--- title: Set up Braintree description: "Connect Braintree to Ultimate Membership Pro: add your Merchant ID and keys, create a Plan for each recurring Membership, add the webhook and test in Sandbox." url: "https://ultimatemembershippro.com/docs/set-up-braintree/" updated: "2026-10-19" category: Payments --- # Set up Braintree 15 minIntermediateUltimate Membership Pro 14.2+ Ultimate Membership Pro can [take card payments through Braintree](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/integrations/payment-gateways/), the PayPal-owned payment platform. Members type their card details into a card form on your checkout page and never leave your site. For recurring Memberships, Braintree bills members according to a Plan you create in your Braintree account. This guide connects Braintree, creates the Plan for the Coaching Club's Pro Monthly Membership, adds the webhook and runs a Sandbox test. Before you start - You have a Braintree account. For testing, a Braintree Sandbox account (it's free and separate from your live account). - Your Braintree merchant account uses the currency you sell in, for example USD. - You have a paid Membership, for example **Pro Monthly** at $19/month with the slug `pro_monthly`. See [Create your first Membership](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/docs/step-2-create-levelssubscriptions/). - Your site should use HTTPS, because card details are typed on your checkout page. ## What Braintree supports Payments **One-time** : Yes: LifeTime, Limited Time and Date Range Memberships **Recurring** : Yes, through a Braintree Plan **Checkout** : Card form on your checkout page Billing rules **Cycles** : Months only **Trials** : Free trials only, set in days or months **Limited billing** : 2 or more payments (Max no of Periods) The checkout form asks for **Name on the Card**, **Credit Card Number**, **Expiration** and **CVC**. One-time payments are charged in your Braintree merchant account's currency. ## Open the Braintree settings 1. Go to Ultimate Membership Pro*›*Payment Gateways. 2. Find **Braintree** and click Complete setup (**Manage** once it's active). [![Braintree row on the Payment Gateways screen with the Complete setup button highlighted](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/ump-braintree-01-list-row-v2.png)](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/ump-braintree-01-list-row-v2.png) Braintree on the Payment Gateways screen. The page is called **Braintree Gateway**. Its badge shows Inactive, Sandbox or Live. ## Turn on the gateway [![Braintree Gateway page with the Activate Braintree Payment Service switch highlighted](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/ump-braintree-02-setup.png)](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/ump-braintree-02-setup.png) Switch on Activate Braintree Payment Service. Activate Braintree Payment Service Makes Braintree available at checkout. It's offered to members only when this is on and **Merchant ID**, **Public Key** and **Private Key** are all filled in. Default: **Off** ## Add your Braintree keys In Braintree, go to **Account › My User** and click **View Authorizations**. That page shows your Public Key, Private Key and Merchant ID. Sandbox and live accounts have different keys. [![Braintree Settings card with Sandbox selected, fake Merchant ID and keys, the Webhook URL and the Test Credentials table, numbered 1 to 6](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/ump-braintree-03-settings-v2.png)](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/ump-braintree-03-settings-v2.png) Braintree Settings in Sandbox mode for the example site. 1Environment Sandbox sends payments to your Braintree Sandbox account; Live takes real payments. Use the keys that match the environment. - **Sandbox** - **Live** Default: **Live** 2Merchant IDRequired Your Braintree merchant ID. 3Public KeyRequired The public key from View Authorizations. 4Private KeyRequired The private key from View Authorizations. Keep it secret. Setup Instructions Where to find the keys and how to add the webhook, shown on the screen for reference. 5Webhook URL The address to paste in Braintree (Step 5). Use the copy button next to it. 6Test CredentialsSandbox A test card for Sandbox payments: `4500600000000061`, expiry 12 of next year, CVV `123`, name John Doe. In Sandbox the checkout form is filled with these values for you. ## Create a Plan for each recurring Membership This is the step people miss. For a Recurring Subscription, Ultimate Membership Pro asks Braintree to start a subscription on the Plan whose **Plan ID** is the same as the Membership's **Membership Slug**. The billing frequency and the currency of that subscription come from the Plan, not from the Membership. 1. In Ultimate Membership Pro*›*Memberships, open the Membership and copy its **Membership Slug**, for example `pro_monthly`. 2. In your Braintree control panel, [create a new Plan](https://developer.paypal.com/braintree/docs/guides/recurring-billing/plans). 3. Set **Plan ID** to exactly the Membership Slug: `pro_monthly`. 4. Set the price (19.00), the currency (USD) and the billing cycle in months (every 1 month) to match the Membership. 