# KEKS Pay

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/HR/keks-pay
> research date 2026-10-20 · extracted at 2026-10-20
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

**KEKS Pay** is a free Croatian payment app from Erste banka. You don't need an Erste account to use it. You send money to a contact by phone number, split a bill with a group, scan a KEKS Pay QR code to pay in a café, pay in webshops, and pay parking and household bills. The money comes from any Visa, Mastercard, Maestro or Diners card issued in Croatia or the EU, or from an Erste account. Sending and paying cost nothing. With another bank's card you can send up to €300 a day and €3,000 a month. Erste banka counted 567,000 users at the end of 2025.

| | |
|---|---|
| **Country** | Croatia (`HR`) |
| **What it is** | A mobile app for sending, requesting and receiving money, paying merchants and paying bills [[12]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/5eda7c6b220ebc831bb46fcd5c9a2a20/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-usluge-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf) |
| **Who runs it** | Erste&Steiermärkische Bank d.d. provides the payment service under HNB supervision; the app belongs to KEKS Pay d.o.o., Zagreb, which the terms call Erste's partner and technical service provider [[12]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/5eda7c6b220ebc831bb46fcd5c9a2a20/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-usluge-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf). KEKS Pay d.o.o. says it is 100% owned by Erste banka [[2]](https://www.kekspay.hr/o-nama/), and the bank lists it as a 100% subsidiary at 30 June 2026 [[26]](https://eho.zse.hr/fileadmin/issuers/RIBA/FI-RIBA-1701f6733ebcbc47bdd1f27a5fb98ca1.pdf) |
| **Since** | 11 Dec 2018 [[3]](https://www.erstebank.hr/en/press/press-releases/2018/12/11/introducing-keks-pay-a-unique-app-for-sending-and-receiving-funds-free-of-charge) |
| **Cost** | No fee for sending, receiving or paying. Up to €0.35 to pay a scanned slip [[15]](https://www.kekspay.hr/mogucnosti/slanje-i-primanje-love/) [[18]](https://www.kekspay.hr/mogucnosti/keks-pay-rezije/) |
| **Typical limit** | From €0.50 per request. Up to €300 a day and €3,000 a month with another bank's card or account, or €800 a day and €6,000 a month with Erste (terms from 1 Sep 2026) [[12]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/5eda7c6b220ebc831bb46fcd5c9a2a20/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-usluge-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf) |
| **Reaches** | Other KEKS Pay users and Croatian bank accounts, in euro only. Cards from banks in Croatia or the EU can pay [[12]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/5eda7c6b220ebc831bb46fcd5c9a2a20/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-usluge-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf) |
| **Users** | 567,000 on 31 Dec 2025 [[4]](https://www.erstebank.hr/en/press/press-releases/2026/2/26/erste-bank-achieved-positive-financial-results-in-2025-with-stable-growth-in-loans-and-deposits) |
| **Code on paper?** | Yes. A KEKS Pay QR code is printed on café receipts and shown at post offices, and the app scans the HUB3 barcode on payment slips [[16]](https://www.kekspay.hr/mogucnosti/prodajna-mjesta/) [[9]](https://hrvatska.posta.hr/en/press/news/digitalno-placanje-u-svim-postanskim-uredima-8589-8796) |

This page is about paying and getting paid with KEKS Pay in Croatia. The app's history and company background are on the [KEKS Pay wallet page](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/keks-pay).

## How KEKS Pay came to Croatia

On 11 December 2018 Erste banka launched KEKS Pay. It was built by an internal start-up of the bank and was "the first banking solution on the Croatian market" open to customers of any bank. You sent money by phone number without knowing anyone's account number, from a debit card, a credit card or a current account. The money arrived at the IBAN the recipient had entered, and the daily limit was HRK 1,000 [[3]](https://www.erstebank.hr/en/press/press-releases/2018/12/11/introducing-keks-pay-a-unique-app-for-sending-and-receiving-funds-free-of-charge). In a May 2025 interview, the app's creator said a team of seven or eight people started it to solve "how to split the cost of coffee for ten people". Online shopping came next, then café payments, then the KEKSICA card and digital bills. He said digital bills were the most popular feature [[7]](https://en.lider.media/2025/05/21/keks-pay-plans-to-enter-the-fund-and-etf-segment/).

