How to get paid online
To take payment online you don't need a store or a monthly fee: a payment link collects a deposit, an invoice or a whole job, and the customer pays by card from their phone. What you have to decide is which to use for what, because the fees are similar across all of them but the convenience isn't. And if your business genuinely sells products with inventory, then a real store is the right answer.
Updated 2026-08-16
Payment links, which is what most people need
A payment link is an address you send over WhatsApp or email. The customer opens it, pays by card, and the money reaches you. No website required.
**Square.** No monthly fee, 2.6% plus 10 cents in person and slightly more online. Simplest if you also take payment on site.
**Stripe.** 2.9% plus 30 cents, no fixed fee. Gives payment links and works well for deposits.
**PayPal.** Similar fee, and a lot of people already have an account, which lowers friction.
**Zelle.** No fee, bank to bank, and a huge number of people in Miami use it. What it doesn't give you is an automatic receipt or dispute protection, so it's fine for trusted customers and not for a first-timer.
What to use for what
**A booking deposit.** A payment link or the charge built into your booking system. It's what kills no-shows, especially in color, nails and detailing. How to set up booking.
**A deposit on a big job.** An invoice with a payment link. It records what it covers and when the rest is due.
**The finished job.** An emailed invoice with a link. You get paid far faster than waiting on a transfer, because the customer pays at the moment they read it.
**Recurring charges.** Monthly maintenance for landscaping, cleaning or HVAC. Square and Stripe support recurring billing with the card on file, which turns chasing payment every month into something automatic.
The fee, with the math done
On a $500 job, 3% is $15.
Plenty of people avoid cards over that $15 and end up waiting two weeks to get paid, or chasing the customer by phone. The real cost of being paid late is higher than the fee almost every time.
And there's an effect nobody mentions: people spend more on card. Someone paying cash asks for exactly the job; someone paying by card accepts the add-on more easily.
When you do need a store
If you sell physical products with inventory, sizes, shipping or returns, then a real store makes sense, and the honest answer is that **Shopify** does that job better than a custom site. It's about $30 a month and it handles inventory, shipping, tax and returns, things a custom-built site doesn't do well.
If what you sell is services, don't build a store: payment link and done.
Expensive mistakes
**Terminals with three-year contracts.** You're offered a "free" reader with a monthly fee and an early exit penalty. It's worse than Square almost every time.
**Asking for card numbers over WhatsApp.** Don't: it's insecure and it makes you responsible for the data.
**Not giving a receipt.** With Zelle especially. Always send a confirmation, even a written one, or you'll end up arguing about what was paid.
**Storing cards yourself.** Let the platform store them. That data should never pass through your phone or your notebook.
doubts
What people usually ask
Which do I pick if I only take deposits?
Square if you also take payment in person, Stripe if it's online only. The fee difference is minimal; choose on convenience.
Can I pass the fee to the customer?
In Florida you can surcharge for cards if you disclose it in advance and display it, but it usually backfires: the customer reads it as being overcharged. Better to raise your price 3% across the board and never mention it.
Does it work for monthly maintenance?
Yes, and that's where it shows most. Recurring billing turns chasing forty customers every month into something that happens on its own.
Do I need an LLC to take cards?
No, you can do it as an individual with your social security number, but registering the business is worth it for separating accounts and for taxes.
What if the customer disputes the charge?
That's why a signed quote and photos of the work matter. Zelle has no dispute process and cards do, so on big jobs the card protects you too.