How to add PayPal MCP Server to Claude Desktop

Official PayPal server for invoices, orders, payments, disputes, subscriptions, and catalog. Paste the config into ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json and restart Claude Desktop.

Last updated June 15, 2026 · 250★ · stdio · apikey · official

Claude Desktop config for PayPal MCP Server

npx -y @paypal/mcp --tools=all

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "paypal-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@paypal/mcp",
        "--tools=all"
      ],
      "env": {
        "PAYPAL_ENVIRONMENT": "SANDBOX",
        "PAYPAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "<your-paypal-access-token>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Setup steps

1Open Claude Desktop → Settings → Developer → Edit Config (this opens ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json).
2Paste the PayPal MCP Server config below under the top-level "mcpServers" key.
3Fill in any placeholder secrets (API keys, paths) in the snippet.
4Save the file, then fully quit and reopen Claude Desktop.
5Open a chat and confirm PayPal MCP Server's tools appear under the 🔌 tools menu.

Before you start

Node.js 18+ (the server runs via npx)
A PayPal Developer account (for Sandbox) or a PayPal Business account (for Production)
A Client ID and Client Secret from the PayPal Developer Dashboard (https://developer.paypal.com)
An OAuth2 access token obtained from those credentials via the client_credentials grant, supplied as PAYPAL_ACCESS_TOKEN

What PayPal MCP Server can do in Claude Desktop

create_invoice

Create a draft invoice.

send_invoice

Send an invoice; send_invoice_reminder and cancel_sent_invoice manage it after.

generate_invoice_qr_code

Produce a QR code for an invoice.

list_invoices

List invoices; get_invoice fetches one.

create_order

Create a PayPal order.

pay_order

Capture/process payment on an order; get_order retrieves it.

create_refund

Refund a captured payment; get_refund reads refund status.

list_disputes

List disputes; get_dispute and accept_dispute_claim handle them.

Security

Uses a PayPal access token that can create real charges and refunds; start in SANDBOX and only switch PAYPAL_ENVIRONMENT to PRODUCTION once flows are verified. Scope the access token to the minimum needed.

PayPal MCP Server + Claude Desktop FAQ

Where is the Claude Desktop config file?

Claude Desktop reads MCP servers from ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json. Paste the PayPal MCP Server config there under the "mcpServers" key and restart the client.

Is PayPal MCP Server safe to use with Claude Desktop?

How do I authenticate?

Get a Client ID and Secret from the PayPal Developer Dashboard, exchange them for an OAuth2 access token using the client_credentials grant, and pass it as the PAYPAL_ACCESS_TOKEN env var.

Sandbox vs Production — how do I switch?

Set PAYPAL_ENVIRONMENT to SANDBOX for testing or PRODUCTION for live transactions. Test thoroughly in Sandbox before going live.

My access token stopped working — why?

PayPal OAuth access tokens expire. Re-run the client_credentials request to mint a fresh token and update PAYPAL_ACCESS_TOKEN; tokens for Sandbox and Production are not interchangeable.

View repo Full PayPal MCP Server page