Xero: How do I get paid in 3 easy ways with Pinch?

1. Get Paid from an Invoice

When you send an invoice from Xero, customers can pay online instantly.

• During the Pinch setup wizard, select which Xero branding themes should include a Pinch payment link.

• Once set up, invoices sent from Xero will include a Pay Now button.

• Customers click the button to open a secure Pinch payment page, where they can enter their payment details.

• You’ll receive confirmation once the payment is complete.

For processing times, see How long do payments take to hit my bank account?

2. Get Paid with Recurring Payments (Pre-Approvals)

If you bill customers regularly (for subscriptions, retainers, or ongoing work), pre-approvals help you get paid automatically.

• In Xero, create a recurring invoice by going to the invoices page and clicking New.

• Choose how often the invoice should be raised and set the details.

• In Pinch, go to Customers > Manage Pre-Approvals.

• Select the customers you’d like to set up and click Send Pre-Approval.

Your customer will receive an email invitation to securely store their payment details. Once they accept, Pinch will debit their invoices automatically on the due date.

Tip: Personalise the pre-approval request email in Account Settings > Emails to reflect your business style.

3. Get Paid in Instalments (Payment Plans)

For larger invoices, you can offer instalments instead of chasing manual payments.

Step 1 – Create a plan

• In the Pinch portal, go to Plans and Subscriptions and select Breakdown an Existing Invoice.

• Choose your payment terms, such as:

$100 deposit upfront and then $200 per month until invoice paid

10% deposit upfront and then 5% each fortnight until invoice paid

15% each week until invoice paid

You can use fixed amounts, percentages, or a mix.

Step 2 – Select the invoice

• Search for the invoice in the Payments menu, or find it on the customer’s page.

• Attach the new plan to that invoice.

Step 3 – Confirm

• If the customer already has a pre-approval, the schedule will begin immediately.

• If not, they’ll receive an email invitation to approve the plan before it starts.

Final thoughts

With Pinch and Xero working together, you can offer customers three flexible ways to pay — from one-off invoices, to recurring billing, to instalments. This keeps payments flowing and reduces admin for your business.

We're always here to help though so use the help widget on any page in the Pinch portal, or submit a support request. If want to see a video of Pinch and Xero in action, click the link below: