How to add PayPal to Google Forms

If you want to know how to add a PayPal payment option to Google Forms, the answer is that you can’t exactly. However, there are some workarounds that make it possible.

In this post, we’ll cover some of these workarounds as well as an alternative solution.

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The QR code solution

This workaround allows your customers to pay by scanning a QR code from PayPal. You can add the QR code as an image to your Google Form for your customers to scan.

To use this solution, you’ll need to download the PayPal app on your phone. Open the app, and then tap the QR code icon in the top right of the screen, next to your avatar.

Select the Your code tab. You’ll now see a QR code for receiving personal payments to your PayPal account. If you need to request specific amounts for sales of products or services, tap Show your Seller QR code at the bottom of the screen. (Note that seller fees apply when you collect payments this way.)

Once you have your seller QR code, you can click the pencil icon to edit it. You can select Add an Amount to set the exact amount owed by the customer. You can also add a tipping option. Enter the amount you’re requesting and tap Apply Settings.

Now that you have a QR code requesting the right amount, tap the download icon to save the code as an image on your phone. Transfer the image to your computer using Google Images or by emailing it to yourself.

Once you have the QR image on the device you’re using to make your form, add it as an image to your form. Click on the image icon in the floating menu bar to add the QR code image.

The PayPal.me solution

This solution uses PayPal.me, which lets you accept payments from friends and customers quickly and easily.

PayPal.me works similarly to the QR code solution, except it uses a link instead of a QR code. You may have noticed that you can only set up one QR code at a time. That’s fine if you’re selling only one kind of item or accepting donations.

But if you want to accept more than one amount, PayPal.me is a better solution. To get started, visit the PayPal.me website and click the Create Your PayPal.me Link button.

Follow the prompts to get your link.

Once you have a link, you can place it in the form description or as an answer option in a question.

You can also add the link to an automated confirmation message. To do this, start by clicking on the Settings tab, then enable the Collect email addresses setting.

Then scroll down to Presentation. Under After submission, add payment instructions and your link in the Confirmation Message field. Click Save.

To preview your form, click the eye icon at the top of the screen to make sure everything works as expected.

The add-on solution

You can also install an add-on to Google Forms to accept payments, like Payable Forms. Payable Forms lets you add a payment question to your Google Form quickly and easily and connect to your PayPal account.

Here’s how to set it up:

1. Go to the Google Marketplace page for Payable Forms and click Install.

2. The Payable Forms add-on will now be available in your Google Forms account. To access it, click the puzzle piece icon in the upper right corner and select Payable Forms. Follow the prompts to set up.

3. Follow the prompts to connect your PayPal account.

Payable Forms is free to use, with some features available for purchase.

An easier solution: Collect payments with Jotform

While some workarounds are available, there is no simple way to add PayPal to Google Forms.

Yes, you can get paid by using the QR code or PayPal.me options, but they aren’t ideal. With the QR code, you’ll have to make sure the payment amount matches the order of the customer who filled out the form. And users will have to use two devices to submit payment: a computer to fill out the order form and a phone to scan the QR code and pay. With the PayPal.me solution, you won’t be able to set the amount of the payment.

All of the options also require users to take additional steps in the checkout process. Having an extra step in your checkout flow can prevent some customers from following through with a purchase. It’s crucial to have a smooth, simple checkout process to avoid cart abandonment.

So what’s the best solution for accepting PayPal payments through a Google Form? Use Jotform instead of Google Forms.

Jotform offers more than 40 payment integrations, including multiple PayPal integrations for personal and business use. The platform is also PCI DSS Level 1-compliant, so you and your customers can trust that payment data is secure. Plus, Jotform doesn’t charge any fees for payment collection.

Here’s how to add PayPal to a form in Jotform:

1. From your My Forms page, click on Create Form in the upper left. You can create one from scratch or choose a template to start with.

2. Click Add Form Element on the right.

3. Click the Payments tab to see the list of Jotform’s payment integrations.

4. Drag and drop the PayPal option of your choice into your form.
5. On the right side of the screen, click Connect, then follow the prompts to integrate your PayPal account with your Jotform account. You’ll also be able to add information about the product or service you’re selling in the form. This widget can also automatically calculate totals and neatly display products and their pricing.

6. Once you’ve completed the integration, users will now see a PayPal payment option at the end of your form.

Using Jotform keeps your checkout process smooth, which helps your customers feel secure and makes them more likely to complete payments. And building a form is just as easy as it is with Google Forms. Give Jotform a try today.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska