Donations via PayPal
by mra13 / Team Tips and Tricks HQ · Payments
Also makes 14 other plugins · 207.3K+ installs across the portfolio →
Easy, simple setup to add a PayPal Donation button as a Widget or with a shortcode.
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
A 89/100
no flags
Active installs
20K+
≈25K estimated
Momentum
+4%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “shortcode” and “widget” for “paypal advanced” and “donation button”. “shortcode” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “paypal advanced” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “widget” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “donation button” sits at #7 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
89 health vs 68 average across 1,680 Payments plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →2.0%
of downloads still active
At least 20K of 991.9K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Payments plugin keeps 1.0%, across 1,042 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Payments plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
This plugin shipped 1 release in the last 12 months, and every existing install that updated counted as another download. wp.org publishes no split between first installs and updates, so we show the raw rate rather than guess at one.
Details
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Well optimized
Most to gain: Support resolution
Updated 75 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.7★ over 27 reviews, smoothed to 4.31★
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
0 of 1 support threads resolved in the last 2 months
To rank higher: Mark more forum threads resolved — the resolved ratio feeds the ranking.
Get the full rank-higher report →Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
40
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.0
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
20%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
+0.1
Acceleration
recent half vs earlier
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| paypal donation button | #1 | #1 | up 1 |
| paypal donations | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| donations your tag | #3 | #5 | down 1 |
| paypal donation | #3 | #5 | 0 |
| paypal your tag | #5 | #8 | up 1 |
| donation button | #7 | #6 | down 1 |
| donation paypal | #3 | #5 | 0 |
| custom donations | #3 | #5 | 0 |
| paypal advanced | #6 | #9 | 0 |
| donation your tag | #10 | #11 | down 1 |
| wordpress donations | #4 | #7 | 0 |
| paypal button | #8 | #9 | 0 |
| donation widget | #5 | #7 | 0 |
| paypal checkout | #9 | #10 | up 2 |
| wordpress paypal | #7 | #8 | up 1 |
| no paypal | #8 | #9 | 0 |
| donation plugin | #13 | #13 | 0 |
| wordpress donation plugin | #21 | #17 | up 2 |
| donation wp | #24 | #24 | — |
| shortcode your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| widget your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
54 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 19 listed. 35 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 2 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “shortcode” and “widget” for “paypal advanced” and “donation button”. “shortcode” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “paypal advanced” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “widget” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “donation button” sits at #7 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 22.2K · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
Occasionally updatedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
1
releases in the last 12 months
7mo ago
latest release · v1.9.11 · 27 Mar 2026
36
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 99% run the current release. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “20K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 15 months ago; the previous band took 2 years to cross, which places it about 50% of the way through.
Install history since 1 Jul 2021
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ Elizabeth Beeton1.4y ago
I don’t need anything fancy. I don’t need to have bells and whistles to give it 5 stars. It just has to do what I need done, and I’m happy. FYI: I’m not a bot. I’m leaving 5 stars and a variation of this review on every plugin I use daily and that makes my life easier.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Boston Tom1.5y ago
After installing this plugin, within days I was hit by PayPal phishing emails, fake invoices, spam, junk email, etc… despite using an email spam filter on the server. I dutifully forwarded all phishing emails to PayPal’s [email protected] email address. I couldn’t understand why there was such an uptick in fake invoices, scams, and assorted junk. Then I clicked on the Donate Now button. Right there for the world to see was my email address, shown in a pop-up window—no visit to PayPal’s website necessary. It didn’t dawn on me when I first installed it that if I could see my email, then so could the world. So I went into the “Donate via PayPal” settings and changed it to Merchant ID. I’m not a merchant or business; I run a free website that accepts donations. I grabbed the Merchant ID anyway from my PayPal account settings and swapped out my email address for this ID to see if it hid my email. Instead, when you click the Donate button my full name shows up! What is wrong with this plugin and privacy? It literally is sharing your email address to the entire world with no encryption or even bothering trying to hide it. I then looked at my site’s source code. Right there for the world to see was my email address, unencoded, waiting to be scraped by scammers, schemers, fraudsters, and Nigerian princes. My friggin’ contact form hides my email address. So great job on exposing my addy to the world and greatly increasing my spam, phishing emails, and frustration. PS: I don’t care if they see my email once they get to the Paypal website as most scammers are automated, but to show it in a pop-up window without ever leaving the site and having it embedded in the source code is beyond irresponsible. The author needs to fix this.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ mobilewebexpert2.7y ago
I Love it! 🙂
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ magjardim3.6y ago
Infelizmente não tem linguagem em Português/Brasil.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ EBurden4.4y ago
Almost…if you, for instance, are setting up a donation link to the PayPal account of your new client who didn’t realize they need a business Paypal account not a personal account to receive donations, then when you try, for instance, a test $10 donation to see how it is all going to work, you get a PayPal error saying something went wrong. Hmmm. Then while you’re trying to figure out what went wrong your new client emails you to tell you Paypal has suspended their account permanently.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Linda Ma7.0y ago
Very nice and simple plugin.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ George8.7y ago
Great little plugin, the developer was also very responsive and fixed an issue I requested.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ wordpresspresser9.3y ago
Simple to set up, and it’s set-and-forget. Great support, too. Thank you!
