QuickBooks Payment Links: A Smarter Way to Get Paid

QuickBooks payment links offer a clean, modern solution for everything from sending a one-off request to embedding a payment option into an invoice. These links help your business get paid faster without the extra admin.

In this article, we’ll walk through what QuickBooks payment links are, how they work, how to set them up, and why they’re a smart choice for growing businesses. You’ll also learn how to use them effectively across your finance workflows and avoid common pitfalls. We'll also discuss the Wise Business account. The global account that can help your company with all things cross-border.

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What are QuickBooks payment links?

A QuickBooks payment link is a simple, secure link that allows customers to pay you online, no invoice required. You can send a link directly to a customer via email, text, or even embed it on your website. When the customer clicks it, they’re taken to a secure payment page where they can enter their details and complete the transaction.

QuickBooks payment links support credit card, debit card, and ACH payments (depending on your setup) and are designed to speed up your cash flow while reducing the need for back-and-forth with clients.¹

Wise Business Reusable Payment Links - Get Paid Across Currencies
Wise Business offers the chance to get paid in multiple ways, such as through single-use or reusable payment links. Once they pay you, it’ll get deposited directly to your balance. Not to mention, Wise Business integrates with QuickBooks, allowing your company to use Wise Business alongside your existing processes.

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Why finance teams are using QuickBooks payment links

Getting paid quickly and with less admin is a win for any finance team. QuickBooks payment links offer a simple way to collect payments without the hassle of invoices or manual follow-ups. Here’s why more finance teams are making them part of their everyday toolkit.

Faster payments, less chasing

Traditional invoices often lead to delays. Payment links let customers pay instantly, which means you get your money sooner and spend less time following up.

One link, many uses

You can create one link and reuse it with multiple customers, which is great for events, standard fees, or one-off charges. This flexibility helps your team avoid creating the same invoice repeatedly.

Easy tracking and reconciliation

Once a customer pays via a QuickBooks payment link, the system logs the payment in real time. That means fewer manual updates, cleaner books, and faster closeouts.

Secure and professional

QuickBooks handles PCI compliance and security, so your customers’ information stays protected.² The payment experience also looks polished and trustworthy without any clunky forms or confusing redirects.

Setting up QuickBooks payment links

To use payment links, you’ll need to activate QuickBooks Payments. Here’s what that setup looks like:

1. Apply for QuickBooks Payments if you haven’t already. You can do this via your QuickBooks Online or Desktop account.
2. Once approved, go to the Payment Links tab in your dashboard.
3. Select Create Payment Link
4. Enter the item or service name and the amount
5. Save and copy the link
6. Share the link via email, SMS, or embed it on your website

You can also track open and paid links directly within QuickBooks.

QuickBooks Desktop users can follow similar steps via the “Payments” menu, with some layout differences.

How to add payment links to QuickBooks invoice

For businesses that still want to include a payment option within invoices, QuickBooks lets you embed a payment link directly. Here’s how to do it in QuickBooks Online:

1. Go to Invoices and select Create Invoice
2. Fill out your invoice details
3. Under “Online Payment,” enable the payment method(s) you accept
4. Send the invoice as usual. The customer will see a “Pay Now” button in the email

That button acts as your embedded QuickBooks payment link. It connects directly to the invoice and updates your records automatically once the payment is made.

Tip: If you need help adding a payment link to a QuickBooks invoice manually or outside of the invoicing flow, you can copy a link from your payments dashboard and paste it into any communication.

Real-world use cases

QuickBooks payment links are more than just a workaround for small, one-off payments. They're a flexible tool that finance teams use to streamline collections, cut admin time, and stay cash-flow positive. Here are a few smart ways growing businesses are using them in everyday operations.

Deposits and retainers

Need to secure a commitment before starting a project? A payment link makes it easy to collect deposits or retainers without sending a full invoice. This works well for service businesses, freelancers, and agencies that want to lock in client intent before doing the work. It also gives you clearer forecasting and protects your team’s time.

Event or service bookings

If you run training sessions, workshops, consulting days, or one-off events, you can create a reusable payment link and share it with each participant. It simplifies registration and lets customers book and pay in a single step. Some businesses even embed the link on their website or use it in confirmation emails to streamline the sign-up process.

Settling balances

Sometimes customers need to pay a nonstandard amount, like a late fee, a partial invoice, or an agreed-upon adjustment. With QuickBooks, you can create a payment link with a custom amount field. This gives the customer control, and your team avoids the need to generate a new invoice for every small change.

