Raast has made paying someone almost as quick as sending a text. For a business that collects monthly dues, it's a handy extra way to get paid. This guide explains what Raast is, why customers like it, and how it fits with 1BILL.
What Raast is
Raast is Pakistan's instant payment system, built by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). It moves money between banks and wallets in seconds. The word راست means straight or direct in Urdu.
Most people know it through their Raast ID. That's usually their mobile number, linked to their account, so they can share a phone number instead of a long account number.
Why customers like paying by Raast
- It's instant. The money moves in seconds, at any hour, even on holidays.
- It's free for them. Under SBP rules, the person paying isn't charged.
- It works across banks and wallets. They don't need to bank where you bank. JazzCash and Easypaisa support it too.
- Proof on the spot. Their app confirms the payment straight away.
Why doing it yourself is harder than it looks
Paying by Raast is easy for a customer. Collecting by Raast as a business is a different job. It starts with a merchant sign-up, with forms and documents. Then payments often arrive as just a name and an amount, like "Rs 2,500 from M. Aslam", and someone has to work out which customer and which month each one is for.
Getting each payment to land on the right customer by itself needs a billing system that's connected to Raast. Building that connection yourself is technical work with approvals, and it's rarely worth it for one business.
1BILL and Raast, together
Wasooli.Online creates each customer's bill every cycle and sends it on WhatsApp. Customers pay by Billing ID from almost any bank app or wallet, or by Raast. Every payment posts to their khata.
Raast and 1BILL: better together
For monthly dues, Raast works best next to a 1BILL Billing ID, not instead of it. A simple mix for a gym, school or ISP:
- 1BILL Billing ID as the main way to pay. People already use it for fees and bills, it works in almost every bank and wallet app, and each payment lands on the right customer.
- Raast for customers who prefer it.
- Cash for those who still want it, with a receipt every time.
Where Wasooli.Online fits
Wasooli.Online creates each customer's bill automatically every cycle and sends it on WhatsApp, in Urdu or English. Each customer has a Billing ID they can pay through 1BILL, and Raast is supported too. Whichever way they pay, the payment posts to their khata by itself and they get a receipt on WhatsApp. You see who's paid and who hasn't, without matching screenshots.
Comparing every option, including cash, IBFT and wallets? Read how to collect payments online in Pakistan. For the 1BILL side, see 1BILL invoices for your business.