By Brooke Harrison, hosted-checkout operations specialist with 8 years of payment-link and invoice-support experience
Last reviewed: July 30, 2026
Finix Payment Links create hosted checkout pages that merchants can share by email, text, QR code or another digital channel. A single-use link becomes Completed after one successful payment, while a multiple-use link remains available until it expires or the merchant manually deactivates it. This independent guide is not operated by or affiliated with Finix.
Choose the link type carefully. A reusable link sent for a specific invoice can allow another payment after the invoice has already been paid.
What is a Finix Payment Link?
A Finix Payment Link is a shareable URL that opens a Finix-hosted checkout page. The merchant does not need to build a complete ecommerce website or custom payment form to collect the payment.
Finix lets businesses create links through the Dashboard and also provides an API for platforms that need to generate links programmatically.
Payment Links can be shared through:
- SMS or messaging applications
- Social-media messages
- Website buttons
- Digital invoices
- Printed or displayed QR codes
- Customer-service chats
- In-person checkout situations
The buyer opens the link on a phone or computer, selects an available payment method and completes checkout on the hosted page. Finix processes the payment and makes the transaction available for tracking through the Dashboard.
Single-use versus multiple-use links
Finix supports two main Payment Link types.
| Link type | How it behaves | Appropriate use |
|---|---|---|
| Single-use | Accepts one successful payment, then becomes Completed | Individual invoice or custom order |
| Multiple-use | Accepts repeated payments until expiration or manual deactivation | Standard products, donations or repeat services |
Finix describes a single-use link as personalized for one specific purchase. After a successful payment, the link no longer permits another transaction. Opening it again shows that the payment was completed.
A multiple-use link can accept an unlimited number of payments while it remains active. Finix positions this option for standard services, repeat purchases, wide distribution and situations where several buyers can use the same checkout.
The word “unlimited” concerns the number of link uses while active. It does not override merchant-processing limits, fraud controls, card authorization decisions or the link’s expiration date.
Why a Finix Payment Link says Completed
The Completed state applies to single-use links after a buyer makes a successful payment. Finix then prevents additional payments through that URL.
This is expected behavior.
Do not create another link immediately because the buyer says the page will not accept payment. First confirm whether the original transaction succeeded.
Check:
- The Payment Link state
- Transaction attempts shown on the link
- The related Finix Transfer
- The customer’s invoice
- Whether another person used the link
A buyer can sometimes close the browser before seeing the confirmation page even though Finix completed the payment. Sending a new link without checking the first attempt can create a duplicate charge.
One invoice should normally have one active payment request.
Finix Payment Link states
Finix documents four principal Payment Link states.
| State | Meaning |
Active | Buyers can currently use the link |
Completed | A single-use link received a successful payment |
Expired | Its configured validity period ended |
Deactivated | The merchant manually disabled the link |
The Dashboard path for reviewing them is:
Payment Tools > Payment Links
The list displays the link state, amount and creation date.
A reusable link does not move to Completed after each transaction. It remains active so that another buyer can use it, unless its validity period ends or the merchant deactivates it.
That distinction is critical when reconciling invoices. A reusable link can show several successful transaction attempts under one URL.
Why did the Payment Link expire?
Finix allows the merchant to select how long a link remains valid during creation. The API exposes the expiration through fields including link_expires_at and an expiration interval.
Once the validity period passes, the link changes to Expired and stops accepting payments.
Possible reasons include:
- The merchant selected a short validity period.
- The invoice remained unpaid beyond its deadline.
- An old QR code still points to the expired link.
- A previously sent email contains an outdated URL.
- Staff shared a link from an earlier order.
- The business copied a sandbox link into a live message.
An expired link should generally be replaced with a new payment request. Do not change the original accounting record to make it appear as though the old link was paid.
Connect the new link to the same invoice and mark the former link as expired in the merchant’s internal system.
Can an expired link be reactivated?
Finix’s public Payment Link state guidance describes expired links as no longer usable. It does not promise that every expired link can be restored by editing its old expiration date.
The safer workflow is:
- Confirm that the link is actually
Expired. - Verify that no payment attempt is still unresolved.
- Create a new link.
- Preserve the same internal invoice reference.
- Send only the new URL to the buyer.
- Remove the old QR code or button where practical.
Creating another link does not delete the old transaction history.
Avoid sending both links in the same message. The customer may try each one and create confusion about which request is valid.
What payment methods can a link accept?
Finix Payment Links currently support:
- Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover credit or debit cards
- ACH Direct Debits in the United States
- EFT bank payments in Canada
- Apple Pay
- Google Pay
Card payments support U.S. and Canadian dollars. Bank-payment availability depends on the merchant’s country and configuration.
The merchant selects the allowed methods when creating the link. Multiple methods can be enabled simultaneously. Buyers see the options supported by both the link configuration and their device.
Apple Pay normally appears only on supported Apple devices. Google Pay depends on a supported Android device or browser environment and an eligible wallet configuration.
A missing wallet option does not necessarily mean the Payment Link is broken.
Why the bank-payment option is missing
Bank Account must be enabled under Allowed Payment Methods when the link is created. Finix then offers ACH for eligible U.S. checkouts or EFT for eligible Canadian checkouts.
The option may be missing because:
- The merchant did not enable bank payments.
- The merchant account is not configured for the method.
- The checkout country does not match the expected rail.
- The buyer is opening a different link.
- The Payment Link was created before bank payments were enabled.
- The transaction type is not eligible.
Finix’s current Payment Link product uses an embedded Plaid experience to verify bank accounts for supported pay-by-bank checkouts.
Bank verification does not make ACH final immediately. ACH debits can still take several business days to reach a final outcome and may later return.
Do not promise instant settlement merely because the bank connected successfully.
