If you need to send payment requests — invoices, payment links, checkout pages — two very different platforms can handle the job. Request Network is a decentralized blockchain protocol for requesting and tracking crypto payments. PayRequest is a centralized billing platform that accepts both fiat and crypto on a single checkout.
They serve different audiences, solve different problems, and in many cases they complement each other rather than compete. This guide explains the differences, the strengths of each, and how to choose (or combine) them.
What Is Request Network?
Request Network is an Ethereum-based decentralized protocol for creating, storing, and tracking payment requests on-chain. Think of it as a blockchain-native invoicing and payment request infrastructure. Every payment request is stored on the Ethereum blockchain as an immutable record — verifiable, tamper-proof, and auditable by anyone.
Request Network was designed for Web3-native use cases: DAO payroll, crypto grant disbursements, on-chain accounting, and any scenario where verifiable, non-custodial payment records matter.
- A payer creates a payment request on-chain (amount, currency, recipient, metadata)
- The request is stored on the Ethereum blockchain as an ERC-20-compatible invoice
- The recipient claims the payment by signing a transaction
- The payment settles in crypto (USDC, USDT, ETH, DAI, or any supported token)
- The entire lifecycle is recorded on-chain for auditability
Request Network is infrastructure. It does not provide a customer-facing checkout page, a hosted payment link UI, or fiat payment processing. Those features are provided by Request Finance, the commercial application built on top of the protocol.
- Decentralized and non-custodial — no central entity controls the payment records
- On-chain audit trail — every request and payment is verifiable forever
- Crypto-native — designed for wallets, DAOs, and on-chain businesses
- Programmable — developers can build custom payment flows on top of the protocol
- Verifiable supply chain — ideal for grant tracking, treasury management, and compliance
- Crypto-only — no support for fiat payments (cards, iDEAL, SEPA, PayPal)
- Requires a wallet — both sender and recipient need a crypto wallet and ETH for gas
- Technical setup — using the protocol directly requires development work
- No customer-facing checkout — the protocol handles request records, not hosted payment pages
- Learning curve — non-technical users need Request Finance as a frontend
What Is PayRequest?
PayRequest is a centralized billing platform that lets businesses create payment links, invoices, subscriptions, and sales pages — accepting both fiat (cards, iDEAL, SEPA, PayPal) and crypto (USDC on Base via WalletConnect) on a single checkout page.
It is designed for non-technical businesses — freelancers, agencies, SaaS companies, e-commerce stores — that want a simple, all-in-one payment solution without managing blockchain infrastructure.
- Create a payment link or invoice from the dashboard (no code required)
- Share the link via email, SMS, WhatsApp, or embedded button
- The customer opens the link and picks their preferred payment method — cards, iDEAL, PayPal, or USDC
- The payment settles: fiat via Stripe/Mollie/PayPal, crypto via WalletConnect to your wallet
- All transactions visible in one dashboard, regardless of payment method
- Fiat + crypto on one checkout — customers choose, you receive both
- Zero code required — no smart contracts, no API integration, no blockchain setup
- All payment methods — cards, iDEAL, SEPA, Bancontact, PayPal, USDC, and more
- Multi-provider routing — connect Stripe, Mollie, PayPal, and WalletConnect simultaneously
- Business features — invoices, subscriptions, dunning, customer portal, sales pages
- Fair pricing — 2% per successful payment capped at €25, no monthly fee
- Centralized — PayRequest manages the payment infrastructure; you trust PayRequest's availability
- No on-chain audit trail — transaction records are in PayRequest's database, not on a blockchain
- Crypto scope — supports USDC on Base (and USDT/BTC/ETH via specific wallets), not every blockchain token
- Not designed for DAOs — PayRequest targets mainstream businesses, not Web3-native organizations
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Request Network | PayRequest |
|---|---|---|
| Payment methods | Crypto only (USDC, USDT, ETH, DAI, etc.) | Fiat (cards, iDEAL, SEPA, PayPal) + crypto (USDC on Base) |
| Hosted checkout page | No (needs Request Finance) | Yes — one-click payment links |
| Custody | Non-custodial (protocol) / custodial (Request Finance) | Non-custodial for crypto (your wallet), custodial for fiat (Stripe/Mollie) |
| On-chain records | Yes — every request is on Ethereum | No — records in PayRequest database |
| Code required | Yes (protocol) / No (Request Finance) | No — dashboard-based |
| Fiat support | No | Yes — cards, iDEAL, SEPA, PayPal, Bancontact |
| Multi-currency | Crypto tokens only | Both fiat and crypto |
| Invoice customization | Via Request Finance | Full customization (templates, branding, email) |
| Recurring billing | Via smart contracts | Via Subscriptions feature |
| Dunning (retry logic) | No | Yes — automated multi-step retry |
| Customer portal | No | Yes — self-service billing portal |
| Fee | 0.10% capped at $2 (Request Finance) + gas fees | 2% per payment capped at €25 + provider fees |
| Best for | Web3 teams, DAOs, on-chain treasury | Freelancers, agencies, SaaS, e-commerce |
Pricing Comparison
| Request Finance (app) | PayRequest | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | Free tier (limited) + paid plans | Free (all features included) |
| Transaction fee | 0.10% capped at $2 (crypto-to-crypto) | 2% capped at €25 (any method) |
| Fiat processing | Not supported | Via Stripe/Mollie/PayPal (provider fees apply) |
| Gas fees | Paid by sender (ETH network) | Paid by customer wallet (<€0.01 on Base) |
Note: Request Finance's 0.10% fee only applies to crypto-to-crypto transactions. Fiat-to-crypto or crypto-to-fiat conversions incur additional fees. PayRequest's 2% covers all payment methods — whether the customer pays with a card, iDEAL, PayPal, or USDC.
When to Use Each
- You operate a DAO, Web3 protocol, or crypto-native business
- You need on-chain audit trails for compliance or treasury management
- Your customers and suppliers already use crypto wallets
- You process large crypto-to-crypto payments (where 0.10% beats 2%)
- You need programmable, decentralized payment infrastructure
- You accept both fiat and crypto payments (most businesses)
- You want a hosted checkout page — share a link, get paid
- Your customers use cards, iDEAL, PayPal — not just crypto wallets
- You need invoicing, subscriptions, dunning, and a customer portal
- You want zero code, zero blockchain setup
You can run PayRequest for your customer-facing checkout (fiat + crypto) and use Request Network (via Request Finance) for on-chain treasury operations, grant tracking, and DAO payments. They serve different layers of your payment stack and work well in combination.
Getting Started
With PayRequest: Create a free account and connect Stripe, Mollie, PayPal, and WalletConnect in under 10 minutes. Every feature is included on the free plan — pay only 2% per successful payment.
With Request Network: Visit request.network for the protocol documentation, or request.finance for the commercial invoicing app.
For most businesses, PayRequest is the simpler path — one platform for both fiat and crypto payments, no blockchain expertise required.