| Date | Step |
|---|---|
| 11 Dec 2018 | Launch by Erste banka; daily limit HRK 1,000 [[3]](https://www.erstebank.hr/en/press/press-releases/2018/12/11/introducing-keks-pay-a-unique-app-for-sending-and-receiving-funds-free-of-charge) |
| 6 May 2020 | Craftsmen and family farms (OPG) can take payments with their own KEKS Pay QR code or link; about 115,000 users [[8]](https://en.lider.media/2020/05/06/contactless-payment-enabled-for-craftsmen-and-family-farms-via-keks-pay-application/) |
| 13 Oct 2020 | Payment by QR code in all 1,016 Hrvatska pošta post offices; "more than 150,000 users" [[9]](https://hrvatska.posta.hr/en/press/news/digitalno-placanje-u-svim-postanskim-uredima-8589-8796) |
| Apr 2022 | Paying cash-on-delivery parcels with Hrvatska pošta postmen and Paket24 [[10]](https://www.index.hr/magazin/clanak/od-sada-svoje-pakete-mozete-placati-i-preuzimati-potezom-prsta/2357632.aspx) |
| 15 Nov 2023 | A1 Hrvatska's webshop accepts KEKS Pay [[11]](https://en.lider.media/2023/11/15/a1-hrvatska-and-keks-pay-enable-even-simpler-payments-in-a1-webshop/) |
| 17 Dec 2024 | Erste says the ECB approved a separate company for KEKS Pay; 477,000 active users [[6]](https://en.lider.media/2024/12/17/erste-payment-keksanjem-expands-to-three-countries-in-the-balkans/) |
| 30 Apr 2025 | Erste announces it will move KEKS Pay into its own company [[5]](https://www.erstebank.hr/en/press/press-releases/2025/4/30/erste-banks-performance-in-q1-2025-marked-by-new-lending-growth) |
| 31 Dec 2025 | 567,000 users; €390 million in transactions in 2025, up 37% [[4]](https://www.erstebank.hr/en/press/press-releases/2026/2/26/erste-bank-achieved-positive-financial-results-in-2025-with-stable-growth-in-loans-and-deposits) |

User counts depend on who is counting and how. Erste's own results give 500,000 users at the end of 2024 and 567,000 at the end of 2025 [[4]](https://www.erstebank.hr/en/press/press-releases/2026/2/26/erste-bank-achieved-positive-financial-results-in-2025-with-stable-growth-in-loans-and-deposits). In May 2025 the app's creator spoke of about 520,000 *active* users [[7]](https://en.lider.media/2025/05/21/keks-pay-plans-to-enter-the-fund-and-etf-segment/). A sponsored article in May 2026 said "almost 600,000" [[24]](https://www.novilist.hr/ostalo/promo/keks-pay-rezije-besplatna-usluga-primanja-i-placanja-rezija-obuhvaca-sve-telekome-i-sve-vise-izdavatelja-racuna-u-nasoj-zupaniji/). In October 2026 the KEKS Pay website said "more than 500,000" on its home page and "more than 400,000" on its merchant pages [[1]](https://www.kekspay.hr/) [[19]](https://www.kekspay.hr/poslovni-korisnici/keks-pay-za-ugostitelje/).

## How to use it

**Sign up.** Download KEKS Pay from Google Play, the App Store or Huawei AppGallery. The terms say these are the only safe sources [[14]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/40b969bb2c4dfc897ed60579b1f35f0d/Op%C4%87i_uvjeti_kori%C5%A1tenja_aplikacije_KEKS_Pay_-_u_primjeni_od_1.9.2025..pdf). To register you give only your mobile number and your real first and last name; nicknames are not allowed. You protect the app with a PIN or biometrics. Your phone needs iOS or Android no more than 48 months old, a working camera, and must not be rooted or jailbroken [[14]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/40b969bb2c4dfc897ed60579b1f35f0d/Op%C4%87i_uvjeti_kori%C5%A1tenja_aplikacije_KEKS_Pay_-_u_primjeni_od_1.9.2025..pdf).

