How to Show Google Pay Donations on Your Live Stream (2026)

Why Google Pay Is the Best UPI App for Streamers

Google Pay (GPay) is one of India's most popular UPI apps, with over 150 million monthly active users. For streamers, GPay has several advantages:

• Widely used — A large portion of your viewers likely already have GPay installed
• Clear notifications — GPay sends detailed payment notifications that Stream Alert can parse reliably
• Business account available — Google Pay for Business provides higher limits and better privacy
• Instant settlement — Money arrives in your bank account immediately
• High transaction limits — Up to ₹1,00,000 per transaction

Many of India's top streamers use GPay as their primary donation UPI app because of its reliability and widespread adoption among viewers.

GPay Personal vs Business for Streaming

Before setting up, it's important to understand the difference between GPay Personal and GPay Business:

Our recommendation: Start with GPay Personal. When you start receiving more than 30 donations per stream or 50+ transactions per day, switch to GPay Business. Read our detailed GPay Business vs Personal comparison for more information.

How Stream Alert Reads GPay Notifications

Understanding how Stream Alert works with GPay will help you troubleshoot issues and set it up correctly.

When someone sends you money via Google Pay, GPay creates a notification on your phone that looks something like:

Stream Alert's notification listener captures this notification and extracts:

• Amount: ₹500
• Donor name: Rahul Sharma
• Source app: Google Pay

This data is then sent to your unique alert URL, where the OBS browser source renders it as a beautiful on-screen donation alert. The entire process happens in 1-3 seconds.

Important: Stream Alert only reads the notification text. It does not access your Google Pay account, bank details, transaction history, or any other sensitive data. It simply reads the notification that Android shows on your phone.

Step 1: Set Up Google Pay

If you already have GPay installed and working, skip to Step 2. Otherwise:

1. Download Google Pay from the Play Store
2. Sign in with your Google account
3. Link your bank account
4. Set up your UPI PIN
5. Your UPI ID will be created (usually yourname@okaxis or yourphone@okicici)

Make sure notifications are enabled for Google Pay:

1. Go to Android Settings → Apps → Google Pay → Notifications
2. Ensure all notification categories are turned ON
3. Especially enable "Payment" or "Transaction" notifications

Step 2: Install Stream Alert

1. Open the Play Store
2. Search for "Stream Alert" or visit the direct Play Store link
3. Install and open the app
4. Complete the setup wizard

Step 3: Grant Notification Access

This is the most important step. Stream Alert needs notification access to read GPay payment notifications.

1. Open Stream Alert → Settings → "Notification Access"
2. You'll be taken to Android's Notification Access settings page
3. Find "Stream Alert" in the list
4. Toggle it ON
5. A confirmation dialog will appear — tap "Allow"

After granting access, go back to the Stream Alert app to continue setup.

Step 4: Select Google Pay in Stream Alert

1. In Stream Alert, go to Settings → UPI Apps
2. Enable "Google Pay"
3. If you use GPay Business, also enable "Google Pay for Business"
4. You can enable multiple apps (PhonePe, Paytm, etc.) alongside GPay
5. Go to the dashboard and copy your unique alert URL

Step 5: Add Browser Source to OBS

1. Send your alert URL to your PC
2. Open OBS Studio
3. Click + in Sources → Browser
4. Name it "GPay Donation Alerts"
5. Paste the URL
6. Set Width: 800, Height: 600
7. Enable "Control audio via OBS" and "Refresh browser when scene becomes active"
8. Click OK and position the source on your canvas

For detailed OBS configuration, see our complete OBS setup guide.

Step 6: Test with a Real GPay Payment

1. First, use the "Test Alert" button in Stream Alert to verify OBS is connected
2. Then, ask a friend or use another device to send ₹1 to your GPay UPI ID
3. Watch the OBS preview — the donation alert should appear within 1-3 seconds
4. Verify the donor name and amount are displayed correctly
5. If TTS is enabled, confirm the audio plays

Why test with a real payment? The test button confirms the OBS connection works, but a real GPay payment confirms the entire notification reading pipeline is functional. Always do both tests.

