Multiple WHMCS with same PayPal

[Mecanik]

Hi,

This is my second post since November 2015, which to date remained unanswered (and frankly, at this point it requires none).

The reason why I am asking here is because WHMCS support is, well, what it is. So with that in mind, I'm pretty sure you guys are more decent in giving a proper explanation/reply.

I have a production WHMCS installation with PayPal configured for years, and now I have a fresh installation which I am trying to configure PayPal. For this fresh installation, I would like to use the same PayPal email so I do not have to create a new one.

From theory and my thinking, WHMCS should process some metadata back and forth with PayPal IPN in order to distinguish where the request is coming from, etc. Apparently that's not the case, according to WHMCS support.

Which means that if I add the same PayPal to my fresh WHMCS install, it will cause havoc because it will clash between client ID's and more. Same thing would happen with Stripe, apparently, again according to WHMCS support.

So now begs the question, are they right? Has/is anyone using multiple WHMCS but with the same PayPal (or Stripe)?

I'm really reluctant to start debugging and testing on a production WHMCS...

Please share your thoughts.

Thanks.

[Kian]

Same problem here 🙋‍♂️ since always.

On paper it should already work but it doesn't. If you inspect PayPal checkout/subscribe buttons there are the following hidden inputs:

• return - payment success rediect
• cancel_return  - abort payment redirect
• notify_url - the URL where IPN sends data so that WHMCS can mark invoices as paid and create transactions

On every WHMCS such URLs always point to the local SystemURL. Let's say you are running 2x WHMCS on alfa.com and beta.com respectively. Each system will always point to itself (cancelling a transaction from alfa.com redirect user to alfa.com) but I never managed to get it working with notify_url where the IPN magic runs.

Keep in mind that on PayPal there's also a setting that lets you define your default callback url. Basically it is a fallback PayPal uses to send the IPN in case notify_url is missing. It should be ignored when notify_url is defined. Now the thing is that every time I try to trust this whole thing I end up losing IPN on one system and having angry customers. Frankly I'm too scared to give it another try also because I no longer use 2x WHMCS.

[Mecanik]

1 hour ago, Kian said:

Same problem here 🙋‍♂️ since always.

On paper it should already work but it doesn't. If you inspect PayPal checkout/subscribe buttons there are the following hidden inputs:

• return - payment success rediect
• cancel_return  - abort payment redirect
• notify_url - the URL where IPN sends data so that WHMCS can mark invoices as paid and create transactions

On every WHMCS such URLs always point to the local SystemURL. Let's say you are running 2x WHMCS on alfa.com and beta.com respectively. Each system will always point to itself (cancelling a transaction from alfa.com redirect user to alfa.com) but I never managed to get it working with notify_url where the IPN magic runs.

Keep in mind that on PayPal there's also a setting that lets you define your default callback url. Basically it is a fallback PayPal uses to send the IPN in case notify_url is missing. It should be ignored when notify_url is defined. Now the thing is that every time I try to trust this whole thing I end up losing IPN on one system and having angry customers. Frankly I'm too scared to give it another try also because I no longer use 2x WHMCS.

Wow... appreciate sharing your feedback. I am launching a new business and this is crucial for me. WHMCS support told me this should work out of the box because:

Quote

Each time you link WHMCS to PayPal, it will create a brand new "App" in the PayPal SOAP API, which can only be used by that instance and is completely siloed from any other Apps in your PayPal account.

So this is very disappointing to hear. I am heading back to support again.

[AladdinJ]

I am currently using same paypal account with two seprated whmcs and no problem with ipn with me

but I am use the new paypal module

[unity100]

On 12/6/2022 at 12:53 PM, AladdinJ said:

I am currently using same paypal account with two seprated whmcs and no problem with ipn with me

but I am use the new paypal module

Does it also work with recurring subscriptions? Like:

- User A subscribes at WHMCS A. Next month Paypal sends his recurring payment notification to WHMCS A.

- User B subscribes at WHMCS B. Next month Paypal sends recurring payment notification to WHMCS B.

Does it work like this?

Edited December 14, 2022 by unity100

[WHMCS John]

@unity100,

Yes, it works exactly like this 🙂

[Mecanik]

I am currently testing, will get back with feedback. Not sure which is the "new" PayPal module, so that's a  bummer.

[WHMCS John]

@Mecanik,

That is the "PayPal" module which uses the latest CheckOut APIs.

The "PayPal Basic" module uses the traditional Website Payments Standard payment buttons.

[unity100]

5 hours ago, WHMCS John said:

@unity100,

Yes, it works exactly like this 🙂

That's great to hear. I thought I would end up having to code a paypal IPN receiver in order to make two sites work.

On a sidenote, is the behavior of the Stripe module the same?

[D9Hosting]

On 12/14/2022 at 8:41 PM, unity100 said:

That's great to hear. I thought I would end up having to code a paypal IPN receiver in order to make two sites work.

On a sidenote, is the behavior of the Stripe module the same?

I have never tested Stripe using 2 different WHMCS installations but I would imagine the problem, if it exists, could easily be solved by creating a 2nd Stripe profile/brand under your existing Stripe account. You'd then have 2 different sets of API keys for each installation whilst still being able to manage everything under your existing Stripe account:

https://stripe.com/docs/account/multiple-accounts