Why PayPal still matters at checkout
Buyers who don't want to share card details with a new shop often look for the PayPal button. It feels safe because they already have an account and know PayPal's buyer protection. Leaving it out can cost you exactly the hesitant buyers your ads paid to bring in.
PayPal works well as one option among several. Put it next to cards and local methods from Stripe, Mollie or Whop, and each buyer picks what they're used to.
How PayPal's fees work
PayPal charges per transaction, usually a percentage plus a fixed amount that depends on the currency. Payments from buyers in another country cost more, and currency conversion adds its own charge. Rates differ by country, so check the merchant fees page for your PayPal account.
On a Settl checkout, you pay PayPal's rates and Settl's flat monthly price. There's no per-order fee from Settl and, because the payment doesn't run through Shopify's checkout, no Shopify third-party transaction fee on top.
What buyers can pay with
Through your PayPal Business account, buyers can pay with their PayPal balance or linked bank account, with Pay Later in the countries where PayPal offers it, and with a card through PayPal.
When the buyer chooses PayPal, they approve the payment on PayPal's own secure page and come straight back to your store's confirmation. PayPal then tells Settl the payment is captured, and the order is created in Shopify.
Where PayPal fits in your payment mix
PayPal on its own rarely covers everyone. Some buyers want to pay by card without logging in anywhere, and in the Netherlands and Belgium most expect iDEAL or Bancontact. Treat PayPal as the trust option next to your main provider, not as the only way to pay.
A common setup: Stripe, Mollie or Whop for cards, wallets and local methods, and PayPal as a separate option below them. In your dashboard you drag providers into the order you want buyers to see. Check after a few weeks how many orders each one brings in, and adjust the order from there.
Payouts, holds and disputes
Money from PayPal sales lands in your PayPal Business balance. From there you transfer it to your bank account. PayPal can hold funds for a while on newer accounts or when sales suddenly jump, so plan your cash flow for your first weeks.
Disputes and refunds are handled in your PayPal account, as with any PayPal sale. Clear product descriptions, real delivery times and fast answers to buyers keep disputes low on any provider, PayPal included.
Setting up your Shopify PayPal checkout
You need a PayPal Business account. In PayPal's developer area you create a small app called “Settl” on the live side, then copy its Client ID and Secret into the Settl dashboard. Settl creates the payment notification (webhook) in that app itself.
Want to try first? Choose Sandbox mode with a sandbox app's keys, place a test order, then switch to Live with your live keys.