Unified Payment Interface (UPI) allows easy and convenient medium of fund transfer between bank accounts in real-time using a virtual payment address (VPA) without entering bank details whatsoever. Customers can pay the merchant either using their VPA or by scanning the QR code at the retail stores.

As a result, more and more online retailers and apps are offering UPI payment methods to make financial transactions easier for its customers. UPI is an initiative of the National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) which provides a common library module comprising of the UPI integration programme for the websites and mobile apps.

Integrating UPI in a website/application

Currently, only the banks can act as Payment Service Providers (PSPs) for UPI and hence the first step to integrate UPI in your website/application is to partner or tie up with a bank as a merchant. The banks which are offering the UPI SDK include RBL, ICICI, Yes Bank, and Axis Bank.

Once you have the access to UPI SDK, you just need to add it to your website/application to enable transactions using UPI.

Benefits of integrating UPI in apps

Though NPCI has set UPI specifications only for the Android phones, soon iOS and Windows based mobiles will also be able to download UPI based apps. Some of the benefits for the applications for integrating UPI include:

1. Instant transfers

Considering that UPI also works in real-time and transfers funds immediately without revealing the bank account details to the payee. Undoubtedly, it has become one of the most used payment modes other than the debit/credit cards. Integrating UPI will add another payment mode to your app which attracts users, as the more payment options an app has, the better it is for the users.

1. Negligible charges

Moreover, as compared to the other payment methods like NEFT and IMPS, UPI does not charge anything. So, integrating your app with UPI gives your users a free of charge payment method.

1. More secure

Further, as paying through UPI does not require users to enter their bank account and card details for making payments, it is definitely a more secure mode of payment. So, if your app offers payments through UPI, the users can make quick and easy payments without having to load their e-wallet or enter bank details.

UPI is being considered as an incredibly well-designed payment solution as compared to all the other payment mediums. Integrating UPI in your website/application would surely attract more users as it is a convenient and a preferred payment mode.