": {
10        "name": "Firstname Lastname",
11        "billing_address": {
12            "address_line_1": "123 Main St.",
13            "address_line_2": "Unit B",
14            "admin_area_2": "San Jose",
15            "admin_area_1": "CA",
16            "postal_code": "12345",
17            "country_code": "US"
18        },
19        "experience_context": {
20            "brand_name": "EXAMPLE INC",
21            "locale": "en-US",
22            "return_url": "https://example.com/returnUrl",
23            "cancel_url": "https://example.com/cancelUrl"
24        }
25    }
26}
27}'

Modify the code

1. Change ACCESS-TOKEN to your sandbox app's access token.
2. Change PAYPAL-AUTH-ASSERTION to your PayPal-Auth-Assertion token.
3. Change BN-CODE to your PayPal Attribution ID to receive revenue attribution. To f
4. Change REQUEST-ID to a set of unique alphanumeric characters such as a time stamp.
5. In the createVaultSetupToken, call the endpoint on your server to create a setup token with the Payment Method Tokens API. createVaultSetupToken returns the setup token as a string.

Merchant

This setup token is generated with an empty payment_source. PayPal hosted fields use this token to securely update the setup token with payment details.

1curl -v -k -X POST https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v3/vault/setup-tokens \
2 -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
3 -H "Authorization: Bearer ACCESS-TOKEN" \
4 -H "PayPal-Auth-Assertion: PAYPAL-AUTH-ASSERTION" \
5 -H "PayPal-Partner-Attribution-Id: BN-CODE" \
6 -H "PayPal-Request-Id: REQUEST-ID" \
7 -d '{
8    "payment_source": {
9        "card": {
10            "name": "Firstname Lastname",
11            "billing_address": {
12                "address_line_1": "123 Main St.",
13                "address_line_2": "Unit B",
14                "admin_area_2": "Anytown",
15                "admin_area_1": "CA",
16                "postal_code": "12345",
17                "country_code": "US"
18            },
19            "experience_context": {
20                "brand_name": "EXAMPLE INC",
21                "locale": "en-US",
22                "return_url": "https://example.com/returnUrl",
23                "cancel_url": "https://example.com/cancelUrl"
24            }
25        }
26    }
27}'

Modify the code

1. Change ACCESS-TOKEN to your sandbox app's access token.
2. Change PAYPAL-AUTH-ASSERTION to your PayPal-Auth-Assertion token.
3. Change BN-CODE to your PayPal Attribution ID to receive revenue attribution. To find your BN code, see Code and Credential Reference.
4. Change REQUEST-ID to a set of unique alphanumeric characters such as a time stamp.
5. In the createVaultSetupToken callback, call an endpoint on your server to create a setup token with the Payment Method Tokens API. createVaultSetupToken returns the setup token as a string.

After the SDK has a setup token, it renders card fields for the payer to submit card details. The SDK then returns the vaultSetupToken to the merchant through the onApprove callback.

When you complete this step, CardFields are ready to save card details for later use.

Supported callback

No verification

3D Secure

Front-end sample

No verification

1const cardFields = paypal.CardFields({
2createVaultSetupToken:()=>{
3// The merchant calls their server API to generate a vaultSetupToken
4// and return it here as a string
5const result =awaitfetch("merchant.com/create/setup/token")
6return result.token
7}
8onApprove:({
9    vaultSetupToken
10})=>{
11// Send the vaultSetupToken to the merchant server
12// for the server to generate a payment token
13returnfetch("example.com/create/payment/token",{body:JSON.stringify({ vaultSetupToken })})
14},
15})

3D Secure

1const cardFields = paypal.CardFields({
2createVaultSetupToken:()=>{
3// The merchant calls their server API to generate a vaultSetupToken
4// and return it here as a string
5const result =awaitfetch("https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v3/vault/setup-tokens",
6{
7method:"POST",
8body:JSON.stringify(
9"payment_source":{
10"card":{
11"verification_method":"SCA_WHEN_REQUIRED",
12"usage_type":"MERCHANT",
13"experience_context":{
14"return_url":"https://example.com/returnUrl",
15"cancel_url":"https://example.com/cancelUrl"
16}
17}
18}),
19}
20);
21const{ id, customer }=await result.json();
22const result =awaitfetch("merchant.com/create/setup/token")
23return result.token
24},
25onApprove:({ vaultSetupToken, liabilityShift })=>{
26// Send the vaultSetupToken to the merchant server for later use.
27},
28onError:(error)=>console.error('Something went wrong:', error)
29})

Back-end sample

Make this request from your server.

