Setting Up · Payment Links

How to use Payment Links

Create a shareable link, post it on WhatsApp or print a QR code — your customers pay you online without needing an invoice, an account, or a store order.

Published March 2026·5 min read·Pro feature

What is a Payment Link?

A Payment Link is a URL you create in your dashboard that opens a branded payment page at pay.marii.app/l/your-link-code. Anyone with the link can open it in their browser and pay you — no invoice needed, no Marii account needed on their side. You choose a fixed amount or let them enter their own.

Who uses Payment Links?

Payment Links are useful anywhere you need to collect money without creating a product catalogue or issuing a formal invoice.

⛪Churches — tithes & pledges🎟️Events — tickets & deposits🏫Schools — term fees❤️Foundations — donations💼Freelancers — retainers✈️Diaspora payments🏥Medical — consultation fees🏋️Gyms & studios — memberships
Diaspora tip: A family member abroad can open your payment link in their browser, enter the amount, and pay by card. The money settles into your Pesepay or Paynow account just like any other online payment — making it one of the easiest ways to receive cross-border funds.

Before you start

  • Pro plan required. Payment Links are a Pro feature. Upgrade from your billing page if needed.
  • Payment gateway required. You must have connected a Pesepay or Paynow account in Settings → Payments (BYOG). This is how funds reach your account when a customer pays. Set up BYOG →

Creating your first Payment Link

1

Open Payment Links in your dashboard

In your Marii dashboard, find Payment Links in the left sidebar. If you are on the Pro plan and have a gateway connected, you will see the main Payment Links page with a Create Payment Link button in the top right.

If you see a "Pro feature" screen, your account needs to be upgraded. If you see a "Connect a payment gateway first" screen, go to Settings → Payments and connect Pesepay or Paynow before continuing.

2

Fill in the link details

Click Create Payment Link to open the creation modal. You will need to fill in the following:

Title

The name shown at the top of the payment page. Be specific — your customer will see this. Good examples: "School Fees — Term 2 2026", "Sunday Offering", "Table Deposit — May Event".

Amount

Choose Fixed amount if everyone pays the same price (e.g. a $20 ticket or $150 school fee). Choose Customer enters if each person pays a different amount — ideal for donations, pledges, or variable deposits.

Reference field (optional)

Enable this if you need to identify who the payment is for. When turned on, the customer is shown a text field with the label you choose. Useful examples: "Student Name", "Booking Reference", "Member Number", "Table Number".

Email field (optional)

Turn this on if you want to collect the payer's email address — useful for sending receipts, event confirmation emails, or building a contact list.

Link code

This is the last part of the URL: pay.marii.app/l/your-code. It is auto-generated from your title but you can edit it. Use something short and memorable — it appears in WhatsApp messages and on printed QR codes. Allowed characters: letters, numbers, and hyphens.

Payment methods

Select your connected gateway (e.g. Pesepay) and/or any bank accounts you have added. At least one must be selected. Customers will see the methods you choose at checkout.

Click Create Link when done. The link appears in your list immediately.

3

Share the link

Each link row shows three quick action buttons:

  • 📋Copy — copies the full URL to your clipboard so you can paste it into WhatsApp, email, or SMS. This is the fastest way to share.
  • 📱QR code — opens a modal with a scannable QR code. Hit Download to save a high-resolution PNG (600×600 pixels) — crisp enough to print on flyers, church bulletins, event banners, or counter cards. Customers scan it with their phone camera, no app needed.
  • ↗Open link — opens the payment page in a new tab so you can preview exactly what your customers will see.
QR code tip: Print your QR code and put it at your reception desk, on your table, or in your church bulletin. Members can scan and pay during the service or event without you handling cash or waiting for a bank transfer notification.
4

Manage your links

Click the ⋯ (more) button on any link row to access management options:

  • ⏸Pause link — the link stops accepting new payments but is not deleted. The URL shows an inactive page. Useful for closing term-based or event-based collections after the deadline. You can reactivate at any time from the same menu.
  • 🗑Delete link — permanently removes the link. This cannot be undone. Historical payments remain in your transaction records.
5

Track payments and totals

Your Payment Links dashboard shows three summary figures at the top: total active links, total number of payments received across all links, and total amount collected.

Each link row also shows individual stats — how many payments it has received and the total collected through that specific link. This makes it easy to see at a glance which links are performing and how much a particular collection (like a term's school fees) has brought in.

Detailed transaction records can be viewed in your Marii payment history section for reconciliation purposes.

What the customer sees

When a customer opens your payment link, they land on a clean, mobile-optimised page at pay.marii.app/l/your-code that shows:

  • ✓Your business name and the link title
  • ✓The amount (fixed or a field for them to enter their own)
  • ✓The reference field if you enabled it (e.g. "Student Name")
  • ✓The email field if you enabled it
  • ✓A secure "Pay now" button

Tapping Pay redirects them to your connected payment gateway (Pesepay or Paynow) to complete the payment by card or mobile money. After payment, they see a confirmation screen with their transaction reference. The whole flow works on any phone — no app download required.

Frequently asked questions

Can I have multiple Payment Links active at the same time?↓
Yes. There is no limit on the number of active links. You might run a 'Sunday Offering' link year-round, a 'Conference Tickets' link for a specific event, and a 'School Fees Term 3' link simultaneously — all managed from the same dashboard.
Can I reuse a link for the next term or next event?↓
Yes. If the amount and details are the same, simply keep the link active. If you want to close last term's collection and start fresh, pause the old link and create a new one with an updated title and link code. Your historical payment records are always preserved.
What happens if a customer's payment fails?↓
The customer is shown a "Payment failed" screen with a link to try again. No charge is made on failure. They are redirected back to your payment link page to retry.
Is the payment link page branded with my business name?↓
Yes. The page shows your merchant name (from your Marii profile) and the link title you set. It also includes a "Powered by Marii" attribution at the bottom on all plans.
Can I set up Payment Links without a payment gateway?↓
No. Payment Links require an active gateway (Pesepay or Paynow) connected via BYOG because funds need somewhere to settle. Bank transfer payment links are not currently supported — the online checkout flow is gateway-only.

Quick checklist

  • ✓Confirm you are on a Pro plan
  • ✓Connect Pesepay or Paynow in Settings → Payments
  • ✓Create your first Payment Link with a clear title
  • ✓Copy the URL and send it via WhatsApp to test it yourself first
  • ✓Download the QR code and add it to your flyer, bulletin, or counter
  • ✓Come back to the dashboard to track payments collected

Ready to create your first link?

You need a Pro plan and a connected payment gateway. Both take a few minutes to set up.

Set up your gateway (BYOG) →Open your dashboard