What a Stripe payment link is and why you'd use one
A Stripe payment link is a URL you create in your Stripe account that lets someone pay you without needing a website or checkout page. You send the link by email, text, social media, or anywhere else — the person clicks it, enters their payment details, and the money goes into your Stripe account. No coding required.
Payment links work best when you're selling a single item or a fixed service to someone you already know — a freelancer collecting a deposit, a small business taking orders over email, a coach collecting class fees. If you're running a store with many products or need a shopping cart, you'd want a full website instead. But for one-off or recurring payments, a link is the fastest way to get paid.
Stripe creates the link for you. You don't build it yourself. The person paying sees a Stripe-hosted page (not your page) where they enter their card details, and Stripe handles the security and fraud checking.
Key Takeaways
- You create a payment link directly in your Stripe Dashboard under the "Payment Links" section — no code or website needed.
- You set the amount, item name, and whether the payment is one-time or recurring, then Stripe generates a URL you can share anywhere.
- The person paying sees a Stripe-hosted checkout page, enters their card details, and Stripe deposits the money into your account.
- Payment links work for invoices, deposits, class fees, donations, and any fixed-price transaction where you know the amount in advance.
- You can track payments, send reminders, and set an expiration date for the link from your Stripe Dashboard.
Step 1: Log into your Stripe account and find Payment Links
Go to dashboard.stripe.com and sign in with your email and password. If you don't have a Stripe account yet, you'll need to create one first — it takes about 10 minutes and requires your business name, your personal details, and a bank account where Stripe will deposit payments.
Once you're logged in, look at the left sidebar menu. Click on Payment Links (it may also appear under a "Products" or "Payments" section depending on your account setup). If you don't see it when ready, use the search bar at the top of the sidebar and type "Payment Links."
You'll land on a page showing any payment links you've already created. At the top right, you'll see a button that says Create Link or New Link. Click it.
Step 2: Enter the item name and price
A form will open asking you to describe what you're selling. In the Item name field, type what the person is paying for — "Coaching Session," "Logo Design Deposit," "Monthly Membership," "Donation," or whatever applies. This is what appears on the payment page and in your records.
In the Price field, enter the amount in dollars and cents. If you're in a country outside the US, Stripe will show you the currency your account uses. You can only set one price per link — if you need to offer different amounts, you'll create separate links.
Leave the Quantity field at 1 unless you're selling multiple identical items at once (for example, 5 tickets at $20 each). If you leave it at 1, the person paying can't change the quantity — they pay exactly what you set.
Step 3: Choose one-time or recurring payment
Below the price, you'll see an option for Billing. Choose One-time if this is a single payment — a deposit, a one-off service, a donation. Choose Recurring if you want the person to be charged on a schedule: weekly, monthly, yearly, or a custom interval you set.
If you choose recurring, Stripe will ask you how often to charge them and when to start. The person will see this clearly on the payment page before they enter their card details, so they know they're signing up for repeated charges. You can set an end date (for example, "charge every month for 12 months") or leave it open-ended.
Step 4: Customize the payment page (optional)
Stripe gives you a few optional settings to customize how the page looks. You can add a description (a few sentences explaining what they're paying for), upload a product image, and add a custom message that appears after they pay successfully.
You can also set an expiration date for the link — useful if you're collecting deposits by a certain important date or running a limited-time offer. After that date, the link stops working and shows an error message. If you don't set an expiration, the link stays active indefinitely.
These customizations are optional. If you just want to send a link and collect payment, you can skip them and click through to the next step.
Step 5: Generate and share your link
Once you've entered the item name and price, click Create Link at the bottom of the form. Stripe generates a unique URL that looks something like buy.stripe.com/test/abc123xyz (the exact URL depends on your account).
Copy this link and send it however you want — email, text message, social media, your website, a document. When someone clicks it, they'll see a Stripe checkout page with your item name, price, and any description or image you added. They enter their card details, and Stripe processes the payment.
You can view all your payment links anytime in the Payment Links section of your Dashboard. Click on any link to see how many times it's been paid, how much money it's brought in, and whether it's still active.
What happens after someone pays
When a payment goes through, Stripe deposits the money into your connected bank account. The timing depends on your account type and country, but typically it takes 1 to 2 business days. You'll see the payment show up in your Stripe Dashboard when ready, and you can read a receipt or invoice to send to the person who paid.
If you set up recurring payments, Stripe will charge the person on the schedule you set and keep depositing the money into your account. You can cancel a recurring payment anytime from your Dashboard if the person asks you to.
Stripe charges a fee for each payment — typically 2.9% plus $0.30 for card payments in the US, though fees vary by country and payment method. This fee comes out of what you receive, so if someone pays $100, you get roughly $96.71.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change the price after I create the link?
No. Once a payment link is created, the price is locked. If you need a different amount, create a new link. You can deactivate the old link from your Dashboard so people don't use it by mistake.
What if someone doesn't complete the payment?
If they close the page or their card is declined, no money is charged. The link stays active and they can try again anytime. You can see in your Dashboard how many times the link was visited but not completed, which helps you know if there's a problem.
Can I send a payment link to multiple people?
Yes. You can send the same link to as many people as you want. Each person who clicks it will see the same price and item. If you need different people to pay different amounts, you'll need to create separate links for each amount.
Do I need a website to use payment links?
No. Payment links work entirely through Stripe — you don't need your own website. You can send the link by email, text, or social media and collect payments that way.
What payment methods do payment links accept?
By default, payment links accept credit and debit cards. Depending on your country and Stripe setup, they may also accept digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay, and in some regions, local payment methods like bank transfers or digital payment apps.