**Add a way to pay.** Add a Diners, Mastercard, Maestro or Visa card issued in your own name. Erste customers can instead link their Erste account with mToken and their ID card [[12]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/5eda7c6b220ebc831bb46fcd5c9a2a20/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-usluge-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf). A third option is a free prepaid **KEKS račun** (KEKS account), an e-money account inside the app. It has no IBAN. It is only for adults resident in Croatia, who open it by scanning a Croatian ID card [[13]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/29bd11056c0f6e90d00cb06b73640c9b/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-keks-racuna-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf) [[17]](https://www.kekspay.hr/mogucnosti/moj-keks-racun/).

**Send.** Pick a contact by phone number, or open their **Kekstag**, a personal KEKS Pay link they share by WhatsApp, SMS or e-mail. Enter the amount in euro and confirm by swiping "Povuci da pošalješ". KEKS Pay swaps the phone number or Kekstag for the IBAN the recipient entered in the app [[12]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/5eda7c6b220ebc831bb46fcd5c9a2a20/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-usluge-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf). You can send to a whole group, either one total split between them or the same amount to each person [[12]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/5eda7c6b220ebc831bb46fcd5c9a2a20/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-usluge-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf) [[15]](https://www.kekspay.hr/mogucnosti/slanje-i-primanje-love/).

**Request.** Send a request to someone who owes you money; they decide whether to pay. The terms say requests are for people you know. If you spam strangers with requests, the bank can limit your account [[12]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/5eda7c6b220ebc831bb46fcd5c9a2a20/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-usluge-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf).

**Receive.** Add an account for incoming money: a current account at a bank in Croatia, or your KEKS račun [[12]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/5eda7c6b220ebc831bb46fcd5c9a2a20/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-usluge-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf). The account is added only if the name check (Verification of Payee) gives a full match with the name you registered. If someone sends you money before you have added an account, the payment waits. You have 5 days to add one, and until then the sender can cancel it [[12]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/5eda7c6b220ebc831bb46fcd5c9a2a20/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-usluge-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf). Money sent to a KEKS račun can be spent at once, weekends included [[17]](https://www.kekspay.hr/mogucnosti/moj-keks-racun/).

**Make it instant.** In the app settings you can turn on "Instant/Brza plaćanja". Payments between two bank accounts then run under the EPC's SCT Inst rules, with a target of 10 seconds, at any hour. Without that setting they follow the bank's normal transfer schedule [[12]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/5eda7c6b220ebc831bb46fcd5c9a2a20/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-usluge-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf). See [SCT Inst in Croatia](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/HR/sct-inst).

**Children.** A parent can open a **Keksich** account and card for a child aged 7 to 17 [[13]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/29bd11056c0f6e90d00cb06b73640c9b/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-keks-racuna-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf).

## Limits and fees

These are the limits in the payment terms that apply from 1 September 2026. If your card or account has a lower limit, the lower one applies [[12]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/5eda7c6b220ebc831bb46fcd5c9a2a20/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-usluge-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf) [[13]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/29bd11056c0f6e90d00cb06b73640c9b/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-keks-racuna-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf).

| Paying from | Minimum | Per day | Per month | Fee to you |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Another bank's card or account | €0.50 | €300 | €3,000 | None for sending, receiving or paying [[12]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/5eda7c6b220ebc831bb46fcd5c9a2a20/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-usluge-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf) [[15]](https://www.kekspay.hr/mogucnosti/slanje-i-primanje-love/) |
| Erste account or Erste card | €0.50 | €800 | €6,000 | None [[12]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/5eda7c6b220ebc831bb46fcd5c9a2a20/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-usluge-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf) |
| KEKS račun, to someone else | €0.50 | €800 | €3,000 (shop, ATM and online spending count towards it) | None; opening the first KEKS račun is free [[13]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/29bd11056c0f6e90d00cb06b73640c9b/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-keks-racuna-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf) |
| Scanning a HUB3 slip | | | | Up to €0.35 per slip [[18]](https://www.kekspay.hr/mogucnosti/keks-pay-rezije/) |
| Bills received in KEKS Pay režije | | | | None, "even if you live abroad" [[18]](https://www.kekspay.hr/mogucnosti/keks-pay-rezije/) |

A KEKS račun also has these caps: top-ups of up to €3,000 a calendar month, a balance of at most €15,000, and at most €20,000 received in a calendar year [[13]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/29bd11056c0f6e90d00cb06b73640c9b/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-keks-racuna-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf). The bank can add more limits for security, including per-card limits that it tells you only on request [[12]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/5eda7c6b220ebc831bb46fcd5c9a2a20/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-usluge-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf).

