Payment links: What are they and how to use them for your small business?

Finding ways to make it faster, cheaper, and easier for customers to pay can reduce the number of invoices that are not paid promptly—or ever. And according to the QuickBooks 2025 Small Business Late Payments Report, this is an issue for more than half (56%) small businesses. 

Fortunately, small businesses can now use online solutions like payment links to reduce friction in the payment process. This guide will explain more about how payment links work, including what they are, how to use them, and how to pick a payment link provider.

Jump to:

• What are payment links?
• How to use payment links
• Where and when to use payment links
• The benefits of using payment links in your small businesses
• How to pick a payment link provider
• How to create payment links with QuickBooks
• Next steps for managing your cash flow

What are payment links?

Payment links allow you to provide a simple URL that your customers can click to pay instantly. You can use them instead of sending an invoice or requiring your customers to complete a complex checkout process.

Payment links offer a modern, user-friendly solution that shortens the time between providing a service and receiving funds.

How to use payment links

If your company offers payment links, some best practices should be followed to ensure simple payment and secure crucial payment data. These can include keeping things simple and offering multiple payment options.

Make sure your payment link is as simple as possible.

Your payment link should include minimal fields and only ask for essential information on the payment page to reduce friction. There should be clear call-to-actions (CTAs) and your link should include concise and direct language like "Complete Payment," "Pay Now," or "Submit Order."

Offer your customers multiple payment options

When you create a payment link, be sure to cater to customer preferences. To increase conversion, include a variety of popular payment methods (credit/debit cards, digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, bank transfers).

Use recognizable logos for accepted payment methods on the payment page to ensure customers easily understand their options. Offer a guest checkout to allow customers to pay without creating an account to reduce friction, especially for first-time buyers.

Make sure your payment link is safe

To make sure your payment link is safe, check the URL to ensure it is an HTTPS link with a domain name matching the business and look for security indicators like the padlock icon. Also, encourage your customers to be wary of suspicious email addresses or unsolicited links.

Where and when to use payment links 

Payment links generate a unique URL that directs customers to a payment gateway where they can complete payment for goods or services. 

Payment links can be useful for various solopreneurs and business owners who learn how to use payment links effectively. 

For example, you may need to create payment links if you: 

• Don’t have a website but want to accept digital payments
• Have a website that lacks e-commerce features 
• Use various channels for selling
• Sell in person, but don’t want to use point-of-sale systems 
• Need a tool for sporadic or ad hoc sales 

Say you’re a landscaper that offers custom pricing or add-on services, you can create custom link payments for each specific customer. 

One of the primary use cases for payment links is sharing them on various platforms. You can easily share these links on various platforms such as your website or blog, in-person, or via email, text, social media, or customer service chat:

Website 

To enhance your website or blog's payment process, you can strategically incorporate payment links into various sections. Placing payment links on product pages can streamline the checkout process. You’ll want to edit the HTML or text where you want the payment link to appear.

In-person 

Payment links are useful for online transactions but can also be useful for in-person payments. Whether you’re a small business owner or a solopreneur, you can accept face-to-face payments without hardware or point-of-sale systems.

For example, you can generate a QR code that the customer can scan using their smartphone. They can then proceed to make the payment using their preferred method, whether a credit card, debit card, small business gift card, or another available option.

Email 

You can add payment links to your email campaigns with a call-to-action hyperlink or button to help customers easily purchase your offerings and drive conversions. For example, you may include "Complete your purchase now" to help fight shopping cart abandonment. You can also emphasize the ease of the payment process and highlight any incentives, such as discounts or limited-time offers. 

Text messages 

In addition to using payment links in emails, you can also utilize them in text messages. By sending payment links directly to a customer's cellphone via text, you can create custom in-person pricing—or charge customers for add-on services. 

Social media 

An effective way to direct customers to your online checkout page is by utilizing payment links on social media. These links provide a direct and convenient way for customers to make purchases without navigating through multiple pages.

To use payment links on social media, generate a unique URL that directs customers to your checkout page. Then, you can share the link in your social media posts, stories, bios, or even your social media marketing ads. Customers can click the payment link to take them to the checkout page.

Chat 

Customer service chats are a convenient way to assist customers. Integrating payment links into these chat conversations can streamline purchasing and provide an exceptional customer experience.

You can use payment links in chat to help direct customers to specific items and for cross-selling and upselling. During customer service chats, you can suggest additional products or related services that may complement their initial request. Payment links for these opportunities make it easy for customers to explore and add more items to their purchases.

The benefits of using payment links in your small businesses

Payment links have many benefits for customers and the business, even if you're already hitting your key financial metrics. Here are some of the biggest advantages of online payment links; 

Enhanced customer experience

Payment links improve the customer experience because customers can pay anytime, anywhere, with convenient electronic payments, regardless of business hours or your physical location. They are even optimized for smartphones, allowing easy and quick payments on the go.

