Donations via PayPal

81 Quality Score

Active Installs

19/30

With 20,000 active installs, it has a modest but real user base, much smaller than the top alternatives in the directory.

Update Freshness

25/25

Updated on 2026-03-27 and tested against WordPress 7.0, so the code is clearly being kept current with recent releases.

User Rating

14/15

A 94 out of 100 from 27 reviewers is a strong score, though the small sample size means it should be weighed carefully.

Support Health

8/15

Zero support threads in the record, both open and resolved, suggests either very few issues arise or the support channel is not actively used.

WP Compatibility

15/15

Tested with WordPress 7.0 and requiring only 5.5, it covers an unusually wide range of installations.

Scores higher than 83% of indexed plugins

About

Easy, simple setup to add a PayPal Donation button as a Widget or with a shortcode.

Active Installs 20k+

Rating ★★★★½ 4.7/5

Last Updated 2026-08-17 6:15am GMT

Requires WordPress 5.5+

Tested Up To 7.1

Security History

1 known vulnerability, all patched

1 Medium

Most recent: November 4, 2022

View details ▸

What It Does

Donations via PayPal adds a configurable PayPal donation button to your WordPress site, usable either as a sidebar widget or embedded anywhere via a shortcode. Setup is minimal: you enter your PayPal email or sandbox credentials, choose a button style, and the plugin generates the call-to-action without requiring a full e-commerce system. It is a lightweight tool focused on a single job, accepting one-time donations through PayPal.

Who It's For

This plugin fits small nonprofits, religious groups, community projects, and individual creators who only need a simple PayPal donate button and nothing more. It works well on sites without WooCommerce or other checkout layers where adding a full donation platform would be overkill. If your fundraising needs are modest and your donors are comfortable paying through PayPal's hosted flow, this is a sensible fit.

Who Should Skip It

Skip it if you need recurring donations, donor management, tax receipts, or detailed reporting, since this plugin handles only the basic one-time button. Anyone running a WooCommerce shop should use a PayPal WooCommerce extension instead, which integrates payments into a real checkout. Larger nonprofits that need CRM integration or gift aid will also outgrow this quickly.

The Bottom Line

Donations via PayPal delivers exactly what its name promises: a quick, lightweight PayPal donate button with no extra bloat. With an overall quality score of 80.86 out of 100 and recent maintenance, it is a safe pick for very simple use cases. Anyone with more advanced fundraising requirements should look at the WooCommerce PayPal alternative instead.

Pick this instead if you already run WooCommerce and want donation or payment processing integrated into your existing checkout and order system.

Shortcodes Ultimate - Content Elements 93/100

Choose this if you need donation buttons plus a broader library of content shortcodes for layout, buttons, and visual elements beyond just PayPal.

Widgets for Google Reviews 94/100

Select this if your site actually needs Google Reviews widgets rather than donation functionality, since the two serve completely different purposes.

Rich Showcase for Google Reviews 90/100

Another review-display alternative with no overlap for donations, useful only if you are reconsidering your widget needs altogether.

WP Popular Posts 89/100

Unrelated to donations but a strong option for sites that want to showcase popular content alongside any fundraising widget.