Shopify Payment Gateways. Getting paid is the hardest part of running a Shopify store in Pakistan. Shopify is easy to set up, but its own payment tool does not work here. That leaves every seller with the same question: which payment gateway should I use?
The short answer is that most Pakistani stores run two things together: cash on delivery for shoppers who want to pay at the door, and one card and wallet gateway for shoppers who want to pay online. This guide compares each option in plain language, explains the real costs, and helps you choose a setup that fits your business.
Is Shopify Payments Available in Pakistan?
No. Shopify Payments is not supported in Pakistan, so you cannot use Shopify’s built in payment processing. Shopify lets you connect third party gateways instead, and you can see its official list by visiting the Shopify payment gateways page for Pakistan.
There is one cost to understand before you pick a gateway. When you use an outside provider, Shopify adds its own transaction fee on top of the gateway’s fee. According to FirstPier’s 2026 Shopify cost guide, that extra fee is 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow, 0.6% on Advanced, and 0.2% on Plus.
Here is a simple example. A customer pays PKR 10,000 on the Basic plan. Shopify’s extra fee is PKR 200, and your gateway charges its own fee as well. On the Grow plan, Shopify’s extra fee drops to PKR 100. Keep this in mind when you compare total costs.
Also know that availability changes. In the Shopify Community forum, Pakistani sellers report that some providers reject applications and some ask for a registered company. Always confirm requirements with the provider before you build your store around it.
Card Payment Options for Shopify in Pakistan
Cards are the most common way to accept online payments, and several providers serve Pakistani merchants. eComStart’s gateway guide lists many of them. Here is how they compare.
XPay by XStak and Bank Alfalah
XPay is built by XStak in partnership with Bank Alfalah. It offers checkout that stays on your own store, so customers are not sent to another page to pay. XStak’s setup steps say you install the XPay app, get a Bank Alfalah merchant ID, and connect it to Shopify. This works best for registered businesses that want a smooth card checkout.
Safepay
Safepay accepts payments from bank accounts, cards, and mobile wallets. It connects to Shopify in minutes, and eComStart notes it has no annual fee. It is a good fit for small shops and startups that want cards and wallets from one provider.
Abhipay and Paymob
Abhipay supports debit and credit cards, bank transfers, and online invoices, with 3D Secure protection. Paymob supports cards and mobile wallets and is popular across several regions. One caution: a Pakistani seller in the Shopify forum reported that Paymob declined customer orders even after the currency was set up correctly. Run test orders before you launch.
Bank Gateways: Bank Alfalah, MCB, and UBL
Major banks offer their own gateways. MCB offers eGate, Bank Alfalah offers its own gateway, and UBL lists cards, mobile wallets, internet banking, and QR payments. Bank gateways are trusted, but approval can take longer and may need business documents.
PayFast
A Shopify moderator describes PayFast as a local option that works with Shopify for domestic sales. It is worth checking if you sell only inside Pakistan.
Payoneer and 2Checkout for Selling Abroad
If you sell to customers outside Pakistan, you need a gateway that handles foreign cards and currencies. Payoneer Checkout supports several currencies and lets you withdraw to a Pakistani bank account. 2Checkout, now Verifone, supports many currencies as well, but one seller in the forum said it asks for a lot of information that many store owners do not have.
Two more notes on international options. PayPal is restricted in Pakistan, and Stripe requires company registration, which is hard for dropshippers. Plan around these limits early.
Wallet Options: JazzCash and Easypaisa
Many Pakistanis pay bills and send money with JazzCash and Easypaisa every day, so wallet payments make sense for your store. The catch is that neither wallet is a built in Shopify payment method.
Sellers usually get wallet payments in one of three ways:
- Through a multi method gateway. Providers such as Safepay and UBL list mobile wallets among the methods they accept.
- Through an approved app. Community members recommend UnumPay, a Shopify listed app that connects Pakistani banks and wallets, including Alfalah, JazzCash, Easypaisa, UBL, HBL, and Meezan.
- Through a custom integration. A developer connects a wallet provider to your checkout. This costs more up front, but it gives you control over the experience. Our custom development team can scope this kind of work.
Whichever route you choose, confirm the fees, settlement time, and approval needs with the provider first.
Cash on Delivery: Still the Default
Cash on delivery, or COD, is how many Pakistani customers still prefer to shop. DHL’s guide for Pakistani sellers says nearly 70% of online shoppers in Pakistan still prefer it. If you skip COD, you may lose a large part of your market.
How COD Works on Shopify
COD is a manual payment method. You turn it on in your Shopify admin under Settings, then Payments. Shopify explains the steps in its manual payments guide. The order shows your payment instructions at checkout, and you mark the order as paid later, after the courier collects the cash. You can also offer bank deposit as a manual method.
