---
title: "Payment Links Documentation - Share Subscriptions Anywhere"
description: "Complete guide to generating, managing, and sharing payment links for your Discord memberships. Accept payments on your website, social media, or anywhere."
canonical: https://paybotapp.com/docs/payment-links/
source: /docs/payment-links/
---

[Home](https://paybotapp.com/) / [Docs](https://paybotapp.com/docs/) / Payment Links

# Payment Links Guide

Generate shareable payment links to accept payments anywhere, not just inside Discord.

## Table of Contents

-   [Overview](#overview)
-   [Prerequisites](#prerequisites)
-   [Step 1: Enable Payment Links](#step-1-enable)
-   [Step 2: Generate Link for a Tier](#step-2-generate)
-   [Step 3: Share Your Links](#step-3-share)
-   [Managing Your Portal](#portal-management)
-   [How Payment Links Work](#how-it-works)
-   [Best Practices](#best-practices)
-   [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting)

## Overview

Payment links allow you to accept payments for your Discord memberships outside of Discord. Share links on your website, social media profiles, email campaigns, or anywhere your audience is. [Read about how this feature was developed →](https://paybotapp.com/blog/payment-links-coming-soon/)

**What's the difference?**

-   **Discord /subscription command:** Users must be in your Discord server first
-   **Payment links:** Anyone can pay from anywhere, then join Discord automatically

![PayBot portal page on mobile showing server branding, membership tiers with pricing, and subscribe buttons](https://paybotapp.com/images/docs/portal-mobile.png)

### Two Types of Links

#### 🔗 Direct Tier Links

Link to a specific membership tier. Perfect for:

-   Website "Subscribe" buttons
-   Social media bios
-   Email campaigns

`go.paybotapp.com/aB3xK9pL/xY7mN2`

#### 🌐 Portal Page

Shows all your membership tiers on one page. Perfect for:

-   Link-in-bio tools (Linktree)
-   Main website landing page
-   Community homepage

`go.paybotapp.com/aB3xK9pL`

## Prerequisites

Before generating payment links, ensure you have:

✅

#### Stripe Connected

Complete the [PayBot setup](https://paybotapp.com/docs/setup/) to connect your Stripe account.

💎

#### Any PayBot Plan

Payment links are available on all plans, including Free.

🎯

#### Active Tiers

Create at least one [membership tier](https://paybotapp.com/docs/membership-tiers/) before generating links.

**Free for everyone:** Payment links are included on all PayBot plans. No upgrade required!

## Step 1: Enable Payment Links

First-time setup to activate payment links for your server.

1

### Run /setup Command

In your Discord server, type `/setup` to open the admin dashboard.

`/setup`

2

### Click "Enable Payment Links"

You'll see a button labeled "Enable Payment Links" in the setup menu. Click it to begin the one-time setup.

**What happens:** PayBot will generate a unique portal code for your server and create a permanent invite link.

3

### Portal Created!

You'll receive a confirmation message with your portal URL (e.g., `go.paybotapp.com/aB3xK9pL`).

**Note:** This is a one-time setup. Your portal code is permanent and won't change.

### Bot Permissions Required

PayBot needs the **"Create Instant Invite"** permission to generate your Discord invite link. If you see an error, grant this permission to PayBot's role.

## Step 2: Generate Payment Link for a Tier

Create a payment link for each membership tier you want to share outside Discord.

1

### Navigate to Tier Settings

In `/setup`, click **"Manage Pricing"** to view your membership tiers.

2

### Select Your Tier

Choose the tier you want to create a link for. You'll see the tier details and action buttons.

3

### Click "Generate Payment Link" or "Copy Payment Link"

First time: Button says **"Generate Payment Link"**  
After generation: Button says **"Copy Payment Link"**

**What you'll receive:**

-   **Direct tier link:** Takes users directly to this tier's checkout
-   **Portal link:** Your main page showing all tiers

4

### View and Test Your Link

Two buttons appear:

-   **"View This Link":** Opens your tier-specific payment page
-   **"View Portal":** Opens your portal showing all tiers

Click these to preview what your users will see!

### Link Format

`https://go.paybotapp.com/{portal_code}/{tier_code}`

Example: `https://go.paybotapp.com/aB3xK9pL/xY7mN2`

-   **portal\_code** (8 characters): Unique to your server
-   **tier\_code** (8 characters): Unique to each membership tier

## Step 3: Share Your Payment Links

Once generated, share your payment links anywhere you interact with your audience.

### Best Places to Share

#### 🌐 Your Website

-   Add "Subscribe" or "Join" buttons
-   Link from your navigation menu
-   Include in blog post CTAs

#### 🐦 Social Media Profiles

-   Twitter/X bio link
-   Instagram bio link
-   YouTube channel links
-   TikTok profile

#### 🔗 Link-in-Bio Tools

-   Linktree (use portal link)
-   Beacons
-   Bio.fm
-   Carrd landing pages

#### 📧 Email Marketing

-   Newsletter CTAs
-   Welcome sequences
-   Launch campaigns
-   Re-engagement emails

### HTML Button Example

For your website, here's a simple button code:

<a href="https://go.paybotapp.com/aB3xK9pL/xY7mN2"
   class="subscribe-button">
  Subscribe to Premium
</a>

## Managing Your Portal

Control which tiers appear on your public portal page and in what order.

