UPI (Unified Payments Interface) is a real-time payment system in India that lets you send and receive money instantly between bank accounts, using just a mobile number, UPI ID, or QR code — no card details or account numbers needed.
How It Works
- Every user gets a UPI ID (also called a VPA — Virtual Payment Address), like
name@bankorname@paytm, linked to their bank account. - Payments happen directly between bank accounts in real time, 24/7, including weekends and holidays.
- Apps like Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, and most banking apps all support UPI — you can pay someone on a different app than the one they use.
UPI and QR Codes
Most in-person UPI payments happen by scanning a QR code that encodes the recipient’s UPI ID (and sometimes a fixed amount). Scanning it in any UPI app pre-fills the payment details — no typing required.
Try It Yourself
- Generate a payment-ready QR code for your own UPI ID with our free UPI QR Code Generator.
- Need a QR code for something else — a link, WiFi network, or contact card? Use our general QR Code Generator instead.