How to accept payments on your website

You do not need a full online store to get paid online. A payment link is a web address from a payment provider that opens a secure checkout page for a fixed or open amount. You can share it on WhatsApp, in an email, or behind a "Pay now" button on your website.

This guide shows how it works, which providers offer it in East and West Africa, and how to add it to an Acyera page. Acyera does not process payments on customer sites itself, so this is the method we recommend.

Most small businesses get the furthest with the first two together: orders on WhatsApp for anything that needs discussing, and payment links for fixed-price items and deposits.

These providers let a business create payment links or payment pages. Check fees, settlement times and requirements with each before you choose, because they change.

• Pesapal (Kenya, Uganda and more): payment links and online invoices, paid by mobile money such as M-Pesa and Airtel Money, or by card.
• Flutterwave (many African countries including Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and Ghana): payment links paid by card, mobile money, bank transfer and more, depending on the country.
• Paystack (Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and more): payment pages you can share as a link.
• PayPal, for customers abroad, where PayPal supports your country for receiving payments.

Opening a merchant account usually needs your business or personal identification and a bank or mobile money account for payouts. Some providers need a registered business.

1. Sign up for a merchant account with the provider and complete their verification.
2. In the provider's dashboard, find "Payment links" or "Payment pages" and create one.
3. Give it a clear name and description ("Deposit for bridal makeup, 10 June"), choose a fixed amount or let the customer enter one, and pick the currency.
4. Copy the link. Open it on your phone to check it looks right before you share it.

On Acyera, add a Button block where you want the payment to start, such as under a service and its price. In the button's settings, set Link Type to "Web Page", paste the payment link into "Web Page Link", and change the button text to say what it pays for, such as "Pay deposit: UGX 50,000".

Write the price, what is included and your refund rule right next to the button, so nobody pays without knowing what for.

• You get a notification from the provider when someone pays. Check it in their dashboard, not only in the customer's screenshot.
• Message the customer to confirm payment and agree the delivery or appointment.
• Keep the provider's receipts: they are your sales record.

If you sell many products or customers often order several at once, a cart is easier than one link per product. On Acyera, product photos can show a price and an "Add to Cart" button, and the cart sends the whole order to your WhatsApp or email. You then reply with the total and a payment link or your mobile money details. How to start selling online shows how to set it up.

• Only paste payment links you created yourself, from your own provider dashboard.
• Never ask customers for card numbers or PINs on WhatsApp or by email.
• Watch for fake payment screenshots: confirm every payment in your provider or mobile money account before you deliver.

Build on Acyera with no account, then save your page to a free account when you are happy with it. The free plan gives you one page on an address like yourname.acyera.com.

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