Do we need a PayPal Business account?

General Web Dev
#1

Hi all,

Im building a wordpress website for a local community village hall. They want the very basic ability to take online payments via their site. They already have a personal PayPal account. Do we need a Business PayPal account, or will the Personal account do the job?

Thanks

#2

One of the first “how to form a business” suggestions is to do your banking under accounts separate from your personal accounts. It’s not the web developer’s job to make such a decision though. I’d find out from whomever is actually running this organization and planning to deal with accounting and taxes and such. A good question to ask would be whether checks or cash payments will also be going through this same person’s personal account, or whether they will be going into a business account.

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#3

I believe by using a personal account for business purposes you are leaving yourself vulnerable to not being recognized as a business legally. I think someone could sue the individual with the account rather than the business. It’s in everyone’s best interest to receive money through a separate account.

#4

My understanding of the question is that it’s asking not about business book-keeping in general (which would be an issue for #business) but about which type of PayPal account is required to accept online payments.

The answer to that seems to be fairly clear: you need a business account.

https://www.paypal.com/us/smarthelp/article/PayPal-account-types-FAQ2347

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#5

Thanks all. Im now much clearer about things and will suggest they open a Paypal business account.

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