Pre-Authorization Payment Links: Hold Funds Before You Charge

Regular payment links charge immediately. That works for most transactions, but not when the final amount depends on something that hasn't happened yet — a hotel stay, an equipment inspection, a vehicle return. For these scenarios, you need a payment link that holds funds first and lets you charge later.

Pre-authorization payment links do exactly that. They place a temporary hold on a customer's credit card through a simple shareable link. You decide what to charge after the service is complete. This guide explains how they work, when to use them, and how to create them without writing any code.

How Pre-Authorization Payment Links Work

A pre-authorization payment link combines two concepts: the convenience of a payment link (shareable URL, no code, instant setup) with the flexibility of a pre-authorization hold (reserve funds without charging).

From the customer's perspective, the experience is straightforward:

1. They receive a link via email, SMS, or QR code
2. They click the link and see a branded payment page
3. They enter their credit card details
4. They authorize the hold amount
5. They receive a confirmation with a status page link

The entire flow takes under 60 seconds. The customer sees "Authorization successful" — not "Payment complete." This distinction matters because it sets the correct expectation: funds are held, not charged.

From your perspective, you gain control over the funds without committing to a charge:

1. Create a Smart Link with deposit/pre-auth mode enabled
2. Share the link with customers
3. Monitor active holds in your dashboard
4. After your service period, choose: capture (full or partial) or release
5. Customer is notified of the outcome automatically

The power of this model is the decision gap. Between authorization and capture, you can inspect, assess, tally, and calculate. The hold guarantees the funds are available whenever you're ready to charge.

Pre-authorization links use Mollie's manual capture technology. When a customer authorizes, Mollie sends a request to the card issuer asking to reserve the specified amount. The issuer validates the card, checks available credit, and places a hold.

The payment enters an "authorized" state. In this state, you can:

• Capture: Convert the authorization into an actual charge (full or partial)
• Release: Cancel the authorization and free the reserved funds
• Wait: Do nothing until the hold naturally expires (1–28 days based on your configuration)

Each action triggers a notification to the customer and updates their status page in real time.

Pre-Auth Links vs Regular Payment Links

Understanding the differences helps you choose the right tool for each situation.

Use standard payment links when the amount is final and the transaction is complete at the time of payment. Product sales, service invoices, subscription charges, one-time fees — these are all immediate transactions where pre-authorization adds unnecessary complexity.

Use pre-auth links when any of these conditions apply:

The final amount is uncertain. You know the maximum (the hold amount) but not the actual charge. A €1,000 hold on a car rental might result in a €0 charge (everything returned perfectly) or a €200 charge (fuel + minor scratch).

You need a guarantee before providing access. Hotels need assurance before giving room keys. Equipment rental companies need protection before handing over machinery. Pre-auth links provide that guarantee without charging.

Refunds would create a worse customer experience. Charging €500 and refunding €450 is technically correct but creates confusion, anxiety, and potential bank calls. Holding €500 and capturing only €50 is cleaner for everyone.

The service period is extended. For multi-day rentals, stays, or events, you need assurance over time, not just at the point of sale. Pre-auth links with configurable hold durations (up to 28 days) cover these scenarios.

Creating Pre-Authorization Payment Links in PayRequest

You don't need developers or API integrations. Here's how to create a pre-auth link in under three minutes.

In your PayRequest dashboard, navigate to Smart Links and create a new link. Select "Security Deposit" as the product type. This activates Mollie's manual capture mode for the link.

Set the hold amount — this is the maximum you could capture. Set the hold duration between 1 and 28 days. This is how long the authorization remains valid before it automatically expires.

A practical example: For a weekend car rental, you might set a €1,000 hold with a 7-day duration. The rental is Friday through Sunday, plus 4 days for damage inspection and processing.

Add your business name, logo, and colors to the payment page. Write a description that clearly explains the hold — "Damage deposit for your car rental. Your card will not be charged — this is a temporary hold." Clarity here prevents customer confusion.

Copy the URL or download the QR code. Send it to customers via:

• Email: Include in booking confirmations
• SMS/WhatsApp: Send before arrival
• QR code: Print for physical locations (reception desks, check-in counters, rental agreements)

One Smart Link handles unlimited authorizations. Your hotel's QR code at reception works for every guest.

Active holds appear in your dashboard with status, amount, customer details, and time remaining. When the service period ends:

• Click Capture to charge (enter the amount — full or partial)
• Click Release to cancel the hold entirely

Each action is logged, timestamped, and communicated to the customer automatically.

Real-World Pre-Authorization Link Workflows

1. Guest books room (Airbnb, Booking.com, direct)
2. Pre-arrival email includes deposit Smart Link
3. Guest authorizes €300 deposit hold (14-day duration)
4. Guest checks in, enjoys stay
5. Guest checks out, housekeeping inspects
6. No issues → Release hold
7. Minibar charges of €45 → Capture €45, remaining €255 released

1. Customer reserves camera gear online
2. Confirmation email includes deposit Smart Link
3. Customer authorizes €800 deposit hold (5-day duration)
4. Customer picks up equipment
5. Customer returns equipment, staff inspects
6. Missing SD card → Capture €30, remaining €770 released
7. Customer sees capture details on status page

1. Client books wedding venue
2. Contract includes QR code for €2,000 deposit
3. Client authorizes hold (14-day duration, covering event + cleanup inspection)
4. Event takes place
5. Post-event inspection: minor wall damage + overtime charge
6. Capture €350 for repairs and overtime
7. Remaining €1,650 released

Benefits Over API-Based Solutions

Many businesses that need pre-authorization have explored building their own solution using Stripe's or Mollie's API. Here's why a no-code approach is usually better.

An API-based pre-authorization system requires creating payment intents with manual capture flags, building webhook handlers for status changes, developing a dashboard for capture/release, and implementing hold expiration management. This takes weeks of developer time.

A PayRequest Smart Link takes three minutes. The dashboard, webhooks, status pages, and notifications are built in.

API solutions need ongoing maintenance — library updates, security patches, endpoint changes, error handling improvements. PayRequest handles all of this as part of the platform.

PayRequest includes a branded customer status page with every hold, QR code generation, automatic notifications, and a visual hold countdown. Building these features into a custom API solution would add weeks to the project.

Getting Started with Pre-Authorization Payment Links

Pre-authorization payment links solve a specific problem: collecting a guarantee before the final amount is known. If your business hands over something valuable (keys, equipment, venue access) before payment is finalized, pre-auth links are the right tool.

PayRequest's Smart Links with security deposit mode give you everything you need: branded payment pages, QR codes, configurable hold durations (1–28 days), partial capture, and automatic customer notifications.

The Business plan at €20/month includes all features. Create your first pre-auth link or view the security deposits feature for a detailed overview.