The Hidden Cost of COD
COD has no gateway fee, but it has a different cost: returns. Payments company Simpaisa says COD return to origin rates in Pakistan routinely reach 25% to 30%. Each failed delivery costs you shipping both ways and earns nothing. Shop owners also wait for couriers to send the collected cash, which slows your cash flow.
How to Reduce COD Returns
DHL and Simpaisa both suggest similar fixes:
- Confirm each COD order by phone or WhatsApp before dispatch.
- Screen high risk orders, such as unusually large ones from new customers.
- Offer a small discount for prepaid orders to nudge customers toward online payment.
- Choose a courier with good tracking and clear rescheduling.
What Each Option Really Costs
No option is free. Each one hides its cost in a different place.
Card and wallet gateways. You pay the gateway’s fee on each sale, plus Shopify’s extra fee of 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow, or 0.6% on Advanced. Ask every provider for its full fee list, including any setup, refund, or settlement charges.
Cash on delivery. You avoid gateway fees, but you carry return costs, courier fees, and slow cash collection.
Bank transfer. It is cheap to offer, but you must check each payment by hand and wait for customers to send proof. This works for a small number of orders, not for a busy store.
How to Choose the Right Payment Setup
Your best setup depends on who you sell to and how your business is registered.
- You sell only inside Pakistan. Offer COD plus one local gateway that supports cards and wallets, such as a bank backed provider or Safepay.
- You sell to customers abroad. Add an international option such as Payoneer Checkout, and check whether it fits your business type.
- You are a small seller without a registered company. Start with COD and bank transfer, then apply to gateways that accept individuals. Read each provider’s rules first.
- Your COD returns are high. Add a prepaid discount, confirm orders before dispatch, and make wallet or card payment easy to find at checkout.
Before you sign with any gateway, ask these questions:
- Do you accept my business type, with or without registration?
- What are your fees on each sale?
- How many days until the money reaches my bank account?
- Does checkout stay on my store, or are customers redirected?
- Who do I contact when a payment fails?
- Can I run test orders before going live?
Our Recommended Setup for Most Pakistani Stores
For most stores, we suggest two payment paths side by side. Offer COD so no customer is shut out. Add one card and wallet gateway so customers who prefer to pay online can do it in a few taps. Then track how many orders use each method and how many COD orders come back. Over time, a small prepaid discount can move more customers toward online payment and lower your return rate.
Good payment setup also depends on good design. A clear checkout page, trust badges, and simple steps reduce abandoned carts. Our UX UI design team helps stores build checkout flows that customers finish.
How Mark X Media Can Help
Mark X Media is a full service digital marketing agency with more than seven years of experience and a team in Lahore. We handle Shopify web design, payment setup, and the marketing that brings buyers to your store. Our eCommerce marketing and Meta Ads services help turn visitors into paying customers, and our ecommerce SEO work builds steady traffic over time.
Learn more about our work on our Pakistan page, or contact our team to plan your store’s payments.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I reduce COD returns?
Confirm each order by phone or WhatsApp before dispatch, screen high risk orders, offer a small discount for prepaid payment, and work with a courier that tracks parcels well. These steps cut fake and refused orders.
Do I need a registered company to use a payment gateway?
It depends on the provider. Some accept individual sellers, while others ask for business registration. Stripe, for example, is reported to require a registered company. Read each provider’s requirements before you apply.
How do I set up cash on delivery on Shopify?
Go to Settings, then Payments in your Shopify admin, and choose a manual payment method such as Cash on Delivery. Add clear instructions, and mark each order as paid after the courier collects the cash.
Can I accept JazzCash and Easypaisa on Shopify?
Yes, in most cases, but not natively. You can use a gateway that lists mobile wallets, an approved app such as UnumPay, or a custom integration. Confirm the current setup with the provider.
What is the best payment gateway for Shopify in Pakistan?
There is no single best choice. Bank backed options such as XPay with Bank Alfalah suit registered businesses. Safepay suits small shops that want cards and wallets in one place. Payoneer suits sellers who serve foreign customers. Compare fees, approval rules, and settlement time before you decide.
Does Shopify Payments work in Pakistan?
No. Shopify Payments is not supported in Pakistan. You need to connect a third party gateway for card payments, and you can add manual methods such as cash on delivery and bank transfer.
Final Thoughts
Shopify Payments may not work in Pakistan, but you still have solid ways to get paid. Cards and wallets give you faster, cleaner payments, while cash on delivery keeps your store open to shoppers who prefer to pay at the door. The smartest setup usually combines both, with clear costs and careful order checks.
Start with one gateway you trust, test it with real orders, and add more options as your store grows. If you want help choosing and setting up payments, Mark X Media is ready to guide you.
