15 Features You Didn't Know DGateway Has

DGateway started as a payment gateway for mobile money in East Africa. But over the past months, it has quietly evolved into a full commerce platform with features that rival tools costing 10x more. Most people still think of it as "the MTN MoMo API" — but that is only scratching the surface.

Here are 15 features that are already live and working — you just might not know about them yet.

1. Link in Bio

Like Linktree, but built into your DGateway store. Create a single link that showcases all your products, courses, events, payment links, and social profiles. Share it on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter — anywhere you have a single link slot.

Your link-in-bio page automatically pulls from your existing DGateway store items. No need to manage a separate tool. Each profile gets a unique handle and is publicly accessible.

How to Enable

1. Go to Dashboard > Link in Bio in the sidebar.
2. Choose a unique handle (e.g., @janecreates). Your profile will be live at /p/janecreates.
3. Add your avatar, bio, and social links (Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, GitHub, LinkedIn).
4. Choose a theme from the 5 default themes — or browse the theme marketplace for premium options.
5. Your existing products, courses, and payment links appear automatically. Toggle which ones to show.

What the UI Looks Like

The profile page renders as a mobile-first single-column layout with your avatar at the top, bio text, social icons, and then your links/products stacked below. Each item shows a thumbnail, title, price, and a "View" button. The page uses your chosen theme colors and font styling.

# Your link-in-bio is live at:
https://dgatewayadmin.desispay.com/p/your-handle
 
# Share this single URL everywhere:
# - Instagram bio
# - TikTok profile
# - Twitter bio
# - WhatsApp status
# - Email signature

Pricing

The link-in-bio feature is free for all DGateway users. Premium themes cost a one-time purchase fee (set by theme creators) with a 13% commission.

Why It Matters for African Creators

Most link-in-bio tools (Linktree, Beacons, Stan Store) charge USD 5-20/month — that is UGX 18,000-75,000/month. DGateway gives you the same functionality for free, with mobile money checkout built in. For a Ugandan content creator earning UGX 200,000/month, saving UGX 75,000 on tools is significant.

Where to find it: Dashboard > Link in Bio

2. AI Assistant

DGateway has a built-in AI assistant that helps you manage your store, answer questions about your transactions, and get insights about your business. It understands your app's context — your products, transactions, customers — and can help you make decisions.

Need to know your best-selling product this month? Ask the AI. Want to draft a customer email? It can do that too.

How to Enable

The AI Assistant is available by default for all DGateway users. Navigate to Dashboard > AI Assistant in the sidebar. No setup required — it already has context about your app.

What It Can Do

The AI supports 10 generation types:

# Generate a product description via API
curl -X POST https://api.dgateway.desispay.com/api/member/apps/your-app-id/ai/generate \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer your_jwt_token" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "type": "product_description",
    "prompt": "Write a compelling description for my ebook: The Uganda Startup Playbook. It covers business registration, mobile money integration, and fundraising for East African startups.",
    "tone": "professional"
  }'

Pricing

Each AI generation costs UGX 100 (about USD 0.03). Usage is tracked per app in the AI Billing Ledger. You can optionally purchase credit packs for higher-volume usage.

Why It Matters for African Creators

Hiring a copywriter in Kampala costs UGX 50,000-200,000 per piece. The AI assistant generates professional copy for UGX 100. For small businesses and solo creators, this dramatically lowers the barrier to professional marketing.

Where to find it: Dashboard > AI Assistant

3. Landing Page Builder

Create custom landing pages for your products, courses, or events without writing code. The block-based builder lets you design professional pages with sections, images, CTAs, and payment buttons — all connected to your DGateway checkout.

Perfect for product launches, course promotions, or event marketing. Each landing page gets its own URL you can share.

How to Enable

1. Go to Dashboard > Landing Pages in the sidebar.
2. Click Create Landing Page.
3. Add blocks to build your page. Available block types:

4. Set the page slug (e.g., react-course-launch). Your page is live at /p/react-course-launch.
5. Optionally link the page to a product, course, event, or payment link — so the CTA buttons go directly to checkout.

What the UI Looks Like

The builder presents a vertical stack of blocks, each with an edit button. You select a block type, fill in the content fields (headline, body text, button text, button URL, images), and reorder blocks by dragging. A live preview shows exactly how the page will look to visitors. SEO fields (title, description, OG image) are in a separate tab.

