Skip to main content
OJS for Everyone Logo
OJS for EveryoneThe Practical GuidebookRSYN Research LLP

Tutorial: PayPal Payment Gateway Setup

Role: Journal Manager
Time: 20–30 minutes
OJS Version: 3.5+

OJS includes a built-in PayPal Payment Plugin that allows your journal to accept payments for Article Processing Charges (APCs), subscription fees, and other journal charges via PayPal.

Before You Start​

  • You have Journal Manager access in OJS.
  • You have a PayPal Business account at paypal.com. A personal account is not sufficient.
  • You have enabled Payments in OJS Distribution settings (see Step 1).

Step 1 — Enable Payments in OJS​

  1. Go to Settings → Distribution → Payments.
  2. Toggle Payments to Enabled.
  3. Select your currency (e.g., USD, EUR).
  4. Click Save.

Step 2 — Enable the PayPal Plugin​

  1. Go to Settings → Website → Plugins → Installed Plugins.
  2. Find PayPal Fee Payment in the list (under Payment Plugins).
  3. Toggle to Enabled.
  4. Click the Settings icon next to the plugin.

Step 3 — Configure PayPal Credentials​

You will need PayPal API credentials:

Step 3a — Get PayPal API Credentials​

  1. Log in to your PayPal Business account.
  2. Go to Account Settings → API access → NVP/SOAP API integration (Classic).
  3. Click Manage API credentials.
  4. Note your API Username, API Password, and Signature.

Step 3b — Enter in OJS​

In the PayPal Plugin Settings:

FieldValue
Test modeEnable during setup; disable for live payments
PayPal accountYour PayPal Business email address
API usernameFrom PayPal API credentials
API passwordFrom PayPal API credentials
SignatureFrom PayPal API credentials

Click Save.

Step 4 — Configure Payment Types​

Define what your journal charges for:

  1. Go to Settings → Distribution → Payments.
  2. Under Author Fees, set an APC amount if applicable.
  3. Under Reader Fees, configure subscription pricing if applicable.
  4. Under General Fees, add any other charges.
  5. Click Save.

Step 5 — Test the Payment Flow​

  1. In PayPal Plugin Settings, ensure Test mode is enabled.
  2. Submit a test article as an author.
  3. At the payment step, you will be redirected to PayPal Sandbox.
  4. Use a PayPal Sandbox test account to complete the payment.
  5. Verify the payment appears in the OJS submission record.
  6. Once confirmed, disable Test mode to go live.
warning

Never process real payments while in test mode. Disable test mode and re-enter production API credentials before going live.

Step 6 — PayPal Express Checkout (Alternative)​

For a simpler setup without API credentials, you can configure PayPal Express Checkout:

  1. In the PayPal Plugin, use your PayPal Business email as the account.
  2. Leave API fields blank — OJS will redirect to PayPal standard checkout.

This method is simpler but provides fewer integration features.

Troubleshooting​

ProblemSolution
Payment button not appearingCheck that Payments are enabled in Distribution settings
PayPal redirects but returns an errorVerify API credentials; ensure test/live mode matches your credentials
Currency mismatchEnsure the OJS currency setting matches your PayPal account currency
PayPal account not accepting paymentsEnsure your PayPal account is a Business account and is verified

Next Steps​