How to get paid online as a small business

Updated October 31, 2026

Payment links, invoices and bank transfers compared, with what the fees come to on real job sizes. The tradeoffs are laid out plainly, so you can pick what suits your work.

The simplest way for a small business to get paid online is to open an account with a payment processor, then send customers a link they can pay by card from their phone. Put that link on your invoice as well, and offer bank transfer for larger amounts. That covers almost everyone.

The tradeoff is cost against convenience. Card payments cost roughly 3% on a typical job, and that money comes off every sale. Bank transfer costs little, but the customer has to do more of the work, and it's slower to match up. Most businesses end up offering both and steering each job to whichever makes sense.

The options compared

A payment link and an invoice aren't really rivals. An invoice is a document that says what's owed. A link is a way to pay it. The best setup puts one on the other.

What card fees actually mean

A card fee usually has two parts: a percentage and a small fixed amount per payment. At the time of writing, Stripe's standard US pricing is 2.9% + 30¢ for a domestic card. It adds 1.5% for an international card and 1% if currency conversion is needed. ACH Direct Debit is listed at 0.8%, capped at $5. A dispute costs $15. Rates differ by country: in the UK, Stripe lists 1.5% + 20p for standard UK cards at the time of writing. Other processors charge differently, so compare on your own numbers. Fees change, so always check the live page.

Look at the bottom row. On small jobs the fee is pocket change next to the time you'd spend chasing. On a $4,800 stage payment, $139.50 is real money, and a bank payment makes sense. That's the whole logic for offering both.

A few details change the sums:

• Refunds. Stripe says its original processing fees aren't returned when you refund. If you take $1,000 and refund it, you're down $29.30.
• Disputes. When a cardholder disputes a payment, the payment is reversed right away, and your balance is debited for the amount and the fee while it's being decided. Keep your signed quote and proof of work.
• Timing. Stripe says your first payout typically takes 7 to 14 days after your first live payment, and it lists US settlement timing as 2 business days. Your bank may add time on top, so don't connect a new account the day before payroll.
• Tax paperwork. The IRS says you must report your income whether or not you receive a Form 1099-K. Payment card processors report with no minimum, and apps and marketplaces report above $20,000 in more than 200 transactions. Ask your accountant how to treat the fees.

A month, worked through

Say you do 30 jobs a month, averaging $600, for $18,000 of invoices. If every one were paid by card, fees would be $522 plus $9, so $531. If the 5 largest jobs make up $9,000 and those customers pay by bank transfer, card fees apply to the other 25 jobs, or $9,000: $261 plus $7.50, so $268.50.

That's $262.50 a month saved by moving five customers. But it only counts if those five pay just as promptly. Track your own numbers for two or three months: how many days from invoice to money in, by payment method. No general figure will tell you that about your customers, so this guide doesn't quote one.

Can you pass the fee on?

Often, but it has rules.

• US. Visa says merchants must notify their acquirer 30 days before they begin surcharging and publishes further conditions. State law matters too, and rules vary, so check both before you start.
• UK. Under the Consumer Rights (Payment Surcharges) Regulations 2012, you must not charge a fee for paying with a consumer card, and any permitted fee can't exceed your actual cost of that payment method.

A simpler route is to build your costs into your prices. A discount for paying by bank transfer can also work, but have the wording checked first. This guide isn't legal or tax advice.

Bank transfer: cheap, with one big risk

The danger with bank details on an invoice is someone else swapping them. Criminals who get into an email account can send your customer a very convincing "we've changed banks" message. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center says the best defence is to verify all requests to change payment type or location through a separate channel. Put this on every invoice:

Our bank details will not change by email. If you get a message saying they have, call us on the number you already have before paying anything.

For the other common problem, a payment you can't match:

Please use invoice number INV-0312 as the reference, so we can match your payment and mark it as paid.

Wording to copy

Offering both with the invoice:

Your invoice for $1,850 is attached and due by November 20. You can pay by card from this link: [link]. Or transfer to the account on the invoice, using INV-0312 as the reference. Either's fine.

Steering a larger payment to bank transfer:

For this stage payment, a bank transfer is best if you can, as card fees are high on an amount this size. If card is easier, the link works too.

Asking at the door:

All done. I've just sent the invoice to your phone. You can pay it from the link now if that's easiest.

Which one should you use?

• Jobs under about $1,000, or household customers. A card link, sent the moment the job is done.
• Large jobs. Bank transfer or ACH for the big payments, with a card link available. Consider a deposit and stages.
• Companies with accounts teams. They need a proper invoice, and many will only pay by bank.
• Takeaway, market stalls, one-offs. A link or QR code on a card by the till. See the QR code guide for practical printing tips.
• Customers who owe you already. Put the link in every reminder.

Common mistakes

• Treating fees as a surprise. Decide what card fees are worth to you and price them in.
• Using a personal account. Keep business money separate. The SBA says you'll need a business bank account however you take payment.
• Sending a link with no explanation. A bare link from an unknown number looks like a scam. Say who you are and what it's for.
• Offering only one way. Someone who wants to pay you shouldn't have to find a checkbook.
• Not reconciling. Your payout will be the sum of several payments, minus fees. Match each one back to an invoice.

Programmable Page puts a Pay button on invoices, deposits, payment plans and reminders. It runs through your own Stripe account, so you'll need one connected, Stripe's fees apply and payouts go to your bank on Stripe's schedule. We never see card numbers. It isn't the only way to do this, and if you already have a working setup, the wording and tradeoffs above still apply.

Questions

What's the cheapest way to get paid online?

Usually a direct bank transfer, because card fees are avoided. The customer has to do more work, though, and fake bank detail scams are a risk. For small amounts, the convenience of a card link often outweighs the fee.

What's a payment link?

A web address that opens a secure payment page for a set amount. You send it by text or email and the customer pays by card from their phone. You don't need a website.

Can I charge customers the card fee?

It depends on where you are. In the UK, surcharges on consumer card payments are banned. In the US, card network rules and state law both apply. Check both before adding a fee.

How long does a card payment take to reach my bank?

It varies by processor and country. Stripe says a first payout typically takes 7 to 14 days after your first live payment, and later payouts depend on your schedule and settlement timing.