Best Payment Link Services for UK Businesses

What Are Payment Links?

Payment links are URLs that you send to a customer to collect a specific payment. You create a link for an amount (say £350 for a plumbing repair) and send it by text, email, or WhatsApp. The customer taps the link, sees a checkout page with the amount and a description, enters their card details, and pays. You receive confirmation straight away. No card machine, no website, no app download required on either side.

Payment links solve a simple problem: how do you accept card payments from customers when you are not standing next to them with a terminal? For businesses with teams, where multiple people need to collect payments in the field, by phone, or from the office, payment links can replace card machines as the primary payment collection method.

There are now dozens of providers offering payment link services in the UK. This guide compares the major options, covering fees, features, and who each provider is best suited to.

What to Look For in a Payment Link Service

Before comparing individual providers, it helps to understand the criteria that matter most for UK service businesses.

Transaction fees. The percentage and fixed fee charged per payment. For UK consumer cards, the published rates below range from 1.4% + 25p to 2.9% + 30p. European and international cards usually cost more.

Monthly costs. Some providers charge nothing per month and make their money on transaction fees alone. Others charge a monthly subscription that includes team features, branding, or lower transaction rates. The right model depends on your volume: high-volume businesses often save money on a subscription plan with lower transaction fees.

Branding and customisation. When your customer opens a payment link, they see a checkout page. Can you add your logo? Your brand colours? Your business name? A generic checkout page can reduce trust and create confusion. Branded checkout pages present a more professional image.

Team access. If you have 5, 10, or 20 staff who need to send payment links, you need multi-user support with role-based permissions. Not every provider offers this: many are designed for sole traders or very small businesses with a single account holder.

Delivery channels. Can the provider send links by SMS natively, or do you have to copy and paste a URL into your own messaging app?

Phone payment support. If your office takes payments over the phone, does the provider offer a compliant phone payment method (like Voice Checkout), or would you need a separate solution for phone-based payments?

The Best Payment Link Services for UK Businesses

Stripe Payment Links

Stripe is a developer-focused payment platform, and their Payment Links product brings some of that power to non-technical users. You can create a payment link from the Stripe Dashboard without writing any code, set a fixed amount or let the customer enter their own, and share the link however you like.

Transaction fees: 1.5% + 20p for standard UK cards, 2.5% + 20p for EEA cards, and more for other international cards. No monthly fee for the core product.

Strengths: Payouts typically take 2-3 business days, with options for next-day or instant payouts at an additional fee, and the reporting is comprehensive. If you have a developer on your team, or plan to integrate payments into your own software, Stripe's API is a strong choice. Stripe also supports recurring payment links and subscription-style billing.

Weaknesses: Stripe Payment Links are relatively basic as a standalone product. Every link is built on a product in your Stripe catalogue, so each new fixed amount means setting up a product (or sending a Stripe invoice) first. Stripe does not send links by SMS natively, so you copy the URL and send it yourself. For non-technical business owners, the Stripe Dashboard can be overwhelming.

Best for: Tech-savvy businesses, SaaS companies, and businesses with a developer who can use Stripe's API for custom workflows. Also good for sole traders who want a low-cost, no-monthly-fee option and are comfortable with a slightly technical interface.

PayPal.Me

PayPal.Me gives you a permanent personal link (paypal.me/yourbusiness/50 for a £50 payment) that you can share with anyone. The customer clicks the link, logs into PayPal or pays with a card as a guest, and the money goes into your PayPal account.

Transaction fees: 2.9% + 30p for standard commercial payments in the UK. Higher for international payments.

Strengths: PayPal is a widely recognised online payment brand in the UK. Many customers already have PayPal accounts and are comfortable paying through the platform. The trust factor is significant, especially for consumer-facing businesses where the customer might be wary of entering card details on an unfamiliar checkout page. PayPal also offers buyer protection, which can increase a customer's willingness to pay upfront for work not yet completed.

Weaknesses: PayPal.Me links are not true "payment links" in the professional sense. The customer can change the payment amount, which creates reconciliation headaches. There is no description field on the payment page, so the customer does not see what they are paying for. PayPal's holds and limitations are well-documented: new accounts or accounts with sudden volume increases can have funds frozen for 21 days. The fees are higher than most dedicated payment link providers. There are no team features, no branded checkout, and no SMS delivery. PayPal also has a habit of redirecting customers to sign up for a PayPal account, which adds friction for customers who just want to pay by card.

Best for: Businesses that need a quick, recognisable payment method with no setup, particularly for consumer-facing transactions where PayPal's brand trust outweighs its limitations. Not suitable as a primary payment system for a business with a team.

