How to pay with a SEPA QR code — step by step

Paying via a SEPA QR code is the fastest way to make a bank transfer without typing the IBAN and amount by hand. Instead of copying details from an invoice, you open a compatible app, scan the code and confirm. The whole thing takes seconds. Here is how it works, step by step.

What a SEPA payment QR code is, in short

It is a QR code that holds the details of a SEPA bank transfer: beneficiary, IBAN, amount and payment reference, encoded per the European EPC069-12 standard (also known as "GiroCode"). When you scan it with a compatible app, the transfer form fills in automatically. You will find the technical details in the guide on what GiroCode and the EPC standard are.

What you need

• An app that supports the EPC standard — for example Revolut, bunq or N26 (in Romania, domestic bank apps use RoPay, not EPC);
• A scan-to-pay feature available in that app;
• The payment QR code — on an invoice, a poster, a screen or a website.

The steps to pay

1. Open a compatible app (e.g. Revolut) and log in as usual.
2. Find the scan-to-pay option — usually in the transfers or payments menu, with a QR code icon.
3. Scan the code with your phone camera, from within the app.
4. Check the pre-filled details: beneficiary, IBAN and amount. This is the most important step — always confirm the details are correct.
5. Confirm the transfer with your usual method (PIN, fingerprint, token). Done.

What the code contains

A valid code contains the beneficiary name and IBAN (required), and optionally the amount, the BIC/SWIFT code and a reference (for example the invoice number). If the amount is missing, you enter it when scanning — useful for donations or variable payments.

What if my app does not read the code?

In Romania, domestic bank apps (ING, BCR, BT, etc.) do not scan EPC codes — they use the national RoPay standard, for payments in RON. To pay an EPC code (in EUR) use a compatible app such as Revolut, bunq or N26. In Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium and Finland, most banking apps scan it directly. If it still will not work, you can read the details from the code and enter the IBAN and amount manually. See also which banks support the SEPA QR code.

Want to create a payment code yourself?

If you are the one getting paid, you can generate your own code in seconds, free and without an account, with the SEPA payment QR code generator. Add the beneficiary, the IBAN and (optionally) the amount, and the code is ready to download and put on an invoice or website.