How to accept UPI payments on your website

Short answer: to accept UPI on your website, open a merchant account with a payment gateway (for example Razorpay, PayU, PhonePe or Paytm), finish its KYC, and connect the gateway's API keys to your store. At checkout the buyer is sent to the gateway's secure payment page, pays by UPI app or QR code, and comes back to your store with the order confirmed. The money settles into your bank account after the gateway's settlement period.

Why not just show a UPI ID or QR code?

Many small sellers start by putting their UPI ID on the website and asking buyers to send a screenshot. It works for a handful of orders, but it does not scale:

• You have to match every payment to an order by hand.
• Buyers can send the wrong amount, or a screenshot of a payment that never happened.
• Orders are not confirmed automatically, so stock is not reserved.
• Refunds are manual and hard to track.

A payment gateway confirms the payment to your store automatically, marks the order as paid, and keeps a record you can reconcile.

What you need before you apply

Gateways must verify your business before they let you take payments. Keep these ready:

• PAN of the business or proprietor.
• A current bank account in the business name (some gateways accept a savings account for individuals).
• Business proof such as GST registration, Udyam registration or a shop licence.
• A live website with a clear description of what you sell, prices, contact details, and policy pages for shipping, returns and refunds, privacy and terms. Gateways check these before approval.

How to choose a payment gateway

Compare gateways on these points, using each gateway's own pricing page on the day you sign up:

What to compare	Why it matters
Fees per payment method	UPI, debit cards, credit cards, net banking and wallets are often priced differently.
Settlement time	How many days until money reaches your bank. Faster settlement helps cash flow.
Payment methods	Make sure UPI (apps and QR), cards and net banking are all included.
Refunds	Whether you can refund from your store, and how long the buyer waits.
Onboarding	How long KYC takes, and what documents they ask for.
Support	Who you can reach when a payment is stuck.

UPI pricing for merchants has been under review by the Government and the payments industry. Do not rely on a blog post (including this one) for current UPI charges: check the gateway's pricing page and the NPCI website.

Step by step: accept UPI on your store

1. Sign up with a gateway and complete KYC.
2. Test first. Every gateway has test (sandbox) keys. Connect those first and place a test order.
3. Connect the live keys in your store's payment settings once your account is approved.
4. Place a real order for a small amount, pay by UPI, and check that the order is marked paid and the money appears in the gateway dashboard.
5. Try a refund on that order, so you know how it works before a customer asks.

Refunds, failed payments and settlements

Failed or pending UPI payments

Sometimes a buyer's bank debits the money but the payment shows as failed or pending. Usually it resolves on its own: either the payment completes or the bank reverses it. Your gateway's webhook updates the order when that happens, so do not ship until the order is marked paid.

Refunds

Refunds go back to the source the buyer paid from. Gateways usually let you refund in full or in part from their dashboard or from your store. Tell buyers how long a refund takes to reach them; it depends on their bank.

Settlements

The gateway collects payments and pays them into your bank account after its settlement period, minus its fees. Reconcile the settlement report against your orders every week.

How a UPI payment on a website works, step by step

1. The buyer places the order and chooses to pay online.
2. Your store sends the order amount to the gateway and the buyer is taken to the gateway's payment page.
3. The buyer picks UPI and either approves a request in their UPI app or scans a QR code.
4. The buyer's bank debits the money and the gateway receives the result.
5. The gateway sends the buyer back to your store and also tells your store directly (a webhook), so the order is marked paid even if the buyer closes the browser early.
6. The gateway pays the money into your bank account in the next settlement.

The webhook in step 5 is why you should never ship based on a screenshot or the buyer's return to your site alone: the gateway's confirmation is the source of truth.

Keep payments safe

• Keep your gateway's secret key private. Never share it over chat or paste it into an email.
• Give staff their own logins to the gateway dashboard instead of sharing one password.
• Turn on two-step login for the gateway dashboard.
• Be wary of "customers" who overpay and ask for a refund of the difference to another account; that is a common scam.

Reduce failed payments

Some UPI payments fail because the buyer's bank is slow or the app times out. Make it easy to try again: keep the cart intact, show a clear "payment did not go through" message, and offer COD or another method as a fallback where you can.

Checklist before you go live with online payments

• KYC approved and live keys connected.
• A real UPI payment, a card payment and a refund tested.
• Order confirmation emails arriving after payment.
• Settlement bank account verified with a first small settlement.
• Policy pages and contact details visible on the site.

UPI in a CartWhizz store

CartWhizz connects to Indian gateways including Razorpay, PayU, PhonePe and Paytm, as well as international ones such as Stripe and PayPal. You add your own gateway keys in the admin, so payments go straight to your gateway account and your bank. Buyers pay on the gateway's secure page with UPI, cards or net banking, and the order is confirmed automatically when the payment succeeds. You can offer cash on delivery alongside it.

Want to see it? Start a free 7-day trial at cartwhizz.com/start.

Frequently asked questions

Can I accept UPI on my website without a payment gateway?

You can show a UPI ID or QR code, but you will have to confirm every payment by hand and match it to the order. A payment gateway confirms payments automatically and handles refunds.

Which payment gateway is best for UPI in India?

There is no single best one. Compare current fees, settlement time, refund handling and onboarding speed on each gateway's own pricing page, and test with sandbox keys first.

How long does it take to start accepting UPI?

It depends on the gateway's KYC. Have your PAN, bank account, business proof and a complete website with policy pages ready to avoid delays.

Are UPI payments free for merchants?

UPI merchant pricing has changed over time and differs by gateway. Check the gateway's current pricing page and the NPCI website before you decide.

Sources

Official sources, checked 16 October 2026:

• National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)
• Reserve Bank of India