**The website and the terms disagree.** In October 2026 the KEKS račun page still said you can send "up to €663 a day or €2,654 a month" [[17]](https://www.kekspay.hr/mogucnosti/moj-keks-racun/). The 1 September 2026 terms say €800 a day and €3,000 a month [[13]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/29bd11056c0f6e90d00cb06b73640c9b/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-keks-racuna-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf). The webshop page also says buyers have "no daily or monthly limits" when paying [[20]](https://www.kekspay.hr/poslovni-korisnici/keks-pay-za-webshop/), while the terms count payments to merchants as KEKS Pay transactions under the limits above [[12]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/5eda7c6b220ebc831bb46fcd5c9a2a20/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-usluge-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf). The terms are the contract.

Limits change; check your bank's current terms.

## Paying shops and businesses

**Cafés and restaurants.** If your receipt has a KEKS Pay QR code, scan it in the app and pay. You can add a tip [[16]](https://www.kekspay.hr/mogucnosti/prodajna-mjesta/). The venue's cash-register integrator switches KEKS Pay on in its fiscal tills. The till systems named are Remaris and Smart (both Monri Payments), Info Partner, WUGO and Serv.Us. The venue needs no POS terminal and pays no fixed costs. Each receipt can be paid only once, and only the till can cancel a paid receipt. Visitors can pay too, with a card from their foreign bank [[19]](https://www.kekspay.hr/poslovni-korisnici/keks-pay-za-ugostitelje/).

**Webshops.** At checkout you scan a QR code on a computer screen, or tap "Otvori KEKS Pay" on a phone. You don't type in card details [[21]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/d13bd010451d54e302bd55317ca056cd/Tehnicka_specifikacija_za_webshopove_v0.6.pdf) [[20]](https://www.kekspay.hr/poslovni-korisnici/keks-pay-za-webshop/). Shops connect with free WooCommerce and Magento plugins, or through WSPay, PayWay, WebPay and several Croatian agencies. The merchant can have its business account at any bank and pays only a per-payment fee set in its contract. It receives one bulk payment on the next working day [[20]](https://www.kekspay.hr/poslovni-korisnici/keks-pay-za-webshop/) [[22]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/7b9d9f62b412282fd47fd59281c0bc48/2952025-opci-uvjeti-o-prihvatu-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192025.pdf). A1 Hrvatska added KEKS Pay to its webshop in November 2023 [[11]](https://en.lider.media/2023/11/15/a1-hrvatska-and-keks-pay-enable-even-simpler-payments-in-a1-webshop/).

**Post and parcels.** Since October 2020 you can pay at every Hrvatska pošta office by scanning the QR code shown there [[9]](https://hrvatska.posta.hr/en/press/news/digitalno-placanje-u-svim-postanskim-uredima-8589-8796). Since April 2022 you can also pay cash-on-delivery parcels brought by Hrvatska pošta postmen and Paket24 [[10]](https://www.index.hr/magazin/clanak/od-sada-svoje-pakete-mozete-placati-i-preuzimati-potezom-prsta/2357632.aspx).

**Small sellers.** Since May 2020 craftsmen and family farms can get their own QR code and payment link to share on social media. Confirmation of each payment comes by SMS [[8]](https://en.lider.media/2020/05/06/contactless-payment-enabled-for-craftsmen-and-family-farms-via-keks-pay-application/).

**Parking, tolls and bills.** The app pays street parking in more than 100 cities, using GPS to find the zone. It tops up ENC toll devices for the Hrvatske autoceste motorways [[1]](https://www.kekspay.hr/). Through **KEKS Pay režije** you receive and pay bills from more than 110 companies and towns, including all telecoms (A1, Bonbon, Hrvatski Telekom, Telemach, Iskon), HRT and insurers [[18]](https://www.kekspay.hr/mogucnosti/keks-pay-rezije/).

