Get Started

Get started integrating the PayPal Commerce Platform by getting your API credentials and sandbox account information.

Get API credentials

Your API credentials are a client ID and secret, which authenticate API requests from your account. While you're developing code, use these credentials when you test API calls in our sandbox (test) environment. You get these credentials from a REST API app in the Developer Dashboard.

To get these credentials:

with your PayPal account.
Under the DASHBOARD menu, select My Apps & Credentials.
Make sure you're on the Sandbox tab to get the API credentials you'll use while you're developing code. After you test and before you go live, switch to the Live tab to get live credentials.

Note: Live credentials are only available to approved marketplaces and platforms. If you are interested in becoming an approved marketplace or platform, fill out the PayPal Marketplaces and Platforms form. Without this approval, calling the PayPal Commerce Platform for Marketplaces and Platforms APIs with your live credentials results in the HTTP status code of 401 Unauthorized. Calling the PayPal Commerce Platform for Marketplaces and Platforms APIs with your sandbox credentials does not require approval.

Select Create App.
Under App Type select Platform - Move payments to sellers as a platform (marketplace, crowdfunding, or e-commerce platform).
Select Create App.

Step result

The page displays your API credentials, including your client ID and secret.

Exchange your API credentials for an access token

Your access token authorizes you to use the PayPal REST API server. To call a REST API in your integration, exchange your client ID and secret for an access token.

You can make the API call in any programming language. The following sections explain how to get your access token using cURL or Postman.

Note: Platform App Type is only available in the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, France, Canada, and Australia. For other countries, first create a REST app. Then, contact PayPal for approval to access sandbox and go live.

cURL

Copy the following code and modify it.

curl -v POST https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v1/oauth2/token \
  -H "Accept: application/json" \
  -H "Accept-Language: en_US" \
  -u "CLIENT_ID:SECRET" \
  -d "grant_type=client_credentials"

Change CLIENT_ID to your client ID.
Change SECRET to your secret.

Postman

In the Postman app, complete the following:

Set the verb to POST.
Enter https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v1/oauth2/token as the request URL.
Select the Authorization tab.
From the TYPE list, select Basic Auth.
In the Username field, enter your client ID.
In the Password field, enter your secret.
Select the Body tab.
Select the x-www-form-urlencoded option.
In the KEY field, enter grant_type.
In the VALUE field, enter client_credentials.
Select Send.

Step result

PayPal returns an access token and the number of seconds the access token is valid. When you make calls to a REST API, include the access token in the Authorization header with the designation as Bearer. Reuse the access token until it expires.

When your token expires, call the v1/oauth2/token method again to request a new token.

Sample response

{
    "scope": "https://uri.paypal.com/services/invoicing https://uri.paypal.com/services/disputes/read-buyer https://uri.paypal.com/services/payments/realtimepayment https://uri.paypal.com/services/disputes/update-seller https://uri.paypal.com/services/payments/payment/authcapture openid https://uri.paypal.com/services/disputes/read-seller https://uri.paypal.com/services/payments/refund https://api-m.paypal.com/v1/vault/credit-card https://api-m.paypal.com/v1/payments/.* https://uri.paypal.com/payments/payouts https://api-m.paypal.com/v1/vault/credit-card/.* https://uri.paypal.com/services/subscriptions https://uri.paypal.com/services/applications/webhooks",
    "access_token": "A21AAFEpH4PsADK7qSS7pSRsgzfENtu-Q1ysgEDVDESseMHBYXVJYE8ovjj68elIDy8nF26AwPhfXTIeWAZHSLIsQkSYz9ifg",
    "token_type": "Bearer",
    "app_id": "APP-80W284485P519543T",
    "expires_in": 31668,
    "nonce": "2020-04-03T15:35:36ZaYZlGvEkV4yVSz8g6bAKFoGSEzuy3CQcz3ljhibkOHg"
}

Get sandbox account information

Use your sandbox accounts to test purchases without affecting real money. For example, when you initiate a purchase through a sandbox account, PayPal creates a test purchase that simulates a purchase in the live environment.

To test purchases, you need login information for your personal and business sandbox accounts. To get that account information:

with your PayPal account.
In the Developer Dashboard, under SANDBOX, select Accounts.
Under Account Name, find your personal sandbox account.
Under Manage Accounts, select the (...) button for your personal account.
Select View/Edit Account to display your email ID and a system-generated password.
Repeat these steps for the business account.

