A PayPal QR encodes a paypal.me link with your handle and optionally a fixed amount and currency. Scanning opens the PayPal app (or paypal.me in a browser) on the payment screen with the amount and recipient already filled in.
Use the URL field below and paste: https://paypal.me/yourhandle (replace with your PayPal.Me handle, set up free at paypal.me). To prefill an amount, append /amount, e.g. https://paypal.me/yourhandle/25 for $25 in your account currency.
The code is generated by JavaScript running on your device. We don't host it, log it, or send it anywhere. Close the tab before downloading and nothing is left behind.
Free forever. No signup. No watermark. No expiry. The code you download today still works in ten years.
Setting up your PayPal.Me handle
Visit paypal.me and claim a handle (your-name). The handle is free and tied to your existing PayPal account. The QR encodes a link to that handle.
Fixed amounts: append /<amount> to the URL — paypal.me/yourname/10 prefills $10. Specify currency by appending ?currencyCode=EUR (or GBP, USD, etc.). Example: paypal.me/yourname/10?currencyCode=EUR.
Where to place it
Coffee carts, market stalls, busking signage, freelancer invoices, donation boxes, sports club fundraisers. Anywhere cash used to flow but card readers feel like overkill.
Two ways the QR loses scans: printed too small (under 2 cm), or printed on a curved or reflective surface (the side of a stainless steel donation can, glossy laminate). Print on a flat matte surface at 3 cm minimum for reliable scanning.
PayPal fees and limits
PayPal.Me payments count as personal-payment by default in many regions — fee-free for the recipient between linked bank accounts but possibly fee-bearing for the sender if they pay by credit card.
For commercial sale of goods, switch the receive mode to 'Goods and Services' inside your PayPal settings; otherwise you lose buyer protection and may run into account flags for misuse.
Frequently asked questions
- Can the buyer change the amount after scanning?
- Yes if you didn't encode a fixed amount (paypal.me/yourname). Yes also if you did encode an amount, but most users will pay the suggested figure. The amount in the URL is a prefill, not a lock.
- Does the buyer need a PayPal account?
- Usually yes. PayPal allows guest checkout in some regions, but the cleanest experience is buyer → existing PayPal app login → pay. Markets without PayPal coverage need a different payment QR (we don't yet provide a Venmo/Cash App generator on its own page).
- Are PayPal fees the same as regular checkout?
- Yes — paypal.me is just a payment link. The fees are decided by your PayPal account settings (personal vs business), not by the link or the QR.