The Best Payment Gateways in Bangladesh: Fees, Setup and Which to Pick

If you sell online in Bangladesh, sooner or later you need a payment gateway: a checkout that takes cards, bKash, Nagad and internet banking in one place, and sends the money to your bank. There are more than a dozen choices, and most of them do not publish their prices. Here is how the main gateways compare, what they really cost, and how to pick the right one for your business.

Editor’s note: Rafi and his shop are illustrative, created to show how a typical small online seller might choose a gateway. They are not real. Prices and features come from the gateways’ own websites and the sources listed with this article, checked in November 2026. Gateways change prices often and negotiate privately, so always ask for a written quote.

Too many screenshots

Rafi sells handmade leather wallets and bags from a small workshop in Chattogram. His Facebook page and a simple website bring in about Tk 3 lakh a month. Until last year, customers paid him by “Send Money” to his personal bKash number and sent a screenshot.

It worked, until it didn’t. Some screenshots were fake. Some customers paid the wrong amount. Corporate buyers wanted to pay by card and needed a proper receipt. And Rafi spent an hour every night matching payments to orders.

“I needed one checkout that takes everything and tells me who paid what,” he said. “Then I found out every gateway prices differently, and half of them say ‘call us’.”

What a payment gateway does

A payment gateway sits between your website and the banks and wallets. When a customer clicks “Pay”, the gateway shows a checkout page, lets them pay by card, mobile wallet or internet banking, confirms the payment to your site, and later sends the money to your bank account, minus its fee.

In Bangladesh, gateways must be licensed by Bangladesh Bank, usually as a Payment System Operator (PSO). A licensed, PCI DSS-certified gateway is the minimum you should accept, because it means card data is handled to an international security standard.

The main gateways at a glance

Gateway	Published fee	Setup fee	Best known for
SSLCOMMERZ	2.5% per successful transaction (3.5% for Amex)	Tk 25,500, one-time, non-refundable (Basic plan)	The largest and oldest; widest range of channels
shurjoPay	Quote on request	Quote on request	First PSO licence (2016); strong in education and government; EMI from many banks
aamarPay	Quote on request; no monthly fee	One-time, non-refundable; “call for price”	SME, education and growth plans; payment links, invoices and QR included
EPS	1.5% to 2.2%, depending on plan (its own claim)	One-time; quote on request	Dedicated account manager; settlement typically within days
PayStation	1.40% to 2.25% for bKash, other MFS, internet banking and cards; 3.0% to 3.2% for Amex	Tk 1,999 to Tk 14,999 by package (offer prices)	Clear published packages; low entry cost; settlement from weekly to daily
PortPos	Quote on request	Quote on request	Payment links, invoicing and e-commerce tools
bKash payment gateway	Agreed with bKash	Varies	bKash-only checkout; one-tap repeat payments

Sources: the gateways’ own pricing and comparison pages, November 2026. “Quote on request” means the gateway does not publish a standard price online.

The gateways, one by one

SSLCOMMERZ: the safe, well-known choice

SSLCOMMERZ, founded in 2010, is the gateway most Bangladeshi shoppers have seen at checkout. It is one of the few that publishes a price: on its Basic plan, a one-time, non-refundable setup fee of Tk 25,500 and 2.5% per successful transaction (3.5% for American Express). That covers Visa, Mastercard, bKash, Nagad, Rocket and other standard channels, plus API integration and a merchant dashboard.

• Good for: businesses that want a trusted name, many payment options and ready plugins for WooCommerce, Shopify-style builders and common frameworks.
• Watch out for: the setup fee is high for a very small shop. Ask about settlement timing, refund handling and whether negotiated rates are possible at higher volumes.

shurjoPay: the veteran with strong EMI

shurjoPay says it was the first company to receive a Payment System Operator licence from Bangladesh Bank, in 2016, and that more than 1,500 merchants use it. It is PCI DSS 4.0.1 compliant, offers card, wallet and internet banking payments, QR payments for shops, a payment link generator, and EMI through more than 36 partner banks. It also supports international payments. Onboarding asks for a trade licence, TIN, business bank account and NID, and the sales team sends a quotation after you register.

