If you sell anything in Nepal — online or offline — you need to accept FonePay. It's the most widely used payment method in the country, works across nearly every bank and wallet, and customers expect to see that QR code at checkout.
This guide covers how to set up FonePay for your business, what it actually costs, how to integrate it with your online store, and the things nobody tells you until something goes wrong.
Quick summary
FonePay is Nepal's interbank payment network. Customers scan a QR code from any bank or wallet app and pay you directly. To accept FonePay as a business, you have two paths: a static QR (a printed code anyone can scan) or an integrated payment gateway (for online stores, with automatic order confirmation). Static QR is free to set up through your bank. Integrated gateway costs a small per-transaction fee, usually 0.5% to 1.5% depending on your bank and volume. Setup takes a few days for static QR, a week or two for full integration.
What FonePay actually is
FonePay is a payment network operated by F1Soft. It connects most Nepali banks and digital wallets — meaning a customer using NIC Asia mobile banking, eSewa, Khalti, NMB Bank app, or almost any other Nepali financial app can scan the same QR code and pay you.
This is the part that confuses people: FonePay isn't a separate wallet you have to download. It's the rails. When a customer scans your FonePay QR, the money moves through their existing bank or wallet directly into your bank account.
For a business, this means one QR code accepts payments from almost everyone in Nepal. You don't need separate codes for separate apps.
The two ways to accept FonePay
There are two main options, and the right one depends on whether you sell in person, online, or both.
Option 1: FonePay Static QR (Direct QR)
A printed QR code linked to your bank account. Customers scan it, enter the amount, and pay. You see the payment confirmation in your bank's app or via SMS.
Best for: physical shops, market stalls, food carts, service businesses, anyone selling face-to-face.
Pros: free or very low cost, takes a few days to set up, works with any bank.
Cons: customers type the amount themselves (can lead to mistakes), no automatic order matching for online stores, you have to manually verify each payment.
Option 2: FonePay Payment Gateway (Integrated Payment)
A proper API integration where the amount is set automatically, the customer scans, pays, and your system confirms the order without anyone typing anything.
Best for: online stores, businesses with high transaction volume, any seller who wants automation.
Pros: customer can't enter wrong amount, automatic order confirmation, works inside checkout flows, professional experience.
Cons: requires technical setup, monthly or per-transaction fees, takes longer to onboard.
Most growing businesses end up using both — static QR for in-person sales and the gateway for online orders.
How to get a FonePay Static QR (step by step)
This is the path most small businesses start with. Here's what to do.
Step 1: Have a business bank account. You can technically use a personal account for low-volume static QR, but a business account is cleaner for tax and is required by some banks. Most major banks in Nepal — NIC Asia, NMB, Nabil, Global IME, Sanima, Prabhu, Siddhartha, Kumari, NBL — offer FonePay-enabled accounts.
Step 2: Visit your bank branch with documents. You'll typically need: your business registration (PAN certificate, ward registration or company registration), your citizenship, two passport photos, and the bank's business banking application form. Some banks let you start the process online and finish at the branch.
Step 3: Request FonePay merchant QR. Tell them you want a FonePay merchant QR for your business. They'll ask for your business name (this is what shows up on the customer's screen when they pay — choose carefully, it should be your shop name, not your personal name), business category, and approximate monthly sales volume.
Step 4: Sign the merchant agreement. Read it. The fee structure is in here. Most banks charge nothing for receiving payments under a certain volume, then small fees above that. Some charge a flat monthly fee, some don't.
Step 5: Wait for approval and QR generation. Usually 2–7 working days. Faster at banks where you already have an account.
Step 6: Print and display the QR. The bank usually gives you a printed standee or sticker. You can also print it yourself in the size you want. Best practices: laminate it (Nepali weather destroys paper QRs), display it at counter level where customers can scan without bending down, include your business name above the QR.
Step 7: Test it. Before going live, do a small payment to your own QR using a different person's phone. Confirm the money arrives, confirm the SMS or app notification works, confirm the merchant name shows correctly.
How to integrate FonePay with your online store
This is where most blog posts get lazy. Here's the actual process.
Step 1: Apply for FonePay payment gateway access. This is different from static QR. You apply through F1Soft directly or through your bank's merchant services team. Ask for "FonePay Online Payment" or "FonePay Direct Pay" — terminology varies by bank.
Step 2: Provide business documents. PAN, business registration, bank account details, website URL, expected monthly transaction volume, and a description of what you sell. They may want to verify your website is real and active.
Step 3: Sign the gateway agreement and pay setup fees (if any). Some banks waive setup fees, some charge Rs. 2,000–10,000. Per-transaction fees are typically 0.5% to 1.5%.
Step 4: Receive API credentials. You'll get a merchant ID, secret key, and API documentation. These are sensitive — store them securely.
