If you run a business in Sri Lanka in 2025 and you only accept cash, you are losing customers. A growing number of Sri Lankan shoppers — especially younger buyers — prefer to pay by card, mobile wallet, or online banking. PayHere is the most widely used payment gateway in Sri Lanka, and integrating it into your POS or website is now simpler than ever.
This guide explains exactly how PayHere works, what it costs, and how SwiftPOS integrates PayHere directly into your sales system.
What is PayHere?
PayHere is Sri Lanka's leading online payment gateway. It allows businesses to accept:
- Visa and Mastercard — debit and credit cards from any Sri Lankan or international bank
- eZ Cash — Dialog mobile wallet payments
- mCash — Mobitel mobile wallet payments
- FriMi — Nations Trust Bank mobile wallet
- Online banking — direct bank transfers from major Sri Lankan banks
- USSD payments — works on basic phones without internet
PayHere processes payments in Sri Lankan Rupees (LKR) and settles to your Sri Lankan bank account within 3–5 business days.
PayHere Fees in 2025
| Payment Method | Transaction Fee |
|---|---|
| Visa / Mastercard (local) | 2.35% + Rs. 25 |
| Visa / Mastercard (international) | 3.5% + Rs. 25 |
| eZ Cash / mCash | 1.5% + Rs. 10 |
| Internet Banking | 1.5% + Rs. 15 |
| Monthly fee | Rs. 0 |
| Setup fee | Rs. 0 |
There is no monthly fee and no setup fee — you only pay when you receive a payment. For a Rs. 10,000 sale paid by Visa card, the fee is approximately Rs. 260 (2.35% + Rs. 25). This compares favourably with card machine rental fees from banks which often exceed Rs. 3,000/month.
How to Get a PayHere Merchant Account
- Go to payhere.lk and click Get Started
- Choose Business type (Individual or Company)
- Provide your NIC or business registration documents
- Enter your Sri Lankan bank account details for settlements
- Submit for approval — usually takes 2–3 business days
- Once approved, you receive your Merchant ID and Secret Key from the PayHere dashboard
SwiftPOS + PayHere Integration
SwiftPOS integrates directly with PayHere so your customers can pay by card or mobile wallet at the POS checkout — without needing a separate payment terminal or device.
How it works at the point of sale:
- Cashier completes the sale in SwiftPOS POS terminal
- Customer selects "Card / Online" as payment method
- SwiftPOS generates a PayHere payment link for the exact sale amount
- Customer scans QR code or enters details on their phone
- Payment confirmed — sale marked as paid automatically
- Receipt generated with PayHere transaction reference
Benefits for Sri Lankan retail shops:
- No card machine hardware to rent or buy
- Accepts all major cards and mobile wallets in one system
- Payment confirmation is instant — no waiting for card slip
- Transaction reference automatically saved to the sale record
- Reduces cash handling risk
- Customers can pay from their phone — contactless and hygienic
PayHere vs Card Machines from Banks
| Feature | PayHere via SwiftPOS | Bank Card Machine |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | Rs. 0 | Rs. 2,500–5,000 |
| Setup cost | Rs. 0 | Rs. 5,000–15,000 |
| Mobile wallets | ✅ eZ Cash, mCash, FriMi | ❌ |
| Online banking | ✅ | ❌ |
| Works on any device | ✅ | ❌ (dedicated terminal) |
| Integrated with POS | ✅ Automatic | ❌ Manual entry |
| Settlement | 3–5 business days | 1–2 business days |
Setting Up PayHere in SwiftPOS
- Log in to your PayHere merchant dashboard at payhere.lk
- Go to Settings → Domains and Whitelist
swiftpos.lk - Copy your Merchant ID and Secret Hash
- In SwiftPOS go to Settings → Payment Methods
- Enable PayHere and paste your Merchant ID and Secret Hash
- Save settings and test with a Rs. 10 test payment
Frequently Asked Questions
Does PayHere work for in-store payments or only online?
PayHere works for both. For in-store, customers pay by scanning a QR code on their phone. For online orders, the payment link can be sent via WhatsApp or email.
How long does PayHere take to settle funds?
PayHere settles to your Sri Lankan bank account within 3–5 business days. You can view pending settlements in your PayHere dashboard at any time.
Is PayHere safe for customers?
Yes. PayHere is PCI-DSS certified and processes payments on secure PayHere servers — your customers' card details never pass through SwiftPOS.
Can I accept USD payments from international customers?
SwiftPOS also integrates with PayPal for international USD payments — useful if you sell to overseas Sri Lankan customers or export goods.
Conclusion
Accepting digital payments in your Sri Lankan shop no longer requires expensive hardware or complicated bank applications. PayHere, integrated directly into SwiftPOS, gives you card, mobile wallet, and online banking payments from day one — with no monthly fee and no hardware to buy.
Set up SwiftPOS free at swiftpos.lk and start accepting PayHere payments today.