• Good for: schools, universities, government-linked services and shops selling higher-value items where EMI matters.
• Watch out for: prices are not published, so compare a written quote.

aamarPay: built for SMEs

aamarPay offers three plans (aamarEducation, aamarSME and aamarGrowth), each with a one-time, non-refundable fee and no monthly fee. Every plan includes all payment methods by default with no extra method fee, EMI and discount offers, an SMS and email invoice generator, QR payments, payment links, transaction alerts, and a dedicated key account manager. Prices are “call for price”. Extra stores cost more.

Its document list is clear: trade licence, TIN, VAT registration if any, NID, a photo, and company papers for partnerships or limited companies, plus a bank sub-merchant form.

• Good for: small businesses and service providers that send invoices and payment links as much as they sell through a website.
• Watch out for: confirm the per-transaction rate in writing, since it is not published.

EPS: lower rates, faster settlement (by its own account)

EPS (Easy Payment System) is a Bangladesh Bank-licensed PSO and PCI DSS certified. On its comparison page it says it charges 1.5% to 2.2% per transaction, depending on plan, against “typically 1.75% to 2.75%” for other gateways, and that settlement is faster than the usual weekly cycle. It offers a dedicated key account manager, local and international collection, and EMI and buy-now-pay-later options.

• Good for: price-sensitive businesses and those that need money in the bank quickly.
• Watch out for: these are EPS’s own claims about itself and competitors. EPS also says market pricing “changes frequently”. Get the plan, rate and settlement days in your contract.

PayStation: clear packages and a low entry price

PayStation, a brand of Service Hub Limited in Gulshan, is a Bangladesh Bank-licensed PSO and says it is PCI DSS Level 1 compliant. It accepts more than 25 channels, including local banks, mobile wallets and international cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, UnionPay and JCB), and has a WordPress plugin. Unlike most rivals, it publishes its prices as three packages:

Package	Starter	Growth	Elite
Package fee (offer price)	Tk 1,999 (listed Tk 7,500)	Tk 4,999 (listed Tk 15,000)	Tk 14,999 (listed Tk 25,000)
bKash	2.00%	1.85%	1.80%
Other MFS and internet banking	1.80%	1.50%	1.40%
Visa and Mastercard	2.25%	2.10%	1.90%
Amex	3.20%	3.10%	3.00%
Extras	API, payment links, batch processing	Adds EMI	Adds EMI and international payments
Settlement	Weekly, 1 day	Weekly, 3 days	Daily

Source: PayStation’s packages page, November 2026. The discounted prices are promotional and may change.

• Good for: small and growing businesses that want a low starting cost and published rates they can compare, without waiting for a sales quote.
• Watch out for: the page does not say whether the package fee is one-time or yearly, or whether VAT is included. Confirm both, and check which package you need for EMI or international cards.

PortPos: links and invoices

PortPos (formerly PortWallet) offers an online gateway along with payment links, invoicing and integrations for e-commerce platforms. It does not publish standard pricing online, so ask for a quote. It suits businesses that collect from customers by sending invoices or links.

bKash payment gateway: when most customers use bKash

bKash runs its own payment gateway for online businesses, marketplaces, ride sharing and food delivery. You apply on bKash’s business website with your business details, NID, trade licence and website or Facebook page. Its “tokenized checkout” lets repeat customers pay with just their PIN. bKash’s terms say an additional fee may apply to the payment amount, based on the merchant’s agreement with bKash.

Sellers without a trade licence can open a bKash Personal Retail Account instead, which is a simpler step up from a personal number.

• Good for: businesses whose customers mostly pay by bKash, such as small f-commerce sellers.
• Watch out for: it only takes bKash. Most growing shops eventually need cards and other wallets too, which an aggregator gateway gives you in one integration.

