Guide · 6 min
How to send a payment link to a customer
To send a payment link to a customer, create the link in your payment platform (amount, currency, description), then paste it into an email or text that says who you are, what the customer is paying for and until when; the customer clicks, pays by card or bank transfer, and you see the payment in your dashboard. The rest of this guide covers what makes the difference: the message, the channel and trust.
Updated · Official sources checked on that date · By the ZeniPay team
The 5 steps, in order
- Confirm the amount with the customer before creating the link: the exact amount, including tax if you are registered for GST and QST (see our Québec invoicing guide). A customer who sees a different number from the one agreed on the phone hesitates.
- Create the link: amount, currency (CAD or USD), and a description in the customer's own words, such as "30% deposit, bathroom renovation, quote #214" rather than "Payment". Add an expiry date if your price or availability is time-limited.
- Pick the channel that fits the customer's situation (table below): email, text, messaging app or QR code.
- Write a short message that names your business, the amount, what it is for and how to reach you (template below).
- Track the link status and confirm receipt to the customer. If they do not pay, follow up once with the same link rather than creating a new one, so the payment has a single trail.
Which channel to send the link through
| Channel | When to use it | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Larger amounts, business customers, a written trail with the quote or invoice | A clear subject line with your business name and quote number | |
| Text message | Customer on site or on the road, small amount, quick follow-up | Say it out loud first: a link from an unknown number is alarming |
| Messenger or another app | The customer contacted you there | Keep the conversation: it is your record of the agreement |
| QR code | Counter, booth, event, home visit | Show your name and the amount next to the code |
The message to send: a template
The link alone is not enough. The message around it should answer the three questions a customer asks before clicking: who is writing, how much, and for what.
Hi Ms. Gagnon, As discussed on the phone, here is the link for the 30% deposit on quote #214 (your bathroom renovation): $1,586.66, tax included. [payment link] You can pay by card or bank transfer, no account needed. The link is valid until October 15. Questions? Call me at [your usual number]. Marc Roy, Roy Renovations
$1,586.66 is 30% of a $4,600 quote plus GST ($230) and QST ($458.85), for a total of $5,288.85. The tax calculation is explained in our GST and QST guide.
Keep your link from looking like phishing
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre lists the tactics fraudsters use: spoofed email addresses and websites, a sense of urgency, offers of money, and requests to click a link or scan a QR code. A real payment link necessarily uses the last two, so remove everything else:
- Tell the customer before you send it ("I'll text you the link in five minutes").
- Use the same business name in the message as on the payment page.
- No artificial urgency ("pay within the hour or..."). A clear expiry date is enough.
- Never ask for a card number by email, text or phone: that is what the payment page is for.
- Give the customer a way to check that they already know: your usual phone number, not a new one.
What Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation says
CASL covers email, but also text messages and messaging apps: its definition of "electronic address" includes instant messaging accounts and telephone accounts (section 1).
A message that solely facilitates, completes or confirms a commercial transaction the customer previously agreed to enter into with you does not require their consent (subsection 6(6)). It must still identify the sender, give a way to contact them and set out an unsubscribe mechanism (subsection 6(2)).
The key word is "solely": add a promotion to the same message and it is no longer only about the transaction. Keep offers for a separate message to customers who agreed to receive them.
Payment link or invoice: which one to send?
| Situation | Right tool | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit on an accepted quote | Payment link, or first installment of an invoice | Fast payment of a known amount |
| Selling a product or service without an online store | Payment link or QR code | No website or integration needed |
| Finished work for a business customer | Invoice | A registered customer needs your GST and QST numbers to claim input tax credits (Revenu Québec) |
| Large amount paid over time | Invoice split into installments | Each installment has its own date and link (installments guide) |
Common mistakes
- A vague description ("Payment", "Service"): the customer does not recognize the charge on their statement and calls you, or disputes it.
- An amount without tax, then a second link for the tax: two payments for one sale, twice the questions.
- The same link sent to several customers: you lose track of who paid what. One link per customer and per sale.
- No expiry date on a limited offer: the customer pays three months later at the old price.
- No confirmation after payment: the customer wonders whether it went through.
Sending a payment link with ZeniPay
In ZeniPay, a link holds the amount, the currency (CAD or USD), the description and, if you want, an expiry date; after that date the link stops working. The payment page shows your business name and logo, and you get a URL to copy and a QR code.
The customer pays without creating an account, by credit or debit card, or by bank transfer (EFT) up to $2,500 per transaction. Cards are processed by Finix, a PCI DSS Level 1 processor: card numbers are entered in secure fields and never pass through your email. For a USD amount, the card is charged in Canadian dollars and the customer sees the CAD equivalent before paying. The link status (active, paid or expired) updates in your dashboard.
Sign-up is online; your business must be verified before it can accept payments. Processing fees apply per payment: write to info@zeniva.ca for the pricing that applies to your business. Details on the Payment links page.
Frequently asked questions
How do I send a payment link by text message?
Create the link in your payment platform, copy the URL and paste it into a text that gives your business name, the amount and what it is for. Tell the customer before sending it: a link with no context looks like phishing.
Does my customer need an account to pay a payment link?
Not with ZeniPay: the customer opens the link and pays by card or bank transfer, without signing up.
Is it safe to send a payment link by email?
Yes, as long as the customer only enters their card number on the payment page and never in an email. At ZeniPay, cards are entered in secure fields provided by Finix, a PCI DSS Level 1 processor. Announce the message and use the same business name everywhere so the customer recognizes it.
Do I need the customer's consent to email them a payment link?
No, if the message solely facilitates or completes a sale the customer already agreed to (CASL, subsection 6(6)). It must still identify you, give a way to reach you and include an unsubscribe mechanism (subsection 6(2)). Adding a promotion changes that.
What is the difference between a payment link and an invoice?
A link collects a known amount quickly. An invoice carries the customer and job details, the taxes and your registration numbers, keeps a number and a history, and can be split into installments.
Can I ask for a deposit with a payment link?
Yes. Create a link for the deposit amount with a description that refers to the quote (for example "30% deposit, quote #214"). If the balance will be paid in several parts, an installment invoice is easier to track.
How long is a payment link valid?
You decide. In ZeniPay you can set an expiry date; after that date the link stops working.
Can a customer pay a payment link in US dollars?
With ZeniPay the link can be in CAD or USD. For a USD amount, the card is charged in Canadian dollars and the customer sees the CAD equivalent before paying.
Official sources
- Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre — Phishing
- Justice Laws — Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (S.C. 2010, c. 23), ss. 1 and 6
- Revenu Québec — Preparing Invoices (required information by amount)
- Revenu Québec — Calculating the Taxes (GST 5%, QST 9.975%, rounding)
This guide summarizes public rules; it does not replace the legislation or advice from an accountant or lawyer.
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