How to add credit card payment to an invoice

An invoice that says "pay by bank transfer" asks the client to open their bank, copy a reference and type an amount. An invoice with a pay button asks them to click it. The work behind the button is a payment processor account connected to whatever sends your invoices; once that is done, every invoice can carry one.

What you need

  • A payment processor account in your business's name, which is where the card payments land
  • Invoicing software connected to that account, so each invoice gets its own payment link for the right amount
  • An issued invoice: a draft is not something a client should be able to pay

What the client sees

  1. A button on the invoice

    The same button appears in the email and on the PDF, next to the amount due, so whichever one the client opens, the way to pay is beside the figure.

  2. A hosted payment page

    Clicking it opens a secure checkout page run by the processor, with the amount already filled in. The client never types card details into your email or your website.

  3. Confirmation for both of you

    Once the processor confirms the payment, the invoice is marked paid without you entering anything, and the button no longer appears on it.

Who pays the card fee

Card processors charge the seller a fee on each payment; Stripe publishes its rates on its own site. You can absorb the fee as a cost of getting paid faster, build it into your prices, or in some places pass it on as a surcharge. Whether a surcharge is allowed depends on where you and your client are, which is its own guide on adding a credit card fee to an invoice.

How BillingHub does it

Connect your Stripe account once, and every issued invoice carries a Pay this invoice button on the PDF; the default invoice email carries it too. The money goes straight to your Stripe account; BillingHub takes no cut of it. When Stripe confirms the payment the invoice is marked paid and the payment appears on its timeline. Your first three invoices are free, card payments included, so you can try it on a real client before buying anything.

Make an invoice clients can pay by card

Common questions

Can a client pay an invoice by credit card without an account?
Yes. The pay button opens the processor's checkout page, where the client enters a card like any online purchase. They do not need an account with you or with the processor.
Do I need a merchant account to take card payments on invoices?
You need an account with a payment processor such as Stripe, which handles the merchant side for you. A separate traditional merchant account is not required.
Can I charge the client the card fee?
Sometimes. Surcharge rules differ by place and by card network, so check them before adding one. Many businesses absorb the fee instead because faster payment is worth more than the fee.

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