Once you have approved a payment to a merchant or bill issuer, you can't cancel it. Problems with what you bought go to the seller [[12]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/5eda7c6b220ebc831bb46fcd5c9a2a20/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-usluge-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf).

## Do you need to be an Erste customer?

No. The site says, "Iako je Erste glavni pokrovitelj, ne moraš imati račun u Erste banci" (Erste is the main sponsor, but you don't need an Erste account) [[1]](https://www.kekspay.hr/). In 2018 Erste said its launch was the first banking app in Croatia open to customers of every bank [[3]](https://www.erstebank.hr/en/press/press-releases/2018/12/11/introducing-keks-pay-a-unique-app-for-sending-and-receiving-funds-free-of-charge). Customers of other banks get lower limits (€300 a day instead of €800). If something goes wrong with a card payment, you first contact the bank that issued your card [[12]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/5eda7c6b220ebc831bb46fcd5c9a2a20/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-usluge-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf). Merchants don't need an Erste business account either [[19]](https://www.kekspay.hr/poslovni-korisnici/keks-pay-za-ugostitelje/).

## Paying across borders

KEKS Pay works in euro only, and the app accepts cards issued in Croatia or the EU [[12]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/5eda7c6b220ebc831bb46fcd5c9a2a20/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-usluge-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf). That means:

- **Visitors can pay** in cafés with a card from their own bank added to the app [[19]](https://www.kekspay.hr/poslovni-korisnici/keks-pay-za-ugostitelje/).
- **Money can come from abroad.** KEKS Pay says you can receive money "even from abroad" [[15]](https://www.kekspay.hr/mogucnosti/slanje-i-primanje-love/), and Croatian bills in KEKS Pay režije are free to pay from abroad [[18]](https://www.kekspay.hr/mogucnosti/keks-pay-rezije/).
- **Receiving needs a Croatian account.** The account you receive into must be a current account at a bank in Croatia [[12]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/5eda7c6b220ebc831bb46fcd5c9a2a20/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-usluge-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf). The KEKS račun alternative needs residence in Croatia [[13]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/29bd11056c0f6e90d00cb06b73640c9b/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-keks-racuna-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf).

We found no link between KEKS Pay and payment apps in other countries. In December 2024 Erste said the new company would offer KEKS Pay in North Macedonia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina [[6]](https://en.lider.media/2024/12/17/erste-payment-keksanjem-expands-to-three-countries-in-the-balkans/). In February 2026 it still described that expansion as "planned" [[4]](https://www.erstebank.hr/en/press/press-releases/2026/2/26/erste-bank-achieved-positive-financial-results-in-2025-with-stable-growth-in-loans-and-deposits). We found no launch in any of them by October 2026.

## How the KEKS Pay QR code works

KEKS Pay uses three kinds of code:

1. **KEKS Pay's merchant QR code.** You find it on café receipts, at post office counters, on a farmer's stall or in a webshop checkout. It is KEKS Pay's own format, not the [EPC QR code](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/epc-qr) and not an EMVCo merchant QR. It identifies a merchant inside the KEKS system rather than carrying an IBAN, so only the KEKS Pay app can pay it [[21]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/d13bd010451d54e302bd55317ca056cd/Tehnicka_specifikacija_za_webshopove_v0.6.pdf) [[16]](https://www.kekspay.hr/mogucnosti/prodajna-mjesta/).
2. **The HUB3 barcode on a payment slip.** The app scans the 2D code on an uplatnica and pays it for up to €0.35 [[16]](https://www.kekspay.hr/mogucnosti/prodajna-mjesta/) [[18]](https://www.kekspay.hr/mogucnosti/keks-pay-rezije/). That code is a [PDF417](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/pdf417) symbol in the [HUB3](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/hub3) format; see [HUB3 in Croatia](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/HR/hub3). When a slip pays a Croatian business, KEKS Pay shows the payee name from the official register of accounts (JRR) before you approve [[12]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/5eda7c6b220ebc831bb46fcd5c9a2a20/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-usluge-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf).
3. **The Kekstag link** you share to get paid. It is a link, not a printed code [[12]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/5eda7c6b220ebc831bb46fcd5c9a2a20/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-usluge-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf).

