London based online payment platform, GoCardless, is launching PayLinks, a new solution that enables businesses and individuals to collect one off, regular and pre-authorised payments online via a shareable link (view press release). An email address and bank account are required to sign up for the service; to collect a payment the user enters the amount and a description, GoCardless then generates a URL (the PayLink) which the user can share across the web. PayLinks can be embedded as a ‘Buy Now’ button on a users’ website, emailed to customers with invoices, or tweeted to followers. Payments are made by clicking the link and entering payment details into a secure payment page.
GoCardless co-founder Tom Blomfield says PayLink is “like a Bit.ly for payments - when someone clicks your link, you get paid.”
PayLink has been in private beta since February and is the second product launched by GoCardless which also rolled out a REST API wrapper for bank transfers earlier this year.
