PhonePe
India's large UPI payments app, with bill payments, investments, insurance, loans and travel booking.
Updated · AppBreakup editorial · Android, iOS
Is PhonePe free?
Yes, free to use
Switch from PhonePe to
All 3
Google PayCompareFree
CREDCompareFree
BHIMFree
- Verified facts
- 4 of 4
- Alternatives ranked
- 3
- Approved reviews
- 0
- Visits sent from here
- 0
About PhonePe
PhonePe is one of India's most widely used payment apps, built around UPI. You link a bank account to send money, scan QR codes in shops and pay online, and you can also use UPI Lite for small payments, link a RuPay credit card or a pre-approved bank credit line to UPI, and split expenses with friends. Beyond payments it handles mobile and DTH recharges, electricity and other bills, FASTag, rent and credit card bills, and books flights, trains, buses and hotels. It also sells mutual funds, digital gold, insurance and loans, and offers co-branded credit cards. Outside India, UPI payments work at select merchants in a few countries. The app is free to use; PhonePe earns from merchants, financial products and ads. The breadth is the main reason to pick it and also the main complaint: the app pushes many offers. It requires an Indian bank account and runs on Android and iPhone.
Best for: People in India who want UPI, bills, recharges and investments in one app.
Pros and cons
What works
- Accepted almost everywhere in India
- Bills, recharges, FASTag and travel booking in the same app
- UPI Lite, RuPay credit cards and credit lines on UPI
- UPI payments at select merchants abroad
Why people leave
- 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
PhonePe vs Google Pay, CRED and BHIM
From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.
| Attribute | PhonePe | Google Pay | CRED | BHIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free | Free | Free |
| Verified price | — | — | — | — |
| Free plan | Free app | Free app | Free app | Free app |
| Open source | No | No | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No | No | No |
| Platforms | Android, iOS | Android, iOS | Android, iOS | Android, iOS |
Full PhonePe vs Google Pay comparisonFull PhonePe vs CRED comparison
Top PhonePe alternatives
See all 3- 1Google Pay68.8
Cleaner UPI app with fewer upsells, for people who mostly just pay and transfer.
- 2CRED59.4
Better for credit card holders who want bill reminders and rewards on card and UPI payments.
- 3BHIM57.3
NPCI's own no-frills UPI app with almost no offers or extra services.
Why people left PhonePe
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
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Reviews
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PhonePe: common questions
What is PhonePe?
PhonePe: India's large UPI payments app, with bill payments, investments, insurance, loans and travel booking. Best for people in India who want UPI, bills, recharges and investments in one app. Available for Android and iOS.
Is PhonePe free?
Yes, PhonePe is free to use.
Is PhonePe open source?
No, PhonePe is not open source.
What platforms does PhonePe run on?
PhonePe is available for Android and iOS.
What are the best alternatives to PhonePe?
The highest-ranked PhonePe alternatives right now are Google Pay, CRED and BHIM. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.
PhonePe vs Google Pay: what's the difference?
Both PhonePe and Google Pay are free to use. Both run on Android and iOS.