Step 5: Integrate into your store. This depends on your platform.
Zalient Shop: FonePay gateway is already built in. You just enter your merchant credentials in the dashboard and it works.
WooCommerce: install a FonePay plugin (several Nepali developers maintain these) and enter credentials.
Shopify: requires a third-party app or custom development. There's no native FonePay support, so this is a significant effort.
Custom-built sites: implement the API directly using F1Soft's documentation.
Step 6: Test in sandbox. F1Soft provides a test environment. Run at least 10 test transactions covering success, failure, timeout, and refund cases before going live.
Step 7: Go live and monitor. Watch the first 50 real transactions closely. Check that order confirmations match payment confirmations. Reconcile daily for the first month.
What FonePay actually costs
This is the question banks rarely answer clearly upfront. Here's what to expect in 2026.
Static QR for small business:
Setup: usually free
Monthly fee: usually free, sometimes Rs. 100–500 for premium tiers
Per-transaction fee on receiving: typically free up to a monthly volume cap (Rs. 1–5 lakh range), then small fees
Payment gateway for online business:
Setup: Rs. 0–10,000 depending on bank
Per-transaction fee: 0.5% to 1.5% of transaction value
Settlement: usually T+1 (next working day) into your bank account
Things that can add cost:
Some banks charge for SMS notifications above a threshold
Refunds may have their own fee
Higher tiers (with better fees) require committed monthly volumes
The rates vary significantly between banks. Always ask three banks before committing — the difference can be 0.5% on every transaction, which adds up fast.
Common problems and how to handle them
"The customer says they paid but I didn't get notification." Usually a bank-side delay. FonePay payments are typically instant but can take 1–10 minutes during peak times. Ask the customer to share their payment confirmation screen — it will show a successful transaction with a reference ID. If it shows successful from their end, the money is coming. If they have time, wait 15 minutes. If not, accept the screenshot as proof and reconcile later.
"Customer paid the wrong amount." Common with static QR. Either refund the difference or accept the amount and adjust the order. To prevent this: integrate the payment gateway (auto-fills amount), or print the QR with the standard prices clearly visible.
"Customer paid to the wrong merchant." Rare but happens, especially in busy markets where multiple QRs are visible. Make sure your QR is clearly labeled with your business name above it.
"FonePay says the transaction failed but money was deducted from customer." This is a network reconciliation issue. The money usually returns to the customer's account within 1–7 working days automatically. Tell the customer to check after 24 hours. If it's still missing after 5 days, they should contact their bank with the transaction reference.
"My monthly fees suddenly increased." Usually because you crossed a volume threshold. Re-read your merchant agreement. If you're growing fast, negotiate with the bank for better tiers — they will negotiate, especially if you mention switching banks.
Tips that experienced merchants share
Use a dedicated bank account for FonePay receipts, separate from your operating account. Easier to reconcile and harder to lose track of payments.
Keep your QR code clean and printed at standard size (10cm x 10cm minimum). Damaged QRs make customers think your business is sketchy.
Train your staff to confirm the SMS or app notification before handing over the product. "Has the SMS come?" is a phrase every Nepali shopkeeper says now.
Reconcile daily. Don't wait until end of month to discover a bank issue.
Keep customer payment screenshots when there's any dispute. Most issues resolve once you have the reference ID.
For online stores, always show the order amount clearly before the QR appears. Customers verify it before scanning.
When to add eSewa, Khalti, or others alongside FonePay
FonePay covers most banks and major wallets, but customers still sometimes prefer specific apps for habit reasons. The most common addition is direct eSewa integration, especially for younger customers and bill-payment-heavy users. Khalti is similar but smaller share. Most full-featured Nepali platforms (including Zalient Shop) let you offer FonePay, eSewa, Khalti, bank transfer, and COD all at the same checkout. Doing so usually adds 5–15% to conversion compared to FonePay alone.
What to do this week
If you don't have FonePay set up yet:
Decide if you need static QR (in-person), gateway (online), or both
Call your current bank's business banking team and ask about FonePay merchant services
Ask three other banks for comparison rates before committing
Get the static QR running first if you're in a hurry — it's faster and cheaper to start with
If you sell online, plan two weeks for full gateway integration and testing
If you already have FonePay running but it's manual or messy:
Audit your last 30 days of transactions for missed orders or reconciliation gaps
If you're using static QR for online orders, prioritize moving to a real gateway integration
Confirm your merchant name shows correctly to customers
Print fresh, laminated QR signage if yours is faded or damaged
The businesses that handle FonePay well don't think about it after the first month. The ones that don't, lose orders forever and never know why.
Zalient Shop has FonePay payment gateway already built in. You enter your merchant credentials once and start accepting payments. Set up your free store at zalient.shop in about five minutes.