Pay by Link: How Service Businesses Get Paid in Malaysia

For most service businesses in Malaysia, the toughest part of getting paid is not the work itself, but what comes after. The job is agreed over WhatsApp or a quick call, the rate is confirmed, and then comes the familiar request for a bank transfer. From there, the wait begins. Yet, customers often forget to transfer, screenshots get buried in chat threads, and the business owner ends up chasing payments alongside running everything else.

Fortunately, there is a faster way that does not involve building a website or running an online store. Pay by link in Malaysia has become a practical default for freelancers, consultants, tutors, photographers, and home-based service providers who need to collect payments online without the overhead of an e-commerce setup, using a single secure URL. Here’s how that works.

What Pay by Link Actually Means

A payment link is a secure, shareable URL that takes a customer to a hosted checkout page where they can complete payment in seconds. The business generates the link, sets the amount, and shares it through WhatsApp, email, SMS, Telegram, or social media. The customer taps the link, chooses their preferred payment method, and the transaction completes.

There is no website to build, no plugin to install, and no integration work. The payment provider hosts the checkout page, so the business never sees or stores the customer’s payment details. Funds settle into the business account in line with the provider’s standard settlement schedule. 

From the customer’s perspective, it works exactly like any other online checkout: enter details, confirm, and it’s done.

Why Service Businesses Do Not Need a Checkout Page

A full website with a built-in checkout makes sense for product-based businesses with a catalogue, stock levels, and a steady stream of orders. But for service providers, the maths is different, as sales usually happen through conversation, like a tutor agreeing on lesson timings with a parent, a consultant scoping a project over a Zoom call, or a photographer talking through deliverables in a WhatsApp chat.

In that context, a checkout page adds friction rather than removing it. A payment link for service business use fits into the existing conversation, where the client receives the link in the same channel they have been using to communicate, taps it once, and pays. There is no catalogue browsing, no cart, and no checkout journey to abandon halfway through.

It also fits how service businesses tend to bill, which is rarely uniform. Some invoice irregularly based on when projects close, while others collect deposits upfront and the balance on completion, or bill against milestones over the course of a retainer. With a link, payment can be handled flexibly, without the rigidity of a system built around fixed prices and settling payment instantly.

When to Use a Payment Link in a Service Business

Here are several use case scenarios where payment links are especially advantageous:

• Booking deposits: Lock in a wedding shoot, a tuition slot, or a service appointment by collecting a non-refundable deposit at the point of booking.
• Consultation fees: Charge for a discovery call, a one-hour advisory session, or a paid quote before the work starts.
• Project milestones: Split a larger fee into instalments tied to scope delivery, with a fresh link sent at each stage.
• Final invoicing: Replace the bank transfer request with a payment link sent alongside the invoice, so the client can pay immediately rather than queuing it for later.
• One-off sales over WhatsApp or social media: Capture impulse buys from a Facebook post, an Instagram story, or a customer DM without losing them to a multi-step checkout.

In each case, the link removes a step, and that’s where the value lies. The client does not need to find your bank details, type them into an app, transfer, screenshot, and send. They just tap and pay.

How to Create a Payment Link in Three Steps with Razorpay Curlec

The process for how to create a payment link is not complicated. For instance, you can create yours in minutes with Razorpay Curlec through the dashboard:

1. Generate the link. Log in to the dashboard, open the Payment Links section, and enter the amount, a description, and any customer details you want attached.
2. Enter customer contact details. Add the customer’s name, mobile number, and email so the link can be sent directly via your preferred channel, including SMS, WhatsApp, or email.
3. Share and accept payment. Send the link, and receive real-time notifications as soon as the customer pays. Refunds, partial payments, and status updates are managed from the same dashboard.

If you’re running a higher-volume business, links can also be generated through the API or through batch upload, where hundreds of links are created at once from a CSV or XLSX file. Webhooks keep accounting systems in sync, and you can set reminders to nudge customers who have not paid yet.

Three Mini Use Cases for Malaysian Service Providers

Tutors running classes from home

Many home-based tutors take bookings directly through WhatsApp, with parents confirming slots one term or one month at a time. Rather than collecting cash fees at the end of each session, the tutor can send a payment link for the full month’s lessons once the schedule is locked in. 

Parents pay via FPX or their preferred e-wallet, and the tutor sees the payment appear in the dashboard before the first class begins, with no need to chase a screenshot afterward.

Photographers locking in shoot deposits

Wedding and event photography in Malaysia is typically booked weeks or months in advance, and deposits are part of the standard agreement. Instead of asking clients to make a manual bank transfer, the photographer can share a payment link for the deposit via the same channel used to confirm the booking. Clients can settle with cards, FPX, or e-wallets in one step, and the booking is locked once payment clears.

Consultants billing against retainers and milestones

Marketing, IT, and management consultants often work on monthly retainers or milestone-based scopes, which can make collections messy when invoices are sent in arrears. Sending a payment link at the start of each cycle, or at each agreed milestone, replaces the wait-and-chase pattern with something more predictable. The client pays in seconds, and the consultant has clearer visibility on cash flow without needing a finance team to follow up on outstanding invoices.

Each of these works without a website, without a developer, and without sharing personal bank details over chat.

Get Paid Without Building a Checkout Page

If you’re running a service business or freelancing, you might be familiar with the friction of getting paid, where a gap often sits between agreeing on a price and actually receiving the money. Fortunately, a payment link closes that gap without forcing you to invest in a full e-commerce setup.

At Razorpay Curlec, our payment links let Malaysian service providers like you collect payments through a single shareable URL, with support for FPX from over 22 banks, Visa, and Mastercard, and the e-wallets customers already use day-to-day. Setup takes minutes through the payment links dashboard, and every transaction runs through infrastructure regulated by Bank Negara Malaysia and certified to PCI DSS.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pay by Link in Malaysia

Is pay by link safe for both businesses and customers?

Yes. Razorpay Curlec payment links direct customers to a hosted checkout page that is PCI DSS compliant. You don’t see or store the customer’s card or bank details, and every transaction is processed through infrastructure regulated by Bank Negara Malaysia. From the customer’s side, the experience is the same as any standard online checkout, with secure encryption applied throughout.

How do refunds work for payments collected through a payment link?

Refunds are processed from the Razorpay Curlec dashboard. You log in, locate the payment, and issue either a full or partial refund. The amount is returned to the original payment method, typically within 5 to 7 working days. Batch refunds for high-volume businesses can also be processed by uploading a CSV file.

How long is a payment link valid before it expires?

By default, a Razorpay Curlec payment link is valid for six months from the date it is created. You can set a shorter expiry where needed, for example to enforce a deposit deadline. Expired links can be regenerated through the dashboard in seconds.

What payment methods can customers use to pay through a Curlec link?

Customers can pay using FPX online banking from more than 22 Malaysian banks, Visa and Mastercard debit or credit cards, and major e-wallets. International card payments are also supported, which is useful if you are dealing with overseas clients.

Do I need a registered business to start using payment links in Malaysia?

Yes. To start accepting payments through Razorpay Curlec, the account must be linked to a registered Malaysian business, including sole proprietorships and partnerships registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM). The onboarding process verifies business details and bank account information before the account is activated.