Best Payment Gateways in Pakistan (2021) – The Ultimate Guide

Best Payment Gateways in Pakistan (2021) – The Ultimate Guide

Payment gateways in Pakistan are a significant impact holder when it comes to the digitalization of the country. Businesses aiming to sell their products or services online face the biggest challenge when it comes to finding the best payment gateways in Pakistan. Here we’ll dive deep into the finest (& various) options available in the market, in different sectors, some of which you weren’t even aware existed. But first, let’s start with the fundamentals.

What is a Payment Gateway?

Payment gateways are the technologies used by sellers to accept debit/credit card payments from their customers. This not only refers to the card reading devices often found in brick & mortar stores but also points to the online systems making an entrance of consumer’s money in the seller’s pocket through the internet.

How Does a Payment Gateway Works?

Payment gateways, specifically the online payment gateways, are front-end technologies that transfer the customer’s financial information to the merchant’s (seller) bank where the transaction is then made. Here’s a detailed look into how a payment gateway works with each step broken down. Bingo, we now have a good understanding of what a payment gateway is and how its system bridges a financial model between the buyer and the seller. The question now arises, what are some of the best payment gateways in Pakistan. Let’s find out by dividing the payment gateways available in Pakistan into different categories.

Best Payment Gateways in Pakistan – Banks

Thinking of transactions, money, and selling/buying the very first thing that comes to mind are banks. The transactional journey, even when powered through online technology, always ends at someone’s bank account. So let’s start with the banks that are providing online payment gateways in the country.

1. Habib Bank Limited

Habib Bank Pakistan, also known as HBL Pakistan, is a leading commercial bank in Pakistan with a whopping customer base of 27 million.

Setup Fee	Recurring Fee per Year	Transaction Fee	Merchant Discount Rate	Settlement Period
Rs. 40,000/-	Rs. 40,000/-	None	2.5%	14 Working Day

 

Pros	Cons
Proven and renowned payment gateway	Long session before the online card payment starts
Protects from fraudulent transactions	Charges for internet payments are higher

While the primary objective of Habib Bank remains prioritizing growth in the unbanked population, it’s equally striving in the online payments facilities. When it comes to online payment gateways in Pakistan, Habib bank offers simple and easy transactional models no matter if you’re using a website, an eCommerce store, a mobile app, or social platforms like Facebook shop.

2. United Bank Limited

Another big player in the Pakistani banking industry, United Bank Limited, (UBL) having a customer base of 4 million.

Setup Fee	Recurring Fee per Year	Transaction Fee	Merchant Discount Rate	Settlement Period
Rs. 40,000/-	Rs. 50,000/-	None	3.5%	10 Business Days

 

Pros	Cons
No transaction fee required	You receive no SMS alerts via UBL Wiz card on shopping online
Comparatively a shorter settlement period

UBL is considered one of the widest banking networks, having around 44,000 customer touchpoints and around 1,400 branches nationwide. Taking into account the digital payment needs of a wide array of its customers, UBL launched UBL Go Green Internet Merchant Acquiring Service which aims to speed up the transactions for both buyers and sellers across the country, with the power of the internet.

3. Muslim Commercial Bank Limited

Muslim Commercial Bank Limited has a renowned name in the banking sector, thanks to it’s sturdy brand image developed over the years.

Setup Fee	Recurring Fee per Year	Transaction Fee	Merchant Discount Rate	Settlement Period
Rs. 50,000/-	Rs. 48,000/-	Rs. 15/-	2.8%	Not Specified

 

Pros	Cons
Enhanced security and flexibility	Not so good customer support
3D-Secure payer authentication

With a massive customer base of 7 million and a strong network of 1550 branches across the country, MCB is one of the few dominant players in the Pakistani finance industry. With the integration of the internet, MCB presented its Internet banking program which aims to empower the merchants to scale their sales using the internet with easy to use payment gateway they provide. 

Best Payment Gateways in Pakistan – Fin-Tech Companies

We’ve had a look at some of the top names in the banking industry which were making buying/selling easy through the internet. Those are traditional banks staying up to date and to stay alive and not left out in the industry. Let’s now put an eye on some modern-day fin-tech companies (financial technology) built with the sole purpose of making transactions and finance easy.

1. Payoneer

Payoneer is a popular payment platform, founded in 2005, which makes online money transfer easier and offer digital payment services for business, SMEs, corporates, and freelancers.

Function	Focus Area
Cross-border payment platform	Accept/send funds across borders as if they were managing their simple bank accounts.

 

Pros	Cons
Low transaction’s amount for a cross-border app	Comparatively a higher annual fee of $29.95
Funds can be transferred directly to your local bank	International transfers must be a purchasing of a service

From freelancing platforms like Fiverr & Upwork, to eCommerce marketplaces like Amazon & Shopee and finally, to big enterprises like Google & Airbnb, Payoneer has revolutionized the financial space massively. Specifically in Pakistan, Payoneer is being used at a usage scale of PayPal in other countries.

