Payment links and QR payments for small businesses in Sri Lanka
· 3 min read · Last checked October 2026
In short
You do not need a website to take online payments. A payment link lets a customer pay by card from WhatsApp or Instagram, and LankaQR lets them pay from their banking or wallet app. PayHere, Dialog Pay Business and Payments.lk all offer these.
What is a payment link?
A payment link is a web link you send to a customer on WhatsApp, Instagram or email. They tap it, pay by card, and the money goes to your bank account. It is perfect when you sell through DMs and do not have a store with a checkout.
What is LankaQR?
LankaQR is Sri Lanka's national QR payment standard, set up by the Central Bank. You show one QR code (on your page, in a chat or printed on your packing table), and customers scan it with their bank or wallet app to pay. Fees for LankaQR are usually lower than for cards.
Options to look at
| Provider | What you get | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| PayHere | Payment links you can share on WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, email or SMS | Lite plan has no monthly fee, 3.30% per payment. For registered businesses |
| Dialog Pay Business | LankaQR, payment links, tap to pay | Formerly called Genie Business |
| Payments.lk | Checkout links, QR codes and pay buttons; cards and LankaQR | No setup or monthly fee; cards from 2.29%, LankaQR 0.99% (plus Rs 10 under Rs 2,500) |
Fees and plans change often. Check the provider's own pricing page before you sign up.
Are these services approved by the Central Bank?
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) licenses banks that accept card payments and companies that run mobile payment systems. Payment gateways usually work through licensed partner banks. PayHere says it is Central Bank approved, under CBSL Direction No. 1 of 2018. Dialog is listed by the Central Bank as a licensed mobile payment operator. You can check the current list in the Central Bank's Payments Bulletin.
Which one should you choose?
- You sell only through DMs: start with a payment link and a LankaQR code.
- You sell a few items a month: pick a plan with no monthly fee.
- You are growing: look at a full payment gateway for your online store. See the best payment gateways in Sri Lanka.