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PhonePe alternatives: 3 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 8, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rankAll digital wallet apps

Top picks

Common reasons people leave PhonePe: busy app with many offers for loans, insurance and investments, and requires an Indian bank account and mobile number. We ranked 3 alternatives by how directly each one replaces PhonePe, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Google Pay currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingVerified priceOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Google Pay logoGoogle PayFree—NoAndroid, iOS3 of 368.8
2CRED logoCREDFree—NoAndroid, iOS4 of 459.4
3BHIM logoBHIMFree—NoAndroid, iOS5 of 557.3
  1. Google Pay logo

    1. Google PayTop pick

    Best for: People in India who want a simple, clutter-free UPI app tied directly to their bank

    FreeAndroid, iOS

    68.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from PhonePe

    Cleaner UPI app with fewer upsells, for people who mostly just pay and transfer.

    Pros

    • Free bank-to-bank transfers over UPI
    • Works with every bank that supports BHIM UPI
    • Simpler, less cluttered than super-app rivals

    Cons

    • India only; other countries use Google Wallet instead
    • No travel or movie ticket booking like Paytm
    • Rewards are scratch cards, not predictable cashback
    Visit Google Pay Compare with PhonePeDetails and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Google Pay a good PhonePe alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Transfer fees
    Zero
    Checked Nov 8, 2026pay.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Bank support
    All banks on BHIM UPI
    Checked Nov 8, 2026pay.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Customer support
    24/7 toll-free phone line
    Checked Nov 8, 2026pay.google.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. CRED logo

    2. CRED

    Best for: Indian credit card holders with good credit who want bill reminders and rewards on payments

    FreeAndroid, iOS

    59.4

    score / 100

    Why switch from PhonePe

    Better for credit card holders who want bill reminders and rewards on card and UPI payments.

    Pros

    • Pays credit card bills for most major Indian banks in one place
    • Free credit score checks via CIBIL
    • Rewards and cashback on bill and UPI payments

    Cons

    • Requires a credit score of 750 or more to join
    • Rewards are mostly partner offers rather than plain cash
    • Mobile only, and only for Indian mobile numbers
    Visit CRED Compare with PhonePeDetails and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is CRED a good PhonePe alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Membership requirement
    Credit score of 750+
    Checked Nov 8, 2026cred.club(opens source in a new tab)
    Members
    25 million+
    Checked Nov 8, 2026cred.club(opens source in a new tab)
    Credit score checks
    Free, via CIBIL soft inquiry
    Checked Nov 8, 2026cred.club(opens source in a new tab)
    UPI payments
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026cred.club(opens source in a new tab)
  3. BHIM logo

    3. BHIM

    Best for: People in India who want a plain UPI app run by the network operator itself

    FreeAndroid, iOS

    57.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from PhonePe

    NPCI's own no-frills UPI app with almost no offers or extra services.

    Pros

    • Run by NPCI, the operator of UPI
    • Free, with few upsells compared with commercial UPI apps
    • Supports UPI AUTOPAY and UPI Circle
    • Available in several Indian languages

    Cons

    • Works only with Indian bank accounts and mobile numbers
    • Fewer rewards and extra services than PhonePe or Paytm
    • Needs a debit card to set up
    Visit BHIM Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1570
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is BHIM a good PhonePe alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Requirements
    Bank account, registered mobile, debit card
    Checked Nov 7, 2026bhimupi.org.in(opens source in a new tab)
    Pay by
    Mobile number or UPI ID
    Checked Nov 7, 2026bhimupi.org.in(opens source in a new tab)
    Recurring payments
    UPI AUTOPAY
    Checked Nov 7, 2026bhimupi.org.in(opens source in a new tab)
    Availability
    24x7
    Checked Nov 7, 2026bhimupi.org.in(opens source in a new tab)
    Operator
    NPCI
    Checked Nov 7, 2026bhimupi.org.in(opens source in a new tab)

The best PhonePe alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Google Pay logo

Best PhonePe alternative for most people

Google Pay

Cleaner UPI app with fewer upsells, for people who mostly just pay and transfer.

CRED logo

Best PhonePe alternative for a free option

CRED

Better for credit card holders who want bill reminders and rewards on card and UPI payments.

BHIM logo

Best PhonePe alternative for iPhone and Android

BHIM

NPCI's own no-frills UPI app with almost no offers or extra services.

PhonePe alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to PhonePe?

Google Pay ranks first right now. Cleaner UPI app with fewer upsells, for people who mostly just pay and transfer. CRED and BHIM follow it in our ranking.

PhonePe vs Google Pay: what's the difference?

Both PhonePe and Google Pay are free to use. Both run on Android and iOS.

Is PhonePe free?

PhonePe is free to use.

Is there a free alternative to PhonePe?

Yes. Google Pay (free), CRED (free) and BHIM (free) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to PhonePe?

None of the 3 alternatives in this list is open source.

Why do people switch from PhonePe?

The complaints we hear most: busy app with many offers for loans, insurance and investments; requires an Indian bank account and mobile number; international UPI works only in a handful of countries.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces PhonePe, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.