What it really costs: Rafi’s numbers

Rafi’s online sales are about Tk 3 lakh a month. Here is what different per-transaction rates would cost him (our calculation, before VAT and before any setup fee):

Rate	Monthly fee on Tk 3 lakh	Yearly fee on Tk 36 lakh
2.5%	Tk 7,500	Tk 90,000
2.2%	Tk 6,600	Tk 79,200
1.8%	Tk 5,400	Tk 64,800
1.5%	Tk 4,500	Tk 54,000

Three lessons from this table:

1. The rate matters more than the setup fee once you grow. At Tk 3 lakh a month, the gap between 2.5% and 1.8% is Tk 25,200 a year, about the same as SSLCOMMERZ’s whole setup fee.
2. The setup fee matters most when you are small. A Tk 25,500 setup fee equals the 2.5% fee on about Tk 10.2 lakh of sales. If you sell Tk 30,000 a month, it is nearly three years of transaction fees. A low-entry option such as PayStation’s Tk 1,999 Starter package changes that maths for very small shops.
3. Your first-year cost is setup plus fees. On SSLCOMMERZ’s Basic plan, Rafi’s first year would cost about Tk 1,15,500 (Tk 25,500 + Tk 90,000), before VAT.

For context, prices have risen in places. In 2021, UNB reported an SSLCOMMERZ setup fee of Tk 15,000 against Tk 25,500 today, while the 2.5% card rate has stayed the same.

The new Bangladesh Bank fee rule

On 1 July 2026, Bangladesh Bank set a minimum merchant discount rate (MDR) of 1% and a maximum of 1.15%, plus VAT, for merchant payments through the national switch, NPSB. That covers POS terminals, Bangla QR and e-commerce platforms operating under NPSB, across bank accounts, cards, MFS and payment service providers, The Business Standard reported.

The gateways’ published rates are higher than this cap, and it is not always clear which payments the cap covers. Ask any gateway directly which of your payments, if any, fall under the NPSB cap, and what rate you will pay on local cards, Bangla QR and wallets separately. For more on NPSB, read our explainer on how Bangladesh’s instant payment switch works.

Ten questions to ask before you sign

1. What is the rate for each channel: local cards, international cards, Amex, bKash, Nagad, Rocket, internet banking?
2. Is VAT included or added on top?
3. What is the setup fee, and is it refundable if I am rejected or leave early?
4. Are there annual, monthly, withdrawal or refund fees?
5. How often is money settled to my bank, and how many days after the sale?
6. How are refunds and chargebacks handled, and who pays for them?
7. Do you have a plugin for my platform (WooCommerce, Shopify-style builders, custom app)?
8. Can I use payment links and QR without a website?
9. Do you offer EMI, and who pays the EMI cost?
10. Will the rate fall if my volume grows, and when can we renegotiate?

What you need to apply

• Trade licence (bKash has a separate route without one)
• TIN, and VAT registration if you have it
• Owner’s NID and photo
• A business bank account in the trade licence name
• For companies: certificate of incorporation, memorandum and articles; for partnerships: the partnership deed
• A working website or app with real products and prices, contact details, and clear refund, privacy, and terms pages

The most common reason for delay is the website: missing policy pages, no prices, or a business address that does not match the trade licence. Fix these before you apply. If you do not have a trade licence yet, our guide to starting an online clothing business on Facebook walks through the paperwork.

Which gateway is best for you?

If you are…	Start by comparing	Why
A small f-commerce seller, mostly bKash customers, no trade licence yet	bKash Personal Retail Account, then bKash gateway	Lowest barrier; stops screenshot fraud
A small shop with a website, under Tk 1 lakh a month	PayStation Starter, aamarPay, EPS quotes	Setup fee matters most at this size
A growing e-commerce brand	SSLCOMMERZ vs PayStation vs EPS vs shurjoPay	Rate, settlement speed and reliability matter most
A school, university or coaching centre	shurjoPay, aamarEducation, SSLCOMMERZ	Education plans and fee collection tools
A service business sending invoices	aamarPay, PortPos, EPS	Payment links and invoicing built in
Selling expensive items (electronics, furniture)	shurjoPay, EPS, SSLCOMMERZ	EMI options across many banks

Many businesses end up with two tools: an aggregator gateway for the website, and Bangla QR or a bKash merchant account for in-person and social sales. Our guide to digital payment solutions for Bangladeshi businesses explains how these fit together.

