Guides
How to create a payment link: pay by link, QR codes, fees and security explained
A payment link is a URL, often also shown as a QR code, that opens a secure payment page with the amount, currency and description already filled in. You create it in a payment provider's dashboard or through an API, send it by email, messenger, invoice or print, and the customer pays by card, bank transfer or a local method such as iDEAL or BLIK. No website or integration is needed.
At a glance
| Format | An https URL that opens a secure payment page with the amount filled in; optionally rendered as a QR code for print or screens |
|---|---|
| Channels | Email, SMS, WhatsApp and other messengers, PDF invoices, social media profiles, chat support and printed QR codes |
| Single-use or reusable | Single-use links close after one successful payment; reusable links accept many payments, with a fixed or open amount |
| Expiry | Set by the merchant; typical options range from 15 minutes to 30 days, and reusable links often have no expiry |
| Payment methods | Whatever is enabled on the merchant account: cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay, iDEAL, Bancontact, BLIK, Pay by Bank, SEPA transfer, BNPL |
| Fees model | Usually no fee to create a link; the normal per-transaction fee of the method the customer picks applies, as listed on the PSP's price list |
| Settlement | Follows the method: account-to-account methods typically same day, iDEAL and Bancontact next business day, cards 1 to 3 business days plus the provider's payout schedule |
| Security | Card data is entered only on the provider's PCI DSS compliant page; 3-D Secure or bank app authentication meets strong customer authentication under PSD2 |
| Availability via OrsunPay | Available: create links in the merchant cabinet or through the API, paid through your connected PSPs |
Payment link vs invoice vs website checkout vs POS
| Option | Website or integration needed | Who sets the amount | Payment methods | Confirmation | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payment link | No | Merchant, locked in the link | All methods on the account | Real time | Invoices, quotes, remote and social sales |
| Invoice with bank transfer | No | Customer, when typing the transfer | Bank transfer only | Hours to days, manual matching | Large B2B amounts on payment terms |
| Checkout on your website | Yes | Shop system | All methods on the account | Real time | Online shops with many orders |
| POS terminal | No, but hardware | Merchant on the device | Cards and wallets | Real time | Shops, restaurants, markets |
| OrsunPay (our product; orchestration layer, not a provider) | No; links are created in the merchant cabinet or through the API | Merchant, locked in the link | Methods from your connected PSPs, such as cards, iDEAL, BLIK or Bizum | Real time, by webhook | Merchants who want links across several PSPs in one place |
What is a payment link and how does it work?
A payment link is the simplest way to accept an online payment: a unique URL that points to a checkout page hosted by your payment provider. When a customer opens it, the page shows your business name, the amount and a description, and offers the methods enabled on your account. After payment you are notified in the dashboard, by email or through a webhook.
Because the checkout lives on the provider's domain, nothing has to be built or installed: a freelancer or a shop selling through Instagram can take card and bank payments the same day, and larger merchants use links for phone deposits and overdue invoices. The link carries no money and no card data. It is a reference to a payment object stored at the provider, so the amount cannot be altered by whoever forwards it.
What can you use payment links for?
Payment links are useful wherever the sale happens outside a web shop basket: in a conversation, on paper, on a phone or at a location without a card terminal. The table lists common patterns and the settings that fit.
| Use case | How the link is shared | Link type | Amount setting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invoices for services and B2B orders | Pay now button in the PDF or email invoice | Single-use | Fixed, the invoice total |
| Social selling on Instagram or WhatsApp | Direct message once the order is confirmed | Single-use per order | Fixed, product plus shipping |
| Deposits and bookings by phone | SMS or email during the call | Single-use, 24 to 72 hour expiry | Fixed deposit |
| Donations and tips | Link in profile bio, QR code on posters | Reusable, no expiry | Open amount or preset choices |
| Event tickets and courses | Link in the announcement, QR at the venue | Reusable until the event date | Fixed price per ticket |
| Field sales and trades on site | QR code shown from the technician's phone | Single-use, created on the spot | Fixed, entered after the job |
Payment link vs invoice vs website checkout vs POS: which should you use?
An invoice with bank details is free but slow and manual, a checkout on your website suits self-service volume, and a POS terminal is for face-to-face retail. Payment links fill the gap between them. The comparison table at the top of this page sets them side by side.
How do QR code payment links work?
A QR code is just another way to deliver the same URL: the customer scans it with the phone camera, the browser opens the payment page, and the flow continues as if the link had been clicked. Providers generate the QR image for each link automatically for print or screens. Confirmation is real time and every method on the account is available.
This is different from a bank transfer QR code. The European Payments Council's EPC QR guideline (EPC069-12, version 3.1 of March 2024) defines a code that encodes beneficiary name, IBAN, amount and remittance text; euro-area banking apps read it and pre-fill a SEPA credit transfer. It needs no provider and costs nothing, but there is no instant confirmation, the payer can edit the amount, and reconciliation depends on the reference. National variants such as QR Platba in Czechia or iDEAL QR in the Netherlands are tied to one method and one country.
