How to Accept UPI Payments at Your Shop with a QR Code

Picture a small stationery shop near a college in Nagpur. Around exam time the queue at the counter gets long, and the owner keeps reading out his phone number so students can pay. Half of them type it wrong, a few pay the wrong person, and everyone waits. A printed UPI QR code on the counter fixes that in an afternoon. This guide walks through making one on My QR Studio, deciding how the amount should work, printing it so it scans reliably, and avoiding the small mistakes that cause failed payments.

Who a UPI QR code is for#

Anyone who collects money in person and already has a UPI ID linked to a bank account can use one. That includes:

• Shops and counters, from kirana stores to pharmacies and mobile repair shops.
• Street food stalls and weekend market sellers, where cash change is always short.
• Tutors, yoga teachers and home-service professionals who collect a fee at the end of a session.
• Small offices and clinics that want patients or clients to settle a bill without a card machine.
• Event and fest organisers collecting entry or stall fees.

The code holds a standard UPI payment request: your UPI ID, the payee name people see, the currency, and optionally an amount and a short note. When a customer scans it with Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, BHIM or their bank's app, those details appear on their screen, and they only need to confirm and enter their PIN. The money moves from their bank to yours through UPI itself. My QR Studio only builds the code; it never sees or holds the payment.

Step by step: making the code#

Open the UPI QR code generator. The UPI type is already selected, so you go straight to the form.

1. UPI ID. Type the ID exactly as your UPI app shows it, for example shopname@okaxis or 9876543210@ybl. The form checks that it looks like a valid UPI address, but it cannot know whether the ID belongs to you, so copy it from your own app rather than typing it from memory.
2. Payee name. This is the name the customer sees before paying. Use the name on your bank account or your shop name. A familiar name reassures people that they are paying the right person.
3. Amount. Choose Payer enters amount to let the customer type any amount, or Fixed amount to pre-fill a set figure (between ₹1 and ₹1,00,000).
4. Transaction note. Optional, up to 80 characters. Something like "Monthly tuition" or "Stall 14" shows in the payment details and helps you match payments later.

The preview updates as you type. When it looks right, move on to the design options, or download it as it is.

Open amount or fixed amount?#

This is the one decision that matters most, and it depends on how you sell.

• Open amount suits any counter where every bill is different: a grocery store, a chemist, a tea stall. One printed code serves every customer, and they type the total you tell them.
• Fixed amount suits anything with a single price: a ₹50 parking slip, a ₹1,500 monthly class fee, a ₹200 workshop ticket. The customer cannot mistype the figure, and you can print it on the receipt or fee card itself.

A tutor with three batches at different fees can simply make three fixed-amount codes, each with its own note, and hand the right card to each batch. A shop, on the other hand, should keep its main counter code open. Printing a fixed-amount code at a counter where prices vary only creates confusion when someone needs to pay a different total.

Design and printing for a busy counter#

UPI codes are scanned in harsh conditions: under tube lights, in direct sun at a stall, sometimes through a plastic sleeve. Design for reliability first.

• Keep strong contrast. A dark code on a white or very light background is the safest choice. My QR Studio shows a readability indicator with the preview and warns you when colours are too close; take the warning seriously.
• Leave the quiet zone alone. The empty margin around the code helps phones find it. The default of four modules is the standard; you can adjust it in the Advanced tab, but there is rarely a reason to shrink it.
• Add a frame with a clear instruction. In the Frame tab, pick Badge, Scan me or Call to action and use the built-in "Scan to pay" text, or write your own, such as "Pay with any UPI app". People scan faster when they know what the code does.
• Logo, if you like. You can upload your shop logo (PNG, JPG, WebP or SVG). The generator clears space behind it and raises error correction so the code still scans. Keep the logo modest in size.
• Choose the right file. Download SVG for a printer or designer, because it stays sharp at any size. PNG works for printing at home and for sharing on WhatsApp. JPG and WebP are also available, in sizes from 256 to 4,096 pixels.

For a counter standee, a code around 8 to 10 cm wide is comfortable to scan from a step or two away. On a bill or fee card, 3 cm is usually enough because people hold it close.

Where to put it#

• On the counter, facing the customer. An acrylic standee or a laminated card works well. Do not stick it flat under a glass top where reflections hide it.
• On the wall behind the counter for queues, at eye level and large enough to scan from the line.
• On printed bills and invoices, with a fixed amount, for clinics, coaching centres and small B2B suppliers.
• On delivery staff's ID or bill card, for cash-on-delivery orders that the customer would rather pay by UPI.
• At the entrance of a fest stall, so people can pay while they wait to be served.

If you also run a WhatsApp ordering line, a WhatsApp QR code placed next to the payment code lets regular customers order ahead and pay when they arrive.

Mistakes that cause failed payments#

Most UPI code problems are human, not technical. Watch for these:

• A typo in the UPI ID. One wrong letter can send money to a stranger or fail entirely. Before you print anything, scan the code with your own phone and stop at the confirmation screen. Check that the name shown is yours. Do not complete the payment; just confirm the details.
• Using a personal ID for a busy shop. Many banks and apps set limits on personal accounts. If your volume is high, ask your bank about a merchant or business UPI ID, then put that on the code.
• A fixed amount on a general counter code. It forces customers to cancel and type a new amount, or worse, they pay the wrong figure.
• A code that is too small or too fancy. Light colours, busy backgrounds and tiny prints all hurt scanning, especially on older phones.
• Covering the code with tape or a price tag. Even partial damage can make a code fail. Replace worn prints rather than patching them.
• Not telling staff. Make sure whoever handles the counter knows how to check that a payment has actually reached the account before the customer leaves.

Why UPI codes are static#

On My QR Studio, UPI codes are always static: the payment details are stored inside the code, and any UPI app reads them directly. That is a strength. The code works without an internet connection on the shop side, it does not depend on any website staying online, and it never expires. The trade-off is that you cannot change the details inside a printed code. If you switch bank accounts or UPI IDs, make a new code and replace the old prints the same day, so nobody pays into an account you no longer use.

If you need a payment link instead, for example a Razorpay or Stripe checkout for online orders, use the payment link generator instead. For collecting contributions for a cause, the donation QR code is a better fit.

FAQ#

Do customers need a particular app to scan it?#

No. The code uses the standard UPI payment format, so Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, BHIM, and most banking apps with UPI can read it. Customers can scan from inside their payment app or, on many phones, with the camera app too, which offers to open a UPI app.

Does My QR Studio take a fee on payments?#

No. The code only contains your payment details. The payment goes from the customer's bank to yours through UPI, and My QR Studio is not involved in it.

Can I put two UPI IDs on one code?#

No. A UPI code carries one payee. If you need payments split between partners, use one shared business account or make separate codes and place them clearly apart.

How do I check that a payment has arrived?#

Look at your own UPI or banking app, or the notification it sends. Do not rely on the customer's screen alone, as screenshots can be shown from old payments.

Can I use the same code for years?#

Yes. A static UPI code never expires. Replace it only if your UPI ID changes or the print gets damaged.

Ready to stop reading out your number? Create your UPI QR code, scan-test it on your own phone, and put it on the counter today.