• • Transfer Options: Online, Telephone
  • Withdrawal Options: Bank

• Payment Options: Bank Transfer, Credit Card, Debit Card
• Regular Payments: No

2. JazzCash

JazzCash is a mobile money transferring service offered by a leading telecommunication company Jazz in Pakistan.

Function	Focus Area
Branchless Banking Solutions/Payment Gateway	Let users send money to CNIC, bank account, or JazzCash mobile account in seconds

 

Pros	Cons
Quick money transfer is easy	There is no Sign in option after installation
Easy to understand and simple flow of finance	Fingerprint’s pin can be problematic sometimes
Can be integrated with your Payoneer account

In simple words, JazzCash account is an actual bank account that is integrated with your mobile number, allowing you to take advantage of transferring or receiving money anywhere, anytime. Technically JazzCash isn’t a fin-tech company but their goal is the same; providing freedom in financial services and transactions. One can send/receive money over the following data;

• CNIC
• Mobile account
• Bank account

Other services JazzCash can be very useful in are;

• Loan repayments
• Online payments
• Insurance
• Saving plans

JazzCash has seen incredible growth over the years and currently stands at over 9 million monthly active users.

3. EasyPaisa

EasyPaisa was the first mobile banking service in Pakistan when it first launched in 2009 by a well-known telecommunication company, Telenor.

Function	Focus Area
Branchless banking service/payment gateway	Allow users to send/receive money and transact money for billing and management purposes

 

Pros	Cons
Mobile app’s interface is quite a user friendly	Occasional problems when correcting failed transactions
Low transaction charges for merchants. (2-3%)

As of 2020 EasyPaisa has around 7.4 million active users and is seeking more growth over the years. In general, EasyPaisa provides the following financial services to the users;

• Business and salaries payments
• Cash management
• Supply chain payments
• Online payment gateway

EasyPaisa has grown tremendously in the fin-tech space and has served the following companies with its solutions;

• Uber
• Ruba Digital
• Seed Out
• Daraz
• Bykea
• HumMart

When it comes to online payment gateways, EasyPaisa offers the following advantages;

• Simple onboarding through a registration portal
• No hassle of venting a corporate account
• Easily accessible assistance for online integration

4. FonePay

FonePay is a modern-day fin-tech company and mobile application providing easy financial services to the consumers.

Function	Focus Area
Software House Wallet	Manage your payments, loyalty and rewards on a single platform

 

Pros	Cons
Ease, security, and simplicity of the digital services	Mobile application has some usability errors
Transact conveniently just by using the recipient’s mobile no.

Powered by Mastercard, FonePay is a digital lifestyle platform allowing you to pay anyone for anything any time in just a few seconds. Using FonePAy the consumers can pay for any third-party tool or service they’re using. Here’s some of these;

• Google Play
• Hulu
• Netflix
• iTunes
• Amazon

Currently, they’re integrated with around 45 banks and are directed towards the goal of making cashless transactions normal and popular. There are various loyalty rewards offered by the service. You get discounts and better economical packages for sticking with them long.

5. Keenu Wallet

Keenu Wallet is another famous digital wallet and online payment gateway in Pakistan.

Function	Focus Area
Digital Wallet	Helps you make fast, secure, and rewarding payments

 

Pros	Cons
Getting cashback on anything is no hassle	Cashback can only be used via Keenu Wallet
Integration of developer-friendly plugins	No discounts are offered

The emergence of Keenu Wallet is lessening the gap between retail stores and online payment options. Keenu Wallet can be used in a variety of ways. Here are a few ways it helps;

• Pay for anything through the app
• Use special bar code at the stores
• Make transactions between each other
• And you can purchase other services like; booking a bus, insurance, etc.

Setting up your account on the application, once download, is pretty simple as well. Here are the steps you have to go through;

• Put your phone number & verify the code
• Put your name along with your CNIC
• Verify your ID; Keenu Wallet is compliant with SBP so it’s necessary

Conclusion

Finding the best payment gateway in Pakistan can be a tough job, especially when there are so many options windhampharmacy.com/hyzaar available. However, making the right choice is critically important as all your business transactions will be dealt with it. As a digital agency, integrating online payment gateways for our clients, our ecommerce development services have given us an idea of what an ideal payment gateway should possess. Although a specific choice totally depends on the nature of your business, your targeted location and audience, the product/service market needs, and hundreds of other factors, still we’ve found a few factors to consider before choosing your online payment gateway in Pakistan;

• A simple payment flow
• Look at the fees and service agreement
• Check for the effectiveness of the transaction
• Make sure the Checkout easy on all devices
• Make sure the integration processes are simple

A free tip would be not to be overwhelmed with the options available. There is no perfect payment gateway in Pakistan. You just have to pick one that aligns with your business goals nearest.