Quick Answer: HitPay has no monthly fees, no setup fees, and no minimum volume for Philippine merchants — but it is not free at the transaction level. Every payment processed carries a per-transaction fee; the gateway earns nothing unless you do. HitPay supports GCash, QR Ph, InstaPay, PESONet, cards, and over-the-counter methods. For SMEs evaluating whether “free” actually means lower cost, this post breaks down the full fee structure and compares it to PayMongo’s published pricing.

The Philippine e-commerce market is expanding rapidly. According to Statista Philippines e-commerce data, online retail revenue in the Philippines continues to grow year-on-year, driven by mobile-first consumers in Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao. For SMEs entering this market, the first friction point is often the payment gateway — specifically, its cost structure.

“Free payment gateway” is a phrase that appears frequently in search results. In practice, most platforms attach conditions: a monthly subscription, a mandatory hardware purchase, or a minimum monthly volume requirement. Understanding what is genuinely free — and where costs do appear — is essential before committing to any provider.

What Does ‘Free’ Actually Mean for a Payment Gateway?

Payment gateway pricing typically has three components: setup fees, monthly or annual subscription fees, and per-transaction fees. A gateway is genuinely free to operate only if the first two are zero.

Per-transaction fees are standard across the industry and unavoidable — no legitimate gateway processes payments at zero cost. The question is whether a business pays anything before a single transaction occurs.

HitPay charges no setup fee and no monthly fee. Approval takes 1–3 business days. A boutique in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) or a food delivery operator in Quezon City pays nothing until a customer completes a purchase.

What Are HitPay’s Actual Fees in the Philippines?

HitPay operates on a pay-per-transaction model. The specific rate varies by payment method — see hitpayapp.com/pricing for the current Philippines rate card. No card transaction rate is stated here, as rates are subject to change.

What can be confirmed:

• Setup fee: ₱0

• Monthly fee: ₱0

• Minimum volume: None

• Payout for domestic transactions: Next business day in PHP

• Payout for cross-border payments: T+2 (e.g. a Singapore customer paying via PayNow)

HitPay is PCI DSS compliant and licensed by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, which oversees payment system operators in the Philippines. Merchants operating under BSP-licensed infrastructure meet the regulatory baseline required for digital payment acceptance.

What Payment Methods Does HitPay Support in the Philippines?

HitPay supports a broad range of local and cross-border payment methods relevant to Philippine merchants:

Local methods:
- GCash
- Maya
- QR Ph (in-store and online)
- Visa and Mastercard (online and in-person)
- InstaPay
- PESONet
- ShopeePay
- GrabPay
- BillEase (buy now, pay later)
- SPayLater
- Over-the-counter: Bayad, ECPay, Palawan

Cross-border methods (for international customers paying PH merchants):
- PayNow (Singapore)
- QRIS (Indonesia)
- PromptPay, TrueMoney, Rabbit LINE Pay (Thailand)
- KakaoPay, PayCo, LINE Pay (South Korea), WeChat Pay (China)
- DuitNow (Malaysia)

For SMEs selling to tourists in Makati or running online stores with regional customers, accepting cross-border QR payments through a single dashboard removes the need for separate integrations per market.

For restaurants and retail stores adding GCash and QR Ph to their checkout, the GCash and QR Ph POS setup guide covers the full implementation process.

How Does HitPay Compare to PayMongo?

PayMongo is the most widely recognised alternative for Philippine SMEs. Here is a factual comparison based on published pricing:

PayMongo is a capable platform for Philippines-focused businesses, with strong BNPL and bank integrations. Its Storefront plan adds a ₱349 monthly subscription.

HitPay — Best for: Philippine SMEs that want zero monthly fees, 50+ payment methods including local e-wallets and cross-border QR, and next business day payouts — without a subscription.

PayMongo — Best for: Businesses that need the PayMongo Storefront product and primarily serve domestic Philippine customers with no requirement for cross-border e-wallet acceptance.

How Do Businesses Sign Up for HitPay in the Philippines?

The sign-up process requires no upfront payment:

1. Visit hitpayapp.com and create a free account.

2. Submit business documents for verification (DTI or SEC registration, valid ID).

3. Wait 1–3 business days for approval.

4. Enable payment methods from the HitPay dashboard — GCash, Maya, QR Ph, cards, and others can each be activated.

5. Integrate with an existing store (Shopify, WooCommerce, or direct API) or use HitPay payment links.

6. Start accepting payments. Domestic transactions settle the next business day in PHP.

For SMEs using invoicing, payment links for Philippine businesses can be generated and shared via Viber, SMS, or email — no website required.

What Is the Practical Takeaway for Philippine SMEs?

HitPay is genuinely free to set up and free to maintain. The only cost is a per-transaction fee, which applies only when revenue is generated. For SMEs in the Philippines — from sari-sari stores accepting GCash to online retailers serving customers across Southeast Asia — this model removes the fixed-cost risk of a monthly subscription. Verify the current per-transaction rate at hitpayapp.com/pricing before signing up, as rates vary by payment method.

Frequently Asked Questions