Lightning invoice decoder

Paste a Lightning invoice (BOLT11, starting with lnbc) to see what it asks for: the amount, the description, when it expires and its payment hash. It runs in your browser; the invoice is not sent anywhere.

What a Lightning invoice contains

• Amount: in the prefix, for example lnbc2500u is 2,500 micro-bitcoin, which is 250,000 sats. An invoice without an amount lets the payer choose.
• Description: what the payment is for, written by whoever made the invoice.
• Expiry: an invoice is valid for a limited time, one hour unless it says otherwise. Never pay an expired invoice; ask for a new one.
• Payment hash: identifies the payment. After paying, your wallet shows the matching preimage, the proof that you paid.
• Network: lnbc is Bitcoin mainnet, lntb testnet, lntbs signet.

Lightning invoice, Lightning address or bitcoin address?

• A Lightning invoice is single-use and for one amount, and it expires.
• A Lightning address looks like an email address (name@wallet.com) and never changes: a wallet asks it for a fresh invoice each time.
• A bitcoin address receives on-chain payments, which take longer to confirm and cost more for small amounts.

Get paid over Lightning without holding anyone's money

A send21 pay link can offer Lightning next to BTC on-chain, USDC, EURC and more. The payer pays your own Lightning address, and send21 confirms the payment automatically when your wallet provider supports it. Read Lightning address payments or the Lightning docs, or create a crypto payment link.