Platform

1curl -v -k -X POST https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v3/vault/payment-tokens \
2 -H "Content-Type: application/json"\
3 -H "Authorization: Bearer ACCESS-TOKEN"\
4 -H "PayPal-Auth-Assertion: PAYPAL-AUTH-ASSERTION"\
5 -H "PayPal-Partner-Attribution-Id: BN-CODE"\
6 -H "PayPal-Request-Id: REQUEST-ID"\
7 -d '{
8      "payment_source": {
9          "token": {
10              "id": "VAULT-SETUP-TOKEN",
11              "type": "SETUP_TOKEN"
12          }
13      }
14  }'

Merchant

1curl -v -k -X POST https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v3/vault/payment-tokens \
2 -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
3 -H "Authorization: Bearer ACCESS-TOKEN" \
4 -H "PayPal-Request-Id: REQUEST-ID" \
5 -H "PayPal-Auth-Assertion: PAYPAL-AUTH-ASSERTION" \
6 -H "PayPal-Partner-Attribution-Id: BN-CODE" \
7 -H "PayPal-Request-ID: REQUEST-ID" \
8 -d '{
9    "payment_source": {
10      "token": {
11        "id": "VAULT-SETUP-TOKEN",
12        "type": "SETUP_TOKEN"
13        }
14    }
15  }'

If an error prevents checkout, alert the payer that an error has occurred using the onError callback.

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.

Sample request: List all saved payment methods

Platform

1curl -L -X GET https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v3/vault/payment-tokens?customer_id=CUSTOMER-ID \
2 -H "Content-Type: application/json"\
3 -H "Accept-Language: en_US"\
4 -H "Authorization: Bearer ACCESS-TOKEN"\
5 -H "PayPal-Auth-Assertion: PAYPAL-AUTH-ASSERTION"\
6 -H "PayPal-Partner-Attribution-Id: BN-CODE"\
7 -H "PayPal-Request-Id: REQUEST-ID"\
8 -d '{}'

Merchant

1curl -L -X GET https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v3/vault/payment-tokens?customer_id=CUSTOMER-ID \
2 -H "Content-Type: application/json"\
3 -H "Accept-Language: en_US"\
4 -H "Authorization: Bearer ACCESS-TOKEN"\
5 -H "PayPal-Auth-Assertion: PAYPAL-AUTH-ASSERTION"\
6 -H "PayPal-Partner-Attribution-Id: BN-CODE"\
7 -H "PayPal-Request-Id: REQUEST-ID"\
8 -d '{}'

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 to capture the payment.

Use supported CSS properties to style the card fields. We recommend showing the card brand and last 4 digits.

The following sample shows a complete back-end integration to save cards for purchase later:

