How to Create a Reusable Donation Link With Custom Amounts
Create one HandyPay donation link, share it anywhere, and let every supporter choose a custom amount without rebuilding checkout each time.
A reusable donation link is useful when many people are supporting the same cause but should not be forced into one fixed contribution. The organizer shares a single URL; each supporter opens it, chooses an amount, and completes a separate secure checkout. The original link remains ready for the next donor.
What You Need Before Creating the Link
You need:
- a HandyPay account
- completed identity and payment-account verification
- the HandyPay mobile app or access to the merchant portal dashboard
- the currency you want supporters to see
- a clear campaign name and explanation to share beside the link
You do not need a website, developer, payment gateway integration, or card reader.
If you expect individual gifts above the standard local-currency equivalent of US$10, contact HandyPay before launch and request review as a vetted fundraiser. Approved fundraiser accounts can accept higher custom donation amounts, subject to their account and payment limits.
Create a HandyPay Donation Link Step by Step
1. Open Donation in the App or Portal Dashboard
Sign in to the mobile app, go to the Home screen, and choose Donation, or sign in to the merchant portal dashboard and choose Donation link. HandyPay checks that the payment account is ready before it creates a live link.
2. Confirm the Campaign Currency
Use the currency connected to the fundraiser's account and appropriate for the supporters you plan to reach. The donation page will show that currency when each person enters an amount.
3. Generate the Donation Link
Create the link without setting a fixed charge. HandyPay generates a hosted donation URL with a custom amount field. The supporter, not the organizer, decides the donation amount at checkout.
You can also set an optional thank-you message that supporters see after completing their donation. Leave it blank and HandyPay shows its standard thanks.
Donation links are reusable by design. You do not need to create a new URL after each successful payment.
4. Copy or Share the Link
Copy the generated URL or use the app's share action. Add a short campaign message before the link so people know who is collecting, what the money supports, and how it will be used.
A clear message can follow this structure:
We are raising funds for [specific purpose]. Choose the amount that works for you using our secure HandyPay donation link. Processing fees are added at checkout so your full chosen gift reaches the fundraiser.
5. Test the Supporter Experience
Open the link in a private browser window before publishing it widely. Confirm that:
- the correct fundraiser or organization name appears
- the donation currency is correct
- the custom amount field works
- the fee explanation matches your campaign message
- the secure checkout opens normally
Do not complete a live card payment just to test unless you intend to make a real donation. The preview should be enough to verify the public flow.
6. Publish the Same Link Everywhere
Use the reusable URL consistently across campaign channels:
- WhatsApp groups and direct messages
- SMS or text-message appeals
- email newsletters and signatures
- Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, or other social profiles
- a Donate button on an existing website
- digital flyers and event materials
Using one canonical link makes it easier to update campaign copy without making supporters wonder which checkout is legitimate.
Reusable, One-Time, and Custom-Amount Links Compared
HandyPay supports different link behaviors for different collection jobs:
| Link setup | Who chooses the amount? | Can multiple people pay? | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reusable donation link | Each supporter | Yes | Fundraising and open giving |
| One-time fixed payment link | Organizer | No | One pledge, invoice, or deposit |
| Reusable fixed payment link | Organizer | Yes | Tickets, standard dues, or repeated sales |
If your campaign accepts any level of support, use a donation link. If everyone owes the same amount, a fixed link may be clearer. If one specific person owes one specific amount, keep the fixed link one-time.
One-time fixed links are limited to one successful payment and expire after 14 days if unused. Reusable fixed links stay active after the first payment. Donation links are reusable automatically because every supporter creates a new checkout from the same campaign URL.
How Custom Donation Amounts Work
The donation link does not charge an amount merely because the page was opened. The supporter enters a permitted amount and reviews checkout before confirming the card payment.
The amount must fall within HandyPay's limits:
- standard donation links use a minimum based on the local equivalent of US$0.50 and a maximum based on US$10
- approved, cap-exempt fundraiser links use a minimum based on US$5 and allow higher contributions within processor limits
These limits are enforced by HandyPay's server, not by a value stored in the mobile app. That prevents an old app version or edited request from bypassing the account's approved range.
How Donor-Covered Fees Work on the Link
By default, a HandyPay donation can place the processing cost on top of the chosen gift. Suppose a supporter selects US$50 on the free plan for a USD-settling fundraiser. Checkout shows a US$50 donation plus US$3.00 in fees, the supporter pays US$53.00, and the fundraiser receives US$50.00.
The precise total depends on the plan, currency, and whether conversion applies. Always let the checkout display the definitive total rather than putting a fixed fee estimate in permanent campaign artwork.
Read Donor-Covered Fees: How Zero-Fee Fundraising Really Works for the full calculation.
Where to Place a Donation Link
The link works best when it appears immediately after a concrete reason to give. Good placements include:
- beneath a short campaign story and current progress update
- in the first screen of an urgent appeal
- after an itemized explanation of what different gift amounts can fund
- in the organizer's verified social profile
- in follow-up messages after an event or community meeting
Do not bury the link among several unrelated calls to action. Give it a clear label such as Donate securely or Support this fundraiser. On a website, keep enough surrounding text to identify the recipient before someone leaves for checkout.
Keep One Link Safe and Trustworthy
A reusable link is powerful because it can travel far beyond the organizer's first message. Protect trust as it spreads:
- share the original HandyPay URL rather than an unfamiliar link shortener
- keep the recipient name in HandyPay accurate
- publish updates from the same known account
- never ask supporters to send card details by message
- correct copied posts that contain an outdated or mistyped URL
- contact support if a campaign ends or a link should no longer circulate
HandyPay's hosted checkout collects the payment details. The fundraiser should never collect card numbers, security codes, or photographs of cards directly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a HandyPay donation link reusable?
Yes. One donation link can be used by multiple supporters, and every supporter completes a separate checkout with the amount they choose.
Can I create a one-time donation link?
Donation links are reusable by design. If you need to collect one exact pledge from one person, create a one-time fixed payment link instead.
Can each supporter enter a different amount?
Yes. The donation page has a custom amount field, subject to the minimum and maximum allowed for the fundraiser's account.
Does a reusable link expire after the first donation?
No. A donation link remains available after successful payments. One-time fixed payment links are the link type that stops after one successful payment.
Can I put the donation link on my website?
Yes. Use the HandyPay URL as the destination of a Donate button or text link. No payment code needs to be embedded in the site.
Can supporters cover the processing fee?
Yes. With donor-covered fees, the cost is added to the supporter's total so the fundraiser receives the full custom amount selected.