Accepting online payments in Nepal used to mean choosing between Khalti and eSewa, signing separate merchant agreements, and building two entirely different integrations. In 2025, that has changed significantly. This guide walks you through everything you need to get started.
Why Online Payments Matter for Nepal Businesses
Nepal's digital payment market crossed NPR 1 trillion in annual transaction volume in 2024. Khalti alone processes millions of transactions monthly. If your business doesn't accept digital payments, you are losing customers who simply won't pay via cash on delivery.
The good news: setup is faster than ever.
The Three Main Payment Methods in Nepal
Before choosing an integration approach, understand what your customers use:
Khalti - Wallet-based payments. Very popular for everyday purchases, app transactions, and younger demographics. Works via wallet balance or linked bank accounts.
eSewa - Nepal's oldest and most widely used digital wallet. Strong penetration across all age groups and geographies. Also supports linked bank accounts and cards.
ConnectIPS - Direct bank-to-bank transfer operated by Nepal Clearing House Ltd (NCHL). Best for large amounts, B2B payments, and customers who prefer not to keep wallet balances.
Option 1: Direct Integration (The Hard Way)
You can integrate each provider directly:
- Apply to Khalti Merchant Portal - expect 1-2 weeks for approval
- Apply to eSewa Merchant separately - another 1-2 weeks
- Apply to ConnectIPS via your bank - 2-4 weeks
- Build separate payment flows for each
- Manage separate webhooks, reconciliation, and refund APIs per provider
This works, but you end up maintaining three integrations forever, three sets of API credentials, and three dashboards to reconcile.
Option 2: Use PayBridgeNP (The Smart Way)
PayBridgeNP is a unified payment gateway that gives you Khalti, eSewa, and ConnectIPS through a single API, single dashboard, and single integration.
Getting Started with PayBridgeNP
Step 1: Create an account
Go to dashboard.paybridgenp.com and create your merchant account. You'll need:
- Business registration certificate
- PAN/VAT certificate
- Bank account details
Step 2: Add your payment providers
In the dashboard under Settings > Providers, add your Khalti and eSewa credentials. PayBridgeNP validates them in real time.
Step 3: Get your API keys
From Settings > API Keys, generate your publishable and secret keys.
Step 4: Create a payment session
curl -X POST https://api.paybridgenp.com/v1/checkout \
-H "Authorization: Bearer sk_live_your_key" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"amount": 150000,
"currency": "NPR",
"customer": {
"name": "Ram Sharma",
"email": "ram@example.com",
"phone": "9841234567"
},
"metadata": {
"order_id": "ORD-001"
}
}'
The response includes a checkout_url. Redirect your customer there and PayBridgeNP handles the rest - provider selection, payment, and redirect back to your site.
Step 5: Handle the webhook
PayBridgeNP sends a payment.succeeded webhook to your endpoint:
{
"event": "payment.succeeded",
"data": {
"id": "pay_abc123",
"amount": 150000,
"currency": "NPR",
"provider": "khalti",
"status": "completed",
"metadata": {
"order_id": "ORD-001"
}
}
}
Fulfill the order, send a confirmation email - done. Make sure to secure your integration before going live.
No-Code Options
Not a developer? PayBridgeNP also offers:
- WooCommerce Plugin - Install, add credentials, start accepting payments in 5 minutes
- Shopify App - Available on the Shopify App Store, one-click setup
- WHMCS Module - For hosting companies and service businesses
- Payment Links - Share a link, customer pays, no code required
- Payment Buttons - Embed a "Pay Now" button on any website with one line of HTML
Transaction Fees
PayBridgeNP charges a flat percentage per successful transaction - no monthly fees, no setup fees. Khalti and eSewa also charge their own provider fees (currently 2-3% depending on your merchant tier with them).
Summary
| Approach | Setup Time | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Khalti | 2-3 weeks | Only need Khalti |
| Direct eSewa | 2-3 weeks | Only need eSewa |
| PayBridgeNP | 1 day | All providers, unified |
If you sell online in Nepal and want the fastest path to accepting payments, PayBridgeNP is the obvious choice. Create your free account and start accepting payments today.