Top 5 Best UPI Apps For Android in 2020: UPI Explained

UPI (Unified Payments Interface) Apps For Android 

In the past few years, especially after the rise of JIO, the digital spectrum has changed considerably in India. The digital revolution gave a chance to many of the online payment systems to emerge from zero to hero. The Indian Govt. is also taking many initiatives to promote digital payment solutions in India and if things continue like this then we can predict that the UPI apps in India are the future or maybe the future is already here. 

After the launch of Unified Payment Interface (UPI) in India, many banks and third-party companies have started coming up with their own mobile payment apps with UPI support through which you can send or receive money across UPI linked bank accounts. These apps have changed the way we pay bills, buy groceries, or transfer money to our friends and families. 

The issue is that many companies are trying to enter this game every day and this is creating a lot of chaos among the public for choosing the right UPI app in India 2019. To make things simpler for our readers, we have come up with the list of some of the most popular, used and best UPI apps in India. But before we dive into the list of UPI apps for mobile, it’s important to understand a few things about UPI. Let’s take a look:

What is UPI? 

Unified Payment Interface or commonly known as UPI is created by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) under the supervision and guidelines of Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The UPI apps just need a mobile number and from then and there you can send and receive money via the bank accounts linked with your registered mobile number. Sounds easy? 

The best part of all is that everything is done on a real-time basis and one doesn’t need to manually enter all the bank details. Everyone is allotted a unique Virtual Payment Address (VPA) through which money can be sent or received among parties directly in their linked bank accounts. After the invention of UPI 2.0 by NPCI, it seems this thing is going to create a lot of boom among companies and the users as well. 

How Does UPI actually work? 

The UPI payments work through the following ways:

1. QR Code: After the implementation of UPI 2.0, the QR Code has seemed to become a common thing among retail shops. The QR code over different merchants can be scanned and the amount can be confirmed via MPIN.
2. Mobile Number: The money can be sent directly on a mobile number linked to the bank account. This process is possible through the sharing of MMID.
3. VPA ID: If you are shopping at an online store like Amazon, Flipkart, etc then at the time of the payment page, you will have to enter your VPA ID, and continue the payment process by confirming the MPIN in your UPI app. 
4. Bank Details: In this method, the account details, mainly the account number and IFSC code is shared to initiate transactions.
5. Aadhar Number: The money sending and receiving can be performed by sharing Aadhar number linked bank account. To verify, you will need to scan your fingerprint. 

Features Of UPI Apps:

1. Digital Wallet: The new UPI apps give you the option to add money to your wallet through which you can perform online transactions at your own pace. 
2. Split Bill: These apps let you split the bill among your friends and family quite easily. This feature can come to a lot of handy when you head out for some dinner or function that required payment to be made. Things divided equally, results in the satisfaction of all! 
3. Real-Time Basis: Every transaction, no matter at what time, whether in the morning or night, will be completed instantly on a real-time basis. 
4. One Time Mandate: If you have to pay frequent bills like water bills, electricity bills, rent, etc then you can set regular payments method. The money would automatically get deducted from your bank account and reach the desired location. 
5. Free: The UPI apps in India are free of cost and hopefully will remain the same in the future. 
6. Single App For Multiple Banks: Single app, but multiple bank accounts! You can try as many combinations as you prefer, just the mobile number needs to be linked with the right bank accounts. 

What are the requirements for attaining UPI? 

As UPI is all about bank accounts, money, and similar stuff, there are certain requirements or guidelines that you need to fulfill before you can opt for the UPI apps. 

• The first and foremost requirement that you need to fulfill is having a bank account. Now, that can be a savings account or current account. 
• The right mobile number associated with the bank account. 
• The debit card facility so that the card details can be added into the UPI app. 
• The phone number SIM needs to be present and activated on your device so that you can send and receive messages. 
• The number should contain sufficient balance for the important message sending to take place. 
• A good smartphone running on a supported operating system, and a stable internet connection should do the work.

What are some safety tips to keep in mind while using these UPI apps? 

If you decide to choose any app from the below UPI apps list, then you should keep some safety tips in mind to prevent yourself from landing up in any fraudulent activity or getting your account compromised. 

• Make sure that you don’t give out your VPA ID (Virtual Payment Address) to any stranger or someone you don’t trust. 
• Nowadays, there’s a scam going on where some fraudsters request money from other bank accounts and few unaware fellows end up thinking that they are receiving the money and confirm the UPI transaction alert on mobile, only to find out later that they have been fooled. So, whenever you receive an alert, don’t forget to check where the money is going or coming from. 
• There can be a lot of mod or cloned versions of popular UPI apps like Paytm, BHIM, etc and it’s your duty to not install them as they can turn out to be fake and extract all of your confidential information. 
• Always be safe from data siphoning by not installing any remote access apps like TeamViewer or AnyDesk on your smartphone. 

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Top 5 Best UPI Apps For Android in 2020

1) Paytm Payments Bank 

Paytm was earlier a wallet and it still is, but now they have also launched Paytm Payments Bank for UPI transactions. The best part of all which gives Paytm an edge over others is that it’s accepted in most of the places across the nation. It’s said to be one of the earliest digital payment apps in India that rose to fame. Many other similar apps started at the same time but they couldn’t match up with the popularity of Paytm. 

This app has a high number of effective features that drive its audience crazy. A while back, they had also released their physical debit card which is linked to Rupay debit card. In terms of UPI, Paytm is the most used app among the others, that’s why I put it on the top, but that does not mean, It is the best. We have covered the best UPI Apps for Android.

After the KYC implementation rules by the RBI, you will have to first complete your KYC before you can utilize the service. As per the stats, it’s revealed that Paytm dominates the offline transaction market for QR code in India. If you want to try out an app that is accepted almost everywhere then undoubtedly go for Paytm. 