Once you have your sandbox login information, use your sandbox to test the result of API calls while you're developing. With your login, you can:

Log into the sandbox with your personal sandbox login information to simulate a buyer making a payment.
Log into the sandbox with your business sandbox login information to simulate the merchant receiving the payment.

Code and credential reference

Here are the codes and credentials you use when integrating and testing your integration:

Item, Description, How to find
Item	Description	How to find
`Client ID (sandbox)`	Used to generate the access token required to make PayPal API calls in sandbox.	with your PayPal account. Under the DASHBOARD menu, select My Apps & Credentials.
`Client ID (live)`	Used to generate the access token required to make PayPal API calls in production.	with your PayPal account. Under the DASHBOARD menu, select My Apps & Credentials. Select the Live tab. Note: Live credentials are only available to approved marketplaces and platforms. If you are interested in becoming an approved marketplace or platform, fill out the PayPal Marketplaces and Platforms form. Without this approval, calling the PayPal Commerce Platform for Marketplaces and Platforms APIs with your live credentials results in the HTTP status code of `401 Unauthorized`. Calling the PayPal Commerce Platform for Marketplaces and Platforms APIs with your sandbox credentials does not require approval.
`BN Code`	Used in your API requests to identify the caller as a PayPal partner. Required for PayPal reporting. See PayPal-Partner-Attribution-Id for more information.	with your PayPal account. Under the DASHBOARD menu, select My Apps & Credentials. Select your app. Under APP SETTINGS, view BN code.
`partner-merchant-id`	The partner merchant id or payer ID is a unique identifier assigned to every PayPal account. This value does not change over the life of the PayPal account. You need a PayPal account for yourself (which has one payer ID), and each of your sellers need their own PayPal accounts (which have their own unique payer IDs).	with your PayPal account. In the Developer Dashboard, under SANDBOX, select Accounts. Under Account Name, find your sandbox account. Under Manage Accounts, select the (...) button for your account. Select View/Edit Account to display your account ID.
`seller-merchant-id`	The seller's payer ID associated with their merchant PayPal account. You find this value the same way you find the `partner-merchant-id`.	with your PayPal account. In the Developer Dashboard, under SANDBOX, select Accounts. Under Account Name, find your sandbox account. Under Manage Accounts, select the (...) button for your account. Select View/Edit Account to display your account ID.

Next steps

You can now use your API credentials and sandbox account information to start your integration.

Note: For partners, please fill out this form to gain access to live API credentials and a representative will be in touch shortly to assist you.

Get API credentials

To get these credentials:

with your PayPal account.
Under the DASHBOARD menu, select My Apps & Credentials.
Make sure you're on the Sandbox tab to get the API credentials you'll use while you're developing code. After you test and before you go live, switch to the Live tab to get live credentials.

Select Create App.
Under App Type select Platform - Move payments to sellers as a platform (marketplace, crowdfunding, or e-commerce platform).
Select Create App.

Step result

The page displays your API credentials, including your client ID and secret.

Exchange your API credentials for an access token

Your access token authorizes you to use the PayPal REST API server. To call a REST API in your integration, exchange your client ID and secret for an access token.

You can make the API call in any programming language. The following sections explain how to get your access token using cURL or Postman.

cURL

Copy the following code and modify it.

curl -v POST https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v1/oauth2/token \
  -H "Accept: application/json" \
  -H "Accept-Language: en_US" \
  -u "CLIENT_ID:SECRET" \
  -d "grant_type=client_credentials"

Change CLIENT_ID to your client ID.
Change SECRET to your secret.

Postman

In the Postman app, complete the following:

Set the verb to POST.
Enter https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v1/oauth2/token as the request URL.
Select the Authorization tab.
From the TYPE list, select Basic Auth.
In the Username field, enter your client ID.
In the Password field, enter your secret.
Select the Body tab.
Select the x-www-form-urlencoded option.
In the KEY field, enter grant_type.
In the VALUE field, enter client_credentials.
Select Send.

Step result

When your token expires, call the v1/oauth2/token method again to request a new token.