Reputable providers often allow you to offer various payment methods on the linked page, such as credit/debit cards and popular digital wallets, which also makes it easier to pay.

Increased sales

A streamlined payment process makes it easier for customers to complete their purchases, helping to fight shopping cart abandonment. It can also facilitate quick transactions for products or services promoted instantly on social media or during live chats.

With payment links, you can also easily accept payments from international customers and create a clear and direct path to purchase from all your marketing efforts.

Operational efficiency

Payment links are ideal for solopreneurs, freelancers, or small businesses without an online store because they encourage prompt payment. They can also help you tackle and anticipate disruptive cash flow problems.

Versatile for various scenarios

Payment links are highly adaptable for custom invoicing for tailored services, accepting donations for nonprofits or fundraisers, selling event tickets without a dedicated ticketing platform, and collecting payments for pre-orders or back-ordered items.

QuickBook's AI payments agent can help you monitor your payment process in all these scenarios, optimizing invoicing and payment collection. You gain access to it with QuickBooks Payments.

Cost-effectiveness

With payment links, you can avoid the need for expensive e-commerce platform subscriptions or complex point-of-sale (POS) systems.

Payment links can eliminate the necessity for costly card readers or terminals, and easily adapt to growing sales volumes without requiring significant infrastructure changes or increasing operational costs.

How to pick a payment link provider 

When selecting a payment link provider for your business, several factors must be considered to ensure you find the right fit. Here are some key elements to evaluate:

1. Currency support: Make sure the payment link provider supports the currencies you need for international transactions. This allows you to accept payments from customers worldwide.
2. Customization: Look for a provider that offers customization for your payment links. This will enable you to tailor the payment process to match your brand and provide a friction-free commerce experience.
3. Functionality: Evaluate the features and functionality offered by the payment link provider. Look for options like partial payments and real-time payment notifications to enhance your customer experience.
4. Ease of link generation: Choose a provider that makes generating payment links quick and straightforward. This will save you time and effort when creating and sharing payment links with your customers.
5. Transaction fees: Consider the transaction fees charged by the provider. Look for a transparent fee structure that aligns with your business's budget and revenue goals.

Assessing these factors will equip you to choose a payment link provider that meets your business's payment needs.

How to create payment links with QuickBooks

Creating a payment link is typically done through a payment processor or a payment service provider. With accounting software that integrates payment functions like QuickBooks Online, learning how to create payment links is easy, as you can create and manage payment links seamlessly. 

So, how do payment links work with QuickBooks? You can create QuickBooks payment links in just a few clicks:

Follow these steps to create payment links with QuickBooks:

1. Navigate to the “Payment links” tab in your QuickBooks dashboard 
2. Select “Create my link” if you already have a QuickBooks Payment account or “Get started” if you don’t have one
3. Customize your payment link URL (optional) 
4. Enter the payment amount and description 
5. Select or add the customer name 
6. Enter the customer’s email address 
7. Choose how you want your customer to pay
8. Select “Send payment link” 

It will then send your payment link to your customer’s email. You can also copy your link and QR code to share them in other ways. In your dashboard, you can track payment status and send reminders.

FYI: Your customer does not need a QuickBooks account to pay you.

Next steps for managing your cash flow

Payment links offer a fast, simple, and secure way for your business to get paid—whether you’re invoicing clients or selling items online.

Once you have your payment links up and running, you'll also want to think about how to manage and optimize your cash flow. QuickBooks offers powerful tools to help your company track income, forecast expenses, and stay in control of your finances.

QuickBooks accounting software can help you manage payments, track profits, and more. Contact us to learn how our tools can support your next move towards more effective financial management for your business.

QuickBooks Payments: QuickBooks Payments account subject to eligibility criteria, credit, and application approval. Subscription to QuickBooks Online required. Money movement services are provided by Intuit Payments Inc., licensed as a Money Transmitter by the New York State Department of Financial Services. For more information about Intuit Payments' money transmission licenses, please visit https://www.intuit.com/legal/licenses/payment-licenses/.

QuickBooks Money: QuickBooks Money is a standalone Intuit product that includes QuickBooks Payments, and currently does not connect with other QuickBooks products such as QuickBooks Online (and QuickBooks Checking), QuickBooks Self-Employed, or GoPayment. Intuit accounts are subject to eligibility criteria, credit, and application approval. Banking services provided by and QuickBooks Visa Debit Card are issued by Green Dot Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. Visa is a registered trademark of Visa International Service Association. QuickBooks Money Deposit Account Agreement applies. Banking services and debit card opening are subject to identity verification and approval by Green Dot Bank. Money movement services, including Same Day Deposit, are provided by Intuit Payments Inc., licensed as a Money Transmitter by the New York State Department of Financial Services.