Payment links with tipping built in are offered by Square, Stripe, PayPal, Toast, and Clover—each with different tipping rules and where the tip appears on the screen.
A payment link with tipping is a URL you send to a customer that opens a checkout page. The customer enters their payment method, and before they complete the transaction, they see a tipping screen. The tip gets added to the total and processed together with the main charge.
Not every payment processor offers this feature, and the ones that do handle it differently. Some let you set suggested tip amounts. Others let the customer type any amount. Some show the tip prompt before the payment details screen; others show it after. The processor you choose affects whether tipping is optional or required, how much control you have over the suggested amounts, and whether the customer can skip it entirely.
Key Takeaways
- Square, Stripe, PayPal, Toast, and Clover all offer payment links with tipping options, but each one works differently.
- Square and Stripe let you set custom tip percentages or fixed amounts that appear as buttons the customer can tap.
- PayPal shows a single suggested tip amount, while Toast and Clover are built for restaurants and retail where tipping is expected at checkout.
- The timing of when the tip screen appears varies by processor—some show it before payment details, others after.
- Tipping is always optional for the customer unless you build custom logic, even when suggested amounts are displayed.
Square payment links and tipping setup
Square lets you create a payment link through your Square Dashboard. When you set up the link, you can turn on a tipping feature and choose whether to show suggested tip amounts as percentages (15%, 18%, 20%) or custom fixed amounts ($2, $5, $10). The customer sees these options as buttons after they enter their payment method but before the transaction completes.
You control the exact percentages or amounts that appear. If you leave the tipping section blank, the customer still sees a text field where they can enter a custom tip. The tip is optional—the customer can skip it and complete the purchase without adding anything. Square processes the tip as part of the same transaction, so it appears on your settlement report alongside the original charge.
Square payment links work on desktop and mobile. The tipping screen is responsive, meaning the buttons resize for smaller screens. If you send the link via text or email, the customer taps it and goes straight to checkout without needing to read an app or create an account.
Stripe payment links and custom tip options
Stripe offers payment links through the Stripe Dashboard or through code if you use their API. You can enable tipping and set suggested amounts as percentages or fixed dollar amounts. Like Square, the customer sees these as selectable buttons during checkout.
Stripe also lets you set a custom tip amount field if you want the customer to type in their own number rather than choose from presets. The tipping screen appears after the customer enters their payment details. If you do not configure suggested amounts, Stripe shows an open text field where the customer can enter any amount they want.
Stripe payment links do not require the customer to have a Stripe account. The link works on any device with a browser. Stripe settles tips the same way as the main charge—they appear together on your payout report.
PayPal payment links with a single suggested tip
PayPal's payment link feature (called PayPal.Me or Invoice with payment link) lets you add a single suggested tip amount, not multiple options. You set one number or percentage when you create the link, and the customer sees it as a suggestion during checkout. They can accept it, change it, or skip it.
PayPal does not let you display multiple tip buttons the way Square and Stripe do. If you want to offer customers a choice between 15%, 18%, and 20%, you would need to create separate links for each option, which is impractical. PayPal works best if you have a standard tip amount in mind or if you want to suggest a percentage and let the customer adjust it.
PayPal payment links are free to create and send. The customer does not need a PayPal account to pay. Tips are processed as part of the transaction and appear in your PayPal account alongside the original charge.
Toast and Clover: payment links built for restaurants and retail
Toast and Clover are point-of-sale systems designed for restaurants, cafes, and retail shops. Both include payment link features that are built around tipping from the start, because tipping is standard in those industries.
Toast payment links show a tipping screen as part of the normal checkout flow. You can set suggested tip percentages, and the customer sees them as buttons. Toast is designed so that the tipping prompt feels natural—it appears at the same point in the transaction where a customer would see it at a physical register.
Clover payment links work similarly. You create the link in your Clover Dashboard, enable tipping, and set suggested amounts. The tipping screen appears during checkout. Both systems process tips as part of the transaction and report them separately from the main charge so you can track tip income.
Toast and Clover are not free services—they charge monthly subscription fees and take a percentage of each transaction. They are most cost-effective if you are already using them as your point-of-sale system. If you only need payment links occasionally, Square or Stripe are usually cheaper.
How tipping appears on the customer's screen
The customer experience varies depending on which processor you use. With Square and Stripe, the customer typically enters their card details first, then sees the tipping screen with your suggested amounts displayed as buttons. They tap a button to add that tip, or they can type a custom amount in a text field. Then they confirm and complete the payment.
With PayPal, the customer sees a single suggested tip amount. They can accept it by tapping a button, change it to a different amount, or skip it. With Toast and Clover, the flow is similar to Square and Stripe—suggested amounts appear as buttons, and the customer can choose one or enter a custom amount.
On mobile devices, all of these processors format the tipping screen so it fits the phone screen. Buttons stack vertically if there is not enough horizontal space. The text field for custom tips is always available, so the customer is never forced to choose from your presets.
Comparing tipping features across processors
| Processor | Suggested Tip Format | Custom Tip Field | When Tipping Appears | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Square | Multiple percentages or fixed amounts | Yes, always available | After payment details | 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction |
| Stripe | Multiple percentages or fixed amounts | Yes, always available | After payment details | 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction |
| PayPal | Single percentage or fixed amount | Yes, customer can adjust | During checkout | 2.99% + $0.30 per transaction |
| Toast | Multiple percentages | Yes, always available | During checkout | Monthly fee + 2.49% per transaction |
| Clover | Multiple percentages | Yes, always available | During checkout | Monthly fee + 2.7% per transaction |
When to use payment links with tipping
Payment links with tipping work well when you are collecting payment remotely—for services, freelance work, online consultations, or small retail orders. You send the link via email or text, the customer clicks it, and they see the tipping option without you having to ask.
They also work for in-person situations where you do not have a physical card reader. A service provider might text a customer a payment link after the appointment, and the customer can pay and tip from their phone. A small business might use a payment link at a pop-up event or market booth instead of carrying a card terminal.
Payment links are less useful if you process dozens of transactions per day. In that case, a point-of-sale system or an in-person card reader is faster. But for occasional or remote payments, a link is simpler to set up and requires no hardware.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the customer skip the tip and just pay the original amount?
Yes. Tipping is always optional on payment links, even when you set suggested amounts. The customer can tap a button to add a tip, type a custom amount, or skip the tipping screen entirely and complete the payment without adding anything. You cannot force a tip.
Do I have to use the same tip amounts every time I send a link?
No. With Square and Stripe, you can change the suggested tip amounts each time you create a new link. You can set different percentages for different customers or different types of transactions. PayPal lets you set one suggested amount per link, so you would need to create a new link if you want to change it.
What happens to the tip if the customer disputes the charge?
The tip is part of the same transaction, so if the customer disputes the main charge, the dispute usually includes the tip. The processor will investigate the entire transaction together. If the dispute is resolved in the customer's favor, both the charge and the tip are refunded.
Can I see how much customers are tipping on average?
Yes. All of these processors show tip amounts in your transaction history and reporting. Square, Stripe, PayPal, Toast, and Clover all separate tips from the main charge in your reports, so you can see total tips, average tip amount, and tip percentage. You can usually filter reports by date or payment link.
Which processor is cheapest if I only send a few payment links per month?
Square and Stripe charge the same rate (2.9% + $0.30) and have no monthly fee, so they are cheapest for occasional use. Toast and Clover charge monthly subscription fees even if you send no links that month, so they are only cost-effective if you process enough volume to justify the fee. PayPal is slightly higher at 2.99% + $0.30 but also has no monthly fee.