Remember the days when transferring money meant standing in long queues at the bank or fumbling with cash and change? Thankfully, those days are behind us! With just a smartphone in your hand, you can now send money, pay bills, recharge your phone, or even split dinner expenses, all within seconds. That’s the magic of UPI!
From paying your cab driver to settling the bill at your favourite chai tapri, UPI has made digital payments a part of everyday life. It’s quick, secure, and incredibly easy to use.
But with so many UPI apps available today, which one should you go for? In this blog, we’ll delve into some of the best UPI Apps in India, how they work, and why they might be the perfect fit for your daily payments!
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What is UPI?
UPI, or Unified Payments Interface, is a simple and secure way to send and receive money directly from your bank account using your smartphone. Imagine it as a digital bridge that connects different banks and payment apps, allowing you to transfer money instantly without the need for cash or card details.
Launched by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), UPI has transformed how Indians handle everyday payments, whether it’s splitting a bill or sending money.
All it takes is a smartphone, a UPI-linked bank account, and a Virtual Payment Address (VPA) like yourname@bank to get started.
No more worrying about remembering long account numbers or IFSC codes. Just open your UPI app, enter the VPA or scan a QR code, and your money moves instantly.
Understanding UPI Applications
UPI applications are the apps on your phone that let you use the Unified Payments Interface to send and receive money quickly and securely. Think of them as your personal digital wallet, but better, as they are directly linked to your bank account, so there’s no need to preload money or keep cash handy.
These apps do more than just transfer money. They help you pay bills, recharge your phone, shop online, book tickets, donate to causes, and even split expenses, all in just a few taps.
Plus, many UPI apps offer cool features like instant refunds, cashback offers, and easy expense tracking.
In India, there’s a wide variety of UPI apps available, each with its own unique look, but all built on the same secure UPI system.
How Does UPI Really Work?
When you use a UPI app to send money, here’s what happens behind the scenes-
First, you link your bank account to a UPI-enabled app and create a Virtual Payment Address (VPA), like yourname@bank, which acts as your digital identity.
When you want to send money, you enter the receiver’s VPA, the amount, and hit ‘send.’
The UPI system instantly checks if you have enough money, verifies both accounts, and moves the funds from your bank to theirs, usually in just a few seconds.
All this happens using a secure network managed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), which makes sure your money is safe and the transaction is genuine.
In addition to this, UPI uses multiple layers of security, like your phone’s PIN or biometric verification, to keep your account protected.
List of Best UPI Apps in India
Listed below (not by order) are some of the successful UPI Applications in India that we’ve handpicked for you-
Paytm
Paytm is one of India’s most well-known and widely used UPI apps, but it’s much more than just a payment platform. Paytm was founded in August 2010 by Vijay Shekhar Sharma with an initial investment of about USD 2 million. What began in Noida, Delhi NCR, has since evolved into a massive digital ecosystem.
For everyday users, Paytm offers a whole suite of services ranging from digital payments to booking movie tickets, recharging your phone, and even shopping online.
On the business side, Paytm is a powerful partner for merchants. It provides payment gateways that make accepting digital payments easeful, offers e-commerce solutions, and even supports business growth with loans, insurance, and customized loyalty programs.
Plus, with innovations like the Paytm Mini App Store and AI-powered tools, Paytm is constantly evolving.
PhonePe
Established in 2015 and headquartered in Bengaluru, it launched officially in 2016 and has been changing the way millions of Indians manage their daily finances ever since.
At its heart, PhonePe makes sending and receiving money incredibly easy. One doesn’t need to remember account numbers or visit banks, just a few taps on the phone and the money moves instantly through the secure UPI system.
But PhonePe doesn’t stop at UPI transfers. It lets users recharge their mobile phones and DTH connections, pay utility and credit card bills, and even manage multiple bank accounts within the app. Users can even check balances, track transactions, and send money directly to contacts.
Beyond everyday payments, PhonePe also opens up doors to investing and financial planning. One can invest in mutual funds, buy digital gold, or explore insurance plans for health, life, vehicles, and more. The app also provides access to pre-approved personal loans.
PhonePe is also a handy tool for shopping and in-store purchases, and offers digital gift cards and a wallet feature for smooth payments.
For business owners and merchants, PhonePe provides payment gateway services and other helpful tools to manage consumer transactions efficiently.
Google Pay
Google Pay, as the name suggests, is Google’s very own payment app, and it has quite an interesting journey. It all started back in 2011 as Google Wallet, aimed at making digital payments simple. Over the years, it transitioned into Android Pay, and in 2018, Google unified its payment services under a single name: Google Pay.
But in India, the story had a local twist. The app was first introduced as Tez in September 2017 before it officially became Google Pay in August 2018. And ever since, it has become one of the most popular UPI apps in the country.
Google Pay offers a range of services from instant bank-to-bank money transfers and easy bill payments to mobile recharges and FASTag top-ups.
It also enables one to manage multiple payment methods, set up autopay for subscriptions, and enjoy rewards like cashback and scratch cards just for using the app.
BHIM- Bharat Interface for Money
BHIM, short for Bharat Interface for Money, is one of the first UPI apps that truly set the tone for India’s digital payments revolution. Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 30, 2016, BHIM was developed by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) with a clear mission: to simplify digital payments and make them accessible to every Indian.
BHIM is built on the UPI system, allowing users to send and receive money directly from their bank accounts in real-time. But it’s more than just a basic payment application. With BHIM, one can scan QR codes to facilitate payments, transfer money, request payments, and manage multiple bank accounts.
What truly sets BHIM apart is its focus on inclusivity and ease of use. BHIM allows users to send money using just an Aadhaar number and make swift PIN-free payments through UPI Lite, while allowing merchants to accept payments via fingerprint with BHIM Aadhaar Pay.
With the launch of BHIM 3.0, users can now split expenses, manage family spending, and track their finances with helpful analytics.
It also supports UPI AutoPay for recurring payments, cross-border money transfers to Singapore via UPI-PayNow, and even allows users to contribute directly to their NPS accounts.
On top of all that, BHIM handles a wide range of bill payments, from FASTag recharges to insurance premiums.
Afterword
In a world that’s moving faster every day, UPI apps have made managing money feel effortless. Each UPI application has its own perks; some are packed with features, while others keep it simple. The best app for you depends on what fits your lifestyle. So go ahead and try a few out, pick the one that makes your payments smoother and stress-free!