CAn the API be used fully from a Personal Account?

[icicic]

I'm finding it very difficult to get a straight answer to a very simple question, TBH it appears that paypal staff intentionally word responses to push people to opening Business accounts, I have a Personal account, I am selling personal belongings on a web site, I do not want to open a business account.

I have been told by several people that you do not need a business account to sell online, however if this is the case why does this page suggest that Go Live is not available to Personal accounts:

https://developer.paypal.com/api/rest/

Or perhaps I misunderstand what is meant by 'Go LIve'?

[icicic]

As an example of PP's appaling attitude towards CS, I received the following answer on twitter, they also took 5 days to respond!

---

Hi there, I apologise for the delay in getting back to you, but we've been receiving a high volume of messages and our responses have been delayed. An Application Programming Interface (API) enables compatibility between our payment solutions and your online store or shopping cart. To manage your API credentials, you need to upgrade to a PayPal business account. We have numerous tools to enable you to make the most of selling online, which you can avail of by upgrading. Here's how: Click Settings. Under "Account options" click Upgrade to a business account. You will find more information on API's here

Not only have they avoided answering my question, they have used it as an opportunity at yet another attempt to force me to upgrade to a business account, it's not true that only business accounts can manage API credentials!

[icicic]

Finally got a trustworthy answer, it's taken a week, and several PP staff on twitter to finally guide to to Merchant Technical help who replied with:

Yes, unfortunately, you would need to upgrade your account to Business, apologies.

I'm not why people keep claiming that a business account is not required, it is!

[MTS_Chiranjeevi]

Good day @icicic ,

Thank you for contacting PayPal community.

Our sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused and delay in email response.

Yes, seller/merchant should have “Business” account. 

• Personal: Recommended for individuals who shop and pay online, or wish to send or receive personal payments for shared expenses such as splitting of dinner bills or rental charges; for casual sellers or non-businesses who wish to get paid online, and who also make online purchases.
• Business: Recommended for merchants who operate under a company/group name. It offers additional features such as allowing up to 200 employees limited access to your account and customer service email alias for customer issues to be routed for faster follow-ups.

Guide link - https://www.paypal.com/us/smarthelp/article/HELP318. 

Merchant can able to generate REST API credentials only via their PayPal Business accounts and trigger API request calls to PayPal endpoints. 

Login to https://developer.paypal.com/  >> My apps & credentials >> toggle "LIVE" >> create "App" >> fill required details >> you can able to access your REST API (Client ID & Secret)

Guide link for REST API Credentials - https://developer.paypal.com/docs/api/overview/#get-credentials

https://developer.paypal.com/api/rest/. 

Thank you so much for your patience and understanding.

Sincerely,

Chiranjeevi

PayPal/Braintree MTS

If this post or any other was helpful, please enrich the community by giving kudos or accepting it as a solution. 

[icicic]

Thank you for replying, it would be really nice if paypal would spent a reasonable amount on support so that responses didn't take an unreasonable amount of time.

'for casual sellers or non-businesses who wish to get paid online' that is what I am, and want to do, it would also be nice if paypal would spend a reasonable amount on documentation as so much of it is pretty useless, ambiguous and even directly contradictory.

TBH I've had second thoughts about the answer I accepted, above, as 2 paypal employees rarely give the same answer and if they do there is always a third who will contradict them.

'Merchant can able to generate REST API credentials only via their PayPal Business accounts and trigger API request calls to PayPal endpoints' what I think you are trying to say there is that only Business accounts can trigger API request calls, which is untrue, so thanks for yet more contradictory information, apologies if that's not what you meant.

Incorrect documentation is far far worse than non existent documentation

TBH though, https://www.paypal.com/us/smarthelp/article/HELP318 is the clearest description I've found so far, 'for casual sellers or non-businesses who wish to get paid online' is ambiguous though and it should explicitly say that Personal accounts cannot take online credit card payments.