Using PayPal on Your Website: What to Know & How to Fix Common Errors

PayPal is a popular payment processor for both personal and business use. On websites, PayPal can work in a few different ways depending on the plugin you’re using. This article explains the basics, common issues, and how to fix the “Things don’t appear to be working at the moment” error.

How PayPal connects to your site

1. PayPal Standard (Buttons / Redirect):
2. Many form plugins (e.g., Fluent Forms Pro) send customers to PayPal via a simple “button” or redirect.
3. Fast to set up (usually just an email address), but fewer features.
4. PayPal API / Checkout (Smart Buttons):
5. Appointment/commerce plugins (e.g., Amelia) use PayPal’s API.
6. Requires API credentials, supports more features and tends to be more reliable.

Note: It’s normal for one plugin (API-based) to work while another (Standard) fails if account settings block non‑API payments.

Quick checklist before you go live

1. ✅ The correct PayPal account email is set in the plugin.
2. ✅ The PayPal account is Business (not Personal) and verified.
3. ✅ The plugin is in Live mode (not Sandbox/Test).
4. ✅ Currency in the plugin matches a supported currency on the PayPal account.
5. ✅ No account limitations or unresolved compliance requests inside PayPal.

When to consider Stripe (or PayPal API Checkout)

1. You want a smoother on‑site checkout with fewer redirects.
2. You need features like Apple Pay / Google Pay, or more advanced fraud tools.
3. Your PayPal Standard setup continues to cause friction.

We can enable Stripe or switch plugins to use PayPal Checkout (API/Smart Buttons) for a more reliable flow.

Granting us access (optional)

If you’d like us to make the changes for you:

1. Log in to PayPal ➜ Account Settings (gear) ➜ Account access / Users & Roles.
2. Add a user and assign appropriate permissions (e.g., “Website preferences,” “API access,” “Payments”).
3. Send us the invite; we’ll handle the configuration.

FAQs

Do customers need a PayPal account?

Not necessarily. If “Pay with debit or credit card” is enabled in your region, customers can pay without logging in.

Why does one plugin connected to PayPal work but another plugin doesn’t?

It is possible that the one that works uses PayPal’s API and the other is using PayPal Standard. If non‑encrypted payments are blocked, Standard fails while API still works.

Is turning off the block insecure?

Your site already uses HTTPS. For most small businesses, allowing Standard buttons is acceptable and is the recommended fix when not using EWP.

Troubleshooting

Fixing the “Things don’t appear to be working at the moment” error

This usually happens when the PayPal account is blocking non‑encrypted website payments while your form is using PayPal Standard (unencrypted buttons).

Solution: Turn off the block on non‑encrypted payments in PayPal’s Website Preferences.

1. Follow the short video tutorial here: Watch the step‑by‑step tutorial »

If you still see the error after that:

1. Make sure the account has no limitations.
2. Confirm the primary email address is confirmed inside PayPal.
3. Try a different browser or incognito to rule out cached credentials.
4. If needed, contact PayPal Business Support and say: “Please ensure my account does not block non‑encrypted website payments for PayPal Standard buttons.”

Need help?

1. Watch the tutorial: Fix the PayPal error: “Things don’t appear to be working…” »
2. Want us to handle it? We can make the changes for you and test checkout end‑to‑end.