What about Stripe and PayPal?

Stripe and PayPal do not offer accounts to businesses registered in Bangladesh, so you cannot use them as your local gateway. If you sell to customers abroad, some local gateways (shurjoPay, aamarPay and EPS among them) say they accept international cards. Freelancers and exporters who invoice foreign clients often use a separate international account instead.

Disclosure: the links below are referral links. If you sign up through them, Dhaka Debates may earn a reward, at no extra cost to you. We only mention services we have covered in our own reporting.

For receiving payments from foreign clients, Payoneer is widely used in Bangladesh and lets you withdraw to a local bank account. Our full comparison of international payment platforms for Bangladeshi businesses covers the costs and trade-offs.

Back to Rafi

Rafi asked four gateways for written quotes, using the ten questions above. Two replied within a week. He chose the one with a slightly lower rate and twice-weekly settlement, even though its setup fee was not the cheapest, because at his sales level the rate mattered more.

Three months later, his evenings are free. Card buyers get an automatic receipt. Fake screenshots are gone. “The fee felt big at first,” he said. “Then I counted the orders I used to lose because people couldn’t pay by card.”

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This article is for general information only and is not a recommendation of any one provider. Prices and terms change and are often negotiated. Get a written quote and read the contract before you sign.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best payment gateway in Bangladesh?

There is no single best one. SSLCOMMERZ is the largest and publishes clear prices. PayStation publishes low-cost packages with rates from 1.4%. shurjoPay is strong for education and EMI. aamarPay is built for SMEs. EPS says it offers lower rates and faster settlement. Compare written quotes for your own sales volume.

How much does a payment gateway cost in Bangladesh?

Usually a one-time setup fee plus a percentage of each sale. SSLCOMMERZ’s Basic plan is Tk 25,500 setup and 2.5% per transaction. PayStation’s packages start at Tk 1,999 with rates of 1.4% to 2.25% (3% or more for Amex). EPS says gateway rates generally range from about 1.5% to 2.75%.

Can I get a payment gateway without a trade licence?

Most aggregator gateways require a trade licence. bKash offers a Personal Retail Account for sellers without one.

How long does it take to get approved?

It depends on your documents and website. With complete papers and a website that has prices and policy pages, many businesses go live within a few weeks; missing documents are the main cause of delay.

When do I receive my money?

Gateways settle to your bank account on a schedule, often weekly, though some offer faster settlement. Ask for the settlement days in your contract.

Can I use Stripe or PayPal in Bangladesh?

Not as a Bangladesh-registered business. Use a local licensed gateway for local customers, and an international payment platform for foreign clients.

Key words explained

Term	What it means
Payment gateway	The service that runs your online checkout and sends the money to your bank.
Aggregator	A gateway that combines cards, wallets and internet banking in one checkout.
PSO	Payment System Operator: a Bangladesh Bank licence for running payment services.
PCI DSS	The international security standard for handling card data.
MDR	Merchant discount rate: the percentage a business pays on each card or digital payment.
Settlement	When the gateway pays your collected money into your bank account.
Chargeback	When a card customer disputes a payment and the bank takes the money back.
EMI	Equated monthly instalments: paying for a purchase in monthly parts on a credit card.
Tokenized checkout	Saving a customer’s wallet so they can pay again with just a PIN.

How we reported this

We read the pricing, onboarding and comparison pages of SSLCOMMERZ, PayStation, shurjoPay, aamarPay, EPS and bKash in November 2026, and used The Business Standard’s report on Bangladesh Bank’s July 2026 MDR rule and a 2021 UNB overview of gateway prices for historical context. Where a gateway does not publish prices, we say so rather than guess. EPS’s rate comparison is its own claim and is labelled that way. The fee examples are our own calculations. Rafi is illustrative, not a real person. Dhaka Debates has no commercial relationship with any gateway named here; the Payoneer link is a referral link, disclosed above.