Recurring paypal donation

Question

I have a webpage in which I would like to integrate a recurring donation .

I have the following HTML code, which allows a user to insert any amount, and click donate to submit that sum.

What I would like is a thick box that once pressed, will make that amount recurring. As a mention, I have a business account on paypal.

<form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post" target="_top">
    <input type="hidden" name="cmd" value="_donations">
    <input type="hidden" name="business" value="email@domain-x.com">
    <input type="hidden" name="lc" value="US">
    <input type="hidden" name="item_name" value="Widget Fund">
    <input type="hidden" name="item_number" value="W-001">
    <input type="hidden" name="no_note" value="0">
    <input type="hidden" name="cn" value="Add special instructions to the seller:">
    <input type="hidden" name="no_shipping" value="2">
    <input type="hidden" name="currency_code" value="USD">
    <!-- --><br />
    Please enter your donation amount: (Example - 10.00)<br />
    <input type="text" name="amount" size="5"><br />
    <input type="hidden" name="bn" value="PP-DonationsBF:btn_donateCC_LG.gif:NonHosted"><br />
    <input type="image" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/i/btn/btn_donateCC_LG.gif" border="0" name="submit" alt="PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!"><br />
    <img alt="" border="0" src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_GB/i/scr/pixel.gif" width="1" height="1"><br />
</form>

Answer 1

PayPal buttons have parameters to describe the payment schedule; if you send those parameters then PayPal will set up a recurring payment rather than a single payment. The variables are all described here:

https://developer.paypal.com/docs/classic/paypal-payments-standard/integration-guide/Appx_websitestandard_htmlvariables/#id08A6HI00JQU

$5 per month (with no trial or balloon payments) would be: a3=$5 (amount) t3=M (term type is months) p3=1 (every 1 month)

... and then there are additional parameters (in the docs) to offer many more features and settings.

Answer 2

I've had the same problem and spend a lot of time trying to create a form asking user for amout AND number of payement. In fact the key is not filling a3, t3 or p3! The key is... the cmd field!!

Like this:

      <input type="hidden" name="cmd" value="_donations">

you'll get unique donation payement (and you must use the "amount" field to specify the amount)

To get recuring donation you must use:

    <input type="hidden" name="cmd" value="_xclick-subscriptions  ">

And in this case you'll have to use "a3" field for amount, "t3" for "type of time" (D=each day, M=each month and Y=each year) and "p3" for number of time. You must also use "src" and "srt". So, EG:

      a3 = 15  // You donate 15 dollar
      t3 = M  // the unit for time is "month"
      p3 = 1   // The paiment will occur each "unit of time" so each month
      src = 1   // There is a "recurrent paiement"
      srt = 6  // which will happened 6 time

So in this example, the user will pay 15 dollar, each month during 6 month

Or EG:

     a3 = 20  // You donate 30 dollar
     t3 = M  // the unit for time is "month"
     p3 = 3   // The paiment will occur each "unit of time" so each 3 month
     src = 1   // There is a "recurrent paiement"
     srt = 4  // which will happened 4 time

So in this example, the user will pay 20 dollars, each 3 months during 4 times. So January, April, July, and so on.