10 March 2020, Kathmandu
In this era of technology, everything is digital including your cash and wallet. And no, it’s not an actual wallet that you carry in your pocket but a service on your smartphone. Today, there are many services for digital payment in Nepal that you can download and use. All you need is your smartphone. Surely, you must have made a few or more transactions using your digital payment service.
I mean, why not?
It’s super easy and fast!
Moreover, you can save a huge amount of your time by skipping boring waits in the queue. These online payment gateways have made our smartphones smarter. Why the hassle of carrying cash, credit//debit card or even a wallet when you can pay with just a touch of a button!
Here, we are going to discuss the best digital payments in Nepal and how they have changed the game.
What are Digital Payments?
They are a service that uses automatic modes for payment. You don’t have to use your hard cash! Both the payer and the payee use the digital channels to send and receive money. Transactions have become hassle-free and much more straightforward. And, we owe it to the local fintech companies that focus on establishing platforms for digital payment.
Before we dive in, let’s also discuss what Digital Wallets are. They are a software-based system developed to store payment details of the users. These details contain the user’s account information and password for various payment methods. The Digital Wallet is also popularly known as e-wallet and mobile wallet.
The way we look at transactions has changed, all thanks to the digital payment systems that exist today. Thus, it is truly a glorious accomplishment in the world of technology. And, it is safe to say that it has revolutionized the economic sector of Nepal.
Let us go through some of them:
eSewa
Of course, Nepal’s first online payment gateway is on the top of the list. It is the most popularly used digital wallet in the country. eSewa has been operational since 2009 and licensed by Nepal Rastra Bank as a Payment Service Provider (PSP).
Features & Services
Hands down, one of the most amazing platforms and mobile apps to ever exist! The services eSewa offers are close to limitless. So many services in one platform – one can never get enough of it!
- User-friendly UI
- Biometric verification for user
- Offline SMS mode (limited)
- All domestic payments/transactions with cashback and discounts
- Utility payments to recharge your phone, pay water bills, electricity bills, etc.
- Buy movie tickets from major multiplexes of Nepal
- Buy airline tickets
- Enjoy Remittance services
- Collect reward points upon each successful transaction and win amazing gifts
- Fingerprint verification available
- Available in both the Play Store and as well as App Store
QPay
The second one on this list is QPay Nepal, a promising digital wallet focusing on nationwide acceptance. Wondering what makes it so special? Well, the service is developed as a result of a collaboration between UnionPay International and Nepal’s very own SCT.
While other digital wallets offer a wide range of services, QPay implements a different approach. There are two versions of the mobile apps: Merchant and Customer. However, every good thing comes with a flaw. The one that can be felt with QPay is that the customer app has limited features as compared to the merchant version.
Features & Services
The alliance between SCT and UnionPay must count for something right? Indeed! Here, we focus on the customer version of the service. Let’s see what QPay got!
- Basic utility payments (such as mobile top-ups, flight booking, bill payments, internet & TV recharge, etc.)
- Minimum feature of cashback
- Able to make payments to all the SCT and UnionPay merchants (more than 20,000 across the country)
- Easy Fund transfer between QPay users within the ecosystem
- Can locate nearby QPay merchants (such as Taxi service, Restaurant, Retail shops, ATMs, and deals)
- Supports funds from UnionPay cards, or choose to connect e-banking, mobile banking or other top-up options
- No feature of fingerprint verification as of now
- Available in both App Store and Play Store
IME Pay
Next on the list for the best digital payments in Nepal is IME Pay. It is a product of one of Nepal’s leading remittance companies, IME Remittance. IME Pay may be new in the digital payment market but its marketing campaign wins fair and square.
Firstly, it is a remittance platform as it is a product of IME Remittance. Second, it becomes the obvious choice for the users of IME’s remittance services.
Features & Services
IME Pay strikes as quite a charmer in the Nepali business market. It has already sponsored a popular reality TV show Nepal Lok Star. Moreover, it has made its presence felt with outstanding promotion through advertisement boards around the city.
Let’s find out more about its characteristics and services.
-
- Basic utility payments (such as mobile top-ups, movie booking, bill payments, internet & TV subscriptions, EMI, etc.)
- Highest cashback on flight booking
- Reward points which can be redeemed in the form of prizes
- Payment in selective petrol pump for your vehicle’s fuel (with Rs. 2 cashback per liter)
- Fingerprint verification support
- Availability in both the Play Store and App Store.
Khalti
Another popular name that provides digital payment in Nepal is Khalti digital wallet. Khalti is a Nepali word that literally translates to Wallet. Launched in January 2017, it is quite new too. However, it has already reached over half a million downloads on Play Store.
The company received the PSP license from Nepal Rastra Bank recently in 2019. Talking about the UI of the Khalti app, you will find all the basic services on the home screen.
What services are we talking about? Let’s find out!
Features & Services
- Basic utility payments (such as mobile top-ups, newspaper subscription, bill payments, internet & TV subscriptions, etc.)
- Book flight and hotel tickets
- Similar web design as the mobile app
- Save up to 3% in services such as Internet & TV subscriptions, movie tickets, etc.
- Khalti points which can be exchanged for movie tickets, Khalti balance, and more
- Pay for Pathao and Tootle rides (5% cashback on the latter)
- No biometric security but the option of entering the first 4 characters of the user’s password every time the app is opened
- Available in both the Play Store and App Store.
