For an independently arranged client service, PayRequest can provide a hosted payment link with PayPal enabled: set the amount, currency and description, let the client complete checkout, then verify the payment before delivering the service. Telegram can be the conversation channel, but a link is not a native PayPal payment inside Telegram.
This guide is for small hosting, VPN and online-service sellers who already have customers and handle delivery themselves. Before choosing the payment route, check whether your sale falls under Telegram’s digital-goods rules.
When must you use Telegram Stars?
According to Telegram’s digital-payments documentation, digital goods and services sold through bots or mini-apps inside Telegram must be paid for with Telegram Stars. This requirement still applies if you also operate a website or an external payment provider.
Do not build a VPN or hosting bot storefront that redirects buyers to PayPal as a substitute for Stars. The workflow below concerns independently arranged services and external billing; it does not establish a blanket exception for everything negotiated in chat. If your bot or mini-app offers the digital service inside Telegram, use the Stars route.
Which payment route fits your customer relationship?
| Route | Useful when | What you still manage |
|---|---|---|
| PayPal.me | You need a simple PayPal-only link, where available | Matching payments to customers and service periods |
| PayPal invoice | You want an itemised bill within PayPal | Your service delivery and renewal records |
| PayRequest payment link | You want a hosted PayPal payment link and payment records | Provider setup, payment checks and service delivery |
| Telegram Stars | A bot or mini-app sells digital goods or services inside Telegram | Stars integration, payment confirmation, delivery and support |
Choose a suitable invoice route when you need line items, a due date or an accounting document. According to PayRequest’s current PayPal setup guide, PayPal currently supports payment links only; invoices and subscriptions use Mollie. Do not assume a PayRequest invoice can be paid with PayPal. A reusable payment link needs extra care when several customers pay the same price: match each payment to the buyer rather than assuming the link identifies one particular customer.
Worked example: a £65 annual service renewal
Assume a UK seller and an existing customer independently agreed a VPN renewal for 1 November 2026–31 October 2027. The price is £65, billed once in GBP, and the seller extends access manually. This is a fictitious worksheet, not a customer case study or a live transaction test.
- Record the agreement. Keep the customer’s name and email, service period, price and renewal terms. Leave login credentials and passwords out of payment descriptions.
- Connect PayPal. Follow PayRequest’s PayPal setup documentation. Check merchant eligibility and confirm that PayPal is enabled for your checkout.
- Create the request. Set £65, GBP and a description such as “Annual VPN renewal — 1 November 2026–31 October 2027”. If the buyer needs a formal bill, use a supported invoice route and explain how it will be paid separately.
- Review checkout. Open the generated link and confirm the amount, currency, business identity and available methods before sending it. Additional methods depend on your connected providers.
- Send the link through an appropriate channel. For a permitted external billing relationship, include the agreed terms with the URL. If a Telegram bot or mini-app is selling the digital service inside Telegram, use Stars instead.
- Verify and deliver. Match the confirmed payment to the buyer and request, then extend access in your own service system. Record the new expiry date and payment reference.
PayRequest manages the billing record. This payment-link workflow does not automatically provision VPN accounts, configure hosting or extend access in a reseller panel.
A message template for an external renewal
“Your annual service renewal is £65 for 1 November 2026–31 October 2027. Payment link: [your link]. This is a one-time payment; automatic renewal is off. I will confirm the new expiry date once payment has been received. Please reply if you need an invoice.”
Replace the example with your actual service terms. A successful one-time payment does not authorize another charge next year. Automatic renewal needs a separately configured recurring agreement and the customer’s authorization.
Check payment status before activating access
- Match the customer identity, request or invoice reference, £65 amount and GBP currency.
- Check the confirmed paid record in PayRequest and review the provider transaction when needed.
- Treat pending, failed or cancelled payments as unresolved; an opened link, redirect or screenshot does not prove payment.
- Investigate a second payment before extending the same period twice.
- Keep the invoice or receipt, provider reference, service period and actual delivery confirmation in your administration.
Use customer records for billing history and keep operational expiry dates in your service administration. Credentials belong in a secure delivery channel.
What does accepting PayPal cost?
PayPal fees depend on your merchant country, payment type and currency conversion. UK sellers should check PayPal’s current UK merchant fees. PayRequest’s own plan and transaction charges are separate; check current PayRequest pricing and your account terms before quoting the customer. Do not assume the £65 gross payment equals your net proceeds.
Start with one existing customer
Use the VPN seller workflow or hosting use case to organise billing while you deliver the service. Explore the PayRequest Telegram bot for its commands and setup, keeping the Stars rules above in mind.
Ready for external client billing? Create your first payment link, enable PayPal and verify the checkout before sharing.
Editorial note: AI assisted with this refresh. The £65 renewal and message are fictitious examples. Telegram’s rules and PayPal’s fee source were checked on 2 October 2026; no customer details or live payment test are published.
Separate payment from access
For an illustrative €15 one-time offer shared in Telegram, record the product, public checkout, verified payment reference and delivery or access result. A message, screenshot or return URL is not payment confirmation. Rehearse the configured handover before inviting buyers. Do not infer recurring membership support from a one-time PayPal button; choose a provider and product that support renewals. See recurring payments vs subscriptions.
