Free UPI API Without a Payment Gateway

UPI API free usually means a developer who wants collect-and-callback like Razorpay, without KYC or MDR. That API is not public. NPCI’s switch APIs are for banks and PSPs. What is free is the intent URI every UPI app already understands:

upi://pay?pa=shop@oksbi&pn=ShopName&am=450&cu=INR&tn=INV-405

Put that in a link, a QR, or an embed. The payer’s app opens, they enter the PIN, money hits the VPA. You do not get a signed webhook unless you add your own checkout layer.

Last reviewed 13 September 2026.

Three layers people confuse

Layer	Who can use it	Settlement / callback
upi://pay URI + QR	Anyone with a VPA	Bank SMS / UTR — you reconcile
This site’s developer embed	Websites that want a widget or hosted checkout	Optional signed payment-response for checkout sessions
NPCI / PSP UPI APIs	Banks, TPAPs, licensed aggregators	Full collect, refund, complaint APIs
Gateway UPI (Razorpay, Cashfree, …)	Merchants after KYC	Webhooks, refunds, dashboard — paid

A GitHub gist titled “free UPI API” that returns success: true without talking to a bank is a toy. Do not trust it with a customer’s money.

Use the free URI on a site or invoice

1. Build the query string. pa and pn are mandatory. am locks the amount. cu=INR.
2. Render it as a QR (homepage generator, bulk CSV, or your own qrcode library).
3. On mobile, a tap can open upi://pay?… directly. On desktop, show the QR.
4. Never paste the raw URI into WhatsApp as the only payload — share the PNG. See WhatsApp payment links.
5. HTML walkthrough: integrate UPI QR in a website.

For amount-locked invoices, read UPI QR with amount.

When you actually need a gateway

Use a licensed aggregator when you need auto-refunds, subscription Autopay at scale, or a server-side “paid / failed” flag without asking the customer for a UTR. Compare cost on the UPI vs gateway guide and the MDR calculator.

Pro UPI QR’s developer portal exposes embeds, native payment links, and optional authenticated checkout sessions — still not NPCI’s switch API.

Frequently asked questions

Q1. Is there a free official UPI API?

Not for random websites. NPCI APIs sit behind banks and PSPs. The free surface is the published upi://pay intent.

Q2. Can I verify a payment without a gateway?

Match amount + 12-digit UTR from the payer against bank SMS, or use a labelled checkout session if you enable that product. There is no public NPCI “lookup this UTR” API for apps.

Q3. Does embedding a UPI QR require KYC?

Encoding your own VPA does not. Official merchant dashboards, soundboxes, and gateway collects do.

Q4. Is a payment link the same as a QR?

Same URI. QR is the matrix; the link is the string. Generate either with the UPI link generator.

Open the developer portal →

Related: Static vs dynamic UPI QR · HTML website QR · UPI payment link