April 26, 2023

What is the Difference Between NEFT and RTGS: Charges & Transactions

Difference between NEFT and RTGS

Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) systems in India have been in use for several decades and have undergone significant advancements in recent years. These systems allow for the transfer of funds electronically between banks, financial institutions, and individuals. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is the regulator for Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) systems in the country, and it has implemented several measures to ensure the security and reliability of these systems.
The Indian government has also been promoting the use of Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) systems for various government schemes and services, such as the direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme, which aims to transfer government benefits directly to the bank accounts of beneficiaries. This has helped to increase the transparency and efficiency of government services and has also helped to reduce corruption.
The Electronic Fund Transfer systems in India have played a significant role in the growth of the digital economy in the country and have greatly increased the accessibility and convenience of financial transactions for individuals and businesses.
One of the most widely used EFT systems in India is the National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) and Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system. It allows for the transfer of funds between banks in India and is available 24x7.

What is National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT)

National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) is an electronic funds transfer system in India that allows for the transfer of funds between banks. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) manages the NEFT system, which operates on a deferred net settlement basis, meaning that transactions are settled in batches at regular intervals during the day. NEFT enables customers to transfer funds to any bank branch in the country, using the Indian Financial System Code (IFSC) of the beneficiary bank branch. It is widely used for small and medium-value transactions, such as salary payments, vendor payments, and personal transactions. NEFT transactions are settled on an hourly basis, with settlements taking place at half-hourly intervals from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm on weekdays and from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm on Saturdays.

Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS)

Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) is an electronic funds transfer system in India that allows for the transfer of large value transactions between banks in real-time. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) manages the RTGS system, which operates during the RBI's business hours. Transactions processed through RTGS are settled on a real-time basis, as opposed to the deferred net settlement used in the National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) system. RTGS is considered to be more secure and reliable than other EFT systems, as it minimizes the risk of fraud and errors. It is mainly used for high-value transactions, such as large business payments, government transactions, and inter-bank transactions.
Both systems are used for the transfer of funds between banks, but they differ in several key ways.
  • Settlement of transaction-One of the main differences between National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) and Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) is the way they settle transactions. National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) transactions are settled in batches, typically every hour. This means that if you initiate a NEFT transaction, the funds may not be credited to the beneficiary's account until the next batch settlement. On the other hand, RTGS transactions are settled on a real-time basis, meaning that the funds are credited to the beneficiary's account as soon as the transaction is initiated.
  • Transaction limits -Another key difference between the two systems is the minimum and maximum transaction limits. For National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT), the minimum transaction limit is INR 1, while there is no upper limit. For RTGS, the minimum transaction limit is INR 2 Lakhs and there is no upper limit. This means that Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) is mainly used for high-value transactions, while NEFT is used for smaller transactions.
  • Methods of transferring fund- The way the funds are transferred is also different between the two systems. NEFT transfers funds by debiting the account of the sender and crediting the account of the beneficiary. It can only be done in a net settlement, meaning that the funds are transferred from one account to another in a batch. On the other hand, RTGS transfers funds by debiting the account of the sender and crediting the account of the beneficiary on a real-time basis. This means that the funds are transferred immediately, and the transaction is irrevocable.
  • Time taken for the funds to be credited -The time taken for the funds to be credited to the beneficiary's account is also different between the two systems. NEFT transactions are settled in batches, typically every hour however NEFT transactions can also take up to several hours to be credited to the beneficiary's account, while RTGS transactions are credited to the beneficiary's account immediately.
  • Fees charged for settlement of transactions -Another important difference is the fees charged for the transactions. NEFT transactions have a fixed charge per transaction, whereas RTGS transactions are charged based on the amount of the transaction.
  • Security of transactions-The security of both systems is also different. NEFT transactions are considered to be less secure than RTGS transactions, as they are settled in batches and the funds may not be credited to the beneficiary's account for several hours. RTGS transactions, on the other hand, are settled on a real-time basis and are regarded as the most secure method of electronic funds transfer as it uses advanced encryption and authentication methods to protect the transferred funds. Additionally, the RBI closely monitors the system to ensure that all transactions are conducted in a safe and secure manner.
In conclusion, Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) systems in India have greatly increased the accessibility and convenience of financial transactions for individuals and businesses. Both National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) and Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system have their own set of advantages and disadvantages. People can make use of any of the two or any other electronic transfer system such as Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), Unified Payments Interface (UPI) etc. according to their preference, needs and requirements.

