The PayPal Pay Later service (or Pay in 4x) allows your customers to make their purchases in multiple payments, while sending you the total amount immediately to your PayPal merchant account.
This option, integrated into the PrestaShop Checkout module, is fully managed by PayPal: display, eligibility, processing, and risk management.
General operation
The Pay Later button is injected by the PayPal JavaScript SDK.
It is displayed only when the transaction context is eligible according to PayPal's criteria.
If the context is not eligible, the button does not appear or the payment is redirected to a standard PayPal payment.
Eligibility Conditions
The eligibility criteria depend on your country and the currency used.
Here are the main criteria for France:
- Be based in France.
- Have a website intended for the French market.
- Conduct transactions in euros (EUR)
- Utilize a one-time payment integration
- Comply with the PayPal Acceptable Use Policy
- Do not alter messages or visuals related to Pay Later (PayPal reserves the right to take action in the event of unauthorized modifications)
Official reference: PayPal Documentation – Pay Later France
For other countries, you may consult the specific criteria by navigating on this same page.
Cases of ineligibility
Even if the above criteria are met, PayPal may refuse or hide the Pay Later option for certain buyers, particularly in the following cases:
- The customer's PayPal account does not meet the eligibility criteria (history, status, verification).
- The customer has already reached their limit for deferred payments.
- The PayPal system detects a risk or unusual activity.
- The cart contains a product or amount that is not compatible with installment payments.
These decisions are made automatically by PayPal through its risk analysis algorithms and do not depend on the PrestaShop Checkout module.
Points to note
- The PrestaShop Checkout module does not influence the eligibility decision.
- In the event of a successful Pay Later transaction, the order is recorded as a standard PayPal payment in PrestaShop (there is currently no visible distinction between PayPal and Pay Later in your back office).
- The Pay Later banners and marketing messages are displayed automatically according to PayPal's rules; they must not be modified.
Best Practices
Ensure that your PrestaShop Checkout module is up to date.
The latest versions contain compatibility improvements with the PayPal SDK.
Do not modify the SDK code or the Pay Later button.
Any manual adjustment may disrupt the behavior or block its display.
Please verify the currency and country of your account.
If the account is not in France or the currency is different from EUR, Pay Later may be disabled.
Inform your clients.
Clearly indicate that payment in installments is subject to PayPal eligibility, in order to avoid any confusion.