Accept online payments on every invoice: cards, bank and wallets

To accept online payments on an invoice, you give the client a way to pay it from their phone or computer: a card, a bank transfer, or a digital wallet, on a page that confirms the amount and sends a receipt. PayToMe’s version attaches that page to every invoice so the payment and the invoice stay connected, and the invoice is marked paid the moment the money is confirmed.

How online payments on an invoice work

If a client pays part of the invoice, the balance stays open and PayToMe keeps the record straight, so you are not reconciling by hand.

The payment methods, in plain terms

Different methods suit different clients and different invoice sizes.

Method	Good for	Usual trade-off
Credit and debit cards	Small and mid-size invoices, clients who want to pay instantly	Typically the highest fee per payment
Bank debit or transfer (such as ACH in the US)	Larger invoices and repeat clients	Often slower to settle, usually cheaper per payment
Digital wallets	Clients paying from a phone	Fees often resemble card fees, since wallets generally run on cards

Availability depends on country, currency and your payment provider, and the exact list depends on what Stripe supports for that payment. For a deeper comparison, read ACH vs credit card.

What fees look like in general terms

We will not quote payment rates here. What we can explain is how payment fees generally work, so you can read any provider’s pricing sheet with confidence.

• A percentage plus a fixed amount. Card payments are commonly priced as a percentage of the payment plus a small fixed fee per transaction. The fixed part hurts most on small invoices.
• Bank payments are usually cheaper. Bank debit and transfer payments commonly cost less per payment, and some are priced as a flat amount or capped.
• Layers sit underneath. Card networks and issuing banks charge the payment provider, and the provider adds its own margin. Some providers pass these costs through separately and others bundle them into one rate.
• Extras can cost more. Payments from international cards, currency conversion and disputes often carry additional charges.
• Disputes cost time as well as money. A chargeback is when a cardholder disputes a payment with their bank. Clear invoices and receipts help you answer one.

How to reduce payment fees

Whatever provider you use, these habits lower what you pay.

1. Offer a bank payment option. Make it easy and prominent, and many clients on larger invoices will use it.
2. Consider a small discount for bank payment. A discount, rather than a surcharge on cards, is usually simpler to explain, though you should check the rules that apply to you.
3. Combine small jobs. One invoice for a month of small work means one fixed fee instead of several.
4. Send clear invoices. Itemized lines, your business name and a plain description reduce disputes.
5. Compare effective rates, not headline rates. Add up the percentage, the fixed fee and any extras on a typical invoice of yours.
6. Read the dispute terms. Know what a chargeback costs before you need to know.

Passing fees on to clients is allowed in some places and restricted in others, and card network rules apply too. Check the rules where you operate and your provider’s terms first. This is general information, not legal or financial advice.

Why it matters

An invoice that can be paid in the same moment it is read gets paid sooner than one that sends the client to find your bank details. Consider an invoice of 640.00 due in 14 days. If the client opens it on Tuesday evening and can pay in two taps, it is done. If they have to look up a routing number, it may wait until the weekend, then slip to next week. Removing that friction is the main reason to accept online payments at all, and it is the part you control.

It also helps you. Payments recorded automatically mean fewer mismatched amounts, no hunting through your bank statement, and a reliable list of what is still owed.

Security and trust

Card details are entered on a hosted payment page and never pass through your messages. Card details go to Stripe, the payment processor. PayToMe’s security practices, including how payment data is handled, are on the security page. As a general rule, clients should only pay links they were expecting, and you should send links through channels you control.

Works with the rest of PayToMe

Online payments pair with a payment link for one-off requests, with text-to-pay invoices for clients who prefer their phone, and with smart reminders so unpaid invoices are chased politely. Text-to-pay and smart reminders are in development. For a practical walkthrough of the basics, read how to accept credit card payments.

What to do today

Sign in, create an invoice, choose payment terms that suit the job and send it. The same invoice carries a pay button for the client. If you only need a quick PDF, the free invoice generator lets you add your bank transfer details or an existing payment link.