"Which app is cheaper?" is a harder question than it sounds in Nepal, because eSewa and Khalti by IME both operate under a very similar fee structure set largely by the same government tariff policy. Fees don't work as a flat percentage the way some people assume — they kick in only after certain thresholds, and they differ by what you're actually doing: paying a shop, sending money to a friend, or pulling cash out to your bank. This guide breaks down the real fee structure by transaction type, so you can see exactly where the costs actually show up.
How Wallet Fees in Nepal Actually Work
Since August 2024, both eSewa and Khalti implemented a standardized tariff structure in response to a government provision requiring commercial electronic transactions to go through business accounts rather than personal peer-to-peer transfers. In practice, this means: transactions under Rs 100 are free with no limit, transactions over Rs 100 are free for the first three times per day and up to thirty times per month, and beyond those free limits, a flat Rs 10 fee applies per transaction. This structure applies to both platforms almost identically, which is why "which wallet is cheaper" often comes down to specific services rather than the wallets as a whole.
Fee Comparison by Transaction Type
| Transaction Type | eSewa | Khalti by IME |
|---|---|---|
| QR / Merchant Payment | Free to customer | Free to customer |
| Send Money (P2P), under Rs 100 | Free | Free |
| Send Money (P2P), over Rs 100 | Free (3/day, 30/month), then Rs 10 | Free (3/day, 30/month), then Rs 10 |
| Bank Withdrawal | Same free-limit structure, then Rs 10 | Payment from linked bank account: free |
| ATM Withdrawal | Flat Rs 15 per transaction | Check current in-app rate |
| Bill Payment / Recharge | Free to customer | Free to customer |
| Pension / Loan Repayment (CIT) | Rs 8 per transaction | Not a standard eSewa-only service |
A useful detail from Khalti's own charges page: payments made directly from a linked bank account through Khalti (rather than from wallet balance) are free, which can be a meaningful way to avoid fees on larger transactions if your bank supports the linkage. Fee schedules are updated periodically by each provider, so it's worth glancing at the in-app charges page before a large transaction rather than relying purely on what's written here or anywhere else.
Where Fonepay, NepalPay QR, and ConnectIPS Fit In
These aren't wallets in the same sense as eSewa or Khalti — they're payment networks and interbank platforms. For a customer, scanning a Fonepay-network QR code (which includes payments made through eSewa, Khalti, or a bank's mobile app) is free regardless of which app you use, since the small processing fee is charged to the merchant, not you. ConnectIPS, run by Nepal Clearing House Limited, allows direct bank-to-bank transfers and is typically free or very low-cost for standard transfers between your own linked bank accounts, making it a solid option for larger transfers where wallet fees would otherwise apply.
Ranking: Cheapest to Priciest for Common Situations
1. Merchant and QR payments — free across the board, since the customer never pays this fee regardless of provider. This is the cheapest way to pay for anything in person.
2. Bill payments and mobile recharge — also free to the customer on both major wallets, with the provider earning a small commission from the biller instead.
3. Occasional small P2P transfers (under the monthly free limit) — free on both eSewa and Khalti, as long as you stay within the three-per-day, thirty-per-month allowance for transactions over Rs 100.
4. Frequent P2P transfers or bank withdrawals beyond the free limit — Rs 10 flat per transaction on both platforms, tied for cost. Khalti's free linked-bank-account payment option can undercut this if your bank supports it.
5. ATM withdrawal — the priciest routine action, with eSewa charging a flat Rs 15 per withdrawal; confirm Khalti's current rate in-app since it may differ.
What This Means Depending on How You Use a Wallet
If you're a typical user paying bills, recharging your phone, and scanning QR codes at shops, you'll rarely encounter a fee on either platform — your daily habits fall almost entirely into the free categories. If you're a small business owner receiving frequent transfers or moving money to your bank often, the free-transaction limits matter more, and it's worth tracking how many transfers you make in a day or month so you're not caught by the Rs 10 charge unnecessarily. If you're moving larger sums regularly, comparing ConnectIPS or a direct linked-bank payment against wallet withdrawal fees can save a meaningful amount over a year.
How to Minimize Fees in Practice
Prefer QR and merchant payments over cash withdrawals whenever possible, since they're free regardless of amount. Keep track of your free monthly transfer count if you send money frequently, and batch smaller transfers rather than making many separate ones once you're near the limit. Where available, use a linked bank account for direct payment instead of wallet balance to take advantage of fee-free options. And before any large one-off transaction — a bigger bank withdrawal, a big P2P transfer — check the fee estimate shown in-app before confirming, since providers occasionally adjust these rates.
In the end, eSewa and Khalti by IME are priced almost identically for the vast majority of everyday use, because both operate under the same government-driven tariff structure. The real differentiator for most people isn't fees at all — it's which app is accepted where you shop, and which one's features (cashback, remittance, bill integrations) fit your life better.
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