Platform

1import"dotenv/config";
2importexpressfrom"express";
3const{PORT=8888}= process.env;
4const app =express();
5      app.set("view engine","ejs");
6      app.use(express.static("public"));
7// Create setup token
8      app.post("/api/vault/token",async(req, res)=>{
9try{
10// Use your access token to securely generate a setup token
11// with an empty payment_source
12const vaultResponse =awaitfetch("https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v3/vault/setup-tokens",{
13method:"POST",
14body:JSON.stringify({payment_source:{}}),
15headers:{
16"Authorization":"Bearer ${ACCESS-TOKEN}",
17"PayPal-Request-Id":Date.now(),
18"PayPal-Auth-Assertion":"PAYPAL-AUTH-ASSERTION",
19"PayPal-Partner-Attribution-Id":"BN-CODE"
20}
21})
22// Return the reponse to the client
23          res.json(vaultResponse);
24}catch(err){
25          res.status(500).send(err.message);
26}
27})
28// Create payment token from a setup token
29      app.post("/api/vault/:setupToken",async(req, res)=>{
30const{ setupToken }= req.params;
31try{
32const paymentTokenResult =awaitfetch(
33"https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v3/vault/payment-tokens",
34{
35method:"POST",
36body:{
37payment_source:{
38token:{
39id: setupToken,
40type:"SETUP_TOKEN"
41}
42}
43},
44headers:{
45"Authorization":"Bearer ${ACCESS-TOKEN}",
46"PayPal-Request-Id":Date.now(),
47"PayPal-Auth-Assertion":"PAYPAL-AUTH-ASSERTION",
48"PayPal-Partner-Attribution-Id":"BN-CODE"
49}
50})
51const paymentMethodToken = paymentTokenResult.id
52const customerId = paymentTokenResult.customer.id
53awaitsave(paymentMethodToken, customerId)
54          res.json(captureData);
55}catch(err){
56          res.status(500).send(err.message);
57}
58})
59constsave=asyncfunction(paymentMethodToken, customerId){
60// Specify where to save the payment method token
61}
62      app.listen(PORT,()=>{
63console.log('Server listening at http://localhost:${PORT}/');
64})

Merchant

1import"dotenv/config";
2importexpressfrom"express";
3const{PORT=8888}= process.env;
4const app =express();
5app.set("view engine","ejs");
6app.use(express.static("public"));
7// Create setup token
8app.post("/api/vault/token",async(req, res)=>{
9try{
10// Use your access token to securely generate a setup token
11// with an empty payment_source
12const payload ={
13payment_source:{
14card:{}
15}
16}
17const vaultResponse =awaitfetch("https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v3/vault/setup-tokens",{
18method:"POST",
19body:JSON.stringify(payload),
20headers:{
21"Authorization":"Bearer ${ACCESS-TOKEN}",
22"PayPal-Request-Id":Date.now(),
23"PayPal-Auth-Assertion":"PAYPAL-AUTH-ASSERTION",
24"PayPal-Partner-Attribution-Id":"BN-CODE"
25}
26})
27// Return the reponse to the client
28    res.json(vaultResponse);
29}catch(err){
30    res.status(500).send(err.message);
31}
32})
33// Create payment token from a setup token
34app.post("/api/vault/:setupToken",async(req, res)=>{
35const{ setupToken }= req.params;
36try{
37const paymentTokenResult =awaitfetch(
38"https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v3/vault/payment-tokens",
39{
40method:"POST",
41body:{
42payment_source:{
43token:{
44id: setupToken,
45type:"SETUP_TOKEN"
46}
47}
48},
49headers:{
50Authorization:'Bearer ${ACCESS-TOKEN}',
51"PayPal-Request-Id":Date.now(),
52"PayPal-Auth-Assertion":"PAYPAL-AUTH-ASSERTION",
53"PayPal-Partner-Attribution-Id":"BN-CODE"
54}
55})
56const paymentMethodToken = paymentTokenResult.id
57const customerId = paymentTokenResult.customer.id
58awaitsave(paymentMethodToken, customerId)
59    res.json(captureData);
60}catch(err){
61    res.status(500).send(err.message);
62}
63})
64constsave=asyncfunction(paymentMethodToken, customerId){
65// Specify where to save the payment method token
66}
67app.listen(PORT,()=>{
68console.log('Server listening at http://localhost:${PORT}/');
69})

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

Test your integration to see if it saves credit and debit cards as expected. Any errors that occur appear in the onError callback provided to the CardFields component.

1. Render the card fields.
2. Create a save button in your UI.
3. When the save button is selected:
   1. Create a setup token.
   2. Update the setup token with card details.
4. On your server, use a server-side call to swap your setup token for a payment token from the Payment Method Tokens API.
   1. For a first-time payer, save the PayPal-generated customer.id.
   2. For a returning payer, use the PayPal-generated customer.id to swap the setup-token for a payment-token.
5. Save the payment-token for future use.
6. Show saved payment methods:
   1. Make a server-side call to the list all payment tokens endpoint. Include the PayPal-generated customer.id.
   2. Style the card fields.

We recommend creating a page on your site where payers can see their saved payment methods as in the following example:

Go live with your integration.