Payment Pages vs. Website: What’s the Best Fit for Your Business?

Starting a business has never been more accessible. Especially in Malaysia, where Kuala Lumpur is positioned at #16 among Asian startup ecosystems – the third Southeast Asian country after Singapore and Jakarta. The barrier to entry is lower than ever, thanks to digital tools that let anyone turn an idea into a business. And when you’re just starting out—or even looking to scale—one of the first big questions is: Do you need a full business website to start selling?

But first, why does online presence matter? 

Whether an e-commerce website or payment page, it matters because it’s your storefront, your brand ambassador, and, for many, your main revenue driver. Customers today expect to find everything online: product details, pricing, reviews, and, most importantly, an easy way to pay. It’s practically non-negotiable if you’re running an online business.

Now, we’ll break down the differences between a business website and a payment page – in this case the Curlec Payment Page.

What’s the Curlec Payment Page?

It is a ready-made, standalone web page that lets your customers pay you directly through the Curlec Payment Gateway. It requires zero coding efforts through a WYSIWYG editor (what you see is what you get). It’s made even easier through templates – one could even go live and start collecting payments in minutes. Its benefits are as follows:

1. Great for quick transactions
2. No coding or design skills needed
3. Ideal for service providers, freelancers, or new businesses

Example: You’re a home baker taking custom cake orders. Instead of setting up a full website, you set up a Payment Page and send the custom link to your customers to browse your offerings.

What about selling through a website?

In this context, “website” refers to a full-fledged business website – with product listings, a shopping cart, and a built-in checkout system. It’s the more traditional route for online selling. But require technical expertise to set up and maintain such a site. However, it does have its perks, such as:

1. Suited for established businesses looking to scale
2. Optimised for search engines (SEO)
3. Giving customers the full experience 

Example: You’re a multinational company with resources to create product landing pages tailored for different countries and languages, ranking on search engines globally. It can also go beyond selling; to showcase innovation, offer support, and reinforce its premium positioning.

At a glance

So which one is right for you? 

Go with the Curlec Payment Page if:

• You don’t have a payment gateway yet and want to start accepting payments fast
• You’re selling services, subscriptions, or one-off products
• You market through social media or messaging apps

Go with a full-fledged business website if:

• You have the resources to set up and manage a website
• You have multiple products or SKUs
• You want to invest in your brand and grow traffic

Essentially, whether you’re just testing the waters or streamlining your side hustle, Curlec gives you the tools to get paid, without the extra baggage. Free and easy to use, all you need to do is onboard the payment gateway and gain access to multiple sales tools.