WhatsApp launches bill payments in India with access to 22,722 billers

MUMBAI: Paying household bills is getting a little less tedious. WhatsApp has launched bill payments in India, allowing users to find, manage and pay everyday utility bills without leaving the messaging app.

Powered by the Bharat Connect, or BBPS, network, the feature gives users access to 22,722 billers across 30 categories. These include electricity, gas, water, FASTag, insurance, credit card payments and loan repayments.

The feature is designed to bring another routine task into WhatsApp, which is already used in India for services such as mobile recharges, metro ticket bookings and access to government services through chatbots.

Users can access bill payments by tapping the rupee icon at the top of the WhatsApp home screen. From there, they can select a bill category and biller, add their account details and view the bill amount fetched by the service before making a payment.

Payments can be made using UPI, debit cards or credit cards.

The service also includes a household bills summary, with previously paid billers appearing on the Payments Home screen for quicker access. Users can also manage multiple accounts with the same biller, allowing them to keep home, office or family bills in one place.

Popular bill categories will automatically appear on the Payments Home screen, while users can select “See All” to browse more than 20 categories.

Meta India managing director and country head Arun Srinivas said the feature is intended to make bill payments as simple as sending a message and extend digital payment convenience to users across the country.

Bill payments on WhatsApp are being rolled out gradually across India. The feature is expected to become available to all Android and iOS users over the coming weeks.

The launch adds another high-frequency service to WhatsApp’s growing payments ecosystem in India, positioning the app as more than a messaging platform for everyday digital transactions.