UPay
Next up is the digital wallet that is super easy to use and maximizes security, UPay. In just a few clicks, consumers are able to process top-up payments and recharges. All it takes is the three golden steps: Registration, Adding Fund, and Payment.
What’s new, right? But wait! Upay is working on incorporating more services that include payment for School/College fees and Insurance companies. Furthermore, it is one of the safest platforms out there for easy payment and transactions.
Features & Services
- Basic utility payments (such as mobile top-ups, internet/electricity bill payments, domestic flight booking, etc.)
- Book travel tickets of buses and also for Manakamana Darshan
- Reward points which can be instantly redeemed
- Fingerprint verification not support
- Available in Play Store.
iPay.com.np
You guessed it! Next on the list is iPay, the digital wallet service run by Muncha.com. In fact, online shoppers should be familiar with Muncha! It is one of the most prominent names in gifting among Nepalese around the world. Starting its online services in 2000, it is also one of the oldest in the online business of Nepal.
iPay works as an intermediary between the shopper and the merchant for the purpose of purchasing merchandise online. Besides this, it also offers the basic utility payments to its users.
Features & Services
- Basic utility payments (such as mobile top-ups, internet/electricity bill payments, TV subscriptions, domestic flight booking, etc.)
- Allows quick payment for online shopping (Muncha.com, NepKart, Online Kinmel, Threadpaints, etc.)
- Book travel tickets of buses (Nepflights, Manakamana Darshan, HamroBus, Ticketsewa, etc.)
- Reward points which can be instantly redeemed
- Quick Fund Transfer between iPay accounts (limit of transfer is Rs. 2000 at a time)
- Fingerprint verification not support
- Available in both the Play Store and App Store.
MORU Wallet
Moru (Mobile Rupee) is your partner for the most convenient digital payment service in Nepal. It is also a digital wallet service that supports payment acceptance in different industries.
In fact, this e-Wallet platform is the commercial name of Pay Nep Limited. It is only the sixth PSP to come under existence in Nepal.
Features & Services
- Basic utility payments (such as mobile top-ups, internet/electricity bill payments, DishHome subscriptions, domestic flight booking, etc.)
- Supports easy loading of balance from your bank account
- Quick Fund Transfer between iPay accounts (limit of transfer is Rs. 5000 at a time)
- Allows Sending and Requesting of funds to and from Moru users respectively
- Fingerprint verification not support
- Available in both the Play Store and App Store.
nPay
Catering most of the digital services that exist today, nPay is next on this list. It started its payment acceptance services since 2014. So, not that old but old enough to have gained some reputation and experience in the market. This online payment gateway works on behalf of both Merchants and Banks for convenient digital payment in Nepal.
Wait! Merchants?
Yes! The platform allows merchants/sellers to accept online payment through various channels. The platform is not for buyers!
In fact, it works as a bridge between several banking mediums. It offers a single and simple payment acceptance module to all types of merchants.
Let’s see what makes it special!
Features & Services
- Claims to provide robust solutions with reliable means for quick payment
- Allows real-time payment acceptance for all types of business offering various products and services
- Supports payment modes such as Debit/Credit card payments, eBanking payments, mobile banking payments, QR payments, eWallet Payments, etc.
- Provides sale reports through its merchant portal
- Two Factor Authentication for mobile banking and eBanking
- Provides quick registration for Merchant that is authorized by Government under the compliance set by Nepal Rastra Bank
Nepal Payment Solution
The fintech industry’s next breakthrough digital payment solution is Nepal Payment Solution. The service offers a fast and secure way to accept payments online.
Most likely, you will find a proper solution for payments in Banks, eCommerce, Remittance, Microfinance, etc.
Features & Services
- Fast and secure online payment service
- Provides developer-friendly APIs for quick and hassle-free integration
- Access to multiple financial institutions
- Robust and reliable architecture
- Claims to support multi currencies for localized buying experience from any part of the world
connect IPS
Just link your bank accounts with this digital payment platform and you’re all set! ConnectIPS enables fund transfer, payment processor and biller payments. Technically, it is not a digital wallet. In fact, it functions more like an online debit card.
This platform is a product of Nepal Clearing House that seamlessly supports citizen-to-government (C2G), customer-to-business (C2B) and peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions directly from/to bank accounts.
Certainly, something new indeed!
Features & Services
- Supports fund transfer from/to bank accounts
- Reliable and Easy connection to your bank account
- Supports utility payments (NTC landline, mobile top-up, ADSL)
- Make payments for Government services such as IRD, LokSewa, CIT, FCGO, Passport, etc.
- Supports payment acceptance in microfinance, credit card, and stock market
- Available on both web channel and mobile app (iOS/Android).
Neps.com.np
Our list concludes with NePS (Nepal Electronic Payment Systems), a consortium of 7 national level commercial banks.
Interesting, right?
The idea was to pool the resources of these banks. But why, you ask?
Isn’t it obvious? To provide a common platform for secure and reliable electronic payment.
Features & Services
- Serves as a common platform by pooling the resources of 7 national level commercial banks
- Provides customers with the solution of issuance of cards and acquire transactions through various delivery channels
- ATM and POS Management/Monitoring
- Card Management Hosting of Credit/Debit cards
- Card and PIN Personalization
Conclusion
That’s it for our list of top digital payments in Nepal. Thankfully because of these platforms, Nepal has not faced any issues due to the lack of international payment gateways. Each one of these services has its own perks and downfalls.
It is entirely up to the consumers to decide what they actually need. Do you think these platforms justify your needs?