How to accept UPI payments on your website

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 goes to the gateway's secure payment page, pays with a UPI app or QR code, and comes back to your store with the order confirmed. The money reaches your bank account after the gateway's settlement period.

Why use a gateway instead of 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. That works for a handful of orders. After that it breaks down:

• 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 have to 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 that clearly describes what you sell, with prices, contact details and policy pages for shipping, returns and refunds, privacy and terms. Gateways check these before they approve you.

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, so don't rely on any blog post, this one included, 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, so connect those and place a test order.
3. Once your account is approved, connect the live keys in your store's payment settings.
4. Place a real order for a small amount and pay by UPI. Check that the order is marked paid and the money shows up in the gateway dashboard.
5. Refund that order, so you know how refunds work before a customer asks for one.

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. It usually sorts itself out: either the payment completes or the bank reverses it. Your gateway's webhook updates the order when that happens, so don't 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, since that 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. It also tells your store directly through 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.

Because of that webhook in step 5, never ship on the strength of a screenshot or the buyer landing back on your site. 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 you to refund the difference to another account. It 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 where you can, offer COD or another method as a fallback.

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, and to 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 then 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 then you 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