Payment links let businesses send customers a URL or QR code that leads directly to a secure checkout page. Also known as payment request links, pay-by-link payments, or direct payment links, they allow you to collect money for products, services, deposits, and custom orders.
For businesses, this type of payment process shortens the path to purchase when customers already know what they want to buy. Instead of directing them to browse an online storefront, add items to a cart, and navigate to checkout, you can send them directly to a page where they can complete their purchase.
Learn about the link payment method, how to keep transactions secure, and how you can use Shopify payment links to accept payments online and in person.
What is a link payment?
A link payment takes a customer directly to a secure checkout page where they can pay for a product or service. Payment links make the checkout process easier and faster for customers. Whether you plan to use payment links regularly or sporadically for one-off services, your business can create them with the tools provided in a payment platform like Shopify Payments.
Pay-by-link payments vs. Link by Stripe
Pay-by-link payments are not the same as Link by Stripe. Pay by link refers to the broader method of sending customers URLs they can use to complete a purchase. Link is Stripe’s digital wallet and accelerated checkout service, which lets customers save and reuse their payment information at participating businesses.
How does a link payment work?
Payment links offer customers a direct path to a secure checkout page. The exact process of creating and using a payment link varies by payment provider, but it tends to work like this:
1. The business creates a payment link. Using its payment service provider’s tools, the business creates a unique payment link for a specific product, service, invoice, deposit, or payment amount.
2. The business sends the link to the customer. The business can share the payment link directly through email, text, social media, or a messaging app, or in person with a QR code. In many cases, customers can reuse the link multiple times.
3. The customer opens the link. Once the customer taps the link or scans the QR code, they’ll land on a hosted checkout page and can review the details.
4. The customer pays with their preferred method. The provider may accept different payment methods, such as credit cards, debit cards, bank transfers, and payments from digital wallets such as Apple Pay or Google Pay.
5. The payment is processed. The payment processor securely handles the transaction, confirms if the payment went through, and may send the customer a receipt.
6. The business receives the funds. The business gets paid according to its normal payout schedule, minus any transaction fees.
Is a link payment secure?
Pay-by-link can be a secure way to accept payments when you create them with a reputable payment provider. Rather than asking customers to send sensitive payment details through email, text, or another channel, a payment link takes the customer to a checkout page. The customer types their information into a secure payment gateway, where several security layers protect the transaction:
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Encryption. HTTPS/TLS encrypts information sent between the customer’s browser and the checkout page, making it difficult for someone to intercept readable payment data.
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PCI DSS compliance. Reputable payment providers that handle card data follow Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) requirements for securely processing, transmitting, and storing payment information.
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Tokenization. Many payment systems replace sensitive card details with a unique token. The store owner doesn’t handle or store the actual card number.
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Payment authentication and fraud controls. Many payment providers use secure checkout tools like 3D Secure, card verification, fraud screening, and multifactor authentication to verify transactions and detect suspicious activity.
Even with these security measures in place, payment links can still pose risks. For instance, scammers can send fraudulent payment links to consumers or create checkout pages designed to steal payment information.
That’s why it’s best to only work with a trusted payment provider and send links through appropriate messaging channels. Your customers can help prevent fraud on their end by reviewing the page before entering their payment information and avoiding links from unexpected or suspicious messages.
How Shopify retailers can use payment links
Your online store may be the natural place to send customers who want to browse products, compare options, and fill their carts. But sometimes you already know what a customer wants to buy. In those cases, a payment link cuts out unnecessary navigation.
Shopify retailers use payment links to:
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Collect payment for custom orders or invoices. If you create a custom order that has an outstanding balance or a deferred payment, you can send the customer an invoice with a link to a secure checkout page.
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Send customers directly to checkout with a cart permalink. Shopify’s cart permalinks let you create a link with specific products, quantities, and even discounts already selected. You can send these links to multiple customers.
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Accept payments in person with a QR code. With Quick Sale in the Shopify app, you can generate a QR code that customers scan with their own phones to open a secure payment link. This can be handy at markets, pop-ups, events, or other in-person selling situations.
To create a payment link in Shopify, go to Orders in your admin dashboard and click on Drafts. Create a draft order and follow the prompts, adding information about the products or services you’re selling and the customer making the purchase. Once you save the draft, you’ll have the option to share the order, which will create a payment link.
With Shopify Payments, you can accept major payment methods without setting up with a separate third-party payment provider. You can also enable Shop Pay, which securely saves participating customers’ payment and shipping information to speed up future checkouts.
What is a link payment FAQ
Who uses link payments?
Businesses of all sizes can use link payments to collect payments from customers. This payment method can be especially useful for service providers, freelancers, retailers, and other businesses that accept custom orders, deposits, invoices, or sales outside a traditional ecommerce storefront.
How does a link payment work?
A business creates a secure link using their payment provider’s tools (such as a Draft Order in Shopify admin), then sends the link to the customer by email, text message, QR code, or other channel. The customer clicks on or taps the link (or scans the QR code) and lands on a secure checkout page. They’ll choose an available payment method and complete the transaction.
Is a link payment safe?
Yes, payment links are safe when they’re created through a reputable payment provider. Customers enter their payment information on a secure checkout page rather than sharing sensitive card details through unsecured channels or directly with the seller. But because scammers can also send fraudulent payment links, customers should verify unexpected payment requests before paying.