Credit Card Settings
The PayPal Credit Card Settings page is where you configure advanced credit card processing capabilities for your WooCommerce store. This powerful feature allows customers to pay with credit and debit cards directly through PayPal's secure payment processing system without requiring a PayPal account.
Here you'll set up direct card processing, configure 3D Secure authentication for enhanced security, enable Fastlane by PayPal for streamlined checkout experiences, and customize card form options. This payment method renders a secure credit card form directly on your checkout pages, allowing customers to enter their card details without being redirected to PayPal's website - a clear distinction from the standard PayPal checkout experience.
If Advanced Card Processing is not enabled for your account, you will see the following notice on the checkout page:
To enable Advanced Card Processing, log into developer.paypal.com, navigate to Apps & Credentials, click your application, and under "Features" check "Advanced Card Processing". Once enabled, the credit card form will appear on your checkout page.
General Settings
Enabled
Enable this option to activate credit card processing on your WooCommerce store. When enabled, customers can pay with their credit or debit cards directly through PayPal's payment processing system without needing a PayPal account. This payment method appears alongside other payment options during checkout.
Default: Disabled
Screenshot showing the credit card gateway on the checkout page
Title
This setting controls the display name for the credit card payment method that customers see during checkout. The title appears in the payment method selection area and helps customers identify this payment option. A clear, descriptive title like "Credit/Debit Cards" helps customers understand they can pay with their cards directly.
Default: Credit/Debit Cards
Description
This optional text appears below the credit card payment method title when customers select it during checkout. Use this space to provide additional context about the card payment option, such as security information or accepted card types. This can help build customer confidence in using this payment method.
Default: Empty
Transaction Type
This setting determines how PayPal processes credit card payments when customers complete their purchase. Choose "Capture" to immediately collect funds when the order is placed, or "Authorize" to place a hold on the customer's card that you can capture later. Authorized transactions are useful for businesses that need to verify inventory or process orders before charging customers.
Default: Capture
Authorized Order Status
When using the "Authorize" transaction type, this setting controls what order status WooCommerce assigns to new orders. The "On Hold" status is typically used for authorized payments since the funds are reserved but not yet captured. You can capture authorized payments later from the order details page in your WooCommerce admin, or you can control the status that triggers the capture request in the Advanced Settings.
Default: On Hold
Button Text
Customize the text that appears on the Place Order button when the credit card payment method is selected. This personalized text helps customers understand they're about to pay with their card through PayPal's secure processing. Leave this field empty to use WooCommerce's default button text.
Default: Empty (uses WooCommerce default)
Payment Method Format
This setting controls how saved credit card payment methods appear in your customer's account and during checkout. The format determines what information is displayed, such as card type and the last four digits of the card number. This helps customers identify their saved payment methods easily.
Default: Type ending in (e.g., "Visa ending in 1234")
Payment method format on the checkout page
Payment method on the order received page
Card Icons
Select which credit card icons appear next to the payment method title during checkout. These visual indicators help customers quickly identify that their preferred card type is accepted. Displaying relevant card icons can increase customer confidence and reduce payment abandonment.
Default: Amex, Discover, Visa, MasterCard
Card Form Options
Card Save Enabled
When enabled, customers will have the option to save their credit card information securely for future purchases. This feature requires vaulting to be enabled in the Advanced Settings page. Saved cards improve the checkout experience for returning customers by eliminating the need to re-enter card details.
Default: Enabled
Screenshot showing the save card checkbox that displays when this option is enabled
Enable Cardholder Name
When enabled, the credit card form will display a cardholder name input field. This additional field can help with fraud prevention and ensures the card information matches the billing details. Some businesses prefer to collect this information for verification purposes.
Default: Enabled
Cardholder Name Required
When enabled, the cardholder name field will be required. If it's left blank, a validation error will display informing the customer that it's required.
Default Disabled
If cardholder name is not required, the placeholder will show it's optional
Validation showing required cardholder name field with incomplete value
3D Secure Options
When testing 3D Secure functionality, PayPal provides specific test card numbers and scenarios that trigger different authentication flows. You can find comprehensive testing instructions and test card numbers in PayPal's 3D Secure testing documentation.
Enable 3DS
When enabled, 3D Secure authentication will be triggered when required by the customer's bank or card issuer. 3D Secure adds an extra layer of security to online card transactions by requiring customers to authenticate with their bank. This helps protect against fraudulent transactions and can reduce chargeback liability.
Default: Enabled
Force 3DS
When enabled, 3D Secure authentication will be forced for all transactions when supported by the customer's card and bank. This provides maximum security but may create additional friction in the checkout process. Only enable this if your business requires the highest level of authentication for all transactions.
Default: Disabled
Configure 3DS
This advanced setting allows you to configure specific 3D Secure actions and parameters. These configurations control how 3D Secure challenges are presented to customers and how authentication results are handled. See the PayPal 3D Secure documentation for a table showing the recommended configurations, which are also the plugin defaults.
Default: Default PayPal 3DS configuration
Screenshot showing the 3DS configuration modal that's available on the Credit Card Settings page
Fastlane by PayPal
Fastlane Enabled
Enable Fastlane by PayPal, a streamlined checkout experience available for US PayPal Business accounts. When enabled, Fastlane recognizes returning customers and pre-fills their information, creating a faster, more convenient checkout process. This feature can significantly reduce checkout time and improve conversion rates.
Default: Disabled
Fastlane must be enabled within the PayPal Plugins settings and within the PayPal developer console.
Fastlane Type
Choose how Fastlane appears to your customers. "Express Checkout Button" displays a dedicated Fastlane button for quick checkout, while "Email Recognition" uses dynamic email detection to automatically recognize returning customers and offer the Fastlane experience. Email recognition provides a more seamless integration with your existing checkout flow.
Default: Email Recognition
Email recognition with the PayPal fastlane icon rendered below the email field
Fastlane enabled as an express checkout option
Fastlane Signup Link
When enabled and using Email Recognition, a signup button appears above the credit card form on the checkout page. This allows new customers to easily sign up for Fastlane during their first purchase, enabling faster checkouts for future orders. The signup process is quick and doesn't interrupt the current purchase.
Default: Enabled
The Fastlane signup link which renders with the credit card form
The Fastlane signup modal that shows when the signup link is clicked
Authenticate On Page Load
When enabled and the billing email is pre-populated, the plugin will attempt to authenticate the user when the checkout page loads. This provides an even smoother experience for returning Fastlane customers by recognizing them immediately. If the customer is not logged into their PayPal account, they will receive a text message with a verification code.
Default: Disabled
Step 1: Plugin recognizes the customer's email is signed up with Fastlane and presents verification code modal
Step 2: If the cart requires shipping, the customer will be prompted to select an address on file
Step 3: The customer's payment method will be displayed in the credit card gateway payment method section
Fastlane Icon Enabled
When enabled, a Fastlane by PayPal icon will render below the email field on the checkout page.
Default Enabled
Screenshot of the icon that is rendered when this option is enabled
Email At Top
When enabled, the email field appears at the top of the checkout page, which is optimal for Fastlane's email recognition functionality. This setting only applies when using the checkout shortcode on your site. Positioning the email field at the top allows Fastlane to identify returning customers earlier in the checkout process.
Default: Enabled