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Businesses in India can accept digital payments without relying on UPI, but the right alternative depends on whether you sell in person, take online orders, or collect recurring bills. For physical checkout, card acceptance through a POS terminal is a direct option. For an online store, a payment aggregator can provide one integration for several payment methods. NEFT, IMPS and RTGS let customers transfer money to a bank account, but they do not by themselves provide a full checkout and reconciliation system.
Choose by how and what you collect
First separate the payment instrument from the acceptance setup. A card, prepaid instrument or wallet is something a customer pays with. A POS terminal or online gateway is infrastructure that accepts or routes that payment. An aggregator can connect a merchant to multiple instruments through one integration. NEFT, IMPS and RTGS are bank-transfer rails; BBPS is a bill-payment and collection platform with specific participant requirements.
| Option | Best fit | What the merchant needs to consider |
|---|---|---|
| Cards through a POS terminal | In-person retail | Arrange card acceptance with an acquiring bank or provider, and confirm that the terminal is supported. |
| Payment gateway or aggregator | Websites and online checkout | Check which methods are supported and how fees, payouts, refunds, reconciliation and disputes work. |
| NEFT, IMPS or RTGS | Direct account-to-account payment | Provide correct beneficiary details and plan how you will identify, reconcile and refund transfers. |
| BBPS | Businesses collecting bills | Participate through the BBPS structure, including a Biller Operating Unit directly or through a biller aggregator. |
| Digital rupee (e₹) | Customers and merchants using supported e₹ wallets | Acceptance depends on wallet and QR compatibility; broad merchant availability is not established by the cited RBI material. |
For in-person sales: accept cards at a POS terminal
A POS terminal lets a merchant capture card payment information at a physical retail location. RBI describes POS infrastructure as supporting card payments, including credit, debit and prepaid cards. To use one, arrange acceptance with an acquiring bank or payment provider and confirm that the terminal works with that provider. A terminal is the acceptance device; the provider’s terms govern matters such as fees and settlement timing.
Before choosing a setup, ask the provider which cards and prepaid instruments it accepts, how settlements and refunds are handled, and what reporting is available. Merchant fees and provider-specific terms vary; the RBI material cited here does not establish current rates or service terms.
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For online sales: use a gateway or payment aggregator
Payment gateway
A payment gateway supplies technology that routes and facilitates online payment processing. RBI distinguishes this technology role from handling funds: gateways provide infrastructure but do not handle the merchant’s funds.
Payment aggregator
A payment aggregator enables e-commerce sites and merchants to accept different payment instruments without building a separate payment integration for each one. This can simplify online checkout when you want to offer several methods through a single integration. RBI explains the distinction and roles in its payment aggregator and gateway FAQs and 2022 report, Benchmarking India’s Payment Systems.
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When comparing providers, check supported payment methods, fees, payout timing, refunds, reconciliation tools and dispute handling. These are provider-specific details, so verify them directly before integrating. Do not assume that a gateway and an aggregator offer identical services or terms.
Can customers pay a business by NEFT, IMPS or RTGS?
Yes. A merchant can share account details and ask a customer to transfer funds. This is a bank transfer, not a complete checkout workflow: it may not automatically connect an order to a payment, provide an instant confirmation to your store, or include merchant tools for refunds and disputes. You may need to match incoming transfers to orders and handle exceptions yourself.
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NEFT for a broad range of transfers
RBI describes NEFT as a retail transfer system operating 24x7x365 in 48 half-hourly batches, with no transaction floor or ceiling in that system description. It can suit transfers across a broad range of amounts. Confirm the initiation and beneficiary process with your bank. RBI’s FAQ on centralised payment systems is available here.
IMPS for instant domestic transfers
IMPS is an instant domestic transfer option. It moves funds between accounts, but using it does not automatically create online checkout, order matching or a merchant refund workflow. RBI identifies IMPS and UPI as fast payment systems in its 2022 payment-systems benchmarking report.
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RTGS for large-value transfers
RBI describes RTGS as its large-value payment system, settling in real time on a gross basis and available around the clock. The RBI FAQ cited here states a minimum transaction amount of ₹2 lakh. That makes RTGS suited to large-value, high-priority transfers rather than routine low-value checkout. Confirm your bank’s initiation and beneficiary workflow.
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For bill collection: consider BBPS
BBPS is designed for bill payment and collection, not as a universal replacement for ordinary retail checkout. RBI’s 2024 directions define it as an integrated platform through which bills can be paid or collected using channels such as apps, mobile banking, physical agents and bank branches, with payment modes that include UPI, internet banking, cards, cash and prepaid payment instruments. The directions took effect on April 1, 2024.
A biller participates through a Biller Operating Unit, either directly or through a biller aggregator. Businesses should check whether their bill type and operating model fit the BBPS framework and confirm onboarding requirements with an appropriate participant. Read the RBI Bharat Bill Payment System Directions, 2024.
Is the digital rupee an alternative to UPI?
Yes, but e₹ works differently. RBI describes e₹ as a digital form of the rupee that can be held separately in an e₹ wallet; UPI is a means of payment. When a customer pays a merchant at a CBDC QR using e₹, the transaction is between e₹ wallets and settles instantaneously without passing through users’ bank accounts. If an e₹ app scans a UPI QR, settlement follows UPI timelines instead. RBI’s FAQ describes an offline feature as being explored, so that does not establish that merchants can currently accept e₹ offline. See the RBI Digital Rupee FAQs, dated January 9, 2025.
How to decide what to offer
- For a shop or counter: start by asking an acquiring bank or provider about card acceptance and supported POS terminals.
- For an online store: compare aggregators for the payment methods customers need, then check integration, settlement, refund, reconciliation and dispute arrangements.
- For occasional direct payments: bank transfers may work if you can manage beneficiary instructions and manually match payments to sales.
- For billers: investigate BBPS participation rather than treating it as generic merchant checkout.
- For e₹: confirm that your customers’ wallets and your acceptance setup support the relevant e₹ payment flow; do not assume a UPI QR means an e₹ transaction.
RBI sources establish the roles of these systems, but not current merchant pricing, specific provider payout schedules, or the availability of a particular POS model. Verify those details with the bank or provider before committing.
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