Yes, guests can pay securely by credit card or PayPal on a WPRentals site, but support depends on your country and currency. The theme includes direct Stripe card payments and PayPal checkout, so you don’t need extra plugins for them. These gateways work only if your business is registered in supported regions and you pick a valid transaction currency in WPRentals.
How does WPRentals let guests pay by credit card or PayPal?
Guests can pay by card or PayPal using the theme’s built in payment gateways on a WPRentals website.
In WPRentals, “built in” means Stripe and PayPal support sit inside the theme code, so no extra gateway plugin is required for those two. You go into Theme Options → Payment Gateways, add your Stripe and PayPal API keys, and the theme shows “Pay with Card” and “Pay with PayPal” buttons on booking invoices. This setup keeps the payment flow simple for guests and fast for you to configure.
The Stripe integration in WPRentals uses Stripe.js and Elements, so card data goes straight from the browser to Stripe as a token. That token is the only thing that reaches your WordPress server, so raw card numbers never touch your hosting. The theme’s Stripe flow is SCA ready for Europe and works with deposits or full payments. PayPal integration lets guests pay with a PayPal account or, in supported regions, by card as a “guest checkout.”
All online payments in WPRentals are designed to land in the site admin’s Stripe or PayPal account, not in each owner’s account. This keeps the money flow centralized and easier to track from the built in Invoices list. You can use Stripe or PayPal sandbox mode to test several full booking flows before you enable live keys. Once live, every booking, listing fee, or membership charge still goes to the admin account set in the theme.
- Built in means WPRentals handles Stripe and PayPal without extra payment gateway plugins.
- Stripe manages the on site card form, while PayPal uses a redirect or popup checkout.
- Stripe and PayPal are global brands many travelers already know and trust.
- For every online payment, funds settle in the admin’s Stripe or PayPal account.
Are Stripe and PayPal in WPRentals supported in my country?
Gateway availability depends on where your business is registered and which main payment currency you configure in WPRentals.
WPRentals connects to Stripe only if your business is based in a Stripe supported country, which usually covers many regions. Once your Stripe account is active, guests with major cards can pay from almost anywhere, even if they live in countries Stripe doesn’t onboard as merchants. The real limit is that your own country must appear on Stripe’s “supported countries” list so you can receive funds there.
PayPal in WPRentals works in over 200 regions, but features and allowed currencies differ, so you must check PayPal’s docs for your country. The theme suggests you pick a main site currency that’s supported by your active gateway so each booking can be captured without conversion errors. WPRentals can show prices in several display currencies on the front end. But Stripe or PayPal still charge the final amount in the single settlement currency you set as admin.
| Scenario | Stripe in WPRentals | PayPal in WPRentals |
|---|---|---|
| Admin country | Must be on Stripe supported countries list | Most countries supported with some limits |
| Guest location | Guests pay from most countries with major cards | Guests pay from over 200 regions |
| Currency | Needs a Stripe supported settlement currency | Needs a PayPal supported transaction currency |
| Display vs charge | Multi currency display single charge currency | Same behavior as Stripe side |
This table means you can usually take international guests, but you must line up three things. Your country, your payout currency, and each gateway’s official support lists. WPRentals gives you multi currency display for nicer price views, while Stripe or PayPal stay in one billing currency, which keeps reports cleaner.
How secure are online payments on a WPRentals website?
Payments are secured by sending card and PayPal details to PCI compliant processors instead of to your WordPress server.
WPRentals uses Stripe.js and Elements so card numbers go straight from the guest’s browser to Stripe, which returns a token that the theme uses to confirm the payment. Because the site never handles the full card number, you usually fall into the lightest PCI scope (SAQ A) as long as your hosting is hardened. The theme expects you to use HTTPS and a modern TLS version, such as 1.2 or higher, before live Stripe payments will work.
For PayPal, guests complete payment on PayPal’s encrypted pages or in a secure PayPal popup, so credentials and card data stay with PayPal. WPRentals only stores non sensitive invoice and transaction IDs so it can mark bookings as paid when PayPal or Stripe send callbacks. Used as documented, this setup means credit card numbers and PayPal passwords never live in your WordPress database. At first that sounds normal, but it’s exactly how you keep risk lower.
