How to Share Your PayPal Link (PayPal.me and Payment Links)

PayPal makes it easy to request payments with shareable links. Whether you're a freelancer invoicing clients, a small business accepting payments, or a creator receiving tips, a PayPal link lets anyone pay you with a click.

In this guide, we'll cover how to create PayPal links, where to share them, and how to make them more professional with short, branded URLs.

PayPal.me is your personal payment URL. It looks like:

https://paypal.me/yourusername

When someone visits this link, they see your name and can send you any amount. You can also pre-fill an amount:

https://paypal.me/yourusername/50

This pre-fills a $50 payment (the sender can change it).

For businesses, PayPal provides payment buttons that generate checkout links for specific products or amounts. These links are longer and include product details.

When you send a PayPal invoice, the recipient gets a unique payment link. These are tied to specific invoices and amounts.

If you don't have a PayPal.me link yet:

1. 1Log into PayPal
2. 2Go to paypal.me or search for PayPal.me in settings
3. 3Choose your username (this becomes your permanent URL)
4. 4Customize your profile photo and message

Tips for choosing a username:

• Keep it short and memorable
• Use your name or business name
• Avoid numbers or special characters if possible
• Remember, you can't change it later

Add your PayPal link to your email signature for easy invoicing:

"Pay me securely via PayPal: yourdomain.com/pay"

Share your PayPal link in:

• Instagram bio
• Twitter/X bio
• Facebook page
• TikTok bio
• YouTube channel description

Include your PayPal link in PDF invoices as an alternative payment method.

Add a "Pay with PayPal" button on your website that links to your PayPal.me URL.

Send your PayPal link directly in WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack, or any messaging app.

Print a shortened PayPal link or QR code on your business cards for in-person payment.

A raw PayPal.me link is functional but not branded:

Before: https://paypal.me/johnsfreelancing/150

After: go.yourbrand.com/pay

Benefits of shortening your PayPal link with Linkly:

• Professional appearance — branded links look more trustworthy than raw PayPal URLs
• Easier to share — shorter links work better on business cards, social bios, and in messages
• Click tracking — see how many people click your payment link
• Easy to update — if your PayPal username changes, update the redirect in Linkly without reprinting materials
• Custom domain — use your own branded domain for consistency

PayPal doesn't tell you how many people clicked your payment link versus how many actually paid. By using a tracked short link, you can see:

• Total clicks — how many people visited your payment link
• Conversion gap — compare clicks to actual payments received
• Source tracking — which channels drive the most payment clicks (email vs. social vs. website)
• Geographic data — where your payers are located
• Timing — when people are most likely to pay

This data helps you understand where to share your payment link most effectively.

Assure payers that your PayPal link is legitimate:

• Use a custom domain for your short link so it looks professional
• Include your PayPal link alongside other business contact information
• Use your real name or registered business name on your PayPal.me profile

• Keep your PayPal.me link semi-private — don't post it publicly unless necessary
• Use specific amounts when possible — paypal.me/you/50 is harder to misuse than an open-ended link
• Monitor transactions — watch for unexpected payments or refund requests

For in-person payments, generate a QR code for your PayPal link:

1. 1Create a short link in Linkly pointing to your PayPal.me URL
2. 2Linkly automatically generates a QR code for the link
3. 3Print the QR code or display it on a tablet at your point of sale

Customers scan the QR code with their phone camera and land directly on your PayPal payment page.

1. 1Use a memorable short link — yourdomain.com/pay is easy to tell someone verbally
2. 2Pre-fill amounts when appropriate — reduce friction for fixed-price services
3. 3Track clicks — understand which channels drive the most payments
4. 4Keep it professional — use a custom domain rather than a generic shortener
5. 5Test your link regularly — make sure it still works and goes to the right place
6. 6Include context — don't just share a bare link; explain what the payment is for

Sharing your PayPal link is one of the easiest ways to get paid online. Whether you use PayPal.me for freelance invoicing, tips, or business payments, shortening your link with a branded domain makes it more professional and trackable.

Want a branded payment link? Get started with Linkly and create a short, tracked PayPal link on your own custom domain.