It is now normal for a patient to stand at reception and ask, "Shall I send it on InstaPay?" It is fast and convenient. But without a routine, you end up at closing time with transfers you can't match to a patient, or someone insisting they paid when nothing shows on your side.
This post goes through the official numbers for limits and fees, then a practical way for a clinic to take these payments in an orderly way. The facts about InstaPay come from the sources listed at the end.
How InstaPay works
InstaPay is an app that lets you send money from a bank account or a Meeza prepaid card, any time of day, to any bank account, digital wallet or card. So the patient doesn't need to bank with you. Usually the clinic gives the patient its payment address or a QR code, the patient sends the money and shows you the confirmation.
The limits to know
According to InstaPay's official site, the limits are:
- EGP 70,000 per transaction
- EGP 120,000 per day, per bank
- EGP 400,000 per month, per bank
A normal consultation is nowhere near these. But if you take large payments, such as a dental treatment plan or a cosmetic procedure, remember the limits apply to the sender's bank account, so a patient may need to split a payment over two days.
The fees
Since April 1, 2025, transfers carry a fee of 0.1% of the amount, with a minimum of EGP 0.50 and a maximum of EGP 20. So a 500 EGP consultation costs about 50 piasters, and no transfer pays more than 20 EGP. It is small, but if the amount you see differs slightly from what the patient says they sent, this is usually why. Ask your bank who bears the fee in your setup before charging the difference.
Balance inquiries and mini-statements get 10 free requests a month, then EGP 0.50 each.
Successful transfers can't be reversed
The most important practical point: according to the network's official FAQs, a successful transaction can't be reversed. If a patient sends to the wrong address or overpays, getting money back needs an agreement and a new transfer from you. So:
- Put the clinic's payment address somewhere clear and ask the patient to check the name shown before confirming.
- Only say "done" after you see the notification on your own phone or bank app, not just a screenshot from the patient.
- If you refund an overpayment, do it as a separate transfer and write it in the log.
QR codes and merchant payments
In 2024 the Central Bank of Egypt announced QR payments between individuals in the app, and said it was working on letting individuals pay merchants by QR. For a clinic the benefit is that the patient doesn't type the address by hand, so fewer mistakes. Ask your bank what is available for a clinic account, since this varies.
End-of-day matching
The simplest routine that works for most clinics:
- Record every InstaPay payment the moment it arrives: patient name, amount, payment method.
- At closing, compare the recorded total with your bank notifications.
- Flag any transfer you can't identify and ask about it the next day, not next week.
If you run on Kashfy, payments are recorded against the visit, and the day's revenue is totalled in the finance dashboard by doctor and service. In a dental patient's treatment account you can pick InstaPay as the payment method. Still, reception enters the payment, so Kashfy records what you type, and matching it against the bank stays your job.
Mixing cash and transfers
Nothing stops you taking cash and transfers side by side. What matters is that each method follows the same recording steps, so the monthly report comes out right and your accountant has an easy time.
