Accepting payments online used to be complicated and expensive for small businesses. Today, Indonesian sellers have access to a wide range of payment options that are easy to set up, affordable, and trusted by customers.
This guide breaks down the main payment methods available to you, their pros and cons, and how to decide which ones to offer.
The Main Online Payment Methods in Indonesia
1. Bank Transfer (Manual Confirmation)
The most traditional method: you share your bank account number, the customer transfers the amount, and then sends you a transfer screenshot to confirm.
Pros: Zero transaction fees, works for all customers who have a bank account, no platform dependency
Cons: Manual process — you have to confirm each payment and cross-reference transfers. Time-consuming as volume grows. Customers occasionally "forget" to send confirmation.
Best for: Sellers just starting out, low-volume sellers, high-value orders where the manual process is worth the fee saving
2. GoPay
GoPay is one of Indonesia's most-used e-wallets, integrated into the Gojek app. Customers can pay via QR code or a payment link.
Pros: Instant confirmation, very high adoption especially among younger urban customers, QR code payments are quick and easy
Cons: Transaction fees apply (varies by merchant setup), customers need a GoPay account
Best for: Food sellers in urban areas (many customers already use GoPay for Gofood)
3. OVO
OVO is a major e-wallet with strong adoption, particularly in the Grab ecosystem and partnered with many retail locations.
Pros: Wide customer adoption, instant confirmation, supports split bills
Cons: Transaction fees apply, customer needs OVO account
4. DANA
DANA is a growing e-wallet with strong presence on Tokopedia and a growing independent user base.
Pros: Good adoption rate, easy to send payment links, can receive from non-DANA users via bank transfer
Cons: Transaction fees for merchants, less universal than bank transfer
5. Virtual Account (VA)
A virtual account is a unique bank account number generated per order or per customer. The customer transfers to this number, and confirmation is automatic.
Pros: Solves the manual confirmation problem of regular bank transfer, works for customers who prefer bank transfer over e-wallets
Cons: Requires payment gateway integration (Midtrans, Xendit, etc.), small per-transaction fee
Best for: Sellers handling significant volume who need automated confirmation but want to support bank transfer customers
6. QRIS (QR Code Indonesian Standard)
QRIS is a unified QR code standard in Indonesia that works across all major e-wallets — GoPay, OVO, DANA, LinkAja, ShopeePay, and more. One QR code accepts all of them.
Pros: Single QR code works for all e-wallets, very easy for customers, low transaction fees (capped at 0.7% for most merchants)
Cons: Requires QRIS merchant registration, better suited for in-person payments (though digital QRIS links are available)
Best for: Any seller who has physical interactions with customers
What Payment Methods Should You Offer?
A practical starting setup for most Indonesian small sellers:
- Bank transfer — covers all customers, especially older or rural ones
- GoPay or OVO — covers your e-wallet customers without manual confirmation
- QRIS — if you ever meet customers in person
You don't need to offer every payment method. Offering too many options can actually create confusion. Start with 2–3 that cover your customer base, and add more if customers specifically request them.
Catalo.id Payment Setup
On Catalo.id, you configure your payment methods in your store settings. Customers see your accepted payment methods at checkout and choose their preferred option. On higher plans, Catalo.id can integrate with payment gateways for automatic confirmation — eliminating the manual confirmation step entirely.
Common Payment Problems and How to Handle Them
"The customer transferred the wrong amount"
This happens. For small differences (rounding errors), decide in advance whether you'll absorb them or request the remainder. For larger differences, contact the customer before processing the order.
"The customer says they transferred but I don't see it"
Ask for the transfer receipt (screenshot or transaction ID). Never release an order without confirmed receipt of payment.
"A customer wants to pay cash on delivery"
Cash on delivery (COD) is common in Indonesia, but it carries risk: you incur delivery cost before receiving payment, and some customers refuse delivery or aren't home. If you offer COD, charge a COD fee to offset the risk, and consider limiting it to customers with a purchase history.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to register as a business to accept online payments?
For personal bank transfer and personal e-wallet accounts, no. For QRIS merchant accounts or payment gateway integration (higher-volume processing), some form of business registration may be required depending on the provider.
Are there transaction limits I should know about?
E-wallets generally have daily transaction limits (e.g., OVO Premiere has higher limits than basic OVO). Bank transfers have no meaningful limits for most sellers. QRIS has a per-transaction limit of Rp 10.000.000.
What's the safest way to accept payments as a new seller?
Bank transfer is safest in the sense that you have a clear paper trail. E-wallets add the convenience of automatic confirmation. Never accept "I'll pay later" from customers you don't know personally.
Accepting online payments doesn't have to be complicated. Start with the basics, keep your process simple, and add options as your volume and customer base grow.