// Landing page block structure (JSON)
{
  "title": "React Course Launch",
  "slug": "react-course-launch",
  "target_type": "course",
  "target_id": "course_abc123",
  "seo_title": "Learn React in 6 Weeks | DGateway Courses",
  "seo_description": "A hands-on React course for East African developers",
  "og_image": "https://storage.example.com/react-course-og.png",
  "blocks": [
    {
      "type": "hero",
      "content": {
        "headline": "Learn React from Scratch",
        "subtext": "6 weeks. 24 lessons. Real projects.",
        "cta_text": "Enroll Now - UGX 25,000",
        "cta_url": "/store/courses/react-from-scratch",
        "background_image": "hero-bg.jpg"
      }
    },
    {
      "type": "features",
      "content": {
        "items": [
          { "icon": "Video", "title": "24 Video Lessons", "description": "HLS streaming, watch on any device" },
          { "icon": "Code", "title": "Real Projects", "description": "Build 3 production apps" },
          { "icon": "MessageCircle", "title": "Discussion Forum", "description": "Ask questions, get answers" }
        ]
      }
    },
    {
      "type": "testimonials",
      "content": {
        "items": [
          { "name": "John Mugisha", "text": "Best React course I have taken. The mobile money payment made it easy.", "role": "Software Developer, Kampala" }
        ]
      }
    }
  ]
}

Pricing

Landing pages are free for all DGateway users. Unlimited pages, no monthly fee. View tracking is included (the LandingPageView counter increments on each visit).

Why It Matters for African Creators

Tools like Carrd, Leadpages, or Unbounce cost USD 10-100/month. DGateway gives you a free landing page builder that is directly connected to your mobile money checkout. Launch a product page, share it on WhatsApp, and start collecting payments — all in one platform.

Where to find it: Dashboard > Landing Pages

4. Affiliate & Referral Program

Turn your customers into your sales team. Set up an affiliate program where people earn commissions for referring buyers to your products, courses, or events. Each affiliate gets a unique tracking link, and DGateway automatically calculates and tracks commissions.

Affiliates have their own portal where they can see their referrals, earnings, and payout history.

How to Enable

1. Go to Dashboard > Affiliates in the sidebar.
2. Click Create Affiliate Program.
3. Configure:
   • Commission Rate — 0% to 30% (you choose). DGateway adds a 2% platform fee on top.
   • Cookie Duration — 30 days (default). If someone clicks an affiliate link and buys within 30 days, the affiliate gets credit.
   • Terms & Conditions — Custom text affiliates agree to before joining.
4. Share your affiliate signup URL with potential affiliates.

How It Works (Technical Flow)

1. Affiliate shares link:   yourstore.com/product?dgw_aff=AFF_CODE
2. Buyer clicks link:       DGateway sets dgw_aff cookie (30-day expiry)
3. Buyer purchases:         Webhook fires → AffiliateConversion created
4. Commission calculated:   Sale amount x affiliate commission rate
5. Affiliate dashboard:     Click count, conversions, earnings, payouts

# Affiliate signup (public endpoint)
curl -X POST https://api.dgateway.desispay.com/api/store/affiliates/signup \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "name": "Grace Namubiru",
    "email": "grace@example.com",
    "phone": "256770123456",
    "app_id": "your-app-id"
  }'

Affiliate Dashboard Features

Pricing

• Creator-set commission: 0-30% (you decide how much to pay affiliates)
• DGateway platform fee: 2% on top of the creator's commission
• Example: You set 10% commission on a UGX 50,000 course. On each sale, the affiliate earns UGX 5,000, DGateway takes UGX 1,000 platform fee, and you receive UGX 44,000.

Why It Matters for African Creators

Word-of-mouth is the most powerful marketing channel in East Africa. The affiliate program formalizes this — your students, customers, and fans earn real money (paid via mobile money) for spreading the word. It is influencer marketing without the upfront cost.

Where to find it: Dashboard > Affiliates

5. Coupon & Discount System

Create discount codes for your products and courses. Support percentage discounts, fixed amount discounts, and usage limits. Apply coupons at checkout to incentivize purchases.

How to Enable

1. Go to Dashboard > Coupons in the sidebar.
2. Click Create Coupon.
3. Configure:
   • Code — The discount code buyers enter (e.g., LAUNCH25).
   • Type — Percentage (e.g., 25% off) or Fixed Amount (e.g., UGX 5,000 off).
   • Value — The discount amount.
   • Max Uses — Total times the coupon can be used (0 = unlimited).
   • Expiry Date — When the coupon expires.
   • Scope — Apply to specific products/courses or everything in your store.

