Proposals · Glossary
What is a payment link?
A payment link is a web address that opens a secure checkout page where a customer can pay a set amount by card or another method, without creating an account or entering bank details by hand. It can be sent by email, text or on an invoice, and the payment goes to the seller's merchant account.
A payment link removes the friction between agreeing to pay and actually paying. Instead of copying a BSB and account number, the customer taps a link and pays in under a minute.
Nuwan Madhusanka · Co-founder
4 min read · Published
How a payment link works
The seller creates a link tied to an amount, either in a payment provider's dashboard or automatically from an invoice. When the customer opens it, they see a hosted checkout page with the amount and a payment form. The provider handles the card details, any extra security checks such as 3D Secure, and the receipt. The money lands in the seller's merchant account, less the provider's fees, and the seller's records update to show the payment.
Why businesses use them
Payment links shorten the time between invoice and payment, because they cut out the steps where customers delay: finding the bank details, logging into banking, typing a reference. They also reduce errors, since the amount and reference are fixed, and they create a clear record matched to the invoice. Stripe describes payment links as a way to accept payments without building a website or writing code, which is why they suit service businesses and sole traders.
Safety for both sides
A genuine payment link opens a page on the payment provider's own domain over HTTPS. Customers should check the address before entering card details, and businesses should tell customers how links will arrive. Payment redirection scams, where criminals send fake invoices or changed bank details, are among the most reported business scams in Australia, so a link that goes straight to a known checkout domain is safer than an emailed request to pay a new account number.
Common mistakes
Sending a link with no invoice leaves the customer unsure what they are paying for. Reusing one fixed amount link for different jobs causes reconciliation headaches. Forgetting that card fees reduce what you receive can erase the margin on small jobs. And sending links from an unfamiliar address or without context looks like a scam and gets ignored.
Where it shows up in the product
Each issued invoice can have a pay link at the address /proposals/pay/ followed by a token. It opens a public pay page with the amount due, the items, the PDF and the bank details. Pay now opens Stripe Checkout through the owner's connected Stripe account, and the page refuses any redirect that is not checkout.stripe.com. Connecting Stripe needs a paid plan; the platform fee per payment is 2 percent on Starter, 1 percent on Pro and 0.5 percent on Pro+, with Stripe's own fees on top. The money goes to the owner's Stripe account.
Questions people ask
Is a payment link safe for the customer?
A genuine link from a known provider is safe: card details are entered on the provider's secure page, not given to the seller. The customer should check that the page is on the provider's domain and uses HTTPS, and be wary of links from unexpected senders. When in doubt, contact the business through a number you already know.
Does a payment link cost the business anything?
Usually yes. Card payments carry a processing fee from the payment provider, typically a percentage plus a small fixed amount per transaction, and platforms that generate links may add their own fee. Check the total cost per payment and decide whether to absorb it or set your prices to cover it.
Can a payment link be used more than once?
It depends on the link. Some links are reusable for a fixed product, such as a class pass, and can be paid many times. Links generated from an invoice are usually tied to that invoice and stop accepting payment once it is paid, which prevents accidental double payments.
What is the difference between a payment link and an invoice?
An invoice is the document that states what is owed and why. A payment link is a way to pay it. Many invoices now include a payment link alongside bank details, so the customer can choose how to pay. Keep the invoice as the record and the link as the convenience.
Do customers need an account to pay through a link?
No. Hosted checkout pages generally let customers pay as guests with a card or a supported wallet. Some providers offer to save details for next time, but that is optional. Not requiring an account is a large part of why payment links are paid faster than bank transfers.
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