# QR codes and payment links

MONEI gives you four ways to charge a customer without building a checkout. This page helps you pick the right one and walks through the most common setups.

## Which tool fits your sale?[​](#picker "Direct link to Which tool fits your sale?")

|                     | [MONEI Pay app](https://docs.monei.com/monei-pay/overview/.md) | [Permanent QR code](https://docs.monei.com/manage-account/stores-and-points-of-sale/.md#qr-codes) | [Pay by Link](https://docs.monei.com/payments/pay-by-link/.md) | [Payments API](https://docs.monei.com/integrations/use-qr-payments/.md) |
| ------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Best for**        | Staff charging in person                                       | Printed or displayed checkout                                                                     | One-off remote charges                                         | Custom integrations                                                     |
| **Amount**          | Entered per sale                                               | Fixed, or customer enters it                                                                      | Set per link                                                   | Set per payment                                                         |
| **Reusable**        | New charge per sale                                            | Yes — unlimited payments                                                                          | No — one payment per link                                      | No — one payment per QR                                                 |
| **Expires**         | —                                                              | Never (until disabled)                                                                            | 7 days by default                                              | 7 days by default                                                       |
| **Needs**           | A phone                                                        | Nothing after printing                                                                            | Nothing                                                        | A developer                                                             |
| **How it's shared** | Tap to Pay, QR on screen, Bizum request                        | Print, screen, link, short link                                                                   | Email, WhatsApp, SMS                                           | Your checkout or device                                                 |

All four accept the payment methods enabled in your account and appear together in your [payments list](https://dashboard.monei.com/payments), so refunds and reporting work the same way.

## Retail counter[​](#retail "Direct link to Retail counter")

Staff charge each customer in person with the [MONEI Pay app](https://docs.monei.com/monei-pay/using-the-app/.md) — no card reader needed:

1. Open MONEI Pay, enter the amount.
2. Charge with **Tap to Pay** (contactless card or wallet on your phone), show a **QR code**, or send a **Bizum request** to the customer's phone number.
3. The customer gets a receipt by email — or automatically by WhatsApp for Bizum payments. You can also send one from the payment detail: see [digital receipts](https://docs.monei.com/monei-pay/using-the-app/.md#receipts).

<!-- -->

Payments inherit the staff member's [store and point of sale](https://docs.monei.com/manage-account/stores-and-points-of-sale/.md#segmentation), so each location reports separately.

## Unattended: kiosks, parking, donations, tickets[​](#unattended "Direct link to Unattended: kiosks, parking, donations, tickets")

Nobody attends the checkout — a printed [permanent QR code](https://docs.monei.com/manage-account/stores-and-points-of-sale/.md#qr-codes) does the work. Every permanent QR code belongs to a point of sale, and **Settings → Store & branding → Points of sale** is where you create and manage them:

![Points of sale page in the MONEI Dashboard settings, listing the points of sale on your account](/img/dashboard/en/settings-points-of-sale.png)

Points of sale page in the MONEI Dashboard settings, listing the points of sale on your account

Click **Add new point of sale** and configure it once:

* **Fixed amount** — the customer scans and pays a set price without entering anything. Leave it off for donations, where the customer chooses the amount.
* **Callback URL** — your system gets notified the moment someone pays: open the barrier, log the donation, register the ticket sale.
* **Require email** + **Include order QR in email** — for tickets and pickups, the customer's confirmation email carries a scannable order QR.

![Add new point of sale dialog in the MONEI Dashboard settings](/img/dashboard/en/settings-points-of-sale-create.png)

Add new point of sale dialog in the MONEI Dashboard settings

Then open it to generate the codes, download them for print, and copy their permanent links:

![Point of sale detail page in the MONEI Dashboard, with its payment settings above the list of QR codes and their permanent payment links](/img/dashboard/en/settings-point-of-sale-qr.png)

Point of sale detail page in the MONEI Dashboard, with its payment settings above the list of QR codes and their permanent payment links

Each code opens on its own, ready to download or to print:

![QR code dialog in the MONEI Dashboard, with the code image, the SVG and PNG download formats, the code ID and its permanent payment link](/img/dashboard/en/settings-point-of-sale-qr-code.png)

