Google pay to charge Rs.3 as convenience fee on mobile recharges

Google Pay has introduced a new charge of Rs 3 for users who want to recharge their mobile phones using the app's UPI service. This fee applies when users purchase prepaid plans through Google Pay, marking a change from the app's previous policy of not charging extra for such transactions. This recent move aligns Google Pay with other payment platforms like Paytm and PhonePe, which already impose charges for similar transactions.
Users stumbled upon this change when a customer shared a screenshot online, revealing a Rs. 3 convenience fee on a Rs. 749 prepaid recharge plan from Jio. Reports indicate that this fee applies to both UPI and card transactions.

Details provided by tipster Mukul Sharma on X (Formerly Twitter) shed light on the specifics of these charges. Recharge plans below Rs. 100 won't incur a convenience fee, while plans ranging from Rs. 100 to Rs. 200 and Rs. 200 to Rs. 300 will have charges of Rs. 2 and Rs. 3, respectively. Transactions exceeding Rs. 300 will face a Rs. 3 convenience fee.This shift in Google Pay's policy reflects a broader trend among payment service providers in India, following the lead of platforms like Paytm and PhonePe, aiming to monetise their services by introducing fees for transactions. This strategy echoes similar charges implemented by various online services for tasks such as ordering food or booking movie tickets.