Features In Brief:

• It’s said to be one of the best UPI apps that gives cashback offers. 
• It’s old and popular among people throughout India. 
• One can request for the physical debit card from the Paytm Payments Bank 
• Easily perform any transactions right from electricity bills to DTH recharges. 
• Invest in mutual funds or convert your money into gold right from within the app. 

Download/Install from Google Play- Click Me.

2) BHIM 

Bharat Interface for Money, short for BHIM is developed and maintained from time to time by National Payments Corporation of India or NPCI. It sports a sleeky UI, which makes people get dragged towards it. Though being an almost government based UPI app, it doesn’t seem to compromise anyhow with the quality and standards of the market and probably that’s the reason that it can give tough competition to other players. 

BHIM is one of the most secure UPI apps and because it’s owned by NPCI, you have another reason to trust it. Like most of the other apps, this service also has options for generating QR codes, changing UPI pin, transferring money, splitting the bill, to name a few. No KYC difficulties, queries or anything as such! Just make sure that your number is linked with the right bank account/accounts, and then you can register for an account and start enjoying the benefits of the service. 

Features In Brief:

• It has a single click money transfer option.
• It sports a clean interface with minimal icons and white background 
• It is linked with different services including the BHIM SBI Pay, BHIM Baroda Pay, and BHIM Axis Pay. 
• Promoted by the government, which gives a sense of security to the users. 
• Split bills, set payment reminders, etc for free. 

Download/Install from Google Play- Click Me.

3) Mobikwik 

Mobikwik was developed in the year 2009, by two individuals, Bipinpreet Singh and Upasana Takku. The app is also one of the earliest digital payments apps in the country and it seemed to do pretty well in the starting as it was able to collect a lot of user base but in the long run, due to the heavy market competition, it lost many of its customers. It recently introduced the UPI payment platform in its app with a good number of features. 

Mobikwik not only has a decent user base but many registered retailers also accept payments through Mobikwik. The app may seem a bit clumsy at first but once you are used to its interface, you won’t have any issues operating it. Plus, the customer service of Mobikwik is quite fast and supportive, compared to others on the list. 

Features In Brief:

• Perform payments through a single and instant click
• Set payment reminders for monthly payments 
• It has integrations with a lot of eCommerce merchants. 
• Add money through cards or Internet banking too. 
• Recharge, pay bills, send money, take a loan and much more in a single app.

Download/Install from Google Play- Click Me.

4) Phone Pe 

Phone Pe was launched as a Bangalore based UPI payments app back in 2016. After some time, the e-commerce giant, Flipkart bought the service, seeing its future potential. Though, Flipkart itself got sold to Walmart! 😜.  If the reports are to be believed then Phone Pe will be the first Indian app to be linked as a payment method in the popular Walmart India’s “B2B Cash&Carryy Stores”. Phone Pe is already beating apps like Paytm by having almost 54% market share. Yes, we can definitely say that Phone Pe is one of the best UPI apps for Android.

The service is powered by ‘Yes Bank’ and they are held responsible for carrying out the UPI service throughout the nation. Phone Pe is also known for quite a lot of offers like the recent scratch cards that they have introduced through which one can scratch and win money if their luck favors. They are also indulged in the selling of digital gold, just like Paytm Payments Bank. Easily download the app, register and start performing transactions of up to 1 lakh per day at any time of the day. 

Features In Brief:

• It supports money transferring between popular Indian wallet services including Freecharge, Airtel Money and Jio Money. 
• Easily purchase digital gold within the app 
• Various Cashback and reward programs across various eCommerce merchants 
• It even lets you clear your credit card bills within a fraction of seconds. 
• Amazing and attractive UI that will make you fall in love with the app.

Download/Install from Google Play- Click Me.

5) Google Pay 

If there’s one thing that Google did specially for Indians and which we are proud of them i.e. Google Pay, formerly known as Tez. It’s one of the most secure and trusted UPI app that comes with loads of features. The reason we called it one of the most secured is because of the fact that it carries more security features than compared to some apps listed here. It is one of the best UPI apps for android in India. Every time, you try to gain fresh access to the app, you will have to input your PIN. 

It’s one of the few apps that’s available in multiple Indian languages including Hindi, Telugu, Bengali, Gujarat, Marathi, and a few more. Earlier there was mainly support for 4 banks but after getting Integrated into the UPI app list, every bank that is linked with BHIM UPI became a part of it. It has its own referral program where you can earn money for referring your friends and family members. Cool!

Features In Brief:

• In Cash Mode transactions, there is support for Audio NFC technology. 
• It isn’t any wallet, everything is taking place through banks only, now that can be sending or receiving. 
• Many reward programs and offers that would tempt you to use the service more and more. 
• It has the Google Pay, Safe Shield, to make your experience safe and secure. 
• Various partnered merchants and support for in-app payments.

Download/Install from Google Play- Click Me.

Final Words:

The UPI apps of all banks seem to be making life easier for the public. If someone says that the payment apps future is yet to come, then they are wrong as the future is already here. If you ask us the best UPI app for android among the list then we can’t pick one name as every app has its own advantages and disadvantages. Our duty was to select the Top 5 Best UPI apps for Android of all time and out of these, now you can choose one as your main preference, depending upon your needs and requirements. But, still, if we have to choose one without being biased in any manner then it has to be Google Pay or Phone Pe. 

We hope that the UPI apps will help you perform seamless transactions at your own pace. If you encounter any issues and doubts related to the above-listed apps, then let us know in the comments section. Someone from the reader or the team would surely get back to you. Also, if you have any more UPI app suggestions, then drop us a comment. We are waiting for your responses!