QR code payments for contractors
A QR code payment is a payment page your customer opens by pointing their phone camera at a code you show them. They enter their own card on that page, so you never handle the card.
Short answer
Type the amount in a payment app, show the QR code, and the customer scans it and pays by card on the processor’s page. It costs the same as an online card payment, about 2.9%–3.3% plus 30¢ with Stripe or Square. Tell customers to check the web address before paying.
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On this page
How it works on the job, in four steps
- 01
Type the amount. In your payment app, enter what the customer owes and what it is for.
- 02
Show the code. The app shows a QR code on your phone. Hand it over or hold it up.
- 03
The customer scans and pays. Their camera opens the processor’s payment page. They type their own card there.
- 04
Wait for “Paid”. Leave when your screen confirms the payment, then send the receipt.
Three kinds of QR code
- A payment page for one amount. Made by a card processor for this job. The customer pays by card.
- A fixed “pay me” profile. Venmo, Cash App, PayPal or Zelle codes. They move money between accounts under each app’s own rules, and the customer types the amount.
- A code printed on the invoice. Opens the invoice’s payment page, for customers who pay later.
Only the first and third are card payments that land in your processor account with the job attached.
What it costs
A QR code payment is priced as an online card payment, because the customer types the card on a web page.
- Stripe: 2.9% + 30¢ per US card.
- Square: 3.3% + 30¢ online, against 2.6% + 15¢ for a card tapped in person.
- LeadHunter USA Payments: 3.3% + 30¢ per US card, all in.
Sources: Stripe pricing and Square fees, read 5 October 2026
The full comparison, with surcharge rules and disputes, is in how to accept card payments as a contractor.
Scams to warn customers about
Scammers put fake QR codes in emails, texts and stickers. The FTC’s advice, quoted from its December 2023 alert:
- “If you see a QR code in an unexpected place, inspect the URL before you open it.”
- “Don’t scan a QR code in an email or text message you weren’t expecting — especially if it urges you to act immediately.”
Source: FTC consumer alert, QR codes, read 5 October 2026
What to say: show the code on your own screen, in person, and tell the customer the page will show your business name and the processor’s address. Never photograph or write down a customer’s card number.
Records
Tie every QR payment to a customer, an invoice and a receipt. A payment with no job attached is hard to explain at tax time or in a dispute.
What a receipt should say is in how to invoice as a contractor.
Where LeadHunter USA fits
In LeadHunter USA Payments, “Get paid” turns any amount into a QR code. The customer scans it and pays on Stripe’s page; your screen turns to Paid when Stripe confirms it. The payment can become a receipt on the customer’s card in LeadHunter USA CRM. LeadHunter USA Payments costs 3.3% + 30¢ per US card, all in: Stripe’s standard 2.9% + 30¢ plus a 0.4% LeadHunter USA fee.
Good fit
- Contractors who get paid at the end of a visit
- Owners who want each payment to become a receipt on the customer’s record
Not the right tool
- Anyone who needs a card reader or Tap to Pay
- Anyone who wants bank (ACH) payments
Get paid on the spot
Type the amount, show the QR code, and the payment lands on your customer’s record as a receipt.
Create your free accountLeadHunter USA CRM
Send quotes and invoices, and keep every customer and job in one place.
Free
LeadHunter USA Payments
Customers pay you by card from your invoice or a QR code. Money lands in your bank in about 2 days.
Free to join · 3.3% + 30¢ per US card
LeadHunter USA Alerts
People nearby asking for your trade, sent to your phone the moment they post.
7 days free, then $75/month
LeadHunter USA Line
A business number for calls and texts, separate from your cell.
Coming soon
LeadHunter USA Alerts is the paid lead-alert product; the CRM does not need it. Payments needs the CRM.
More guides
- Start a home-service business: the first-month checklist
- LeadHunter USA CRM: the free CRM for contractors, and what other free plans include
- How to invoice as a contractor or handyman
- How to accept card payments as a contractor: fees and rules
- Estimate vs quote vs invoice vs receipt
- How to keep track of customers in a small service business
- Customer won’t pay your invoice? The steps
- How to write a contractor estimate
- How much deposit a contractor can take, by state
Common questions
How does a contractor get paid with a QR code?
You enter the amount in your payment app and show the QR code. The customer scans it with their phone camera and pays by card on the processor’s page.
Is a QR code payment safe for my customer?
The customer types their card on the processor’s page, not on your phone. The FTC tells people to inspect the web address before opening a QR code, so tell customers what the page should say.
What does a QR code payment cost?
The same as an online card payment with your processor. Stripe’s standard price is 2.9% + 30¢; Square’s online price is 3.3% + 30¢. LeadHunter USA Payments is 3.3% + 30¢ per US card, all in.
Is a Venmo or Zelle QR code the same thing?
No. Those move money between accounts under each app’s own rules and fees, and are not card payments on your processor’s page. Check each app’s business terms before using one for work.
How fast does a QR code payment reach my bank?
It depends on the processor. On Stripe, after your first payout, US card payments settle in about 2 business days, and your payout schedule decides when they reach your bank.