How to connect PayPal to Margin — import payments automatically

What does the PayPal integration do?

When you connect PayPal, Margin:

• Imports PayPal payments and refunds as transactions automatically
• Syncs regularly so your PayPal income is always up to date
• Lets you categorise PayPal income alongside your bank and Stripe transactions
• Includes PayPal income in your quarterly MTD figures

Before you start

You need a PayPal Business account. A personal PayPal account does not provide API access. If you're currently on a personal account, you can upgrade to Business for free in PayPal settings.

Step-by-step: connecting PayPal via API

1. 1
   Log in to PayPal Developer

   Go to developer.paypal.com and click Log in to Dashboard. Sign in with the same email and password you use for your PayPal Business account.
2. 2
   Open My Apps & Credentials

   In the top navigation, click My Apps & Credentials. At the top of the page, make sure the toggle is set to Live — not Sandbox.
3. 3
   Create a REST API app

   Click Create App. Enter a name (e.g. "Margin") and select Merchant as the app type. Leave the default permissions and click Create App.
4. 4
   Copy your Client ID and Secret

   Under Live credentials, you'll see your Client ID. Click Show to reveal the Secret. Copy both — you'll need them in Margin.

   Client ID: AaBbCcDd1234…
   Secret: EeFfGgHh5678…
5. 5
   Enter credentials in Margin

   In Margin, go to Banking → Add account → PayPal. Paste your Client ID and Secret into the fields and click Sync. Margin imports your PayPal transaction history immediately.

What permissions does Margin need?

When creating the REST API app, Margin only needs access to Transaction Search — the ability to read your PayPal transaction history. Margin cannot:

• Send money or initiate payments
• Issue refunds from your PayPal account
• Change your PayPal account settings

If you want to limit permissions further, you can uncheck everything except Transaction Search when creating your app.

Alternative: import PayPal transactions via CSV

If you'd prefer not to use the API, or you need to import historical data beyond the sync window, you can export a CSV from PayPal and import it into Margin manually.

1. Log in to PayPal and go to Activity → All Transactions
2. Click Statements in the top right
3. Select your date range and click Download
4. Choose CSV format
5. In Margin, use the CSV import feature — see the import transactions guide