Building a website with AI has never been easier. Whether you used Lovable, Bolt, Replit, v0 or another AI-assisted development platform, you can launch an online business in hours instead of weeks.
The next challenge is accepting payments.
Many merchants discover that building the website is only half the job. They still need a secure way to let customers pay, manage transactions, and scale as the business grows.
Key Takeaways
AI website builders create websites quickly, but you still need a payment provider to securely process customer payments.
The three main integration methods are API integrations, payment links and hosted checkout, each suited to different business needs.
API integrations offer the greatest flexibility and are typically the best long-term choice for growing ecommerce businesses.
Payment links are the fastest way to begin accepting payments, while hosted checkout offers an easy-to-implement, secure checkout experience.
Pay by Bank is a payment method that can be offered through your chosen integration alongside cards and other payment options.
Wallid supports merchants with flexible API and plugin integrations while enabling Pay by Bank payments across the UK and Europe.
This guide explains the three most common ways to add payments to an AI-built website, how each option works, and which approach is best for different types of businesses.
How to accept payments
There are three main ways to accept payments on an AI-built website:
Step
What to Do
Why It Matters
1. Choose a payment provider
Select a provider that supports your business, countries and preferred payment methods.
The provider determines how you process payments and what payment methods you can offer.
2. Pick an integration method
Decide between an API integration, payment links or hosted checkout.
Each option offers a different balance of flexibility, speed and development effort.
3. Connect your website
Integrate using an API, install a plugin or configure a hosted checkout.
This enables your website to securely communicate with the payment provider.
4. Configure payment methods
Enable the payment options you want customers to use, such as cards or Pay by Bank.
Offering multiple payment methods can improve customer choice and checkout flexibility.
5. Start accepting payments
Once everything is configured, customers can complete purchases through your chosen checkout.
A smooth payment experience helps support conversions and future business growth.
Many payment providers—including Wallid—support one or more of these approaches. The right choice depends on how your website sells products, how much customization you need, and how quickly you want to launch.
Why AI-Built Websites Still Need a Payment Solution
AI can generate websites, online stores and web applications remarkably quickly.
However, AI website builders generally don't process payments themselves.
Instead, they allow you to connect a payment provider that securely handles:
Customer payments
Payment authorisation
Security and fraud protection
Transaction processing
Settlement of funds
This separation gives merchants flexibility because they can choose the payment methods that best fit their customers and business model.
The Three Ways to Accept Payments
1. API Integration
An API (Application Programming Interface) allows your website to communicate directly with a payment provider.
Customers remain on your website throughout checkout while the payment is processed securely behind the scenes.
Best for
Ecommerce stores
Subscription businesses
SaaS products
Businesses expecting to scale
Merchants wanting a branded checkout
Advantages
Complete checkout customisation
Better brand consistency
Greater flexibility
Easier to build advanced customer experiences
Can support multiple payment methods through one integration
Considerations
API integrations usually require more development work than the other options. Fortunately, many modern payment providers offer developer documentation and ready-to-use SDKs that simplify implementation.
2. Payment Links
Payment links generate a unique URL that customers use to complete a purchase.
Instead of building a checkout page, you simply send the customer a secure payment link.
Best for
New businesses
Low-volume merchants
Custom orders
Social selling
Businesses testing a new product
Advantages
Very fast to set up
No checkout development required
Can be shared by email, chat or social media
Useful for one-off invoices
Considerations
Payment links are convenient but offer less control over branding and customer experience than an integrated checkout.
3. Hosted Checkout
Hosted checkout redirects customers to a secure payment page managed by the payment provider before returning them to your website after payment.
Best for
Small ecommerce stores
Businesses launching quickly
Merchants without dedicated developers
Companies prioritising simplicity
Advantages
Easy implementation
Built-in security
Payment provider manages checkout updates
Lower maintenance
Considerations
Because customers temporarily leave your website during payment, you have less control over the checkout experience compared to an API integration.
The exact process depends on your payment provider, but most integrations follow a similar journey.
Step 1: Choose a payment provider
Look for a provider that supports your business model, your target countries and the payment methods your customers expect.
Step 2: Decide how customers will pay
Choose whether you want:
An API integration
Hosted checkout
Payment links
Some providers offer all three options.
