Payment Links in Singapore: Get Paid by Link from MAS-Licensed Providers
A payment link lets you collect a card or digital payment by sending your customer a link to a secure checkout page, with no website or card terminal needed. 1pospay compares payment link services and rates from MAS-licensed payment providers and matches you with the one that fits how you sell.
How does a payment link work?
You create a link for an amount in your payment provider's dashboard and send it to the customer. The customer opens the provider's checkout page and pays by card or another enabled method. The payment is marked as paid and the provider settles the money to your business bank account.
- 1
Create the link
Enter the amount and a description in the provider's dashboard or app, or create a reusable link for a fixed product or service.
- 2
Send it
Share the link with your customer by WhatsApp, SMS, email, social media or on an invoice or QR code.
- 3
Customer pays
The customer opens the provider's secure checkout page and pays with a card or another method you have enabled.
- 4
Get settled
The payment shows as paid in your dashboard, and the provider settles the money to your business bank account.
When should a Singapore business use payment links?
Payment links suit businesses that sell remotely without a full online store: orders taken on chat or social media, invoices, deposits and bookings, and delivery or pre-orders. They are quick to start because there is nothing to build or install.
Social and chat commerce
Orders taken on WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook or Telegram, paid with one link per order
Invoices and quotations
Service businesses, B2B suppliers and contractors who add a pay-now link to an invoice
Deposits and bookings
Clinics, salons, tuition centres, event organisers and renovation firms collecting a deposit before the job
Delivery, pre-orders and phone orders
F&B, bakeries and retailers taking orders by phone or chat for delivery or collection
Remote or one-off payments
Customers who are not in the shop, or sales where a full online store is not worth setting up
Payment link vs payment gateway vs payment terminal
The difference is where the customer pays. A payment link is a checkout page you send, a payment gateway is the checkout on your own website, and a payment terminal takes payment in person. Many providers offer all three under one merchant account.
| Method | Where the customer pays | What you need | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Payment link | Anywhere you can send a link: chat, email, social media, invoices | A merchant account with a provider; no website | Low to medium volumes of remote orders, invoices and deposits |
| Online payment gateway | Checkout on your own website, online store or app | A website or e-commerce platform plus a plugin or API integration | Online shops with many orders and a product catalogue |
| Payment terminal | At the counter, table or door, with the customer present | A card terminal or POS device from a provider | Shops, restaurants and services that take payment face to face |
Selling through your own website? Compare online payment gateways in Singapore. Taking payments at the counter? Compare payment terminals in Singapore.
What do payment links cost in Singapore?
Payment links are usually priced like other online card payments: a percentage of each transaction, sometimes plus a fixed fee, that varies by payment method and card origin. Set-up, monthly, refund and chargeback fees and settlement terms also affect the total, so compare full quotes at your expected volume.
Transaction fee (MDR)
A percentage of each payment kept by the provider. It usually differs by payment method and between local and international cards.
Fixed per-transaction fee
Some providers add a fixed amount per payment on top of the percentage, which weighs most on small orders.
Set-up, monthly and other fees
Ask about set-up, monthly, refund, chargeback and currency conversion fees before you sign.
Settlement timing
How many business days until funds reach your bank account, and whether the provider holds a reserve.
For how card fees are built up, read our guide to credit card processing fees in Singapore.
Why use a MAS-licensed payment link provider?
A payment link is one way a provider accepts and processes payments for your business. Under the Payment Services Act, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) lists merchant acquisition, which is accepting and processing payment transactions for a merchant under a contract, as a payment service. Providers need a MAS licence unless they are exempt.
Before you sign, look the provider up in the MAS Financial Institutions Directory. Source: MAS, Types of Payment Services. 1pospay only matches businesses with MAS-licensed payment providers.
How to choose a payment link service: 6-point checklist
- Payment methods your customers want to use: Visa, Mastercard, Amex, PayNow QR, e-wallets and others (support depends on the provider)
- Whether the provider is licensed by MAS (or exempt) for merchant acquisition. Check the MAS Financial Institutions Directory
- One-time links for each order and reusable links or QR codes for fixed items
- Link expiry, partial payments and automatic reminders
- Notifications and a dashboard that show which links are paid, plus easy refunds
- Total cost at your real monthly volume and average payment size, and the settlement time
How 1pospay matches you with a payment link provider
- 1
Tell us how you get paid
Where your customers order, the payment methods they use, your monthly volume and average payment size.
- 2
We compare providers
We compare payment link features and fees from MAS-licensed payment providers and explain the trade-offs.
- 3
Apply and start sending links
We help with the application and documents, so you can start collecting payments by link.
Payment link FAQs
What is a payment link?
A payment link is a web link to a secure checkout page created by your payment provider for a specific amount or item. You send it to your customer by chat, email or social media, and the customer pays online without you needing a website or a card terminal.
How does a payment link work?
You create the link in your payment provider's dashboard or app, set the amount and description, and send it to the customer. The customer opens the provider's checkout page, enters their card details or chooses another enabled method, and pays. The payment is marked as paid and the provider settles the money to your bank account.
What is the difference between a payment link and a payment gateway?
A payment gateway is built into the checkout of your own website or app, while a payment link is a ready-made checkout page that you send to the customer. Both are usually run by the same provider under one merchant account. Links suit businesses without a website or with fewer, remote orders; a gateway suits online shops with many orders.
Do I need a website to use payment links?
No. A payment link only needs a merchant account with a payment provider. You can send links through WhatsApp, SMS, email or social media, or print them as a QR code on an invoice.
Are payment links safe for my customers?
When a licensed provider runs the checkout page, card details are entered on the provider's page, not shared with you. Customers should only pay on links they expect from a business they know. Sending links from a consistent business number or email and using the provider's branded checkout helps customers trust them.
How much do payment links cost in Singapore?
There is no single price. Payment links are usually charged like other online card payments: a percentage of each transaction, sometimes a fixed fee, and any set-up or monthly fees. Rates differ by provider, payment method and volume, so compare full quotes. 1pospay can collect quotes from several providers for you.
Get a payment link quote
Tell us how your customers pay you and we will compare payment link services and rates from MAS-licensed providers for you.