Square Invoices

Square's invoicing product includes payment links as part of the invoice. You create an invoice in the Square Dashboard or app, add line items and a total, and send it to the customer. The invoice email includes a "Pay Now" link that takes the customer to a Square-hosted checkout page. Square also allows you to create standalone payment links without a full invoice.

Transaction fees: Payment links cost 1.4% + 25p with UK cards and 2.5% + 25p with non-UK cards. Invoices paid online cost 2.5%. No monthly fee on the free plan. Paid plans and add-ons, such as advanced team permissions, cost extra.

Strengths: Square is excellent if your workflow is invoice-first. The invoice-to-payment-link flow is simple: create an invoice, send it, and the customer can pay directly from the invoice with a single click. Square's ecosystem is broad: if you also have a physical location, you can use Square POS alongside Square Invoices for a unified view of all payments. The interface is clean and non-technical. Square also supports recurring invoices and automatic payment reminders.

Weaknesses: Square's standalone payment links are less developed than their invoicing product. If you want to send a quick payment link by text, without creating a full invoice, the process is more cumbersome than with a dedicated payment link provider. Advanced team permissions are a paid add-on. Square does not send links by SMS natively (invoices are sent by email). Branding on the checkout page is limited. Square's customer support has mixed reviews from UK businesses.

Best for: Businesses whose payment workflow centres on invoicing: accountants, consultants, agencies, and professional services firms. Good for businesses that want a combined in-person POS and online payment solution. Less ideal for field-based teams that need to send quick payment links by text.

SumUp Payment Links

SumUp is best known for its card readers, but the company also offers payment links as part of its ecosystem. You create a link in the SumUp app, set the amount and description, and share it with the customer.

Transaction fees: 2.5% flat on online payments, including payment links (no fixed per-transaction fee). No monthly fee.

Strengths: SumUp's flat-rate pricing is simple to understand: 2.5% on every online payment, whatever the card type. For very small payments, the absence of a fixed per-transaction fee can make SumUp cheaper than providers that add a fixed fee. The app is straightforward and designed for non-technical users. No monthly fees, no contracts, and fast setup.

Weaknesses: SumUp's payment link product is basic. There is limited branding, limited reporting, and no multi-user or team features. For all but very small payments, SumUp's 2.5% costs more than Stripe's or Square's UK card rates. SumUp does not offer native SMS delivery of links. Payout speed is 1-3 business days, which is standard but not best-in-class. The product feels like an add-on to SumUp's card reader business rather than a standalone payment link platform.

Best for: Sole traders and very small businesses that want a simple, no-monthly-fee payment link option, especially those already using a SumUp card reader. Not suitable for businesses with teams that need multi-user access or advanced features.

GoCardless

GoCardless is the UK's leading Direct Debit provider, and it is often mentioned alongside payment link services. However, GoCardless serves a fundamentally different use case. Instead of one-off card payments, GoCardless collects payments directly from the customer's bank account via the Direct Debit system.

Transaction fees: 1% + 20p per transaction (capped at £4). Success+ (intelligent retries) available on higher plans.

Strengths: GoCardless is excellent for recurring payments. Once a customer sets up a Direct Debit mandate, you can collect regular payments automatically without any action from the customer. Transaction fees are lower than card-based payment links. Failed payments can be automatically retried. GoCardless integrates with most accounting software (Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent). For businesses with monthly contracts (cleaning companies, maintenance providers, subscription services), GoCardless can dramatically reduce payment admin.

Weaknesses: GoCardless is not a payment link service in the traditional sense. It does not accept card payments. Direct Debits take 3-5 business days to process, so there is no instant confirmation. The customer must complete a mandate setup form before the first payment. GoCardless is not suitable for one-off, variable-amount payments that service businesses typically collect after completing a job. It is a complementary payment method, not a replacement for payment links or card machines.

Best for: Businesses with recurring revenue: monthly maintenance contracts, memberships, subscription services, regular retainers. Use GoCardless alongside a payment link provider, not instead of one.

Shuttle Links Checkout

Shuttle is a payments infrastructure company that has built its payment link product specifically for businesses with teams.

Transaction fees: Links Checkout runs on your own payment provider (for example Stripe), so that provider's card fees apply alongside Shuttle's. Shuttle's own fee is a per-transaction rate that falls with volume, plus a monthly fee per live instance with transactions included. See current pricing.

Strengths: Shuttle's standout features are team access and multi-channel delivery. Every team member gets their own login and can create and send payment links from their phone or desktop. Links can be sent by SMS or email. The checkout page carries your logo, your message and your custom domain.