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 1.9.11 Language translation related updates. Updated the French language translation .po file. Adjusted the navigation tabs HTML and CSS to be compatible with the latest version of WordPress. 1.9.11
- — Version 1.9.10 jQuery code update: stopped using jQuery.fn.click in favor of jQuery.fn.on( ‘click’ ) 1.9.10
- — Version 1.9.9 Added output escaping in the settings menu. Thanks to WPScan. 1.9.9
- — Version 1.9.8 Added a settings link in the plugin’s menu so it can be accessed easily. 1.9.8
- — Version 1.9.7 PHP8 compatibility improvements. 1.9.7
- — Version 1.9.6 Updated the PayPal button image URLs to the new URLs to remove the auto-redirect on them. 1.9.6
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceThe 1 disclosed vulnerability is patched in the current version (1.9.11). Sites still on an older version should update.
- Patched Medium · 5.5 Donations via PayPal <= 1.9.8 - Authenticated (Administrator+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting ↗2022-11-04 CVE-2022-3822 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 1.9.8 Patched in 1.9.9
Vulnerability records provided by Wordfence Intelligence. Copyright 2012-2026 Defiant Inc. License and terms.
CVE records: Copyright 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. CVE terms of use.
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 6.8
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 70 languages, 5 at 90% or more · development strings
Plus 46 more locales with partial translations.
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Not measured yet for this plugin’s topics. Its tracked searches are not among the measured topics. See the topics measured so far.
Readme readiness
5 of 8 pass · checked 27 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "Easy, simple setup to add a PayPal Donation button as a Widget or with a shortcode."
- ! Has a FAQ Only 1 question in the FAQ; 3 or more gives an assistant something to match.
- ! FAQ asks real questions 0 of 1 FAQ entries are headings, not questions ("undefined").
- ! Names who it is for One audience phrase ("if you want"); say who the plugin is for and what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions PayPal.
- ✓ Headings and lists 4 headings and 2 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 1,622 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text All 5 tags appear in the text.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2025-07-27 30K+ → 20K+ down after 732 days in tier
- 2023-07-26 40K+ → 30K+ down after 755 days in tier
- 2021-07-01 50K+ → 40K+ down after 1246 days in tier
- 2018-02-01 40K+ → 50K+ up after 593 days in tier
- 2016-06-18 20K+ → 40K+ up after 77 days in tier
- 2016-04-02 40K+ → 20K+ down after 311 days in tier
- 2015-05-27 30K+ → 40K+ up
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
-
Reusable Blocks Extended 10K+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags A -
Content Blocks (Custom Post Widget) 10K+ installs · 4.8★ · 2 shared tags A -
Accept Donations with PayPal & Stripe 10K+ installs · 3.9★ · 2 shared tags B -
Shortcode Widget 10K+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags B -
Donorbox – Free Recurring Donation Plugin and Fundraising Platform 8K+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags A - A Automatic Copyright Year 6K+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags D
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Donations via PayPal into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/paypal-donations" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Donations via PayPal — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Donations via PayPal: 20K+ active installs, 4.7★ (27 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/paypal-donations
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