Introduction to PayTo^®

Real-time account-to-account payments via pre-authorised agreements

What is PayTo?

PayTo is a real-time, account-to-account payment solution that allows businesses to collect payments directly from a customer's bank account using pre-authorised agreements.

Built on Australia's New Payments Platform (NPP), PayTo replaces traditional direct debit with a fully digital experience. Instead of relying on batch processing, agreements are created by the business and approved by the customer in their banking app.

Once authorised by customers, payments can be initiated according to the agreed terms — whether that's a one-off payment, recurring billing, or variable amounts — with funds settled in near-real time.

PayTo is a registered trade mark of NPP Australia Ltd ABN 68 601 428 737.

Why PayTo?

PayTo modernises bank payments by addressing the key limitations of traditional direct debits.

Payments are processed and settled in seconds, any day of the week
Agreements are authorised digitally (e.g. via the payer's banking app), not through paperwork or manual processes
Both businesses and customers have real-time visibility of payment status

This creates a faster, more transparent, and more reliable way to collect payments. It's not just payment processing – it's a better experience for everyone.

Key Features & Benefits

PayTo is designed to deliver value to both businesses and their customers.

For Businesses

Give your customer experience an edge
- A simple payment flow and banking channel authentication delivers a superior experience and protects your customers when they pay you, in real time.
Make it easier to get paid
- Whether it's a once-off purchase or an ongoing payment plan, the versatility of PayTo means you only need one system to handle both.
Improve business efficiency
- Lower costs, fewer chargebacks, and rich payment data that simplifies reconciliation and reduces manual effort across finance and operations.

For Customers

Secure authorisation through their personal banking app
Full visibility of active agreements
Control over payments, including the ability to pause or cancel at any time
Simple digital experience with no fees and no paperwork
No rejection fees apply

How PayTo Works

PayTo is built around a consent-driven payment flow where customers approve agreements before any payment occurs.

Step 1

Agreement Creation

The business creates a PayTo agreement, defining the payment terms (amount, frequency, customer details).

Step 2

Customer Authorisation

The agreement is sent to the customer's bank, where they can review, approve or reject it (usually in their banking app).

Step 3

Payment Initiation

Once authorised, the business can initiate payments in line with the agreement.

Step 4

Near-Real Time Settlement

Payments are processed instantly, with immediate confirmation of the outcome.

Who Should Use PayTo?

PayTo is designed for businesses that need a reliable, real-time way to collect payments directly from customer bank accounts, while providing a more transparent and controlled experience.

It is particularly well suited to:

Enterprises seeking to modernise or replace existing direct debit processes
Platforms and marketplaces that need to manage payments between multiple parties
Subscription services collecting recurring payments (e.g. utilities, software-as-a-service, memberships)
Fintechs and digital services looking to embed account-to-account payments into their products

PayTo is a strong fit where your business needs to:

Improve payment speed and cash flow through near-real time settlement
Increase payment certainty and reduce failures
Save on card scheme fees
Support recurring, one-off, or variable payment models
Enable repeat payments without relying on card details
Provide customers with greater visibility and control over their payments

Ready to get started?

Start building with PayTo and integrate real-time payments into your platform. See the Quick Start guide to begin.