The only published format is in KEKS Pay's technical specification for webshops: draft 0.6, dated July 2021, which a webshop page still linked in October 2026 [[21]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/d13bd010451d54e302bd55317ca056cd/Tehnicka_specifikacija_za_webshopove_v0.6.pdf) [[20]](https://www.kekspay.hr/poslovni-korisnici/keks-pay-za-webshop/). According to that draft:

- **The code is dynamic.** Each QR code carries one bill and its amount. When you have paid, the KEKS server sends an "advice" to the shop's server [[21]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/d13bd010451d54e302bd55317ca056cd/Tehnicka_specifikacija_za_webshopove_v0.6.pdf).
- **The payload** is a JSON "SELL" request with the fields `qr_type` (a code from KEKS's table), `cid` (the merchant's ID in KEKS), `tid` (the point of sale), `bill_id`, `amount`, and, for phone deep links only, `success_url` and `fail_url` [[21]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/d13bd010451d54e302bd55317ca056cd/Tehnicka_specifikacija_za_webshopove_v0.6.pdf).
- **The deep link** carries the same data as a URL of the form `https://kekspay.hr/galebpay?cid=…&tid=…&store=…&bill_id=…&amount=…` [[21]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/d13bd010451d54e302bd55317ca056cd/Tehnicka_specifikacija_za_webshopove_v0.6.pdf).
- **The symbol** is a Model 2 [QR Code](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/standards/qr-code) with error correction M (or L), a quiet zone of at least 4 modules and a minimum of about 93 modules (versions 15–19) for the suggested data. A centre frame of up to 25% is allowed [[21]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/d13bd010451d54e302bd55317ca056cd/Tehnicka_specifikacija_za_webshopove_v0.6.pdf).

A SELL payload shaped like the spec's example, with made-up values:

```json
{"qr_type": "1", "cid": "00000000", "tid": "TILL-01", "bill_id": "R-2026-0001", "amount": 4.50}
```

The draft dates from before the euro: its refund response still gives HRK as the default currency [[21]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/d13bd010451d54e302bd55317ca056cd/Tehnicka_specifikacija_za_webshopove_v0.6.pdf). We found no published spec for the codes printed by café tills or the static codes given to small sellers. Treat the draft as a guide to how KEKS Pay's codes work, not as their current format.

**Other codes you may see in Croatia:** a fiscal receipt also carries a QR code. That one lets you check the receipt with the tax administration; you can't pay with it. See the [Croatia payments overview](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/HR).

## Safety: the fake buyer with a "receive money" link

Scams like this target people selling on classified-ad sites. In May 2022 Hrvatska pošta warned about fake buyers who contacted sellers by WhatsApp. They sent a link to a fake delivery page where the seller would supposedly "confirm card details" to collect the money, and in reality the scammers emptied the seller's account. Njuškalo advised sellers that they never have to confirm card data to receive a payment [[23]](https://www.tportal.hr/biznis/clanak/internetska-prevara-hrvatska-posta-paket24-20220511). Erste banka has also warned of e-mails and phone calls in its name that lead to fake login pages [[25]](https://www.erstebank.hr/en/press/press-releases/2024/5/22/there-is-an-ongoing-attempt-at-fraud-related-to-netbanking). We found no warning that names KEKS Pay itself.

