How do I test Paypal subscription buttons with sandbox?

Question

after 5 hours of research and reading outdated paypal documentation I finally give up!

I need to test a simple paypal subscription button with the paypal sandbox.

Button Code:

<form action="https://www.sandbox.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post">      <input type="hidden" name="cmd" value="_s-xclick">      <input type="hidden" name="hosted_button_id" value="34CXHXVU2J8BY">      <input type="image"              src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/en_US/GB/i/btn/btn_subscribeCC_LG.gif"              border="0" name="submit"              alt="PayPal — The safer, easier way to pay online."              style="border:none;padding:0;height:auto;width:auto">      <img alt="" border="0"            src="https://www.paypalobjects.com/de_DE/i/scr/pixel.gif"            width="1" height="1"> </form> 

But when I try to send the form, I get this error on the paypal website:

Thanks in Advance, Phillip

Answer 1

The problem is that you've generated a 'hosted' PayPal button in the live PayPal website, but you're sending this data to the Sandbox.
Since the hosted_button_id isn't recognized in the Sandbox, it returns an error.

You'd need to either:

• Create a non-hosted button, and change the 'action' and 'business' parameters to match Sandbox details
• Create a new 'hosted' button in Sandbox via www.sandbox.paypal.com > Profile > PayPal Buttons.

TL;DR: Sandbox is 100% separated from the Live PayPal website. A hosted button generated in Live, doesn't work in Sandbox.

Answer 2

Just a short add how to make the hosted button in the sandbox:

1. Create and log in to your sandbox account on https://developer.paypal.com/
2. Choose "Test Accounts".
3. Create a "Preconfigured" test account for a seller, make sure you remember the password, and make sure the password contain numbers or you will not be able to log in with it.
4. Click the yellow button "Enter Sandbox Test Site".
5. My Account >> Profile >> Selling Preferences >> My Saved Buttons
6. Edit your button. (There are 3 "saved" pre-made buttons there.) Make sure you dont dwell too long, it logged me out without telling me so and I got a blank code field first time I fiddled with my button.

Hopefully this saved you some time :)