Sample response

{
    "scope": "https://uri.paypal.com/services/invoicing https://uri.paypal.com/services/disputes/read-buyer https://uri.paypal.com/services/payments/realtimepayment https://uri.paypal.com/services/disputes/update-seller https://uri.paypal.com/services/payments/payment/authcapture openid https://uri.paypal.com/services/disputes/read-seller https://uri.paypal.com/services/payments/refund https://api-m.paypal.com/v1/vault/credit-card https://api-m.paypal.com/v1/payments/.* https://uri.paypal.com/payments/payouts https://api-m.paypal.com/v1/vault/credit-card/.* https://uri.paypal.com/services/subscriptions https://uri.paypal.com/services/applications/webhooks",
    "access_token": "A21AAFEpH4PsADK7qSS7pSRsgzfENtu-Q1ysgEDVDESseMHBYXVJYE8ovjj68elIDy8nF26AwPhfXTIeWAZHSLIsQkSYz9ifg",
    "token_type": "Bearer",
    "app_id": "APP-80W284485P519543T",
    "expires_in": 31668,
    "nonce": "2020-04-03T15:35:36ZaYZlGvEkV4yVSz8g6bAKFoGSEzuy3CQcz3ljhibkOHg"
}

Get sandbox account information

To test purchases, you need login information for your personal and business sandbox accounts. To get that account information:

with your PayPal account.
In the Developer Dashboard, under SANDBOX, select Accounts.
Under Account Name, find your personal sandbox account.
Under Manage Accounts, select the (...) button for your personal account.
Select View/Edit Account to display your email ID and a system-generated password.
Repeat these steps for the business account.

Once you have your sandbox login information, use your sandbox to test the result of API calls while you're developing. With your login, you can:

Log into the sandbox with your personal sandbox login information to simulate a buyer making a payment.
Log into the sandbox with your business sandbox login information to simulate the merchant receiving the payment.

Code and credential reference

Here are the codes and credentials you use when integrating and testing your integration:

Item, Description, How to find
Item	Description	How to find
`Client ID (sandbox)`	Used to generate the access token required to make PayPal API calls in sandbox.	with your PayPal account. Under the DASHBOARD menu, select My Apps & Credentials.
`Client ID (live)`	Used to generate the access token required to make PayPal API calls in production.	with your PayPal account. Under the DASHBOARD menu, select My Apps & Credentials. Select the Live tab. Note: Live credentials are only available to approved marketplaces and platforms. If you are interested in becoming an approved marketplace or platform, fill out the PayPal Marketplaces and Platforms form. Without this approval, calling the PayPal Commerce Platform for Marketplaces and Platforms APIs with your live credentials results in the HTTP status code of `401 Unauthorized`. Calling the PayPal Commerce Platform for Marketplaces and Platforms APIs with your sandbox credentials does not require approval.
`BN Code`	Used in your API requests to identify the caller as a PayPal partner. Required for PayPal reporting. See PayPal-Partner-Attribution-Id for more information.	with your PayPal account. Under the DASHBOARD menu, select My Apps & Credentials. Select your app. Under APP SETTINGS, view BN code.
`partner-merchant-id`	The partner merchant id or payer ID is a unique identifier assigned to every PayPal account. This value does not change over the life of the PayPal account. You need a PayPal account for yourself (which has one payer ID), and each of your sellers need their own PayPal accounts (which have their own unique payer IDs).	with your PayPal account. In the Developer Dashboard, under SANDBOX, select Accounts. Under Account Name, find your sandbox account. Under Manage Accounts, select the (...) button for your account. Select View/Edit Account to display your account ID.
`seller-merchant-id`	The seller's payer ID associated with their merchant PayPal account. You find this value the same way you find the `partner-merchant-id`.	with your PayPal account. In the Developer Dashboard, under SANDBOX, select Accounts. Under Account Name, find your sandbox account. Under Manage Accounts, select the (...) button for your account. Select View/Edit Account to display your account ID.

Next steps

You can now use your API credentials and sandbox account information to start your integration.

Note: For partners, please fill out this form to gain access to live API credentials and a representative will be in touch shortly to assist you.

Get Started

Get API credentials

Step result

Exchange your API credentials for an access token

cURL

Postman

Step result

Sample response

Get sandbox account information

Code and credential reference

Next steps

See also

On this page

On this page

On this page

Get Started

Get API credentials

Step result

Exchange your API credentials for an access token

cURL

Postman

Step result

Sample response

Get sandbox account information

Code and credential reference

Next steps

See also

On this page

On this page

Get Started

On this page

On this page

On this page

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Get Started

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