5. If the Membership has a free trial, set the same trial in the Plan. 6. Save the Plan. Repeat for every Recurring Subscription you sell with Braintree, in Sandbox and again in your live account. Once Braintree is active, the Membership screen reminds you of the Plan ID to use: [![Membership Access card of Pro Monthly with the Braintree note: create a Plan with Plan ID set as pro_monthly](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/ump-braintree-06-plan-note.png)](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/ump-braintree-06-plan-note.png) The note under Subscription Cycle shows the Plan ID to create. No matching Plan, no subscription - If no Plan in Braintree has the Membership Slug as its Plan ID, Braintree refuses the subscription and the member can't complete the purchase. - The Plan decides how often members are billed and in which currency. If the Plan says every 3 months, members are billed every 3 months, whatever the Membership says. Keep both the same. - If you change a Membership Slug, create a Plan with the new slug too. ## Add the webhook in Braintree [![Webhook URL box with https://yoursite.com/?ihc_action=braintree highlighted](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/ump-braintree-04-webhook.png)](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/ump-braintree-04-webhook.png) Copy the Webhook URL. ``` https://yoursite.com/?ihc_action=braintree ``` 1. In Braintree, go to **Settings › Webhooks** and click **Create new Webhook**. 2. Paste the Webhook URL as the **Destination URL**. 3. Tick all the [**Subscription** notifications](https://developer.paypal.com/braintree/docs/guides/webhooks/overview) and save. Subscription Charged Successfully A recurring payment went through. The order becomes Completed and the Membership is extended. The first payment of a plan without a trial is confirmed this way too. Subscription Charged Unsuccessfully, Subscription Expired The Membership is taken off the member's account. Subscription Canceled The Membership's status becomes Cancelled. ## Set how Braintree appears at checkout [![Extra Settings card with Label Braintree, Position 6 and Short Description, numbered 1 to 3](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/ump-braintree-05-extra.png)](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/ump-braintree-05-extra.png) Extra Settings with the default values. 1Label The name of this payment method at checkout, for example Credit card. Default: **Braintree** 2Position The order of this gateway among the payment methods at checkout. Lower numbers come first. Default: **6** 3Short Description Optional text about the gateway, saved with its settings. Click Save Changes. ## Test a payment 1. With **Environment** on Sandbox and your Sandbox keys saved, buy **Pro Monthly** on your site in a private window. 2. Choose Braintree at checkout. The card form is already filled with the test card. 3. Complete the purchase, then check the new subscription under **Subscriptions** in your Braintree Sandbox. 4. In Ultimate Membership Pro*›*Payment History, the order becomes **Completed** once Braintree sends the Subscription Charged Successfully notification (right away if the Membership has a free trial). When it works, switch Environment to Live, paste your live keys, create the same Plans and webhook in your live Braintree account, and save. Limits to know - Recurring Memberships must use a Subscription Cycle in Months. - Trials are free trials, set in days or months. - Limited billing needs at least 2 payments. - Manage and cancel Braintree subscriptions in your Braintree control panel; the webhook then marks the Membership Cancelled. - Refunds are made in Braintree. Name the Plan after the slug from day one Pick short, final Membership Slugs such as pro_monthly before you create Plans. It saves you from re-creating Plans in two Braintree accounts later. ## Example: Coaching Club on Braintree **Coaching Club**Pro Monthly at $19/month, card form on the checkout page. **Environment** : Sandbox while testing, then Live **Merchant ID, Public Key, Private Key** : From Account › My User › View Authorizations **Braintree Plan** : Plan ID `pro_monthly`, $19.00, every 1 month **Webhook** : https://yoursite.com/?ihc_action=braintree, all Subscription notifications **Membership** : Pro Monthly, Recurring Subscription, 1 Months, slug pro_monthly **Label** : Credit card ## Troubleshooting Why isn't the Membership activated after a member submits the Braintree card form? Braintree refused the card, the customer or the subscription, so no payment was taken. For recurring plans the most common reason is a missing Plan: check that a Plan with the Membership Slug as Plan ID exists in the Braintree account that matches the Environment. Why do the card fields turn red at checkout? A field is empty or invalid: the name, the card number, the expiration date (MM / YY) or the CVC, which must have 3 digits. Why does the order stay Pending after a recurring purchase? Without a trial, the first payment is confirmed by the Subscription Charged Successfully notification. Check that the webhook exists in Braintree with the right Destination URL and that your site is publicly reachable. Why are members billed at the wrong interval or in the wrong currency? Braintree uses the interval and currency of the Plan. Edit the Plan in Braintree so it matches the Membership. How do I cancel a Braintree subscription? Cancel it in your Braintree control panel. Once you cancel there, the webhook sets the Membership to Cancelled. See [Membership statuses explained](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/docs/levels-colors-explanation/). ## What's next [**Create your first Membership**Set the slug and the monthly cycle.](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/docs/step-2-create-levelssubscriptions/)[**Let members choose a payment method**Offer Braintree next to other gateways.](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/docs/how-to-set-a-multi-payments-option/)[**Membership statuses explained**What Hold, Active and Cancelled mean.](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/docs/levels-colors-explanation/)[**Connect a payment gateway**Compare the other gateways.](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/docs/step-4-set-payment-gateway-if-applicable/)