Donorbox vs PayPal Donations
Compare WordPress plugins and tools side by side. Pick products with “Compare” in the software directory.
| Feature | Donorbox v7.1.12 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free + paid · ★ 4.8/5 Visit Details | PayPal Donations v1.9.11 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free · ★ 4.7/5 Visit Details |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Active installs | 8,000+ | 20,000+ |
| Last updated | October 5, 2026 | August 17, 2026 |
| Editions | Donorbox Donation Form | Donations via PayPal |
| Pros | Embeds a Donorbox campaign with one shortcode; Two layouts: form only, or form with campaign info; Campaign can be set per shortcode | Donate button through a shortcode or widget; Choose standard or custom button images; Sandbox mode for testing |
| Cons | Donations are processed and stored by the Donorbox service; Needs a Donorbox account before it does anything | Donations go straight to PayPal with no on-site records; Shows admin notices when PHP or WordPress is too old; Only a donate button, no recurring or tiered donations |
| Mentioned in our posts | 1 | 1 |
| More features | ||
| Other features | [donate] shortcode for the donation form, [donate-with-info] shortcode with campaign details, Campaign URL per shortcode, Default campaign set in settings | Donate button shortcode, Sidebar donate widget, Standard or custom button image, PayPal sandbox switch for testing, Return page and purpose defaults |
| Integrations | ||
| Payment | Donorbox hosted donation forms | PayPal |
| Requires WordPress | 3.0 | 5.5 |
| Tested up to | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Phones home | No | No |
| External services | donorbox.org | www.paypalobjects.com |
| Shortcodes | 2 | 1 |