Never miss a trading opportunity with Margin Trading Facility

Enjoy 2X leverage on over 900+ stocks

Upstox Margin Trading Facility
Apple Logo
Downloadlogo
iOS App
Google Play Logo
Downloadlogo
Android App

RELATED ARTICLES

What is SBI ePay & How to Use SBI ePay: Meaning, Login, & Gateway

SBIePay is an online payment instrument that connects to multiple banks, lending institutions, and merchants electronically to enable all types of e-commerce and mobile commerce transactions between those parties.The ePay service is available in various cities across the country and you can now make payments to several billers in your region. Existing payment aggregators like IndiaIdeas (BillDesk), CCAvenues, TechProcess Solutions, Times of Money Ltd., E-Billing Solutions (EBS), and Atom Technologies, as well as new aggregators like PayU, Citrus, and Emvantage, have focused on particular merchant categories and developed their own specialised online payment niches. You may handle different billers, set up and receive electronic bills using ePay. SBIePay provides one of the most comprehensive and intricate payment options for its merchants, enabling them to provide their customers simple transactions. SBIePay is the only bank with direct access to all payment methods, enabling customers to avoid utilising any middlemen private businesses. With a particular focus on government merchants, such as national, state, and municipal organisations, SBIePay, a bank and payment aggregator, aims to provide new merchant categories and additional payment methods. The Bank's own payment gateway would be used to process all credit/debit card transactions. In order to process their Internet Banking payments, SBIePay is tying up with more than 40 banks. SBIePay will offer banks and merchants the business data and analytics for all transactions as an extra function. In the next three years, SBIePay wants to be the go-to resource for processing every type of online payment method and to take the lead among payment aggregators.

Canara Bank Mobile Banking and How to Activate: Login, Registration, and Limit

Canara Bank is one of the largest public sector banks owned by the Ministry of Finance, Government of India. It offers various services to its customers across the country as well as has offices in New York, London and Dubai. To enhance the customer’s banking experience, they have introduced the Canara bank mobile banking application. It allows their account holders to access banking services such as online transactions, chequebook request application and so on, through online mode.

SBI ATM PIN Generate

- Do you need to swipe your debit/credit card at PoS? - Do you need to withdraw cash at an ATM? - Do you need to access your netbanking account? - Do you need to order a new cheque book, stop payment of a cheque or change your coordinates ( email id, phone number, mailing address)? In all these scenarios, you need to generate a PIN- a four digit number, a security code for identifying you and verifying your financial transaction. Without the PIN, you will not be able to access your debit/credit card or withdraw cash from an ATM. Let us take an empirical example of SBI ATM PIN. This 4-digit code can be generated for both new and existing account holders of SBI through various banking channels such as: - Green PIN - SMS Banking - Customer care - Netbanking1. Green PIN- code generation To generate the 4- digit code via the Green PIN channel, you need to follow a series of simple steps: - Drop by to your closest SBI ATM and select the PIN generation tab on the screen. - Now type your 11 digit account details, followed by your registered mobile number and click on the ‘confirm tab. - Another screen opens up, acknowledging you for becoming a part of this green initiative. - You will then receive a validation message, once the PIN has been generated. - Subsequently, an OTP would be sent on your registered mobile number carrying a validity of 2 days. - Finally, with the OTP details, just drop by the nearest ATM and press the ‘Banking>PIN Change’ option and type the OTP details.

Bank of India Mobile Banking & How to Activate: Login, Registration, & App

The introduction of digitisation has completely transformed the way banks operate today. Digitalising most banking operations has made banking hassle-free. In this regard, Bank of India mobile banking service facilitates various banking services including, fund transfer, checking balance, etc., without visiting the bank branch or ATM. The Bank of India mobile banking possesses various features that will make banking hassle-free and convenient. If you want to know how to avail of this service conveniently and execute all your financial operations, please read on.