The Problem
GoCardless is the leading platform for direct debit payments. It's brilliant at what it does — recurring billing, subscription management, and bank-to-bank payments. If you collect regular payments from customers, GoCardless is hard to beat.
But direct debit is only part of the picture. Almost every GoCardless merchant has situations where they need a one-off card payment. A deposit before setting up a direct debit. An ad-hoc invoice for additional work. A change fee or cancellation charge. A balance payment that doesn't fit the recurring schedule.
GoCardless doesn't do card payments. That's not what it's built for. So merchants end up asking for bank transfers (slow, manual reconciliation), using a completely separate payment provider (fragmented reporting), or worst of all — just not collecting the payment at all.
Shuttle bridges this gap. It lets GoCardless merchants send card payment links for one-off transactions — alongside their existing direct debit setup.
How Payment Links Work with GoCardless
Shuttle doesn't replace GoCardless — it complements it. GoCardless continues to handle your recurring direct debit payments. Shuttle adds card payment links for everything else.
You connect a card payment account (through any of Shuttle's supported PSPs) and use the Shuttle dashboard to create one-off payment links. Send them via SMS, email, or chat. The customer pays by card on a branded checkout page.
Your direct debit collections stay in GoCardless. Your one-off card payments go through Shuttle. One dashboard for your team. Two payment methods for your customers.
Connect a card payment account to Shuttle (Stripe, Worldpay, Adyen, or others).
Create a payment link for the one-off charge — amount, reference, and expiry.
Brand the checkout page to match your business.
Send the link via SMS, email, or chat.
Customer pays by card. You continue using GoCardless for recurring payments.
What You Get
Card payments alongside direct debit: Collect one-off payments that GoCardless can't handle.
Branded checkout: Professional payment pages that match your business identity.
SMS and email delivery: Send payment links instantly — no manual bank transfer requests.
Faster collection: Card payments settle in days, not the 5+ business days of direct debit.
No new provider complexity: Shuttle connects to any major PSP. Your GoCardless setup stays untouched.
Deposit collection: Take a card deposit before setting up the direct debit mandate.
Link tracking: See when links are sent, opened, and paid — in real time.
Who Uses This
Membership organisations collecting joining fees by card before setting up monthly direct debits.
Utilities and telecoms taking one-off charges for installation, equipment, or early termination.
Property management companies collecting deposits and ad-hoc maintenance charges.
Gyms and fitness studios taking sign-up fees by card with ongoing membership via GoCardless.
Accountants and bookkeepers collecting one-off project fees alongside regular retainer payments.
Pricing and Setup
Shuttle Payment Links costs $49 per user per month. Card processing rates depend on the PSP you connect (Stripe, Worldpay, Adyen, etc.).
Setup is simple. Connect a card payment account, brand your checkout page, and start sending links. GoCardless continues to run your direct debits unchanged.
FAQ
Do I need to leave GoCardless? Absolutely not. GoCardless keeps handling your direct debits. Shuttle adds card payment links for the one-off transactions GoCardless doesn't cover.
Which card processor do I need? Shuttle supports Stripe, Worldpay, Adyen, Braintree, Square, Checkout.com, and others. Use whichever you prefer — or already have.
Will customers see Shuttle? No. The checkout page shows your brand only. Fully white-labelled.
Can I send links to existing GoCardless customers? Yes. You can send a card payment link to anyone — existing GoCardless customers or new contacts.
Add card payment links to your GoCardless setup — without changing your direct debit provider. Learn more about Payment Links.