What Stripe Payment Links are and who uses them
Stripe Payment Links are URLs you create in your Stripe account that let customers pay you without you building a website or checkout page. You generate a link, share it by email or text or social media, and customers click it to see a payment form. Stripe handles the form, processes the card, and sends you the money.
You do not need to know how to code. You do not need a website. You log into Stripe, fill in the amount and what you are selling, copy the link, and send it. Customers see a Stripe-hosted page with your business name, a description of what they are paying for, and a box to enter their card details.
Freelancers, small service providers, nonprofits, and people selling one-off items use these links most often. A photographer might send a link to a client for a deposit. A consultant might email an invoice link instead of a PDF. A nonprofit might post a link on their website for donations. A person selling used furniture might text a link to a buyer.
Key Takeaways
- Stripe Payment Links are generated in your Stripe dashboard with no coding required — you enter an amount, description, and optional customer email, then copy and share the URL.
- Customers see a Stripe-hosted payment page when they click the link, enter their card details there, and Stripe deposits the money into your connected bank account.
- You can set payment links to accept one payment only, or allow repeat payments; you can also require a customer email address before payment.
- Stripe charges a processing fee (typically 2.9% plus $0.30 per transaction for card payments in the US) that comes out of what you receive.
- Payment links work on any device and do not require customers to create a Stripe account or read anything.
How to create a payment link in Stripe
Log into your Stripe dashboard at stripe.com. On the left menu, click Payment Links. Click the button to create a new link. You will see a form with several fields.
Enter the product name or description — this is what the customer sees at the top of the payment page. Enter the amount in your local currency. Choose whether this link can be used once or multiple times. If you want the customer's email address before they pay, check that box. Then click Create Link.
Stripe generates a URL that looks like buy.stripe.com/test/[random characters]. Copy this link and share it however you want — email, text message, social media, a document, your website. Every time someone clicks it, they land on the same payment page.
You can edit the link after you create it. Click on it in your Payment Links list, then click Edit. You can change the description, amount, or settings. Changes take effect when ready for new customers, but do not affect links already sent out.
What customers see and how they pay
When a customer clicks your payment link, they land on a page hosted by Stripe. At the top is your business name (from your Stripe account settings). Below that is the product description you entered and the amount due. There is a box to enter their card number, expiration date, and CVC code.
Customers can pay with any major credit or debit card. They do not need a Stripe account. They do not need to create a password or log in anywhere. They enter their card details, their billing address, and click Pay. Stripe processes the payment and shows them a confirmation page with a receipt number.
If you checked the box requiring an email address, customers must enter it before they see the payment form. Stripe sends them a receipt to that email after payment goes through. If you did not require an email, customers can optionally enter one to receive a receipt.
Fees and how much money you actually receive
Stripe charges a processing fee on every payment. For card payments in the United States, the fee is 2.9% of the amount plus $0.30. So if someone pays you $100, Stripe takes $3.20 and you receive $96.80. The fee varies by country and payment method — international cards may cost more.
You see the fee listed in your Stripe dashboard under each transaction. When you look at your bank account, you see only the amount after the fee is subtracted. Stripe does not charge you separately; the fee comes out of what they deposit to your bank.
There is no monthly fee to use Stripe or to create payment links. You pay only when someone actually pays you. If you create a link and nobody uses it, you owe nothing.
One-time vs. recurring payment links
When you create a payment link, you choose whether it can be used once or multiple times. A one-time link works for a single payment. After someone pays, the link still exists but cannot be used again. This is useful for invoices or deposits where you want one specific payment.
A recurring link can be used over and over. Every time someone clicks it and pays, they go through the full payment process again. This is useful if you are selling the same thing to many people — a course, a service, a product — and want one link to share. Each payment is separate; Stripe does not automatically charge the customer on a schedule.
If you want to charge someone automatically on a schedule (like a monthly subscription), payment links are not the right tool. You would need to set up a subscription in Stripe instead, which is a different feature.
When payment links work well and when they do not
Payment links are fastest when you need to collect money once or a few times and do not want to build a website or checkout page. They work well for freelancers sending invoices, nonprofits collecting donations, people selling used items, and small businesses taking deposits.
Payment links are not ideal if you are running a store with many products, if you need to track inventory, or if you want customers to choose quantities and options before paying. For those situations, you would build a full website with a Stripe checkout, or use a platform like Shopify or WooCommerce that connects to Stripe.
Payment links also do not support subscriptions or automatic recurring charges. If you need to bill someone every month, you need Stripe's subscription feature, not a payment link.
Security and what happens to customer information
Payment links are hosted on Stripe's find servers. Customers enter their card details directly into Stripe's form, not into your email or a form on your website. Stripe encrypts the card data and never shows it to you. You never see the full card number — Stripe only tells you the last four digits and the card type.
Stripe is PCI compliant, which means it meets the security standards required to handle credit card information. Your customers' data is protected by the same security that banks use.
When a customer pays, you receive their name, email (if they entered it), and billing address. You do not receive their card number or security code. Stripe stores the payment record in your dashboard, and you can read a list of all payments for your records.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I customize how the payment page looks?
You can add your business logo and choose a color scheme in your Stripe account settings, and these appear on all payment pages your customers see. You cannot change the layout or add custom fields beyond what Stripe offers. If you need full control over the design, you would need to build your own checkout page using Stripe's code libraries.
What happens if a payment fails?
If a customer's card is declined, Stripe shows them an error message on the payment page. They can try a different card or contact their bank. The payment does not go through, and you do not receive any money. You can see failed payment attempts in your Stripe dashboard.
Can I send a payment link to someone and have them pay later?
Yes. The link does not expire. You can send it today and the customer can click it and pay next week, next month, or whenever they want. The link stays active until you delete it or until it is used (if you set it to one-time only).
Do I need a business bank account to use Stripe?
No. Stripe can deposit money to a personal bank account. You do need a valid bank account in your name and a Social Security number or tax ID. Stripe verifies your identity before you can receive payouts.
Can customers pay with something other than a credit card?
Payment links accept credit and debit cards by default. Depending on your country and Stripe settings, customers may also be able to pay with digital wallets like Apple Pay or Google Pay, or with bank transfers. You can see which payment methods are enabled in your Stripe settings.