Shuttle also offers Voice Checkout: secure phone payments with limited PCI scope, where the customer enters card details on their phone keypad. For businesses that collect payments both in the field (via payment links) and over the phone (via their office), this means one Shuttle account runs both channels. Voice Checkout works with Twilio today, and any carrier coming soon. The dashboard gives a real-time view of all payments across the business: office managers can see which team members have collected what and which payments are outstanding.

Weaknesses: Shuttle is newer and less well-known than Stripe, PayPal, or Square. Businesses that want a global, consumer-recognised brand on their checkout page may prefer PayPal. Developers looking for extensive API documentation and ecosystem integrations may prefer Stripe. Shuttle's monthly fee per live instance means that low-volume businesses may find a provider with no monthly fee cheaper.

Best for: Service businesses with teams of 5-20+ people who need multiple staff members sending payment links, branded checkout pages, SMS delivery, and optional phone payment capability. This is the provider built for plumbing companies, electrical contractors, cleaning businesses, property maintenance firms, and similar team-based service operations.

Worldpay Payment Links

Worldpay (now part of Global Payments) is one of the largest payment processors in the world. They offer payment links as part of their broader merchant services package, alongside card machines, online payment gateways, and in-store POS systems.

Transaction fees: Variable, typically negotiated based on volume. Monthly fees apply and vary by plan.

Strengths: Worldpay is an enterprise-grade payment processor with global reach. If your business processes very high volumes (£100,000+ per month) or needs multi-currency support, Worldpay's negotiated rates can be competitive. They offer dedicated account management, chargeback support, and integration with a wide range of business systems. For large businesses that want a single payment provider handling everything from card machines to online payments to payment links, Worldpay offers a consolidated solution.

Weaknesses: Worldpay is not designed for small or medium-sized service businesses. Onboarding is slow (typically 2-4 weeks versus the same-day setup offered by Stripe or SumUp). Contracts are often 12-36 months with early termination fees. Pricing is opaque: you typically need to speak to a sales rep to get a quote, and the fee structures are complex (interchange-plus, blended rates, monthly minimums). Their payment link product is less developed than their core card processing, and it feels like an add-on rather than a focus area. Customer support is geared toward larger clients, and smaller businesses often report difficulty getting issues resolved.

Best for: Large businesses (50+ employees, £100k+ monthly processing) that need an enterprise payment processor and want payment links as one capability within a broader merchant services agreement. Not suitable for SMEs or team-based service businesses.

Comparison Table

Fees shown are for UK-issued consumer cards. Stripe, Square and PayPal charge more for European or international cards. GoCardless fees are for Direct Debit, not card payments.

Which Service Is Right for Your Business?

The right payment link provider depends on three factors: your team size, your monthly payment volume, and how you interact with customers.

If you are a sole trader or freelancer processing under £5,000 per month, cost is likely your primary concern. SumUp and Stripe both offer no-monthly-fee plans. SumUp is simpler to use; Stripe offers more flexibility, better reporting and a lower rate on all but very small payments. PayPal.Me works as a quick backup option if you need something quickly, but should not be your primary payment method for professional services.

If you are a small business with 2-5 staff and your payment workflow centres on invoicing, Square Invoices offers the best invoice-to-payment experience. If you send more standalone payment links than invoices (for example, field-based trades), Stripe or Shuttle start to make more sense depending on whether you prioritise API flexibility or team features.

If you are a service business with 5-20+ staff (multiple engineers, technicians, cleaners, or operatives in the field who all need to collect payments), this is where Shuttle Links Checkout fits. Multi-user access, branded checkout, SMS delivery, a central dashboard showing all payments across the business, and Voice Checkout for the office. Team management is included rather than charged per user, and the team features eliminate the workarounds (shared logins) that single-login providers force you into at this team size.

If you have recurring revenue alongside one-off payments (say you do monthly maintenance contracts as well as ad-hoc repair work), consider using GoCardless for the recurring element and a payment link provider (Stripe, Square, or Shuttle) for one-off payments. This gives you the lowest transaction fees on predictable revenue and the flexibility of payment links for everything else.

If you are a larger business processing over £100,000 per month and need a single enterprise payment provider, Worldpay's negotiated rates and consolidated services may justify the complexity. But even at this scale, many businesses find that a combination of a modern payment link provider and GoCardless for Direct Debits gives them better technology, faster onboarding, and more flexibility than a traditional merchant services agreement.

The payment link market in the UK is maturing rapidly. Not so long ago, the choice was essentially PayPal or bank transfer. Today, there are strong options at every price point and business size. The key is matching the provider to your specific needs, particularly around team access, delivery channels, and the balance between simplicity and features.