Google Pay and Paytm have recently implemented a nominal convenience fee for mobile recharge transactions. It is important to note that this service was previously provided free of charge, without any additional fees. However, the current scenario indicates a change in this policy.
Google Pay and Paytm are prominent payment applications in India. GPay and Paytm apps are renowned for their UPI transactions. Additionally, they facilitate bill payments and recharges for electricity, mobile, DTH, water, gas cylinders, and more. However, it has come to light that Google Pay and Paytm have recently implemented a nominal convenience fee for mobile recharges. It is worth mentioning that this service was previously offered completely free of charge, with users only required to pay the amount specified by their telecom operator. It appears that Google and Paytm are now exploring avenues to generate revenue within India’s thriving billion-dollar digital payments ecosystem.
Google Pay and Paytm have recently implemented an additional charge for mobile recharge services. Numerous individuals have shared this information on X (previously), and upon conducting our own investigation, we have confirmed its validity. If you happen to notice this while recharging your Jio mobile for Rs 749 through either Google Pay or Paytm, Google Pay will impose an extra convenience fee of Rs 3, whereas Paytm will charge Rs 1.90.
It is important to note that this fee is applicable only when making payments through UPI. Therefore, it is evident that the additional charge is not a result of credit card payments, where certain apps occasionally include a minor surcharge in the form of a payment gateway fee. Currently, Google Pay and Paytm are solely imposing these charges on mobile recharges, while other transactions such as electricity bill payments will remain free of charge.