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Creating Payment QR Codes

Generate QR codes that enable contactless payments when scanned. Payment QR codes are useful for businesses, freelancers, and individuals who want to make it easy for others to send them money without having to manually enter payment details.

Payment QR Code Types​

There are several formats for payment QR codes depending on the payment service you're using:

1. PayPal QR Codes​

PayPal payment links use the following format:

https://quickchart.io/qr?text=https://paypal.me/username/amount

For example:

https://quickchart.io/qr?text=https://paypal.me/yourname/15

This QR code will open PayPal with a pre-filled payment amount of $15 to the account "yourname".

2. Venmo QR Codes​

Venmo payment links use the following format:

https://quickchart.io/qr?text=https://venmo.com/username

For example:

https://quickchart.io/qr?text=https://venmo.com/yourname

3. Cash App QR Codes​

Cash App payment links use the following format:

https://quickchart.io/qr?text=https://cash.app/$username/amount

For example:

https://quickchart.io/qr?text=https://cash.app/$yourname/20

4. Cryptocurrency QR Codes​

For cryptocurrency payments, you can create QR codes containing wallet addresses:

https://quickchart.io/qr?text=bitcoin:wallet_address?amount=amount

For example (using a placeholder wallet address):

https://quickchart.io/qr?text=bitcoin:3FZbgi29cpjq2GjdwV8eyHuJJnkLtktZc5?amount=0.001

Similar formats exist for other cryptocurrencies:

  • Ethereum: ethereum:0x...
  • Litecoin: litecoin:L...

Creating Payment QR Codes in Spreadsheets​

You can generate payment QR codes in bulk using spreadsheets. Here's an example formula for PayPal links:

="https://quickchart.io/qr?text=" & ENCODEURL("https://paypal.me/" & A2 & "/" & B2)

Where:

  • Column A contains the PayPal username
  • Column B contains the payment amount

For more details on using spreadsheets, see our guide on generating QR codes in Excel and Google Sheets.

Advanced Payment Parameters​

PayPal Parameters​

You can add additional parameters to PayPal links:

  • /amount - Specify the payment amount
  • ?currency=EUR - Change the currency (default is USD)

Example with EUR currency:

https://quickchart.io/qr?text=https://paypal.me/yourname/15?currency=EUR

Cryptocurrency Parameters​

Bitcoin URI scheme supports several parameters:

  • amount - The amount to send
  • label - A label for the recipient address
  • message - A message to attach to the transaction

Example with label and message:

https://quickchart.io/qr?text=bitcoin:3FZbgi29cpjq2GjdwV8eyHuJJnkLtktZc5?amount=0.001&label=Donation&message=Thank%20you%20for%20your%20support!

EMV QR Code Standard​

For merchant payments, the EMV® QR Code specification (used by systems like Mastercard and Visa) provides a standardized format:

info

EMV QR codes contain structured payment data following the EMV Co specifications. These are commonly used in retail settings and banking apps around the world.

Creating EMV QR codes requires following specific data formatting requirements that vary by region and payment system. Consider using dedicated payment platforms that can generate these specialized QR codes for you.

Customization Options​

You can customize your payment QR codes using any of the standard QR code parameters. Here's an example with custom styling:

https://quickchart.io/qr?text=https://paypal.me/yourname/25&dark=4285f4&caption=Pay with PayPal&captionFontSize=15

Security Considerations​

caution

Payment QR codes provide direct access to payment methods. Always handle them securely and be aware that anyone who scans them will be able to send payments to the encoded account.

Best Practices​

  1. Include clear instructions - Add text near the QR code explaining what it's for and how much will be charged.
  2. Consider fixed vs. variable amounts - For donations or variable payments, you might omit the amount parameter.
  3. Test before deployment - Always scan your QR codes with different devices to ensure they work correctly.
  4. Regular verification - Periodically scan your own QR codes to ensure they still work as expected.
  5. Security - For cryptocurrency addresses, be especially careful to verify the address is correct.

Use Cases​

  • Donations - Non-profits can display QR codes for quick donations
  • Tip jars - Businesses can offer contactless tipping
  • Invoices - Freelancers can add payment QR codes to invoices
  • Event tickets - Include payment options for upgrades or merchandise
  • Street performers - Display payment QR codes for people who don't carry cash
  • Restaurant bills - Add payment QR codes to receipts for easy splitting and payment

Need help?​

For questions about generating payment QR codes, visit our community forum.

To learn more about QR code customization options, check out the QR code API documentation.

Ian Webster

About the author

Ian Webster is a software engineer and former Googler based in San Mateo, California. He has helped Google, NASA, and governments around the world improve their data pipelines and visualizations. In 2018, Ian created QuickChart, a collection of open-source APIs that support data visualization efforts.

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