- **Receiving money in KEKS Pay never asks for your card.** Someone sends to your phone number or Kekstag, and the money goes to the account you added in the app [[12]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/5eda7c6b220ebc831bb46fcd5c9a2a20/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-usluge-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf). A link that asks for card details or a CVV "to get paid" is a scam [[23]](https://www.tportal.hr/biznis/clanak/internetska-prevara-hrvatska-posta-paket24-20220511).
- **Check before you swipe.** If you scan the wrong QR code, enter the wrong number or pay the wrong merchant, KEKS Pay is not responsible, and payments to merchants can't be cancelled [[12]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/5eda7c6b220ebc831bb46fcd5c9a2a20/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-usluge-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf). Read the name shown after the payee check. If you see "partial match" or "no match", stop [[12]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/5eda7c6b220ebc831bb46fcd5c9a2a20/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-usluge-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf).
- **Install only from the official stores, and report a lost phone at once.** You are responsible for what happens until you report it [[14]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/40b969bb2c4dfc897ed60579b1f35f0d/Op%C4%87i_uvjeti_kori%C5%A1tenja_aplikacije_KEKS_Pay_-_u_primjeni_od_1.9.2025..pdf). Erste's free line is 0800 7890 [[25]](https://www.erstebank.hr/en/press/press-releases/2024/5/22/there-is-an-ongoing-attempt-at-fraud-related-to-netbanking).

## KEKS Pay and the alternatives in Croatia

| Way to pay | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| **KEKS Pay** | Splitting costs with friends, paying cafés, parking, parcels and bills, whatever your bank | Free; €300 a day with another bank's card [[12]](https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/5eda7c6b220ebc831bb46fcd5c9a2a20/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-usluge-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf) |
| **[SCT Inst](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/HR/sct-inst) in your bank's app** | Larger transfers to any IBAN | You need the IBAN; your bank's price and limits apply |
| **[Aircash](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/HR/aircash)** | A prepaid wallet with cash deposits and withdrawals | An e-money wallet licensed by the HNB ([HR report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/HR)); see the [Aircash wallet page](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/aircash) |
| **[HUB3](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/HR/hub3) slip scanning in a bank app** | Paying any uplatnica | Your bank's normal transfer price; in KEKS Pay up to €0.35 [[18]](https://www.kekspay.hr/mogucnosti/keks-pay-rezije/) |
| **Card at the till** | Everyday shopping | Cards made half of all domestic non-cash payments in 2024 ([HR report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/HR)) |

