io.github.paypal/paypal-mcp-server

Official

by paypal · JavaScript

A command line tool for setting up PayPal MCP server

Command-line tool for setting up and configuring PayPal MCP server.

PayPal Model Context Protocol

The PayPal Model Context Protocol server allows you to integrate with PayPal APIs through function calling. This protocol supports various tools to interact with different PayPal services.

To run the PayPal MCP server using npx, use the following command:

bash

npx -y @paypal/mcp --tools=all PAYPAL_ACCESS_TOKEN="YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" PAYPAL_ENVIRONMENT="SANDBOX"

Replace YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN with your PayPal access token. Refer this on how to generate a PayPal access token. Alternatively, you could set the PAYPAL_ACCESS_TOKEN in your environment variables.

Usage with MCP host (Claude Desktop/Cline/Cursor/GitHub Copilot)

This guide explains how to integrate the PayPal connector with Claude Desktop.

Prerequisites

Claude Desktop application installed
installing Node.js locally

Installation Steps

1. Install Node.js

Node.js is required for the PayPal connector to function:

Visit the Node.js official website, download and install it.
Requirements: Node 18+

2. Configure PayPal Connector with MCP host (Claude desktop / Cursor / Cline)

We will show the integration with Claude desktop. You can use your favorite MCP host.

Open Claude Desktop
Navigate to Settings
Find the Developer or Advanced settings section
Locate the external tools or connectors configuration area
Add the following PayPal connector configuration to this ~/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json:

json

{
   "mcpServers": {
     "paypal": {
       "command": "npx",
       "args": [
         "-y",
         "@paypal/mcp",
         "--tools=all"
       ],
       "env": {
         "PAYPAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "YOUR_PAYPAL_ACCESS_TOKEN",
         "PAYPAL_ENVIRONMENT": "SANDBOX"
       }
     }
   }
}

Make sure to replace YOUR_PAYPAL_ACCESS_TOKEN with your actual PayPal Access Token. Alternatively, you could set the PAYPAL_ACCESS_TOKEN as an environment variable. You can also pass it as an argument using --access-token in "args" Set PAYPAL_ENVIRONMENT value as either SANDBOX for stage testing and PRODUCTION for production environment.

Save your configuration changes

3. Test the Integration

Quit and restart Claude Desktop to apply changes
Test the connection by asking Claude to perform a PayPal-related task
- Example: "List my PayPal invoices"

Available tools

Invoices

create_invoice: Create a new invoice in the PayPal system
list_invoices: List invoices with optional pagination and filtering
get_invoice: Retrieve details of a specific invoice
send_invoice: Send an invoice to recipients
send_invoice_reminder: Send a reminder for an existing invoice
cancel_sent_invoice: Cancel a sent invoice
generate_invoice_qr_code: Generate a QR code for an invoice

Payments

create_order: Create an order in PayPal system based on provided details
get_order: Retrieve the details of an order
pay_order: Process payment for an authorized order
create_refund: Process a refund for a captured payment.
get_refund: Get the details for a specific refund.

Dispute Management

list_disputes: Retrieve a summary of all open disputes
get_dispute: Retrieve detailed information of a specific dispute
accept_dispute_claim: Accept a dispute claim

Shipment Tracking

create_shipment_tracking: Create a shipment tracking record
get_shipment_tracking: Retrieve shipment tracking information

Catalog Management

create_product: Create a new product in the PayPal catalog
list_products: List products with optional pagination and filtering
show_product_details: Retrieve details of a specific product
update_product: Update an existing product

Subscription Management

create_subscription_plan: Create a new subscription plan
update_plan: Update an existing plan
list_subscription_plans: List subscription plans
show_subscription_plan_details: Retrieve details of a specific subscription plan
create_subscription: Create a new subscription
show_subscription_details: Retrieve details of a specific subscription
update_subscription: update an existing subscription
cancel_subscription: Cancel an active subscription

Reporting and Insights

list_transactions: List transactions with optional pagination and filtering

Environment Variables

The following environment variables can be used:

PAYPAL_ACCESS_TOKEN: Your PayPal Access Token
PAYPAL_ENVIRONMENT: Set to SANDBOX for sandbox mode, PRODUCTION for production (defaults to SANDBOX mode)

This guide explains how to generate an access token for PayPal API integration, including how to find your client ID and client secret.

Prerequisites

PayPal Developer account (for Sandbox)
PayPal Business account (for production)

Finding Your Client ID and Client Secret

Create a PayPal Developer Account:
- Go to PayPal Developer Dashboard
- Sign up or log in with your PayPal credentials
Access Your Credentials:
- In the Developer Dashboard, click on Apps & Credentials in the menu
- Switch between Sandbox and Live modes depending on your needs
Create or View an App:
- To create a new app, click Create App
- Give your app a name and select a Business account to associate with it
- For existing apps, click on the app name to view details
Retrieve Credentials:
- Once your app is created or selected, you'll see a screen with your:
  - Client ID: A public identifier for your app
  - Client Secret: A private key (shown after clicking "Show")
- Save these credentials securely as they are required for generating access tokens

Generating an Access Token

Using cURL

bash

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

Replace CLIENT_ID and CLIENT_SECRET with your actual credentials. For production, use https://api-m.paypal.com instead of the sandbox URL.

Using Postman

Create a new request to https://api-m.sandbox.paypal.com/v1/oauth2/token
Set method to POST
Under Authorization, select Basic Auth and enter your Client ID and Client Secret
Under Body, select x-www-form-urlencoded and add a key grant_type with value client_credentials
Send the request

Response

A successful response will look like:

json

{
  "scope": "...",
  "access_token": "Your Access Token",
  "token_type": "Bearer",
  "app_id": "APP-80W284485P519543T",
  "expires_in": 32400,
  "nonce": "..."
}

Copy the access_token value for use in your Claude Desktop integration.

Token Details

Sandbox Tokens: Valid for 3-8 hours
Production Tokens: Valid for 8 hours
It's recommended to implement token refresh logic before expiration

Using the Token with Claude Desktop

Once you have your access token, update the PAYPAL_ACCESS_TOKEN value in your Claude Desktop connector configuration:

json

{
  "env": {
    "PAYPAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "YOUR_NEW_ACCESS_TOKEN",
    "PAYPAL_ENVIRONMENT": "SANDBOX"
  }
}

Best Practices

Store client ID and client secret securely
Implement token refresh logic to handle token expiration
Use environment-specific tokens (sandbox for testing, production for real transactions)
Avoid hardcoding tokens in application code

Disclaimer

@paypal/mcp provides access to AI-generated content that may be inaccurate or incomplete. Users are responsible for independently verifying any information before relying on it. PayPal makes no guarantees regarding output accuracy and is not liable for any decisions, actions, or consequences resulting from its use.

Install

Configuration

Environment variables

PAYPAL_ACCESS_TOKENrequiredsecret

YOUR_PAYPAL_ACCESS_TOKEN ref: https://docs.paypal.ai/developer/how-to/api/get-started

PAYPAL_ENVIRONMENTrequired

'SANDBOX' or 'LIVE'

claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "paypal-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@paypal/mcp@1.8.1"
      ],
      "env": {
        "PAYPAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "<YOUR_PAYPAL_ACCESS_TOKEN>",
        "PAYPAL_ENVIRONMENT": "<YOUR_PAYPAL_ENVIRONMENT>"
      }
    }
  }
}