ChronoForms payment systems support

How to use PayPal payments with ChronoForms v8.

Overview

ChronoForms v7 and v8 initially lacked integrated PayPal support, which was available in older versions.
Use the newly added PayPal Redirect action in ChronoForms v8, and import any existing forms from v7 using the built-in importer.

Answered
ChronoForms v8
it itchibahn 02 Nov, 2023
I need to create a membership form with few membership levels, once filled need to take payment. Can Chronoforms link up with payment gateways such as PayPal or others?
Max_admin Max_admin 03 Nov, 2023
it can, what we had in v7 is Mollie and Stripe

PayPal has not been integrated for a while, do you want to use PayPal paynow buttons ?

The problem is about receiving the payment update from PayPal, in order to save the order as "complete", this is complex and you better use an ecommerce solution for it
Max, ChronoForms developer
ChronoMyAdmin: Database administration within Joomla, no phpMyAdmin needed.
ChronoMails simplifies Joomla email: newsletters, logging, and custom templates.
nl nlheath 10 Oct, 2025

I would really like to see an option in Chronoforms 7 and 8 to use Paypal.  I am converting all my CF5 forms on my Joomla 3 site to CF7, in preparation for an upgrade of the site to Joomla 5.  My site is for a small membership organization, and our CF5 membership and meeting registration forms all accept payments only using Paypal.  To have to convert not only the forms but our treasurer and our membership to a new payment processor would make our transition to Joomla 5 even more complicated.  If there's any way that the integration options for Paypal in CF5 could be made available in the newer versions, my membership and I would be most grateful!

Max_admin Max_admin 11 Oct, 2025

Hi nlhealth

Which actions do you use in v5 for doing the PayPal payment ? PayPal Redirect only or also the PayPal Listener ?

And do they currently work ?

Max, ChronoForms developer
ChronoMyAdmin: Database administration within Joomla, no phpMyAdmin needed.
ChronoMails simplifies Joomla email: newsletters, logging, and custom templates.
nl nlheath 11 Oct, 2025

I use both, and they work very well.

Max_admin Max_admin 23 Oct, 2025

Hi nlheath

Great, I will try to add the PayPal actions to ChronoForms v8 as soon as possible.

I will post here when this is done so that you can help us with the testing.

Max, ChronoForms developer
ChronoMyAdmin: Database administration within Joomla, no phpMyAdmin needed.
ChronoMails simplifies Joomla email: newsletters, logging, and custom templates.
nl nlheath 23 Oct, 2025

Thank you so much - that's great news!  Sorry to press this, but would it be possible for you to add the actions to CF7 as well?  I am trying to update all my CF5 forms to CF7 in preparation for upgrading to Joomla 5, since I can't update to CF8 until the upgrade is complete.

Max_admin Max_admin 10 Nov, 2025
Answer

Hi nlheath

PayPal Redirect has been added to the latest v8 update, I'm afraid that adding new features to v7 now will not be as easy

But v8 has a v7 forms importer, and they can work on the same website, so you can import the PayPal forms only to v8

Max, ChronoForms developer
ChronoMyAdmin: Database administration within Joomla, no phpMyAdmin needed.
ChronoMails simplifies Joomla email: newsletters, logging, and custom templates.
nl nlheath 10 Nov, 2025

Thanks for adding it to V8.  Does it also include a Paypal listener?

Max_admin Max_admin 10 Nov, 2025

No, the listener is not yet added, but if you can test the PayPal Redirect and confirm that it works in your scenario then the listener can follow in the next update.

Max, ChronoForms developer
ChronoMyAdmin: Database administration within Joomla, no phpMyAdmin needed.
ChronoMails simplifies Joomla email: newsletters, logging, and custom templates.
nl nlheath 9d ago

Max, I was finally able to test the V8 PayPal Redirect.  When I test it in Sandbox mode, it works perfectly.  When I test it in Live mode, it appears to work - takes me to Paypal with the correct information, then redirects to the Success url or Cancel url correctly.  But the payment I enter in live mode is not recorded in Paypal, and is not charged against my account.  I have triple checked my client ID and secret key, and they are correct.  The Paypal page shows the correct merchant account name, so I know it's getting to the right client.  I hope you can help me get this working.

Max_admin Max_admin 9d ago

Does PayPal report successful payment in live mode after you do the payment ?

Which account do you use to pay ? I think that to test this correctly you need 2 accounts, the one for business which you use in your form, and another personal account to use for payment, and you need to login in different browsers, so your business account can be logged in on Chrome, but you do the payment using your personal account on Firefox

Please try that and let me know.

Max, ChronoForms developer
ChronoMyAdmin: Database administration within Joomla, no phpMyAdmin needed.
ChronoMails simplifies Joomla email: newsletters, logging, and custom templates.
nl nlheath 9d ago

The form is set up with the client ID of the Paypal business account which should receive the payments.  To pay, I run the form and log into my personal Paypal account.  I was not logged in to the business account at all.  Paypal appears to accept the payment and returns me to the form specified in the Success url.  But when I log into the business account, my payment is not listed.  My personal Paypal account also does not show the payment, and it does not appear on my credit card transactions.  I just tried making the test payment again, making sure I was not in the Paypal business account, and it worked exactly the same way (meaning it didn't work).

Max_admin Max_admin 9d ago

but you use the same browser for both accounts or a different browser ?

Max, ChronoForms developer
ChronoMyAdmin: Database administration within Joomla, no phpMyAdmin needed.
ChronoMails simplifies Joomla email: newsletters, logging, and custom templates.
nl nlheath 9d ago

OK, I went into a completely different browser (MS Edge) to run the test form.  I did not have my normal Firefox browser open at all, so I was not in the business account.  The test did exactly the same thing as before.  I log into Paypal with my personal credentials, it takes me to the checkout screen where it shows the correct amount and at the bottom shows a link for "Cancel and return to [my business name]", so I know it should be paying to the right account.  I click on "Continue to review order," and I return to the Success url.  No payment is recorded, either in the business account or my personal account.

Max_admin Max_admin 9d ago

if PayPal reports the payment is "complete" on the payment page but this happens then I suggest you send a message to their support asking about this behavior specifically, normally you get a confirmation message then get redirected and the order is recorded.

if they do not record the order then maybe there is something we do not know.

Max, ChronoForms developer
ChronoMyAdmin: Database administration within Joomla, no phpMyAdmin needed.
ChronoMails simplifies Joomla email: newsletters, logging, and custom templates.
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