## Sources

1. KEKS Pay, "KEKS Pay - aplikacija za brzo slanje i primanje novca - bez naknada" (home page), read 20 Oct 2026. <https://www.kekspay.hr/>
2. KEKS Pay, "O nama", read 20 Oct 2026. <https://www.kekspay.hr/o-nama/>
3. Erste banka, "Introducing KEKS Pay – a unique app for sending and receiving funds free of charge", 11 Dec 2018. <https://www.erstebank.hr/en/press/press-releases/2018/12/11/introducing-keks-pay-a-unique-app-for-sending-and-receiving-funds-free-of-charge>
4. Erste banka, "Erste Bank achieved positive financial results in 2025, with stable growth in loans and deposits", 26 Feb 2026. <https://www.erstebank.hr/en/press/press-releases/2026/2/26/erste-bank-achieved-positive-financial-results-in-2025-with-stable-growth-in-loans-and-deposits>
5. Erste banka, "Erste Bank's performance in Q1 2025 marked by new lending growth", 30 Apr 2025. <https://www.erstebank.hr/en/press/press-releases/2025/4/30/erste-banks-performance-in-q1-2025-marked-by-new-lending-growth>
6. Lider Media, "Erste Payment 'Keksanjem' Expands to Three Countries in the Balkans", 17 Dec 2024. <https://en.lider.media/2024/12/17/erste-payment-keksanjem-expands-to-three-countries-in-the-balkans/>
7. Lider Media, "Keks Pay Plans to Enter the Fund and ETF Segment", 21 May 2025. <https://en.lider.media/2025/05/21/keks-pay-plans-to-enter-the-fund-and-etf-segment/>
8. Lider Media, "Contactless Payment Enabled for Craftsmen and Family Farms via KEKS Pay Application", 6 May 2020. <https://en.lider.media/2020/05/06/contactless-payment-enabled-for-craftsmen-and-family-farms-via-keks-pay-application/>
9. Hrvatska pošta, "Digital payment in all post offices", 13 Oct 2020. <https://hrvatska.posta.hr/en/press/news/digitalno-placanje-u-svim-postanskim-uredima-8589-8796>
10. Index.hr, "Od sada svoje pakete možete plaćati i preuzimati potezom prsta", 20 Apr 2022. <https://www.index.hr/magazin/clanak/od-sada-svoje-pakete-mozete-placati-i-preuzimati-potezom-prsta/2357632.aspx>
11. Lider Media, "A1 Hrvatska and KEKS Pay Enable Even Simpler Payments in A1 Webshop", 15 Nov 2023. <https://en.lider.media/2023/11/15/a1-hrvatska-and-keks-pay-enable-even-simpler-payments-in-a1-webshop/>
12. Erste banka, "Opći uvjeti korištenja Usluge KEKS Pay plaćanja", in force from 1 Sep 2026. <https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/5eda7c6b220ebc831bb46fcd5c9a2a20/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-usluge-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf>
13. Erste banka, "Opći uvjeti korištenja KEKS računa", in force from 1 Sep 2026. <https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/29bd11056c0f6e90d00cb06b73640c9b/opci-uvjeti-koristenja-keks-racuna-u-primjeni-od-192026.pdf>
14. KEKS Pay d.o.o., "Opći uvjeti korištenja aplikacije KEKS Pay", in force from 1 Sep 2025. <https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/40b969bb2c4dfc897ed60579b1f35f0d/Op%C4%87i_uvjeti_kori%C5%A1tenja_aplikacije_KEKS_Pay_-_u_primjeni_od_1.9.2025..pdf>
15. KEKS Pay, "Slanje i primanje love", read 20 Oct 2026. <https://www.kekspay.hr/mogucnosti/slanje-i-primanje-love/>
16. KEKS Pay, "Skeniraj i plati" (Prodajna mjesta), read 20 Oct 2026. <https://www.kekspay.hr/mogucnosti/prodajna-mjesta/>
17. KEKS Pay, "KEKS račun", read 20 Oct 2026. <https://www.kekspay.hr/mogucnosti/moj-keks-racun/>
18. KEKS Pay, "KEKS Pay režije", read 20 Oct 2026. <https://www.kekspay.hr/mogucnosti/keks-pay-rezije/>
19. KEKS Pay, "KEKS Pay za ugostitelje", read 20 Oct 2026. <https://www.kekspay.hr/poslovni-korisnici/keks-pay-za-ugostitelje/>
20. KEKS Pay, "KEKS Pay za webshop", read 20 Oct 2026. <https://www.kekspay.hr/poslovni-korisnici/keks-pay-za-webshop/>
21. Erste Bank Croatia, "Documentation for technical integration of the KEKS Pay payment method: KEKS – SELL request specification", draft 0.6, Jul 2021. <https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/d13bd010451d54e302bd55317ca056cd/Tehnicka_specifikacija_za_webshopove_v0.6.pdf>
22. Erste banka, "Opći uvjeti o prihvatu KEKS Pay plaćanja", in force from 1 Sep 2025. <https://flare.shape404.agency/erste/documents/7b9d9f62b412282fd47fd59281c0bc48/2952025-opci-uvjeti-o-prihvatu-keks-pay-placanja-u-primjeni-od-192025.pdf>
23. tportal, "Internetska prevara Hrvatska pošta Paket24", 11 May 2022. <https://www.tportal.hr/biznis/clanak/internetska-prevara-hrvatska-posta-paket24-20220511>
24. Novi list (NL Promo), "Usluga KEKS Pay režije snažno se širi", 8 May 2026. <https://www.novilist.hr/ostalo/promo/keks-pay-rezije-besplatna-usluga-primanja-i-placanja-rezija-obuhvaca-sve-telekome-i-sve-vise-izdavatelja-racuna-u-nasoj-zupaniji/>
25. Erste banka, "There is an ongoing attempt at fraud related to NetBanking", 22 May 2024. <https://www.erstebank.hr/en/press/press-releases/2024/5/22/there-is-an-ongoing-attempt-at-fraud-related-to-netbanking>
26. Erste&Steiermärkische Bank d.d., "Unaudited financial report for the first half of 2026", read 20 Oct 2026. <https://eho.zse.hr/fileadmin/issuers/RIBA/FI-RIBA-1701f6733ebcbc47bdd1f27a5fb98ca1.pdf>

*Researched 20 October 2026. Limits and bank offerings change; the banks' own pages are authoritative.*