Quick answer: To add a bKash payment gateway to WooCommerce, get a bKash merchant gateway account or an aggregator like SSLCommerz, install their plugin, test with sandbox credentials, set the webhook URL, then switch to live keys. Small new stores can start with manual “send money” payments and a transaction ID field.
Almost every Bangladeshi store I work on starts the same way. The checkout says “Send money to 01XXXXXXXXX and type your transaction ID below.” Then somebody on the team opens the bKash app 40 times a day to check if the money really came in.
It works when you get five orders a week. At fifty, it breaks. Orders sit in “on hold”, customers message you asking if you got their payment, and one wrong transaction ID means a parcel goes out unpaid.
A proper bKash payment gateway fixes that. The customer pays inside your checkout, WooCommerce gets the result back, and the order moves to “processing” on its own. Here is how I set it up for clients, which option I pick, and the mistakes I keep seeing.
Table of Contents
Three ways to take bKash payments in WooCommerce
You have three real options. They are not equal, and the right one depends on how many orders you get and whether you also want Nagad and card payments.
| Option | How it works | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Manual “send money” | Customer sends money to your number and types the transaction ID. You check it by hand. | New stores with a few orders a week |
| bKash merchant payment gateway | Official bKash checkout opens on your site. Payment is confirmed automatically. | Stores where most customers pay with bKash |
| Aggregator (SSLCommerz, aamarPay, shurjoPay) | One gateway shows bKash, Nagad, Rocket and cards together. | Stores that want every payment method in one place |
My usual advice: if 80% of your customers already pay with bKash, go direct. If you also sell to people who pay by card or Nagad, an aggregator saves you from managing three separate merchant accounts.
What you need before you apply
Gateways check your business and your website before they give you live credentials. Get these ready first and the approval goes a lot faster:
- A trade license and a business bank account
- A bKash merchant wallet (for the direct gateway)
- A live website on HTTPS with real products and prices
- Refund and return policy, terms and conditions and privacy policy pages
- A contact page with your phone number and business address
The policy pages are the part people skip. I have seen applications sent back only because the site had no refund policy.
How to add the bKash payment gateway to WooCommerce
These are the steps I follow on client stores. The order matters, mostly because of the testing part.
- Apply for the gateway. Contact bKash for a payment gateway (PGW) account, or sign up with an aggregator.
- Get sandbox credentials first. Both bKash and the aggregators give you test credentials before the live ones.
- Install the plugin. Use the plugin your gateway gives you or the one listed on WordPress.org, like the SSLCommerz plugin. Never a nulled or “free download” copy from a random site, because it handles your money.
- Enter the sandbox keys and set the store currency to BDT.
- Place test orders. Try a successful payment, a cancelled payment and a refund. Check that each order lands in the right status.
- Set up the webhook or callback URL. Without it, some payments finish but the order stays “pending”.
- Switch to live credentials and make one small real purchase yourself before you announce it.
Once the credentials are approved, the WooCommerce side usually takes me less than a day, testing included. The waiting is almost always on the approval.
Is manual bKash payment still okay?
For a brand new store, yes. It costs nothing and you can start today. Add a required field for the transaction ID at checkout, put the order “on hold”, and only ship after you match the ID in your bKash statement.
Move to a gateway when checking payments starts taking real time every day, or when customers start dropping off at checkout because they do not want to leave your site to pay. You can also connect order alerts and payment reminders with WooCommerce automation so fewer orders get stuck.
Mistakes I see on bKash checkout setups
- Going live without testing a refund
- No webhook, so paid orders stay “pending payment” and get cancelled automatically
- Checkout and cart pages cached by a caching plugin, which breaks the payment popup
- Currency left in USD while the gateway expects BDT
- Cash on delivery left on with no advance payment, so fake orders keep coming
- Old plugin that has not been updated in years
How much does a payment gateway cost?
Gateways charge a percentage of each successful payment. The exact rate depends on your agreement and your business type, so ask the gateway for its current rate before you sign. Some aggregators also let you pass the charge to the customer.
If you are still deciding on a platform, my Shopify vs WooCommerce comparison explains why WooCommerce is usually the easier choice for bKash and cash on delivery stores in Bangladesh.
Want this set up for you? Hire a WooCommerce developer to add bKash, Nagad and card payments to your store.
Frequently asked questions
Can I add bKash payment to WooCommerce without a merchant account?
Only the manual way, where customers send money to your number and type the transaction ID. Automatic confirmation needs a bKash merchant gateway account or an aggregator account.
Which is better, the direct bKash gateway or SSLCommerz?
Direct bKash is simple if almost all your customers use bKash. An aggregator like SSLCommerz is better if you also want Nagad, Rocket and card payments in one checkout.
Why does my bKash payment succeed but the order stays pending?
Usually the webhook or callback URL is missing or blocked, or the checkout page is cached. Check the gateway settings and exclude cart and checkout from caching.
How long does it take to set up a bKash payment gateway?
Approval from the gateway can take from a few days to a few weeks. The WooCommerce setup and testing usually takes less than a day once you have the credentials.
Need bKash, Nagad or card payments working on your WooCommerce store? Send me your store link and I will tell you which gateway fits and what the setup costs. You can also see my WordPress development services.