Required Android Permissions and Why They're Safe

Stream Alert requires only one Android permission to work with GPay:

What Stream Alert does NOT have access to:

• Your Google Pay account or balance
• Your bank account details
• Your UPI PIN
• Your transaction history
• Your contacts or phone data
• Notifications from apps you haven't selected

Stream Alert processes everything locally on your device. No notification data is stored on external servers. The only data that leaves your phone is the donation information (name and amount) sent to your alert URL for display on your stream.

Optimizing GPay for Streaming

1. Disable Battery Optimization for Both Apps

Android may kill background apps to save battery. Disable optimization for both Stream Alert AND Google Pay:

• Settings → Apps → Stream Alert → Battery → Unrestricted
• Settings → Apps → Google Pay → Battery → Unrestricted

2. Keep GPay Notifications On

Some users disable GPay notifications to reduce clutter. For streaming, you need them on. Go to Android Settings → Apps → Google Pay → Notifications and make sure all categories are enabled.

3. Disable Do Not Disturb

DND mode blocks notifications, which means Stream Alert can't detect donations. Make sure DND is off during streams, or add GPay as an exception in DND settings.

4. Pin Stream Alert in Recent Apps

On most Android phones, you can "pin" or "lock" an app in the recent apps view to prevent it from being killed. Open the recent apps screen, find Stream Alert, and tap the pin/lock icon.

5. Share a Clear UPI ID

Your GPay UPI ID might look like 9876543210@okaxis. While functional, sharing your phone number publicly isn't ideal. Consider creating a custom UPI ID (if your bank supports it) or switching to GPay Business which gives you a business-branded UPI ID.

Troubleshooting GPay-Specific Issues

GPay Notifications Not Being Detected

• Check that GPay notification access is enabled in Stream Alert settings
• Verify GPay notifications are turned on: Settings → Apps → Google Pay → Notifications → All on
• Make sure DND is off
• Try restarting Stream Alert after granting permissions
• On Xiaomi/MIUI: Go to Settings → Notifications → Google Pay → ensure "Lock screen notifications" and "Floating notifications" are enabled

Wrong Amount or Name Displayed

• Update Stream Alert to the latest version — notification parsing is continuously improved
• Check if GPay has updated its notification format (rare but possible)
• Report the issue through the app's feedback feature with a screenshot of the notification

Personal GPay Payments Showing Your Phone Number

When viewers send money to your personal GPay, they see your phone number and registered name. If privacy is a concern, switch to GPay Business which shows your business name instead. Read our GPay Business vs Personal comparison.

Donations Missing When Phone Screen is Off

• Notifications still arrive with screen off, but some phones delay them
• Keep your phone plugged in and screen on during streams
• Alternatively, set a long screen timeout (10+ minutes) in Display settings

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Stream Alert access my Google Pay account?

No. Stream Alert cannot access your Google Pay account, balance, or any transaction details. It only reads the notification text that Android displays on your phone. Think of it like reading a popup — it doesn't have access to the app behind the popup.

What if I receive a personal GPay payment (not a donation)?

Stream Alert currently shows all GPay received payments as alerts. If you receive personal payments during streams, you can temporarily disable GPay in Stream Alert settings, or set a minimum amount threshold so small personal transactions don't trigger alerts.

Does it work with GPay on multiple devices?

Stream Alert needs to be installed on the device where GPay sends notifications. If you have GPay on multiple phones, install Stream Alert on the one that receives donation payments.

Is there a daily limit on GPay donations?

GPay has a per-transaction limit of ₹1,00,000. The daily sending limit is typically ₹1,00,000 per user. There's no specific receiving limit, but your bank may flag unusually high volumes of incoming transactions on a personal account. This is another reason to use GPay Business for high-volume streaming.

Can viewers add a message with their GPay donation?

GPay allows users to add a note/remark with their payment. However, this note may not always appear in the notification text. Stream Alert extracts what's available in the notification — typically the sender's name and amount.

Should I upgrade to GPay Business for streaming?

If you receive more than 30-50 donations per stream, yes. GPay Business is designed for merchants and handles high transaction volumes without triggering bank flags. It also protects your personal phone number. Read our detailed comparison guide.