How to Take Payments Online

If you run a service business — plumbing, electrical, cleaning, landscaping, pest control, construction, or any trade where your team goes to the customer — you know the pain of getting paid.

Your team finishes the job. The customer says they'll transfer the money. A week later, you're chasing invoices instead of running your business.

There are more ways to collect payments now than ever before. Card machines, bank transfers, payment links, phone payments, Direct Debit, invoicing software — the options can be overwhelming. And the right answer depends on your business: how many jobs you do, whether your team works in the field, and what your customers expect.

This guide breaks down every payment collection method, honestly compares the options, and helps you choose what works for your type of business. Use the sections below to jump to the method or industry that's most relevant to you.

Which Payment Method is Right for Your Business?

The best payment method depends on three things: how your team works, what your customers expect, and how much volume you do.

Payment Links

Best for: field service businesses, teams that need to collect payment on-site or remotely, businesses without a physical shop.

Your team sends a payment link by text, email, or WhatsApp. The customer taps the link and pays by card on a secure page. You get notified instantly. No hardware, no website, no app download for your customer. Every team member can send links from their phone.

Card Machines

Best for: businesses with a fixed location where customers pay face-to-face, high-volume in-person transactions.

Physical card terminals cost £15-30/month to rent, plus transaction fees. They work well if your customers always pay in person, but they're impractical if your team is spread across multiple job sites. You'd need a machine for every team member.

Bank Transfers

Best for: large one-off payments, B2B transactions where both parties have accounts teams.

Free to receive, but you're relying on the customer to action the transfer. There's no way to send a "pay now" prompt, and you can't confirm payment until it clears — which can take 1-3 days. For recurring or on-site collection, bank transfers create cash flow gaps.

Phone Payments (Voice Checkout)

Best for: businesses that take bookings or follow-ups over the phone, customers who prefer to pay by speaking to someone.

Voice checkout lets your team take card payments during a phone call without hearing or writing down card numbers. The customer enters their details using their phone keypad, keeping everything PCI-compliant. Ideal for deposits, follow-up payments, and customers who aren't comfortable paying online.

Direct Debit

Best for: recurring contracts (weekly cleaning, monthly pest control), subscription-style billing.

Customers authorise you to collect payments automatically on a schedule. Setup takes longer than other methods, and the first collection can take 5-6 business days. Best paired with payment links for one-off or deposit collections.