> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.getsmartalex.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Take a card payment during a call

> Set up your AI voice agent to take payment over the phone by sending a secure checkout link mid-call. A step-by-step recipe for AI phone payments with Yoco through the Power Tools add-on.

SmartAlex lets your AI voice agent take payment over the phone by sending the caller a secure checkout link while they are still on the line. The agent confirms the amount, sends a link by SMS or email through your connected payment provider, and picks the call back up once the caller has paid. AI phone payments close the sale in the moment, and the agent never sees, reads back, or stores a raw card number.

<Note>
  The agent sends a link. It does not collect card details by voice. Payment happens on your provider's hosted, PCI-compliant checkout page, so card numbers, expiry, and CVV never enter the conversation, the call recording, or the transcript.
</Note>

## What you need

Three things have to be in place before an agent can request a payment.

| Requirement                | Where it lives                 | Notes                                                                                                                |
| -------------------------- | ------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Power Tools add-on         | [Add-ons](/essentials/add-ons) | \$29/month or \$290/year on Professional. Included on Enterprise. Unlocks payments, bookings, and Custom HTTP Tools. |
| A payment connector        | Agent Studio, Connectors       | Yoco (card payments via links) or Stripe (payment links, customers, invoices).                                       |
| The Send payment link tool | Agent Studio, Tools, Get paid  | Switched on per agent. Off by default.                                                                               |

Power Tools is the gate. Without it, the payments connector and the Send payment link tool stay locked. See [/pricing](/pricing) for how add-ons stack on your plan.

## How it works

Here is the full path from "yes, I'll pay" to a confirmed payment, without the agent ever handling a card.

```mermaid theme={null}
flowchart TD
    A[Caller agrees to pay] --> B[Agent confirms amount and contact details]
    B --> C[Agent calls the Send payment link tool]
    C --> D[Your payment provider creates a secure checkout link]
    D --> E[Link delivered by SMS or email]
    E --> F[Caller pays on the provider's hosted page]
    F --> G[Agent confirms and continues the call]
```

The link is generated by your connected provider, not by SmartAlex, so the transaction lives entirely inside your existing merchant account.

## Set it up

<Steps>
  <Step title="Turn on Power Tools">
    Open [Add-ons](/essentials/add-ons) and enable **Power Tools**. This unlocks the payments connector, iCal bookings, and Custom HTTP Tools in one add-on. On Enterprise it is already included.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Connect your payment provider">
    In Agent Studio, go to **Connectors** and connect **Yoco** (or **Stripe**). You authorize once with your merchant account. From then on, any agent you allow can generate checkout links against that account.

    <Tip>
      Use the account you already take payments through. Payouts, refunds, and reporting continue to run in your provider's dashboard exactly as they do today.
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Switch on the Send payment link tool">
    Open the agent, go to **Tools**, find **Get paid**, and turn on **Send payment link**. You can also just ask Alex in chat, for example "let this agent take payments through Yoco." Alex proposes the change on a review card, you approve, and it applies to your live agent.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Test it on a call">
    Run an in-browser test call or have the agent call your phone, then ask to pay. Watch the checkout link land by SMS or email and confirm it opens your provider's secure page. After the test call you get an automatic summary and quality score posted back into the chat.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## How it plays out in a call

A caller wants to secure a booking. The agent quotes the balance, confirms where to send the link, and requests it mid-conversation.

```text theme={null}
Caller:  Great, I'd like to lock in the appointment. Can I pay the deposit now?
Agent:   Of course. The deposit is R450. I'll text you a secure payment link
         right now. Is 082 555 0134 still the best number for you?
Caller:  Yes, that works.
Agent:   Sending it through. You'll get a link from our secure checkout in a
         few seconds. Open it, enter your card there, and I'll confirm on my
         side once it goes through. I never see your card details myself.
Caller:  Okay, got it... paying now... done.
Agent:   Perfect, I can see the payment came through. Your deposit is settled
         and your appointment is confirmed. Anything else I can help with?
```

The agent guides the caller and confirms the outcome, but the card is entered only on the provider's hosted page.

## Card data never touches the agent

This is the point of the link-based flow, so it is worth being precise about it.

<Warning>
  The agent will not accept a card number, expiry date, or CVV read aloud. If a caller starts reading their card out, a well-prompted agent redirects them to the link. Card data belongs on the provider's checkout, never in a voice conversation.
</Warning>

* The checkout link is created by your payment provider and served from their PCI-compliant hosted page.
* SmartAlex passes the amount and the caller's contact detail to generate the link. It does not receive, request, or store the card credentials.
* Nothing sensitive is written to the call transcript or recording.
* SmartAlex runs SOC 2-aligned policies and is working toward SOC 2 Type II readiness. Underlying voice processing uses curated, high-accuracy speech, language, and voice models, kept abstracted.

To reinforce the behaviour, add a line to the agent's instructions:

```text theme={null}
When a caller wants to pay, confirm the amount and their mobile number or email,
then use the Send payment link tool to send a secure checkout link. Never accept
card numbers, expiry dates, or security codes spoken aloud. If a caller starts
reading card details, stop them politely and direct them to the link instead.
```

## Frequently asked questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Does the agent ever hear my customer's card number?">
    No. The agent sends a link and the caller enters their card on your provider's secure checkout page. Card details never enter the call, the recording, or the transcript.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Which payment providers can I connect?">
    Yoco and Stripe are the supported payment connectors, both enabled by the Power Tools add-on. Yoco creates card payment links, Stripe supports payment links, customers, and invoices.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do I need the Power Tools add-on?">
    Yes. Taking payment over the phone with AI requires Power Tools, which unlocks the payments connector and the Send payment link tool. It is \$29/month (\$290/year) on Professional and included on Enterprise. See [/pricing](/pricing).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What if the caller doesn't finish paying on the call?">
    The link stays valid after the call ends, so the caller can complete payment later. You can also have the agent follow up by SMS or email, or route it through a campaign for a reminder.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does this work on both inbound and outbound calls?">
    Yes. Any agent with the Send payment link tool switched on can request payment, whether it answered an inbound call or placed an outbound one.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I connect a payment provider we already use through our own API?">
    If your provider is not one of the built-in connectors, you can wire it up with a Custom HTTP Tool to your own HTTPS endpoint. Custom HTTP Tools also require the Power Tools add-on. Our MCP server and Custom HTTP Tools are the live programmatic surfaces today. A public REST API and TypeScript SDK are in private beta, so contact support for early access.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Power Tools add-on" icon="puzzle-piece" href="/essentials/add-ons">
    Unlock payments, bookings, and custom tools for your agents.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Agent tools" icon="screwdriver-wrench" href="/essentials/agent-tools">
    Every tool an agent can use mid-call, including Send payment link.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Connectors and integrations" icon="plug" href="/integrations">
    Connect Yoco, Stripe, and the rest of your stack in a few clicks.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Pricing" icon="tag" href="/pricing">
    See how plans, minutes, and add-ons fit together.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>