Using PayPal in Test Mode

Top Previous Next

Website Payments Standard, Website Payments Pro and Express Checkout solutions:

The test accounts that you set up in the PayPal Sandbox allow you to explore how PayPal works for merchants and customers. To find out about the merchant's side of the matter, you need to log in to the Sandbox as a user of the 'Business' type. To make test PayPal payments and to learn about the customer's side of the matter, you need to log in to the Sandbox using a 'Personal' account.

Important: In the test mode, to pay for an order using a PayPal payment method, you need to be logged in to Developer Central. Developer Central sessions time out quickly, so it is recommended you log in to Developer Central shortly before going to checkout. The recommended method for logging in to Developer Central is to open a new window in the web browser being used for viewing the store directly before you click the Checkout button on the Shopping cart page and to use that window for logging in to Developer Central. Please note that, if you happen to go to checkout without previously logging in to Developer Central, or if your Developer Central session expires by the time you begin checking out, you will be able to complete checkout, but the process will be a little less streamlined (After selecting PayPal as a payment method and clicking the Submit order button, you will be offered to log in to Developer Central. After logging in, you will be supposed to click the Back button of your web browser several times to return to the store's 'Place order' page. There you will need to click the Submit order button again to resume the checkout process.)

Website Payments Pro Payflow Edition solution:

The first time you log in to PayPal Manager, you are in Test status (the Home page of PayPal Manager indicates this). This means that you can run mock or test transactions to familiarize yourself with PayPal Manager and make sure your account is set up correctly. These test transactions are not sent to financial institutions for processing, and no money trades hands.

When you are ready to run actual transactions, you will change to Active, or Live status. To change to Active status or see which status you are in, go to the Home page of PayPal Manager and look at the 'Your Account Status' section on the right side. Even after your account is active, you can still perform test transactions if necessary.

At any time, you can activate your account (change to Live status) by clicking the Activate Your Account button on the Home page.

Make sure you have an internet merchant account before you activate your PayPal services account. Otherwise, your live transactions will fail.