Adding a Donate Button to Your WordPress Website

One of the greatest advantages of having a website—whether you’re a nonprofit, a tribal program, a community organization, or a rural initiative—is that it works even when you’re not online. Your website is your 24/7 ambassador. It answers questions, shares your mission, connects with supporters, and allows people to take action on their schedule.

And for nonprofits, that often means making it easy for people to donate.

Online giving continues to grow each year, and donors expect a frictionless experience. A clear, simple “Donate” button can significantly increase support, especially when placed strategically across your website.

One of the fastest, easiest ways to accept donations is still PayPal—and depending on your comfort level, you can add it to your WordPress site using code or a plugin.

Here’s how to do both, plus tips to help you choose the best long-term setup for your organization.

Why Online Donation Buttons Matter

Your community is busy. Supporters rarely go out of their way to mail a check or wait until business hours to contact you. They want the ability to support your mission quickly — without friction, confusion, or technical issues.

A donation button helps you:

Increase year-round giving
Capture impulse generosity
Boost campaign participation
Reduce administrative work
Make giving accessible to mobile users
Support donors in rural areas with limited time or broadband windows
Provide options for one-time or recurring gifts

If giving is important to your organization, the donation button should be one of the most visible elements on your site.

Two Ways to Add a Donate Button in WordPress

There are two primary approaches to adding a donate button using PayPal:

Copying and pasting the code or link directly from PayPal
Using a dedicated PayPal donation plugin

Both are simple, and neither requires technical expertise.

Method 1: Copy and Paste Your PayPal Donation Link or Button Code

This method gives you full control over how your donation button looks inside your WordPress site.

You’ll now see two choices:

“Website” — full embed code
“Email” — a simple donation link

Which should you choose?

The link is more flexible and easier to style on your WordPress site.
The embed code adds a pre-styled PayPal button without customization.

We recommend using the link and creating your own branded button inside WordPress for a more polished, cohesive look.

Adding it to WordPress

Once you have your donation link:

Insert it as a normal link in your WordPress editor
Turn it into a native WordPress button block
Use a plugin like MaxButtons for a customizable button
Ask your designer to create a branded call-to-action button

This gives you complete control over your colors, shape, size, and placement.

Method 2: Use a PayPal Donation Plugin

If you prefer a quicker setup or want the ability to manage donations directly from your WordPress dashboard, a plugin may be the easier option.

Popular PayPal donation plugins include:

PayPal Donations
PayPal Donation Button
Seamless Donations (PayPal-focused)

These plugins are:

Updated regularly
Widely used
Highly rated
Compatible with modern WordPress and PHP versions
Easy for non-technical teams to manage

Why choose a plugin?

You want an easier setup
You prefer a shortcode or block you can place anywhere
You want to track donations through WordPress
You want to add the button to multiple pages quickly
You want built-in features like recurring payments

For small to mid-sized nonprofits, this is often the simplest long-term approach.

Additional Donation Options Worth Considering

While PayPal is reliable and easy, many nonprofits are moving toward more specialized giving platforms. These offer improved donor experience, recurring gift management, and better branding.

Other donation tools nonprofits use today include:

Stripe + Gravity Forms (excellent flexibility; we highly recommend this combo)
GiveWP (robust donation management system)
Donorbox (quick setup with recurring giving)
Square Donations (simple for small organizations)

Why nonprofits choose these tools:

Lower processing fees in some cases
More control over branding
Ability to manage donor information
Better reporting
Recurring gift options
Integration with email marketing and CRMs

If long-term fundraising is a priority, these may be worth exploring.

Donation Button Best Practices

No matter which method you choose, make sure your donate button is easy for supporters to find.

Ideal placement on your website:

In your main navigation
At the top of your homepage
At the bottom of your homepage
On your About page
On your Programs or Services pages
On landing pages for campaigns
In your website footer
Inside blog posts about impact

A good rule of thumb:
If giving is important to your mission, the donate button should never feel hidden.

PayPal Is Still One of the Easiest Ways to Add Online Giving

If you’re a small or mid-sized nonprofit, PayPal remains one of the simplest ways to begin accepting donations online. You can implement it quickly with either:

A direct PayPal link
A plugin
A custom-designed button connected to your PayPal donation page

You can always upgrade to a more robust donation tool later. But starting with something is better than waiting — especially if fundraising is a core part of your mission.

Need Help Adding a Donate Button or Improving Your Online Giving?

We’ve helped many nonprofits and community organizations create donation systems that are simple, secure, and branded beautifully.

Schedule your website review, and we’ll help you choose the best donation setup for your goals.

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