UPI QR Code and WhatsApp Link for Your Shop: A Free Setup Guide for Small Businesses

Most customers in India already pay with UPI and chat on WhatsApp. If you run a shop, clinic, salon, tuition centre or small online business, two free tools can put both to work: a UPI QR code for payments and a WhatsApp click-to-chat link for enquiries. This guide shows how to set both up in a few minutes and how to use them well.

Part 1: A UPI QR code for payments

Create it

1. Open the UPI QR generator.
2. Enter your UPI ID, for example shopname@bank, and your business name as the payee name.
3. Leave the amount empty for a general counter QR, or enter an amount for a fixed price.
4. Download the image, or use the print-ready shop display to make an A4 or A5 standee with your name and the QR.

The QR contains the standard UPI payment link, so it works with Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, BHIM, Amazon Pay and other UPI apps. The code is made in your browser, and we do not store your UPI ID.

Fixed amount or open amount?

An open-amount QR suits a counter where every bill is different, because the customer types the amount. A fixed-amount QR suits a single price, such as an entry fee, a monthly subscription or a standard service. Make one QR for each fixed price, and label each clearly.

Payment limits and fees

Banks and UPI apps set their own per-transaction and daily limits, which are commonly around ₹1 lakh, and these can differ by bank and by the purpose of the payment. The QR code itself has no limit. For larger or regular business payments, check your bank's rules and whether a business or merchant account suits you better.

Part 2: A WhatsApp link for enquiries

Create it

1. Open the WhatsApp link generator.
2. Choose your country code and enter your number. You can paste it with +91 or a leading 0, and the tool cleans it up.
3. Add an optional pre-filled message, such as "Hi, I would like to know more about your classes".
4. Copy the wa.me link, or download the QR code for it.

When a customer taps the link or scans the QR, WhatsApp opens a chat with your number and your message already typed, so they only have to press send. They do not need to save your number first.

Where to put it

• Your Instagram bio, Facebook page and Google Business Profile (where supported).
• Your website's contact button and email signature.
• Posters, banners, visiting cards and packaging, as a QR code.

Print and place QR codes properly

• Size: at least 2 × 2 cm for close-range scanning. Make it bigger for posters and signs.
• Margin: keep a blank border of about 2 cm so phones can find the edges.
• Contrast: use a dark code on a light background. Avoid light colours, gradients and busy photos behind the code.
• Format: for print, use the SVG or the largest PNG so the edges stay sharp.
• Test: scan the printed copy with at least two or three different phones, in normal shop lighting, before you print more.
• Say what it does: add a short line such as "Scan to pay" or "Scan to chat on WhatsApp".

For other kinds of QR codes, such as a website, a phone number or an email, use the general QR code generator, and choose a higher error correction level if you add a logo.

Track which poster or post works

If you advertise in several places, you want to know which one brings customers. The simple method is one link per place:

1. For a website link, use the UTM builder to add a source and a campaign, for example ?utm_source=window_poster&utm_medium=qr&utm_campaign=diwali. Your analytics then shows visits from that poster.
2. For WhatsApp, make a separate wa.me link or short link for each place and compare the number of chats each one starts.
3. Keep a small note of which link is where, and review it after a few weeks.

The WhatsApp link generator has an optional short link button. It sends the link to a third-party shortening service, so use it only when you are happy with that.

Stay safe

• Scanning a QR or approving a request can only send money out of your account. You never have to scan, enter a PIN or approve anything to receive money.
• Check the payee name that appears in the app before you confirm a payment.
• Keep the printed QR where you can see it, so nobody can stick a different QR over yours.
• Tell your staff and customers about these points.