Step 3: Connect your website
Depending on your website platform, you may:
Connect through an API
Install a plugin
Configure a hosted payment page
Many AI-built websites support custom integrations or plugins, making this process straightforward.
Step 4: Verify your payment flow
Before accepting live payments, ensure customers can complete purchases successfully and that the checkout experience works smoothly across desktop and mobile devices.
Step 5: Start accepting payments
Once your integration is complete, customers can begin paying through your chosen checkout method.
How Wallid Supports Different Integration Approaches
Wallid helps merchants add payments to AI-built websites through flexible integration options.
Depending on your business, you can:
Integrate directly using Wallid's API.
Connect through available ecommerce plugins where appropriate.
Offer Pay by Bank as an additional payment method alongside traditional card payments.
Expand payment acceptance without relying exclusively on card networks.
For ecommerce businesses operating in the UK and Europe, this flexibility makes it easier to choose an implementation approach that matches both current needs and future growth.
Ready to Add Payments to Your AI-Built Website?
Whether you're launching a new ecommerce store or scaling an existing business, Wallid helps merchants integrate payments through APIs and plugins while offering Pay by Bank alongside other payment methods across the UK and Europe.
Discover how Wallid can help you integrate payments and offer Pay by Bank on your AI-built website with flexible solutions designed for modern ecommerce.
Choosing the Right Payment Method
The integration method determines how customers reach the checkout.
The payment method determines how they actually pay.
For example:
API integration + Pay by Bank
API integration + cards
Hosted checkout + Pay by Bank
Hosted checkout + cards
Payment links + Pay by Bank (where supported)
Many businesses offer multiple payment methods to give customers more choice while reducing dependence on a single payment option.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I accept payments on an AI-built website?
Yes. AI website builders create the website, while a payment provider securely processes customer payments through an API, payment links or hosted checkout.
Which payment integration is the easiest?
Payment links are usually the quickest option because they don't require you to build or maintain a checkout page.
When should I choose an API integration?
API integrations are best for growing ecommerce businesses that want full control over branding, checkout experience and future scalability.
What is the difference between hosted checkout and payment links?
Hosted checkout provides a complete payment page managed by your payment provider, while payment links generate individual URLs that customers can use to pay.
Can I offer Pay by Bank on an AI-built website?
Yes. If your payment provider supports Pay by Bank, you can offer it alongside cards and other payment methods at checkout.
Can I offer multiple payment methods?
Yes. Many merchants combine cards, digital wallets and Pay by Bank to give customers more choice and reduce reliance on a single payment method.
Do AI website builders include payment processing?
Most AI website builders focus on creating the website. You'll typically connect a separate payment provider to securely accept customer payments.
How does Wallid support AI-built websites?
Wallid supports merchants with API integrations and ecommerce plugins while enabling Pay by Bank payments for businesses across the UK and Europe.
Expert Note
This article was written by a Wallid Content Specialist with expertise in ecommerce payments, Open Banking and payment infrastructure for UK and European merchants. It is part of Wallid's educational AI Commerce series, helping businesses understand payment integration options, compare implementation methods and choose the right approach for accepting online payments on AI-built websites.
This article explains the three main ways to accept payments on an AI-built website: API integrations, payment links and hosted checkout. It compares each approach, explains which businesses they are best suited for, and shows how merchants in the UK and Europe can add payment methods such as Pay by Bank. The guide also explains how Wallid supports flexible payment integrations through APIs and ecommerce plugins.
TL;DR
AI-built websites still require a payment provider to securely process customer transactions. Merchants generally have three implementation options: API integrations, payment links and hosted checkout. API integrations offer the greatest flexibility for growing ecommerce businesses, payment links provide the fastest way to start accepting payments, and hosted checkout offers a simple, provider-managed checkout experience. Payment methods such as Pay by Bank can be offered regardless of the chosen integration method when supported by the payment provider. Wallid enables merchants across the UK and Europe to integrate payments through APIs and ecommerce plugins while offering Pay by Bank alongside traditional payment methods.
Key Entities
Wallid
Pay by Bank
Open Banking
API Integration
Hosted Checkout
Payment Links
AI-built Websites
Payment Gateway
Ecommerce Payments
Payment API
Main Questions Answered
How do you accept payments on an AI-built website?
What is the difference between API integrations, payment links and hosted checkout?