Fixed and variable payment amounts
Finix supports both predetermined and buyer-entered amounts.
| Amount type | Behavior |
| Fixed | Merchant defines the amount and the buyer cannot change it |
| Variable | Buyer enters an amount, optionally within minimum and maximum limits |
Finix presents variable amounts as useful for donations, tips or situations where the amount is not known when the link is created.
Use fixed amounts for ordinary invoices.
A variable link attached to a $900 invoice may let the buyer enter $9, $90 or another unintended figure unless a suitable minimum is configured. The payment can succeed while leaving the invoice partly unpaid.
The link accepted the amount it was designed to accept. That is a configuration problem, not a processor shortfall.
How QR-code Payment Links work
Finix can generate a QR code pointing to the hosted Payment Link. The buyer scans it with a phone camera and completes checkout on the device.
The Finix Checkout iOS application also lets a merchant display and share a QR code from the Payment Link details page.
QR codes are useful for:
- Service counters
- Event booths
- Printed invoices
- Restaurant or retail displays
- Fundraising materials
- Remote sales presentations
The QR image contains the destination URL. It does not automatically update when the merchant creates a replacement link.
A poster printed with an expired or deactivated link will continue sending buyers to that inactive page. Replacing the link in the Dashboard does not alter the previously printed QR code.
Test every production QR code before distributing it.
Can Payment Links be added to invoices?
Yes. Finix specifically lists invoices as a Payment Link use case. Merchants can add the checkout URL to a digital invoice so the buyer can pay without entering the merchant’s bank instructions manually.
For invoice collection:
- Create a single-use fixed-amount link.
- Add a clear product or service description.
- Include the invoice number in the merchant’s records.
- Set a reasonable validity period.
- Enable the accepted payment methods.
- Add the link to the invoice.
- Match the resulting Transfer back to the invoice.
Finix requires a Terms of Service URL for all Payment Links created through its current Dashboard flow.
That URL should point to real terms applicable to the transaction. Do not use an unrelated homepage merely to satisfy the field.
Can a Payment Link authorize without charging?
The Finix Payment Links API includes an is_authorization setting. When enabled, submitting the link creates an Authorization rather than an immediate Transfer.
An authorization reserves or verifies funds according to the payment flow, while a Transfer represents a completed charge.
This can be useful when the final fulfillment or amount requires confirmation before capture.
It also introduces another state to manage.
A buyer who completed an authorization may believe payment is finished, while the merchant still needs to capture it. The application should explain what the buyer completed and monitor uncaptured authorizations before they expire.
Do not create a second Payment Link merely because the bank statement does not yet show a captured charge.
How payments made through links are refunded
Finix handles Payment Link refunds through the same refund process used for other payments.
The merchant should open the resulting payment Transfer rather than trying to reactivate or reverse the link itself.
A Payment Link is the checkout request. The Transfer is the financial transaction.
Deactivating a reusable link prevents new payments. It does not refund earlier payments made through the link.
Likewise, refunding one payment does not automatically deactivate a multiple-use link. Other customers may still use it while it remains Active.
Are Payment Links free?
Finix currently markets Payment Links as having no additional fee beyond normal payment-processing charges.
That does not mean the resulting transaction is free.
Applicable costs can include:
- Card-processing fees
- Interchange and network assessments
- ACH charges
- Refund or dispute fees
- Platform fees
- Account subscription charges
- Custom contractual fees
The merchant’s Finix pricing agreement and Fee Profile control the transaction cost.
A link is a checkout method, not a separate payment rail. The buyer’s selected card, bank account or wallet determines how the payment is processed.
How to avoid duplicate Payment Link payments
The risk differs by link type.
For single-use links, Finix stops later payments after the first successful transaction.
For reusable links, the merchant must manage duplicate or unintended use through its own order workflow.
A practical control process is:
- Use single-use links for individual invoices.
- Avoid posting invoice-specific links publicly.
- Check transaction attempts before replacing a link.
- Deactivate reusable links when the offer ends.
- Reconcile each Transfer to an invoice or order.
- Do not send two active links for the same obligation.
- Confirm uncertain payments before asking the buyer to retry.
A reusable link is appropriate for a standard $50 class registration. It is usually inappropriate for one named customer’s $4,700 invoice unless repeated partial payments are intentional.
Finix Payment Link FAQ
Can a Finix Payment Link be used twice?
A single-use link cannot accept another payment after its first successful transaction. A multiple-use link can accept repeated payments while active.
Why does my link say Completed?
A successful payment was made through a single-use link. Review the related transaction before creating another request.
Why does my link say Expired?
Its configured validity period ended. Create a replacement link after confirming that no unresolved payment exists.
Can I manually turn off a reusable link?
Yes. Finix includes a Deactivated state for links manually disabled by the merchant.
Can buyers pay by ACH?
Yes. Eligible U.S. buyers can use ACH when Bank Account is enabled for the link. Canada uses supported EFT payments.
Can I create a QR code?
Yes. Finix lets merchants generate and share scannable QR codes for Payment Links.
Can the customer choose the amount?
Yes, when the merchant creates a variable-amount link. Optional minimum and maximum values can restrict the amount.
Does refunding a payment disable the link?
Not automatically. Refunds apply to the resulting Transfer. A reusable link remains available until it expires or is deactivated.
Is a Terms of Service URL required?
Yes. Finix’s current Dashboard and mobile documentation lists a Terms of Service URL as required for all Payment Links.
Do Payment Links require a website?
No. Finix hosts the payment page, so merchants can share the URL directly without building their own website.
Use single-use, fixed-amount links for individual invoices and multiple-use links only when repeated payments are intentional. Before replacing an expired or completed link, inspect its payment attempts and related Transfer so a checkout-display problem does not become a duplicate charge.