Braintree, a PayPal company, provides a full-stack payment platform that combines the best of PayPal with advanced card processing capabilities. It’s ideal for businesses that want both PayPal and direct card processing in one integration.

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Features

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Payment Methods

  • Credit/Debit Cards - All major cards
  • PayPal - Full integration (native)
  • Venmo - US customers
  • Apple Pay - iOS devices
  • Google Pay - Android devices
  • ACH Direct Debit - US bank transfers

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Key Advantages

  • Single integration for cards and PayPal
  • Advanced fraud protection (Kount)
  • Marketplace/platform capabilities
  • PCI compliance included
  • Transparent pricing

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Configuration

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Prerequisites

  • Braintree account (approved)
  • Merchant ID and API keys
  • Gateway credentials
  • Products configured

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Setup Steps

1

Get API Credentials

  1. Log into Braintree Control Panel
  2. Navigate to Settings → API Keys
  3. Copy your Merchant ID
  4. Copy your Public Key
  5. Copy your Private Key
For sandbox:
  1. Switch to Sandbox mode
  2. Go to Sandbox Control Panel
  3. Get sandbox credentials
Never expose your Private Key. It provides full access to your Braintree account.
2

Configure in FunnelFox

  1. Go to Project Settings → Payment Providers
  2. Select Braintree
  3. Enter Merchant ID
  4. Enter Public Key
  5. Enter Private Key
  6. Choose environment (Sandbox/Production)
  7. Click Save
3

Webhook Setup

FunnelFox creates webhooks for:
  • Transaction settled
  • Transaction failed
  • Subscription charged
  • Subscription cancelled
  • Dispute opened
Configure in Braintree Control Panel:
  1. Go to Settings → Webhooks
  2. Add webhook URL:
https://api.funnelfox.com/webhooks/braintree/[project-id]
4

Payment Method Setup

Enable payment methods in Braintree:
  1. PayPal - Automatic (owned by PayPal)
  2. Venmo - Request activation
  3. Apple Pay - Domain verification required
  4. Google Pay - Merchant ID needed

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PayPal Through Braintree

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Enhanced Integration

Since PayPal owns Braintree:
  • Seamless PayPal checkout
  • Unified reporting
  • Single settlement
  • Shared fraud tools
  • Better rates possible

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Vault Feature

Store PayPal accounts:
  • One-click repeat purchases
  • Subscription support
  • No re-authentication
  • Higher conversion rates
Using PayPal through Braintree often provides better features and rates than direct PayPal integration.

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Subscription Management

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Features

  • Recurring billing
  • Add-ons and discounts
  • Modification support
  • Basic dunning

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Limitations

  • No pause/resume
  • Limited proration
  • Basic retry logic
  • No deferred benefits

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Plan Management

Create plans in Braintree: 
Plan ID: premium-monthly
Price: $19.99
Billing Cycle: Monthly
Trial: 7 days (optional)

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Drop-in UI

Braintree’s hosted payment form:

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Benefits

  • PCI compliance simplified
  • Automatic updates
  • All payment methods included
  • Mobile optimized
  • Customizable styling

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Customization

Basic styling options: 
/* Theme customization */
{
  "input": {
    "fontSize": "16px",
    "color": "#333"
  },
  "button": {
    "backgroundColor": "#your-color"
  }
}

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Fraud Protection

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Kount Integration

Advanced fraud tools:
  • Machine learning models
  • Device fingerprinting
  • Velocity checks
  • Custom rules
  • Risk scoring

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Basic Fraud Tools

Included features:
  • AVS (Address Verification)
  • CVV verification
  • Duplicate transaction detection
  • IP geolocation
  • Threshold rules

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Testing

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Sandbox Environment

Comprehensive testing:
1

Access Sandbox

  1. Go to Sandbox
  2. Use sandbox credentials
  3. Create test customers
2

Test Cards

Card NumberResult
4111111111111111Success
4000111111111115Processor declined
5105105105105100Success (Mastercard)
378282246310005Success (Amex)
3

Test PayPal

Use sandbox PayPal accounts Created in PayPal Developer Dashboard

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GraphQL API

Braintree uses modern GraphQL:

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Benefits

  • Precise data fetching
  • Better performance
  • Type safety
  • Single endpoint

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Example Query

query GetTransaction($id: ID!) {
  transaction(id: $id) {
    amount
    status
    customer {
      email
    }
  }
}

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Marketplace Features

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Braintree Marketplace

For platforms and marketplaces:
  • Split payments
  • Vendor onboarding
  • Compliance handling
  • Disbursement management
Marketplace features require additional approval and setup. Contact Braintree for marketplace applications.

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Currency Support

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Multi-Currency

Process in 130+ currencies:
  • Presentment currency
  • Settlement currency
  • Automatic conversion
  • Transparent FX rates

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Settlement

Settle in your account currency:
  • Daily settlement
  • Consolidated reporting
  • Single reconciliation
  • Predictable cash flow

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Reporting

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Control Panel Reports

  • Transaction search
  • Settlement reports
  • Dispute management
  • Subscription analytics
  • Custom reports

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API Access

  • Real-time data
  • Webhook notifications
  • GraphQL queries
  • Batch downloads

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Common Issues

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Fees and Pricing

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Standard Pricing

  • Cards - 2.59% + $0.49
  • PayPal/Venmo - 3.49% + $0.49
  • ACH - 0.75% (max $5)

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Volume Discounts

  • Custom rates for high volume
  • Interchange plus pricing available
  • Non-profit discounts
  • Contact sales for quotes

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Migration from PayPal

Moving from PayPal to Braintree:

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Benefits

  • Keep PayPal, add cards
  • Better rates possible
  • More payment methods
  • Advanced features
  • Single integration

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Process

1

Apply for Braintree

Approval usually quick for PayPal users
2

Import customers

Vault existing PayPal accounts
3

Update integration

Switch to Braintree in FunnelFox
4

Monitor performance

Track approval rates and costs

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Best Practices

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Optimization

  • Enable all payment methods
  • Use vault for returning customers
  • Implement fraud tools wisely
  • Monitor approval rates

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User Experience

  • Show all payment options
  • Clear security messaging
  • Fast checkout flow
  • Mobile-first design

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Technical

  • Use Drop-in UI for simplicity
  • Implement proper error handling
  • Log all transactions
  • Monitor webhook health

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Limitations

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Compared to Stripe

Fewer Features
  • Less subscription flexibility
  • Basic international support
  • Limited customization
  • Fewer integrations
Developer Experience
  • More complex API
  • Less documentation
  • Fewer libraries
  • Slower updates

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Geographic Coverage

Strong in:
  • United States
  • United Kingdom
  • Europe
  • Australia
Limited in:
  • Asia
  • Africa
  • Latin America

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Next Steps