Recurring payments

While QuickBooks Payment Links aren’t a full subscription or auto-billing system, they work well for manual recurring payments. For example, you can send the same link each month to long-term clients or retainer customers. Just add a calendar reminder or automate the email from your CRM or marketing platform. It’s a simple way to stay consistent without overcomplicating your workflow.

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Save Time and Hassle With Wise Business

Wise is not a bank, but a Money Services Business (MSB) provider and a smart alternative to banks. Wise makes it easy to send, hold, and manage business funds in currencies. You can get major currency account details for a one-off fee to receive overseas payments like a local. Simply add the local account details when billing international customers to receive international payments with no fees.

Account opening is 100% online, with no need to visit a branch or book appointments.

Once you’re set up, you can connect to software such as Wave, FreshBooks, and more. You can also withdraw funds from Stripe without currency conversion fees.

Open a Wise Business account online

Some key benefits of Wise Business include:

Major local account details to receive international payments with ease No monthly account fees just a simple one-off fee for account details Receive payments from e-commerce platforms such as Amazon or via Stripe. Free invoicing tool to generate and send invoices. Create invoices using the Wise invoice generator or invoice templates. Accounting integrations, including a QuickBooks Bill Pay connection. Bill payments will be synced, matched, and categorized in QuickBooks for simple reconciliation. BatchTransfer. Fast payment of up to 1,000 people.

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Managing and tracking payments

Once you send a link, QuickBooks will keep track of the payment status. In your dashboard, you’ll be able to see:

• Who clicked the link
• Who completed payment
• Which payments are still pending
• Transaction details, including fees and net amounts

This makes reconciliation simple. Payments processed through QuickBooks payment links are automatically matched with the appropriate customer or invoice.

For businesses using QuickBooks Online Advanced, you can also automate workflows or create custom fields for better tracking.

Payment limits and link customizations

Before you start using payment links at scale, it helps to know what they can and can’t do. QuickBooks sets certain limits and offers only basic customization options. Here's what to expect.

Transaction limits

There’s a per-transaction cap for standard payment links and multi-use payment links. Multi-use payment links typically cap out at $5,000.³

Custom links

You can adjust the amount, description, and appearance of the payment page. With QuickBooks online you can also add in your business name by selecting the ‘Customize Now’ option.⁴

Expiration

Payment links can be reused or set to expire, depending on your setup. This is useful for one-time fees or seasonal offers.

Best practices for using QuickBooks payment links

To get the most from payment links, follow these tips:

Brand your links and communication

Even though QuickBooks hosts the payment page, your emails and messages should clearly identify your business. Add your logo and use consistent messaging to build trust.

Track performance regularly

Keep an eye on link conversions. If customers aren't paying, test different communication formats or follow-up timing.

Set internal guidelines

Make sure your team knows when to use invoices vs. links, and how to track payments correctly. It’ll keep your books clean and prevent double billing.

Stay compliant

Even though QuickBooks handles PCI compliance, avoid sharing links through unsecured channels or including sensitive details in messages.

Pros and cons of QuickBooks payment links

Pros	Cons
Fast, simple payment experience	$5,000 default transaction limit for multi-use payments
No invoice needed	Branding options are limited
Real-time tracking and updates	Only available with QuickBooks Payments
Supports ACH and card payments	No native support for recurring billing

FAQ

Got questions about using QuickBooks payment links? Here are the answers to the questions businesses ask most.

Do customers need a QuickBooks account to pay?

No. Customers don’t need a QuickBooks login. They just click the link and choose their payment method of choice.

Can I refund a payment made through a link?

Yes. Refunds can be processed through your QuickBooks Payments dashboard. They will be reflected in the customer’s original payment method.

How quickly will I receive the funds?

ACH payments usually take 1–3 business days, and card payments may take 1–2 business days. QuickBooks shows estimated timelines for each transaction before you hit confirm.

Final thoughts

QuickBooks payment links are a smart way to streamline how you get paid, especially if your team is juggling multiple clients, invoices, and payment types.

They give you flexibility without sacrificing professionalism, and they cut down on time spent chasing payments or fixing manual errors. Whether you're collecting deposits, event payments, or balances, payment links help you stay in control of your cash flow.

If your team is already using QuickBooks Online or Desktop, enabling payment links could be the next step in making your finance operations faster, easier, and more scalable.

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Sources:

1. Receive and process payments | QuickBooks
2. Learn about QuickBooks PCI Compliance | QuickBooks
3. How do I set up a multi use payment link that is more than $5,000? | QuickBooks
4. Send Payment links | QuickBooks