QR code dialog in the MONEI Dashboard, with the code image, the SVG and PNG download formats, the code ID and its permanent payment link

<!-- -->

### Validate orders with the email QR[​](#order-qr "Direct link to Validate orders with the email QR")

The order QR in the confirmation email encodes the **order ID**. To validate at the entrance, at pickup, or at a parking exit:

1. Scan the customer's QR with any camera or scanner app — it reads the order ID.
2. Search that order ID in [MONEI Pay](https://docs.monei.com/monei-pay/using-the-app/.md) or the [dashboard payments list](https://dashboard.monei.com/payments).
3. Confirm the payment status is **Succeeded**.

Filter the list by **Order ID** to find it. Each filter you add stays visible as a chip above the table, so you can see what the list is narrowed to:

![Payments list in the MONEI Dashboard filtered to successful card payments in euros, with the filters shown as removable chips above the table](/img/dashboard/en/payments-filtered.png)

Payments list in the MONEI Dashboard filtered to successful card payments in euros, with the filters shown as removable chips above the table

Set a **QR code text** like "Scan this code at the entrance" so customers know what the code is for. This feature is separate from Verifactu tax compliance.

## Remote: invoices, WhatsApp, and a link that always works[​](#remote "Direct link to Remote: invoices, WhatsApp, and a link that always works")

Two options, depending on whether the amount changes:

* **One-off charge for a specific order** — create a [Pay by Link](https://docs.monei.com/payments/pay-by-link/.md) payment: set the amount, pick the delivery channel (email, WhatsApp, SMS), and the customer pays from the link. The link is tied to that order and expires (7 days by default).
* **A link you share once and reuse forever** — use a permanent payment link from a [QR code](https://docs.monei.com/manage-account/stores-and-points-of-sale/.md#qr-codes): put it on invoices, in your email signature, or on social media. With a custom [short link](https://docs.monei.com/manage-account/stores-and-points-of-sale/.md#short-links) like `monei.me/my-shop`, customers can even type it by hand.

<!-- -->

A one-off link starts on **Payments → Pay by Link**, where you set the amount, the expiration and the delivery channel:

![Create payment form in the MONEI Dashboard, where you build a Pay by Link payment](/img/dashboard/en/payments-new.png)

Create payment form in the MONEI Dashboard, where you build a Pay by Link payment

For recurring charges on a schedule, create a [subscription](https://docs.monei.com/subscriptions/manage-subscriptions/.md) instead — subscription payment links work the same way.

## Common questions[​](#common-questions "Direct link to Common questions")

### Can I take payments without a website?[​](#no-website "Direct link to Can I take payments without a website?")

Yes. Every tool on this page works without a website. During onboarding, select **Physical store** as your business type — see [Pay by Link without a website](https://docs.monei.com/payments/pay-by-link/.md#without-website).

### Can the same QR code charge different amounts?[​](#variable-amount "Direct link to Can the same QR code charge different amounts?")

Yes. Set the point of sale's payment flow to **Manual amount** — the customer enters the amount after scanning. Use **Fixed amount** for set prices.

### When do payment links and QR codes expire?[​](#expiry "Direct link to When do payment links and QR codes expire?")

* A **permanent payment link** never expires — it works until you disable its QR code.
* A **Pay by Link** payment expires 7 days after creation by default; set a custom expiration date when you create it. An expired link shows an expiration message — create a new payment to charge again.
* A **one-time API QR** expires after 7 days (or the `expireAt` you set — any time in the future).
* A **short link** for a QR code works until you delete it; a short link for a Pay by Link payment expires with the payment.

### Do links and QR payments cost more?[​](#fees "Direct link to Do links and QR payments cost more?")

No. They are regular MONEI payments — standard [fees](https://docs.monei.com/manage-account/monei-fees/.md) for the payment method used apply.

### Which payment methods can customers use?[​](#methods "Direct link to Which payment methods can customers use?")

All the methods enabled in your account, unless the point of sale or link restricts them — see [configure payment methods](https://docs.monei.com/payments/configure-payment-methods/.md).