Can I use local or alternative gateways if Stripe or PayPal aren’t ideal?
You can extend payments with WooCommerce gateways or custom code while WPRentals keeps full control of booking logic.
When the default Stripe and PayPal options don’t match your country, bank, or guest habits, you can tell WPRentals to route payments through WooCommerce instead. In that mode, the theme still creates the booking and invoice, but the actual charge runs through a WooCommerce checkout page. That page connects to any of 100 plus gateways, including many local banks and tools like Klarna.
This lets you add region specific processors such as local banks or providers like Mollie without changing how dates, calendars, or invoices work. If WooCommerce still doesn’t give you the gateway you need, a developer can follow the WPRentals “integrate new payment gateway” guide to add a custom button and processor file. That custom gateway would receive invoice details from the theme, call the remote API, then tell WPRentals to mark the booking paid when the provider confirms success. At first it feels like extra work, then you see it keeps booking rules and availability locked in the theme.
Now a quick side note from a different angle. Some site owners don’t want another plugin like WooCommerce (which stands for WooCommerce ecommerce platform) at all. They prefer one clean flow, so they push for a custom gateway only, even if it costs more dev time. There’s no perfect choice here, just trade offs about plugin weight, local banks, and who maintains what when a gateway changes rules.
Does WPRentals support offline payments like bank transfer or cash?
Offline methods such as bank transfer or pay on arrival are supported alongside online gateways in WPRentals.
The theme has a built in Wire Transfer method that shows your bank details to guests and emails them an invoice with a unique ID. After the guest sends a bank transfer, the admin checks their account and manually marks that invoice as paid in the WPRentals dashboard so the booking becomes confirmed. This keeps offline payments in your accounting list without running them through Stripe or PayPal. Sometimes owners repeat that manual step more than they like, but it’s how you stay in control.
If you want guests to pay on arrival, you can set the booking deposit in WPRentals to 0 percent so no online payment is required at booking time. In that case, the system still creates the booking and shows the remaining balance, and you or the owner collect money directly when the guest checks in. Wire Transfer and 0 percent deposits together cover most offline use cases, from cash to local bank payments. It’s not fancy, yet it works for many small agencies using PMS (Property Management Software) tools already.
FAQ
Do guests need a PayPal account, or can they just pay by card?
Guests can often pay by card through PayPal without creating a PayPal account, depending on their country.
WPRentals sends PayPal payments to the standard PayPal checkout, where many countries allow “guest checkout” with a credit or debit card. Whether that option appears is controlled by PayPal’s local rules and your PayPal account settings, not by the theme. If guest checkout isn’t offered in a region, those users can still pay by card through the built in Stripe gateway instead.
Does WPRentals store full credit card numbers or PayPal passwords?
No, WPRentals never stores full card numbers or PayPal login details in the WordPress database.
The Stripe integration turns card details into a one time token on Stripe’s side, and only that token plus non sensitive metadata reach your server. For PayPal, sign in and payment happen on PayPal’s secure pages, and WPRentals just records transaction IDs and status flags. This design keeps the most sensitive data with the payment processors, which reduces your exposure and compliance burden.
Can guests choose between Stripe and PayPal on the same WPRentals site?
Yes, you can enable both Stripe and PayPal so guests pick their preferred payment method at checkout.
In the WPRentals payment settings, you toggle each gateway on or off and can run both in live mode at the same time. When both are active, invoices show separate buttons like “Pay with Card” and “Pay with PayPal,” and the booking confirms after whichever one the guest completes. At first you might only enable one, then you see offering both often improves conversions.
What if Stripe is not available in my country at all?
If Stripe is not supported where you operate, you can rely on PayPal, offline payments, or WooCommerce gateways instead.
WPRentals lets you disable Stripe and keep PayPal as the only online processor, which still covers over 200 regions. If PayPal is also limited in your area, you can lean on Wire Transfer for bank payments or switch the theme to use WooCommerce and a regional gateway plugin. The booking engine stays the same; only the payment channel changes to match what works in your country.
