TL; DR
- WhatsApp launched in-app prepaid recharges in India on April 23, 2026, supporting Jio, Airtel, and Vi via PayU.
- Users access the feature via a new ₹ icon that also consolidates UPI payments, metro ticketing, and chat transfers.
- The phased rollout covers Android and iOS; postpaid support is not available at launch.
WhatsApp launched in-app prepaid mobile recharges in India on April 23, 2026, powered by PayU, supporting Jio, Airtel, and Vi plans with UPI, debit, and credit card payments.
The Meta-owned instant messaging platform has rolled out a new feature that allows Indian users to recharge their prepaid mobile numbers, their own or someone else’s, without leaving the chat interface. The feature is powered by the fintech platform PayU, and it supports prepaid recharges for telecom operators like Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, and Vodafone Idea (VI).
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How Does The WhatsApp Prepaid Recharge Actually Work?
For recharging a supported prepaid number, users should tap on the new ‘₹’ icon on the app’s home screen, select the prepaid recharge option, and enter the number they want to recharge. It could be their own number, a family member’s, or a friend’s.
Thereafter, users have to confirm the operator, pick the required plan (there are quite a few of them these days), and complete the payment, all without leaving the app’s interface. Users can make the payments via UPI, debit cards, or credit cards.
Now that WhatsApp can also recharge prepaid mobile numbers, the ‘₹’ icon has become more like a central hub for UPI payments, metro ticketing services, and sending money directly within chats.
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The WhatsApp prepaid recharge feature is currently rolling out for both Android and iOS users, but in phases. In other words, it might be a while before the feature is available on WhatsApp for your phone.
Which Operators And Plans Are Supported?
Those who’re using prepaid connections from Jio, Airtel, and VI can choose from a wide range of available plans and complete their mobile number recharge directly within the messaging app. Postpaid billing, for now, isn’t supported. Furthermore, no additional transaction of convenience fee has been confirmed.
The addition of the recharge feature puts WhatsApp in direct competition with apps like Google Pay, PhonePe, and Paytm, all of which have had the recharge facility for years. However, none of them had WhatsApp’s 500 million-plus Indian user base.
At the time of writing this article, my WhatsApp didn’t receive the prepaid recharge feature.
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