### Access Portal Management

1

In `/setup`, click **"Manage Payment Links"**

2

You'll see all your payment links with visibility controls

### Portal Settings

#### 🔍 Show/Hide Tiers

Control which tiers appear on your public portal page.

-   **Visible:** Shows on portal page
-   **Hidden:** Direct link still works, but doesn't appear on portal

**Use case:** Hide early-bird or exclusive tiers while keeping the direct link shareable.

#### 🔢 Reorder Tiers

Change the order tiers appear on your portal page.

-   Move tiers up or down
-   Highlight your most popular tier first
-   Create a logical progression

**Tip:** Put your main offering first to increase conversions.

### Portal Theme

Customize the appearance of your portal page with 8 color themes. Access theme settings from **Portal Settings** → **"Change Theme"**.

**Available themes:** Choose from 8 built-in color options to match your brand. The theme applies to your entire portal page including headers, buttons, and pricing cards.

## How Payment Links Work

Understanding the complete user flow from link click to Discord access.

### User Payment Flow

**1\. User Clicks Link**

Visitor clicks your payment link from any source (website, Twitter, etc.)

↓

**2\. Views Tier Page**

Beautiful branded page shows: Server icon, tier name, price, and benefits

↓

**3\. Login with Discord**

User clicks "Login with Discord" → Quick OAuth (2 clicks)

↓

**4\. Stripe Checkout**

Secure Stripe checkout page opens with tier details pre-filled

↓

**5\. Payment Complete**

Success page with "Join Discord Server" button appears

↓

**6\. Automatic Role Assignment**

When user joins Discord, PayBot assigns their role within seconds

**Scenario: User already in Discord**  
If the user is already a member of your Discord server, their role is assigned immediately after payment—no need to join again!

**Scenario: User pays but doesn't join**  
Their subscription remains active. When they eventually join your Discord, PayBot automatically grants their role using the pending role system.

## Best Practices

Get the most out of payment links with these proven strategies.

### ✅ Do These Things

-   **Use descriptive tier names** - "Premium Access" is better than "Tier 1"
-   **Add clear tier descriptions** - Explain what subscribers get
-   **Test your links** - Click through the full flow before sharing publicly
-   **Share portal link in bio tools** - Let users browse all tiers
-   **Use direct links for targeted campaigns** - Drive to specific tiers
-   **Monitor analytics** - Track page views, tier clicks, and conversions via [Link in Bio Analytics](https://paybotapp.com/docs/link-in-bio/#analytics)
-   **Update tier descriptions regularly** - Keep benefits current

### ❌ Avoid These Mistakes

-   **Don't share broken links** - Always test after tier changes
-   **Don't use confusing tier names** - Be clear about what users get
-   **Don't hide your main tier** - Make your best offer visible
-   **Don't forget Discord permissions** - Ensure PayBot can assign roles
-   **Don't archive tiers with active links** - Users will see error messages

### Optimization Tips

🎯

#### A/B Test Placement

Try different locations on your website to see what converts best. Header vs. footer vs. sidebar.

📊

#### Track Sources

Use different links for different campaigns to see which sources drive subscriptions.

💬

#### Social Proof

Mention subscriber count or testimonials near your payment link to increase trust.

🎨

#### Clear CTAs

Use action-oriented button text: "Join Premium" instead of just "Click Here".

## Troubleshooting

Common issues and how to fix them.

### ❓ "Enable Payment Links" button not showing

**Cause:** Stripe isn't connected yet

**Solution:** Complete the [initial setup](https://paybotapp.com/docs/setup/) to connect your Stripe account first

### ❓ "Generate Payment Link" button is grayed out

**Possible causes:**

-   Tier is archived — unarchive it first
-   Stripe connection issue — try reconnecting in `/setup`

### ❓ Portal code generated but direct link not working

**Cause:** You need to generate individual tier links

**Solution:** Go to each tier and click "Generate Payment Link" separately

### ❓ User paid but didn't get role

**Possible causes:**

-   **User not in server yet:** Role will be granted when they join
-   **Bot permissions:** Ensure PayBot has "Manage Roles" permission
-   **Role hierarchy:** PayBot's role must be above the member role

**Solution:** Run `/audit-roles` to manually check and assign pending roles

### ❓ Error creating invite link

**Cause:** PayBot doesn't have "Create Instant Invite" permission

**Solution:**

1.  Go to Server Settings → Roles
2.  Find PayBot's role
3.  Enable "Create Instant Invite" permission
4.  Try enabling payment links again

### ❓ Want to regenerate portal code

**Note:** Portal codes are permanent and cannot be changed

**Why:** Changing codes would break all existing shared links

**Workaround:** Individual tier codes can be regenerated by archiving and recreating the tier

**Still need help?** Join our [support Discord](https://discord.gg/4SVgGR96wJ) for assistance.

## Related Documentation

[

#### Link in Bio

Customize your portal page with headers, content blocks, and analytics

](https://paybotapp.com/docs/link-in-bio/)[

#### Membership Tiers

Create and manage pricing tiers

](https://paybotapp.com/docs/membership-tiers/)[

#### Tier Groups

Organize tiers into groups for your portal

](https://paybotapp.com/docs/tier-groups/)