AutoPay launched in 2020 as the recurring-debit feature on UPI. Customer authorizes once via PIN, business can debit at agreed schedule (monthly, weekly, etc.) up to the mandate cap.
Use cases: SaaS subscriptions, OTT services (Netflix, Hotstar — many have moved to AutoPay), gym memberships, EMI collection, school fee, rent collection. The 2024 RBI hike to ₹15,000 (and ₹1L for select categories) made AutoPay viable for high-ticket recurring.
Failed AutoPay debits trigger retry cycles. RBI mandates pre-debit notification 24 hours in advance — businesses must integrate this.