TL;DR
Payment links turn every Plutio invoice into a shareable URL that clients click to view and pay, without downloading a PDF, logging into a portal, or creating an account. Over 70% of Plutio invoices paid within 48 hours use a direct payment link rather than an email attachment.
Plutio generates a unique payment link (redirectUrl) for every invoice and every split payment stage automatically. Share the link via email, paste it into a Slack message, embed it in a proposal, or drop it into a text conversation. The client lands on a branded payment portal showing the full invoice with all styling, line items, taxes, and a pay button connected to Stripe, PayPal, Square, or bank transfer. The core advantage: payment links remove every barrier between sending an invoice and receiving money, so the friction that causes 5 to 14-day payment delays disappears entirely.
Payment links are available on all Plutio plans starting at $19/month, with a 7-day free trial. Every invoice generated in Plutio includes a payment link automatically, with no extra configuration needed.
What payment links are
A payment link is a unique URL tied to a specific invoice that directs clients to a branded payment portal where they can review the invoice details and submit payment through a connected gateway, all without needing to download files or create an account.
In Plutio, every invoice automatically generates a payment link (called redirectUrl internally). When a client receives the link, clicking it opens a branded payment page showing the full invoice: line items, subtotals, taxes, discounts, and the total amount due. The page matches the freelancer's branding, including logo, colors, and if connected domains are configured, the URL itself shows the freelancer's own domain rather than a Plutio subdomain.
Single-invoice payment links
The most common use case is a standalone payment link for a single invoice. Copy the link from the invoice detail page in Plutio and share it anywhere: email, iMessage, WhatsApp, Slack, or LinkedIn direct messages. The client does not need a Plutio account, an email invitation, or any prior setup. The link opens a payment page in the browser, the client selects a payment method (Stripe card payments, PayPal, Square, or bank transfer), and submits payment. Plutio marks the invoice paid and sends both parties a confirmation notification.
Split payment stage links
When an invoice uses split payments, Plutio generates a separate payment link for each stage. A $4,000 project split into a 50% deposit ($2,000) and a 50% final payment ($2,000) produces two distinct links. The deposit link can go out immediately when the proposal is signed, while the final payment link activates when that stage becomes due. Each link shows only the amount due for that specific stage, so clients see exactly what they owe at each milestone. Split payment stage links mean deposit requests arrive in the same message as the signed proposal, cutting the average time-to-first-payment from 7 days down to under 48 hours for most Plutio users.
I used to attach PDFs and wait. Now I drop the payment link in a Slack message and the deposit hits my Stripe account the same afternoon. Changed how I kick off projects entirely.
Why payment links matter for freelancers
Every step between "invoice sent" and "payment received" adds friction, and friction delays cash flow. A PDF attachment requires the client to open an email, download the file, figure out how to pay (wire? check? Venmo?), and then circle back to confirm the amount. On a $3,500 branding project, that friction costs an average of 5 to 14 extra days before payment arrives.
The financial impact compounds across multiple clients. A freelancer with 4 active projects billing $3,000 each has $12,000 in outstanding invoices at any given time. Reducing the average payment cycle by even 5 days means $12,000 arrives almost a week earlier, which covers rent, software subscriptions, and subcontractor payments without dipping into reserves. Agencies billing $10,000+ projects across 8 to 12 clients per quarter stand to recover $30,000 to $50,000 in working capital each quarter from faster payment cycles alone.
FreshBooks sends invoices via email with a "Pay Now" button, but that button only works inside the FreshBooks email template and cannot be shared as a standalone URL in a chat message, a proposal, or a text thread. Wave generates a payment link but limits online payments to credit cards through Wave's own processing (2.9% + $0.60 per transaction in the US), with no option for PayPal or Square. Plutio's payment links work with Stripe, PayPal, Square, and bank transfer, and the link itself can be shared in any channel.
The real cost of invoice friction is not just late payments but unpaid invoices that require follow-up emails, awkward reminder calls, and wasted admin hours. A payment link that clients can click from any device in under 10 seconds eliminates the most common excuse: "I couldn't figure out how to pay."
Plutio removes that excuse by turning every invoice into a one-click payment experience. The client clicks the link, sees the branded invoice, picks a payment method, and pays. No downloads, no accounts, no separate portals to log into.
How payment links work in Plutio
Create an invoice in Plutio, copy the auto-generated payment link, share it with the client through any channel, and the client clicks through to a branded payment portal to pay via Stripe, PayPal, Square, or bank transfer.
Before using payment links, connect at least one payment gateway. Go to Settings, then Integrations, and connect Stripe, PayPal, Square, or configure bank transfer details. Multiple gateways can run simultaneously so clients choose their preferred method.
Step by step
- Step 1: Open the Financials section in Plutio and create a new invoice. Add line items, set the currency, apply tax rates, and configure payment terms.
- Step 2: Plutio automatically generates a payment link for the invoice. Copy the link from the invoice detail page by clicking the share or link icon.
- Step 3: Share the payment link with the client. Paste it into an email, a Slack message, a WhatsApp chat, an iMessage, or embed it in a Plutio proposal. The link works in any channel.
- Step 4: The client clicks the link and lands on a branded payment portal. The page displays the full invoice with line items, totals, and taxes. The client selects a payment method (Stripe, PayPal, Square, or bank transfer) and submits payment.
- Step 5: Plutio marks the invoice as paid, sends a confirmation notification to both parties, and records the payment in the Financials section. The invoice viewed tracking feature logs when the client opened the link, so payment timing is visible.
Practical tip: for recurring clients who prefer to pay from a single place, share the client portal link instead. The portal shows all outstanding invoices with their payment links in one view, so clients can pay multiple invoices without receiving separate messages for each one.
Who needs payment links
Freelancers and agencies billing project-based work where clients are not technical, not organized, or both, get the most value from shareable payment links that reduce payment friction to a single click.
A freelance photographer billing $1,500 per shoot often works with clients who are not checking email regularly and are more likely to respond to a text message or Instagram DM. Sending a payment link via iMessage or WhatsApp means the client pays from their phone in under 30 seconds, without opening a laptop, downloading a PDF, or figuring out wire transfer details. Freelance wedding planners billing $5,000+ retainers use payment links to collect deposits the same day the contract is signed, keeping the booking pipeline moving.
Agencies managing 10+ active clients benefit from the client portal integration. Each client logs into a branded portal and sees all outstanding invoices with payment links in one place. The agency does not need to resend links or chase individual invoices because the portal surfaces every unpaid balance automatically. Agencies processing $20,000+ in monthly invoices recover an estimated 8 to 12 hours per month in reduced payment follow-up time by switching from PDF attachments to shareable payment links.
HoneyBook sends invoices through its own email system with a pay button, but that payment flow requires the client to interact with HoneyBook's interface and branding. Freelancers using Plutio with connected domains send payment links that show their own domain and their own branding, so clients never see third-party branding during the payment experience. Freelancers switching from FreshBooks often cite the inability to share a standalone payment URL as the reason for moving. Plutio's payment links are shareable in any channel without being locked to an email template.
| Feature | Plutio | FreshBooks |
|---|---|---|
| Shareable payment URL | Yes, any channel | Email template only |
| Custom domain on link | Yes, with connected domains | No |
| Payment gateways | Stripe, PayPal, Square, bank transfer | Stripe, PayPal (US only for PayPal) |
| Split payment stage links | Yes, separate link per stage | No native split payments |
| Client account required | No | No |
Bottom line: any freelancer or agency tired of chasing payments through email threads, re-sending PDFs, and explaining how to pay gets immediate value from a payment link that works in any messaging channel and takes the client 10 seconds to complete.