For an invoice paid by transfer anyway, an EPC QR code removes typing errors. Where you need immediate confirmation or customers expect to pay by card, iDEAL or BLIK, use the QR code of a payment link.
How secure are payment links?
Security rests on the customer paying on the provider's hosted page rather than on your systems. Card numbers are entered within the provider's PCI DSS scope, so your business never stores card data. Under PSD2, electronic payments in the EEA require strong customer authentication, as detailed in Commission Delegated Regulation 2018/389: for cards this means 3-D Secure 2, where the issuer verifies the cardholder with an app push or a one-time code, with exemptions below EUR 30 and for low-risk transactions. Bank methods such as iDEAL, Pay by Bank or BLIK authenticate inside the banking app, and liability for authenticated card fraud normally shifts to the issuer.
Two settings on the link matter as much as the technology. The amount lock means nobody who forwards the link can change what is charged, so open-amount links belong only on donation pages; expiry limits how long a forgotten link stays live, and single-use links cannot be paid twice. Tell customers that a genuine link always opens on your provider's domain, because phishing emails imitate payment links far more often than they break them.
What do payment links cost and when is the money settled?
Most PSPs charge nothing for creating or sending links; you pay the transaction fee of the method the customer picks, as listed on your PSP's price list. Card fees depend on where the card was issued and whether it is a consumer or commercial card, while local bank methods such as iDEAL, Bancontact or Pay by Bank are usually priced per payment. A few PSPs add a small surcharge for links. OrsunPay plans are on the pricing page.
Settlement follows the method, not the channel. iDEAL, Pay by Bank and SEPA Instant payments usually reach your provider balance within seconds and are paid out the same or next business day; card payments settle in one to three business days and then follow the provider's payout schedule, daily to monthly. A payment link does not replace an invoice for VAT purposes: the amount should include VAT, the description should reference the invoice number, and the invoice itself is still issued under your country's rules.
How do payment links work through OrsunPay?
Payment links are available via OrsunPay. You create a link in the merchant cabinet or through the API with an amount, currency, reference and expiry, and the payment goes to the connected PSP that supports the customer's method and country, such as Stripe, Adyen or Worldpay. OrsunPay is a payment orchestration platform that connects you to licensed PSPs; it does not process or hold funds itself.
Status arrives by signed webhook, and you can deactivate links you no longer need. Fees and payout timing stay those of your own PSP contracts; to set links up across several PSPs, use the contact page.
How to create and send a payment link
- Open the payment links section In your provider's dashboard choose Payment links and click Create, or call the payment links endpoint of the API.
- Set amount, currency and description Enter the amount including VAT, choose the currency and write a description the customer will recognise, plus your own reference.
- Choose link type and expiry Pick a single-use link for an invoice or deposit, or a reusable link for donations and repeat sales, and set an expiry if needed.
- Select methods and customer details Restrict payment methods if needed and decide whether the customer must provide an email or shipping address.
- Share the link Paste the URL into an email, SMS or WhatsApp message, add it as a Pay now button to a PDF invoice, or download the QR code.
- Track and reconcile Follow the status from open to paid in the dashboard or by webhook and match it to the invoice by reference.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a website to use payment links?
No. The payment page is hosted by your PSP, so a payment link works from an email, a message or a printed QR code alone. You only need a merchant account with a PSP that offers links, or a setup that creates links across the PSP accounts you already have.
Can a payment link be reused for several customers?
Yes, if you create it as a reusable link; each click or scan then produces a separate payment with its own reference. Single-use links, the default for invoices, close after the first successful payment.
What does it cost to send a payment link?
Creating and sending links is normally free. You pay the transaction fee of the method the customer chooses, as published on your PSP's price list. Cards are usually priced as a percentage plus a fixed fee, while iDEAL, Bancontact or Pay by Bank are often a fixed fee per payment. OrsunPay plans are listed on the pricing page.
Can I add VAT to a payment link?
You enter the gross amount including VAT, and most providers let you add line items or a VAT breakdown to the checkout page. The link is not an invoice: you still issue one under your country's VAT rules.
How fast do I receive the money from a payment link?
The same as for any other payment with that method. iDEAL, Pay by Bank and SEPA Instant typically reach your provider balance within seconds and are paid out the same or next business day; cards settle in one to three business days.
Can customers pay by BLIK or iDEAL through a payment link?
Yes. A payment link opens a payment page with every method enabled on your account, so a Dutch customer sees iDEAL and a Polish customer sees BLIK next to cards, and you are notified in real time. Which methods appear depends on the PSP accounts you have connected.
Can I create payment links with OrsunPay?
Yes. Payment links are available via OrsunPay: create them in the merchant cabinet or through the API, set amount, currency, reference and expiry, and share the URL or QR code. The payment runs through your connected PSP, such as Stripe, Adyen or Worldpay, and status comes back by webhook.