Payment Link or Invoice – When Is an Invoice Required?

Payment links make getting paid simple: enter the amount, send the link, receive money. But as a freelancer, you’re right to ask: is a payment link enough – or do I need to write an invoice?

The short answer: In most business situations, an invoice is required. A payment link is not a substitute for an invoice – it’s a practical complement. It makes it easy for your client to pay you immediately. The details depend on the type of business you run and where you provide your services.

When Is an Invoice Required in Germany?

In Germany, the VAT Act (§14 UStG) primarily governs when freelancers must issue an invoice. The key rules for invoicing obligations:

An invoice with all mandatory information is required for:

• B2B transactions (services to other businesses) – an invoice with all mandatory information per §14 UStG must be issued within six months
• Advance payments and deposits – a deposit invoice with VAT breakdown is also required here
• Service contracts and work agreements with an agreed fee
• Property-related services (e.g., trades work on a building) – including to private individuals

A payment link alone may suffice for:

• Private sales without a commercial background
• Small-amount invoices up to €250 gross (here a simplified invoice with fewer mandatory details is sufficient)
• Donations to charitable organizations (the donation receipt applies here)
• Tips (not payment for a service)

Good to know: From 2027, the obligation to send invoices as e-invoices applies in Germany for B2B transactions. Anyone who already uses invoicing software that supports e-invoicing will be spared the transition later.

Tip: When in doubt, an invoice is always the safe choice – and with Jimdo, it’s created in under two minutes. With Jimdo invoices, you can meet all legal mandatory requirements, are GoBD-compliant in Germany and BAO-compliant in Austria – and you get paid faster when you use an integrated payment link.

Invoicing Obligation in Austria

In Austria, §11 UStG 1994 governs the invoicing obligation. It applies to all entrepreneurs and freelancers who provide goods or services for payment – regardless of business size.

An invoice is required for:

• All paid services and deliveries between businesses (B2B)
• Advance payments and deposits
• Cash payments above the cash register threshold (from €15,000 annual revenue and €7,500 cash revenue, additional cash register obligations apply)

A payment link alone may suffice for:

• Small-amount invoices up to €400 gross (here a simplified invoice with fewer mandatory details is sufficient)
• Private sales without a commercial background

Good to know: In Austria, the receipt issuance obligation applies – for cash payments, a receipt must always be created and handed to the customer, even without a cash register obligation. Payments by bank transfer, online banking, or PayPal do not count as cash transactions.

Tip: In Austria too: an invoice with a payment link is the safest and fastest way to get paid while meeting all legal requirements.

The Rule of Thumb for Freelancers

If you provide a service and receive money for it, you generally need an invoice. The payment link is the means by which your client pays the invoice – not a substitute for it. In Jimdo, both come together: you can add a payment link to any invoice with one click, allowing your client to pay directly via credit card, PayPal, or other payment methods.*

What’s Included in My Jimdo Plan?

Creating invoices and sending payment links is included in every paid Jimdo plan – at no extra charge*. During the launch phase – until August 30, 2026 – both are unlimited. After that, limits depend on your plan:

	Start	Grow	eCommerce Basic / Unlimited / eCom Business & VIP
Invoices/month	Until 08/30/2026 unlimited, then: 5	Until 08/30/2026 unlimited, then: 25	Unlimited
Payment links	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited

Payment links remain unlimited in all plans.

Disclaimer:

Jimdo Invoices is designed for invoice creation. It is not a complete accounting system. Users are responsible for ensuring that their invoicing and record-keeping comply with applicable tax and GoBD/UStG+BAO requirements.

This article is for general orientation purposes and does not constitute tax or legal advice. For questions about invoicing obligations in your specific case, please consult your tax advisor.

*Online payments require a Stripe account. Standard Stripe transaction fees apply.