You run a small project and want visitors to be able to chip in. PayPal can do the payment. What you need is a block of HTML that puts a Donate button on your page. Kwebby's Donate Button Generator writes that block for you.
Enter your PayPal email, choose a currency and, if you like, a fixed amount, a donation purpose and your own button text. Then copy the code. This tool supports PayPal only, and it is part of Kwebby's Free Image Tools Online.
Key Takeaways
- Kwebby's Donate Button Generator creates the HTML for a PayPal Donate button. It does not support other payment providers.
- You enter a PayPal email, an optional donation purpose, optional button text, a currency and an optional fixed amount.
- Seven currencies are available: USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, INR and JPY.
- Every email-based PayPal donate button puts your PayPal email in the page source, so anyone can read it. This is how PayPal's email buttons work, not a defect of the tool.
- Donation Purpose appears at PayPal checkout. Button Text changes the label on the button; leave it blank to use PayPal's standard Donate image.
- Visitors leave your site to pay on PayPal, so test the button before you announce it.
What Is the Kwebby Donate Button Generator?
Kwebby's Donate Button Generator is a free tool that creates the HTML for a PayPal Donate button. You enter your PayPal email, an optional donation purpose, optional button text, a currency and an optional fixed amount. The tool outputs a form that sends visitors to PayPal to pay. Copy the code and paste it into your page.
It does not process payments itself. PayPal handles the checkout, the payment and the receipt it sends.
Key Features and How It Works
The tool builds a small HTML form. Clicking the button posts the details to PayPal, which opens its donation page.
PayPal Email
The PayPal Email field is required. The form stores it in a hidden field named business. PayPal's HTML variable reference says this field accepts a PayPal ID or an email address associated with your account, and that email addresses must be confirmed.
Donation Purpose
The Donation Purpose field sets the description PayPal shows at checkout, sent as the item_name field. If you leave it blank, the tool uses "Donation".
Button Text
The Button Text field sets the label on the button. With text entered, the code uses a plain HTML button in PayPal yellow with your label. Leave it blank to use PayPal's standard Donate image.
Currency and Fixed Amount
Choose USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, INR or JPY. If you enter a Fixed Amount, the button opens PayPal with that amount. Leave it blank and the donor chooses. PayPal lists the amount as optional for Donate buttons.
Safe HTML and Copy HTML
The tool escapes quotes, ampersands and angle brackets in every value, so a purpose such as "Tom & Jerry's fund" cannot break the code. A fixed amount is written with two decimals (whole numbers for JPY). Click Copy HTML and the code goes to your clipboard. The code box appears after you type an email.
Why a Donate Button Helps
A donate button gives supporters a clear place to act. Visitors recognize the PayPal flow, and you avoid building a payment page. It suits creators, open source projects, small clubs and fundraisers who already have a PayPal account.
There are trade-offs. Fundraising platforms such as Givebutter point out that donors leave your website to pay and that a PayPal payment does not produce a tax-compliant receipt from your organization. If you are a registered charity, plan your own receipts.
How to Use the Donate Button Generator
- Enter your PayPal Email. Type the email linked to your PayPal account in the required field.
- Add a Donation Purpose. Enter a short description such as "Support My Project". Leave it blank to use "Donation". Add Button Text if you want your own label instead of the PayPal image.
- Choose a Currency. Pick USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, INR or JPY.
- Set a Fixed Amount if you want one. Leave it blank to let donors choose.
- Click Copy HTML. The button changes to "Copied!" when the code is on your clipboard.
- Paste and test. Paste the code where the button should appear, publish the page and click the button to confirm the PayPal page shows your description and currency.
Best Practices for Donate Buttons
A donate button is only useful when donors trust it. These steps help.
Know that your email is visible
Anyone can view your page source and read the PayPal email in the form. This is inherent to email-based PayPal donate buttons, whichever tool creates them. Spam bots do collect addresses this way. PayPal's Donate SDK page shows that business accounts can use a hosted_button_id from PayPal's own button builder instead of an email. Consider that route if you do not want the address public. Common mistake: using a personal email you rely on for other things.
Write a clear description
The Donation Purpose appears at checkout, so say what the gift supports. "Hosting costs for the open source project" is better than "Donation". Quotes and ampersands are fine, because the tool escapes them.
Pick the right amount setting
Leave the amount blank for open giving. Use a fixed amount when you are selling a pledge level. To offer several suggested amounts, create several buttons with different amounts and Button Text such as "Give $10".
Match the currency to your audience
Pick the currency your supporters expect. The tool offers the seven currencies listed above, so check that yours is among them.
Test with a real click
Open the live page and click the button. Check the payee, the description and the currency on the PayPal page. Use the Get Source Code of Webpage tool if the button does not appear.
Tell donors what happens next
Add a sentence above the button explaining where the money goes and that PayPal will open. If you send thank-you emails or receipts, say so.
Share the donation page
Tag the page URL with the Link Tracker to see which campaign brings gifts, and create a printed sign with the QR Code Generator.
Common Use Cases
- Open source projects: add a donate button to a README site or docs page.
- Creators and bloggers: let readers support your work.
- Clubs and community groups: collect small gifts for events.
- Fundraisers: accept gifts for a one-off cause with a fixed amount.
- Personal sites: add a "buy me a coffee" style button.
Related Kwebby Tools
These tools help you promote and check the page that holds the button:
- QR Code Generator: make a printable code for your donation page.
- Link Tracker: add UTM parameters to the donation page link.
- Meta Tag Generator: set the title and description for the page.
- Open Graph Generator: control how the page looks when shared.
- HTML Encoder / Decoder: escape special characters in other HTML you write.
- Get Source Code of Webpage: confirm the button code is on the live page.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I create a PayPal donate button?
Enter your PayPal email in Kwebby's Donate Button Generator, add a donation purpose and optional button text, choose a currency and optionally a fixed amount, then click Copy HTML. Paste the code into your page. PayPal also offers its own button builder inside your account.
Which payment providers does the donate button generator support?
Only PayPal. The code sends the donor to PayPal's donation page. The tool does not create buttons for other payment providers.
Do I need a PayPal business account?
The tool needs a PayPal email linked to your account. PayPal's documentation accepts a PayPal ID or a confirmed email for the business field. Business accounts get more features, including hosted buttons. Check PayPal's current rules for the account type you hold.
Can I set a fixed donation amount?
Yes. Enter a Fixed Amount and the button opens PayPal with that amount. Leave the field blank and the donor chooses. To offer several amounts, create one button per amount.
Is my PayPal email visible in the button code?
Yes. The email sits in a hidden form field in your page source, where anyone can read it. Every email-based PayPal donate button works this way. If you want to avoid that, create a hosted button inside PayPal and use its button ID instead.
Is the donate button generator free?
Yes. Kwebby's generator is free and needs no account. PayPal charges its own fees on donations, so check its current rates for your country and organization type.
Final Thoughts
Kwebby's Donate Button Generator turns a PayPal email into working button code in under a minute. Write a clear description, choose the right amount setting and be aware that the email is public in the source. Test the button on your live page, then share the page with a tracked link or a QR code. Browse more Kwebby tools to prepare and promote your donation page.