What merchants pay to accept cards, UPI and wallets in India, what drives each charge and which RBI, NPCI and tax rules apply in October 2026.
This section explains what each digital payment costs a merchant in India and why. Start with the overview of merchant payment processing fees, then go deeper into the charge that matters most for your sales mix.
The card guides explain the merchant discount rate (MDR): how it is split between the card issuer, the network and your acquiring bank, why credit, corporate and international cards cost more than debit cards, and the RBI caps that still apply to non-RuPay debit cards. The UPI guides cover the statutory zero charge under section 10A of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, which since the September 2026 notification covers RuPay debit cards and UPI payments up to ₹2,000, and the UPI MDR on select merchant payments above ₹2,000 that NPCI has announced and deferred until after Diwali 2026. A separate guide covers wallet (PPI) interchange and credit cards and credit lines on UPI.
Two guides deal with rules around the fee itself: 18% GST on MDR and gateway charges, and the RBI Master Direction on Payment Aggregators of September 2025, which governs escrow, merchant onboarding and settlement terms.
Rates and rules in this area changed several times in 2025 and 2026. Every rate on this site is either sourced and dated or clearly labelled illustrative. Confirm the current position on the RBI, NPCI and Department of Financial Services websites and in your own merchant agreement.
Fees, Price Drivers and 2026 Rules
The RBI ceiling on MDR for debit cards other than RuPay, the ₹20 lakh small-merchant tier, terminal versus QR caps, how to check your statement and what to do if you are overcharged.
Fees, Price Drivers and 2026 Rules
How GST applies to card MDR, UPI MDR, gateway charges and terminal or soundbox rentals in India, how to claim input tax credit, and the TDS question accountants ask.
Fees, Price Drivers and 2026 Rules
What the merchant discount rate is, how it splits between issuer, network and acquirer, why card type and channel change it, and how to read MDR in an Indian merchant offer.
Fees, Price Drivers and 2026 Rules
What Indian merchants pay to accept cards, UPI, wallets and online payments in 2026, what drives each fee, which rules apply and how to estimate your own cost.
Fees, Price Drivers and 2026 Rules
What the RBI Master Direction on Regulation of Payment Aggregators of September 2025 means for merchants: PA-O, PA-P and PA-CB, escrow, KYC, settlement terms, refunds and card data.
Fees, Price Drivers and 2026 Rules
How NPCI's MDR on select UPI merchant payments above ₹2,000 works, the deferral to after Diwali 2026, P2PM exemption, flat-fee categories and worked examples.
Fees, Price Drivers and 2026 Rules
What a merchant pays when a customer pays a UPI QR from a wallet, a RuPay credit card or a pre-sanctioned credit line, and how these differ from ordinary UPI.
Fees, Price Drivers and 2026 Rules
Which payments merchants may not be charged for in India, what changed with the 2026 amendment and S.O. 5067(E), and when businesses must offer RuPay debit and UPI.
