> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.payreque.st/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# SMS Payment Links

> Send payment links straight to your customer's phone via SMS, and learn how SMS credits work — 1 free credit to start, plus 1 new credit for every payment you receive

# SMS Payment Links

Email inboxes get crowded — text messages get read. With SMS delivery, your payment link lands directly in your customer's messages app, with your business name as the sender. It's the fastest way to get paid when you need a customer's attention right away.

<Info>
  SMS delivery is available on **every PayRequest account**, no paid plan required. Sending one SMS costs **1 SMS credit** — see [How SMS Credits Work](#how-sms-credits-work) below.
</Info>

## Why Send Payment Links by SMS?

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Gets Seen Fast" icon="bolt">
    Text messages are typically read within minutes — much faster than email.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Your Name as Sender" icon="store">
    The SMS arrives with your business name as the sender, so customers know it's you.
  </Card>

  <Card title="One Tap to Pay" icon="hand-pointer">
    The message contains your payment link — customers tap it and pay on their phone.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Fair for Everyone" icon="scale-balanced">
    The credit system keeps SMS free to use while preventing abuse.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## How It Works

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create a smart link">
    Go to **Payment Page → Smart Links** and create a new link, just like you normally would.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select a customer">
    Under **Send smart payment link to customer**, pick the customer who should receive it. The customer needs a phone number in international format (for example `+31612345678`).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose SMS as delivery method">
    Tick the **SMS** option. You'll see the phone number it will be sent to, plus how many SMS credits you have left.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save — and it's sent">
    As soon as you save the smart link, the SMS goes out. Your customer receives a short personal message with the payment link.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
  You can select **Email and SMS together**. The email is always free — only the SMS uses a credit.
</Tip>

## How SMS Credits Work

To keep SMS fair and free for everyone, sending works with credits:

|                      |                                                                                                   |
| -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Starting balance** | Every account gets **1 free SMS credit**                                                          |
| **Earning credits**  | You earn **1 new credit for every payment you receive** — any payment, through any payment method |
| **Cost per SMS**     | Sending one payment link by SMS costs **1 credit**                                                |
| **Email delivery**   | Always free and unlimited                                                                         |

So the more you get paid, the more SMS messages you can send. An active business never runs out — and if you do run low, the next incoming payment tops you up automatically.

<Info>
  If your SMS fails to send (for example because of a network issue), your credit is automatically refunded.
</Info>

### What Happens When You're Out of Credits?

When your balance reaches zero, the **SMS option is temporarily disabled** in the smart link form, and a message explains how to earn more. You don't lose anything — your smart link still works, and you can:

* Send the link by **email** instead (always free)
* Copy the link and share it any way you like
* Receive any payment — your balance goes up by 1 credit immediately

## Frequently Asked Questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Why do SMS messages cost credits while email is free?">
    Sending a text message costs real money per message, unlike email. The credit system lets us offer SMS to every account — free of charge — while making sure it's used for genuine payment requests and not spam.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Which payments earn me a credit?">
    Every successful payment you receive counts: card payments, iDEAL, bank transfers, PayPal, crypto — anything that lands as a paid transaction in your account earns 1 SMS credit.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do my credits expire?">
    No. Credits stay on your account until you use them.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I buy extra credits?">
    Not at the moment — credits are earned through payments only. Since every payment earns a credit back, active businesses naturally keep a positive balance.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Why is the SMS option greyed out?">
    Two possible reasons: the selected customer has no valid phone number in international format (like `+31612345678`), or your SMS credit balance is zero. The form tells you which one applies.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="My customer didn't receive the SMS — what now?">
    Check that the phone number is correct and in international format. Note that some countries (notably the United States) have strict carrier rules that can block business SMS. If an SMS can't be delivered, your credit is refunded — you can always fall back on email delivery.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Smart Links" icon="qrcode" href="/payment-processing/smart-links">
    Everything about creating reusable, branded payment links
  </Card>

  <Card title="Payment Reminders" icon="bell" href="/invoices/payment-reminders">
    Automatically follow up on unpaid links
  </Card>

  <Card title="Customer Profiles" icon="user" href="/customer-management/customer-profiles">
    Keep phone numbers and contact details up to date
  </Card>

  <Card title="Payment Methods" icon="credit-card" href="/payment-processing/payment-methods-overview">
    See all the ways your customers can pay
  </Card>
</CardGroup>