Selling in chat

How can I take payments from customers inside WhatsApp or Instagram chats?

By Chatmizer Team · Updated 21 October 2026

The short answer

Most small businesses take chat payments in one of four ways: cash or card on delivery, a bank or wallet transfer confirmed with a screenshot, a payment link from their own payment provider sent in the chat, or a checkout page that opens from the chat. Whichever you use, mark an order paid only after you see the money arrive, never because the customer says they paid.

Key takeaways

Four methods: on delivery, transfer with proof, payment link, or in-chat checkout.
A customer saying “I paid” is not proof; check the account or the gateway confirmation.
Use your own payment provider so money goes straight to you.
Offer cash on delivery alongside online payment where customers expect it.

Which payment methods work in a chat?

Each method trades convenience against effort and risk:

Cash or card on delivery: easiest for the customer, no upfront risk for them; the risk is refused deliveries, so confirm the order in the chat first.
Bank or wallet transfer with a screenshot: no fees on many local transfers; someone must check each payment arrived before shipping.
Payment link from your own provider: card payment in a few taps; you create a link per order and check it was paid.
In-chat checkout page: the customer pays inside a store page opened from the chat; the gateway confirms payment automatically.

How do I send a payment link in a WhatsApp or Instagram chat?

Create a link for the exact order amount in your payment provider's dashboard, paste it into the chat with the order reference, and ask the customer to reply once paid. Then check your provider's dashboard before confirming the order.

In Chatmizer's Orderista, a store can offer “pay online” next to cash on delivery: the team pastes the link made for that order on the order card and sends it, the customer replies “Paid”, the team is notified, and a person marks it paid after checking. An online-paid order is not confirmed until it is marked paid.

How does an in-chat checkout take payment?

A store page that opens from the chat can connect a card gateway, so the customer pays during checkout and the gateway, not the customer, confirms the payment.

Chatmizer's WhatsApp Store offers cash on delivery, bank transfer or wallets with a payment screenshot, or cards through your own Stripe, Paymob or PayPal account. An order is marked paid only when the gateway confirms the exact amount, and the receipt arrives as a WhatsApp card in the same chat.

Does the chat platform hold my money?

It should not need to. With your own payment provider, money goes from the customer to your account, and you pay only that provider's fees.

Chatmizer never holds the money and takes no commission on sales: payments go through cash on delivery, your own bank or wallet details, or your own gateway account. Chat orders for online stores work the same way: the agent sends your own payment link and you mark the order paid.

How do I avoid fake payment screenshots?

Screenshots are easy to edit. Treat them as a notice to check, never as the payment itself:

Check your bank or wallet app for the exact amount before confirming.
Ask customers to include the order reference in the transfer note.
Have one named person approve screenshot payments.
Ship only after the payment is marked paid by that person.
For higher-value orders, prefer a gateway that confirms payment automatically.

Is it different on Instagram than on WhatsApp?

The methods are the same, but the 24-hour messaging rule matters on Instagram and Messenger: you can message freely only within 24 hours of the customer's last message. Send the payment link while the conversation is active.

On WhatsApp, payment reminders after 24 hours need an approved message template. Chatmizer's Orderista and Chat orders work on Instagram and Messenger as well as WhatsApp, while WhatsApp Store is built for WhatsApp.

Step by step

1
Pick your methods
Choose which of cash on delivery, transfer with screenshot, payment link or in-chat checkout you will offer.
2
Use your own provider
Set up your own payment gateway or bank details so money goes straight to you.
3
Show the total in the chat
Send an order summary with items, delivery fee, total and order reference before asking for payment.
4
Send the payment step
Share the payment link, transfer details or checkout button while the conversation is active.
5
Confirm only with proof
Mark the order paid after the gateway confirms or a person sees the money arrive, then send the receipt in the chat.

Frequently asked questions

Does Chatmizer process card payments itself?

No. Cards are paid through your own Stripe, Paymob or PayPal account in WhatsApp Store, or through a payment link from your own provider. Chatmizer never holds the money.

Does Chatmizer charge a commission on payments?

No. Chatmizer takes no commission on your sales; your payment gateway's own fees still apply.

Can customers pay cash on delivery for chat orders?

Yes. Cash on delivery is supported in Orderista, Chat orders and WhatsApp Store, and Orderista also records card on delivery and pay at pickup.

What happens if a customer says they paid but did not?

Nothing is marked paid on the customer's word. In Chatmizer a person marks manual payments paid, and gateway payments are confirmed only when the amount matches.

Can I send a payment reminder?

Yes, within each platform's messaging window. WhatsApp Store sends a payment reminder follow-up; after 24 hours on WhatsApp, messages need an approved template.

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