# Create a coupon via API
curl -X POST https://api.dgateway.desispay.com/api/member/apps/your-app-id/coupons \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer your_jwt_token" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "code": "LAUNCH25",
    "type": "percentage",
    "value": 25,
    "max_uses": 100,
    "expires_at": "2026-05-01T00:00:00Z"
  }'
 
# Validate a coupon (public endpoint, used at checkout)
curl -X POST https://api.dgateway.desispay.com/v1/coupons/validate \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "code": "LAUNCH25",
    "app_id": "your-app-id",
    "amount": 50000,
    "currency": "UGX"
  }'
# Response: { "data": { "valid": true, "discount": 12500, "final_amount": 37500 } }

Bulk Generate Coupons

Need one-time-use codes for a giveaway or partnership? Use bulk generate:

# Generate 50 unique one-time-use codes with prefix
curl -X POST https://api.dgateway.desispay.com/api/member/apps/your-app-id/coupons/bulk \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer your_jwt_token" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "prefix": "GIFT",
    "count": 50,
    "type": "fixed",
    "value": 10000,
    "max_uses": 1
  }'
# Creates: GIFT-A3X7, GIFT-B9K2, GIFT-C1M5, ... (50 unique codes)

Pricing

Creating and using coupons is free. You only pay the standard transaction commission on the discounted amount.

Why It Matters for African Creators

Flash sales and discount codes drive urgency. During events like Black Friday, Christmas, or back-to-school season, coupons help you compete. A Kampala-based course creator can run "BACK2SCHOOL — 30% off all courses" and share it on WhatsApp groups to drive enrollments.

Where to find it: Dashboard > Coupons

6. Product Bundles

Package multiple products together at a discounted price. Create bundles that combine digital products, templates, or courses into a single purchase. Buyers get everything in one transaction.

How to Enable

1. Go to Dashboard > Bundles in the sidebar.
2. Click Create Bundle.
3. Add 2 or more products from your catalog.
4. Set the bundle price (either a fixed price or a percentage discount off individual prices).
5. Publish the bundle — it appears in your store alongside individual products.

// Bundle structure
{
  "title": "Complete Web Dev Bundle",
  "description": "React course + Next.js course + 10 UI templates",
  "items": [
    { "type": "course", "id": "course_react", "individual_price": 25000 },
    { "type": "course", "id": "course_nextjs", "individual_price": 35000 },
    { "type": "template", "id": "tmpl_ui_blocks", "individual_price": 20000 }
  ],
  "individual_total": 80000,    // UGX 80,000 if bought separately
  "bundle_price": 55000,         // UGX 55,000 as a bundle (31% savings)
  "currency": "UGX"
}

Pricing

Bundles use the commission rate of the highest-commission item in the bundle. If a bundle contains courses (15%) and templates (13%), the 15% rate applies.

Why It Matters for African Creators

Bundles increase average order value. Instead of selling a single UGX 25,000 course, you sell a UGX 55,000 bundle — more than double the revenue per transaction. Buyers feel they are getting a deal, and you move more inventory.

Where to find it: Dashboard > Bundles

7. Event Ticketing with QR Check-in

Sell event tickets online with multiple tiers (VIP, Regular, Free RSVP). Each ticket gets a unique QR code that you scan at the door with your phone. Real-time attendee tracking, check-in stats, and email ticket delivery.

How to Enable

1. Go to Dashboard > Events in the sidebar.
2. Click Create Event.
3. Fill in: title, description, date/time, venue, city, category.
4. Add ticket types:

5. Publish the event. It appears on the public events discovery page with category and city filters.

QR Code Check-in Flow

1. Buyer purchases ticket → receives email with unique QR code
2. At the venue, open the DGateway check-in page on your phone
3. Scan the QR code → attendee name and ticket type appear
4. Tap "Check In" → real-time counter updates
5. If QR was already scanned → "Already Checked In" warning

Categories: Music & Concerts, Sports, Conferences & Workshops, Social & Nightlife.

Pricing

Event tickets have a 10% commission per sale. Free RSVP tickets have no commission.

Why It Matters for African Creators

Event ticketing in Uganda is still largely cash-based or done via bank transfer with manual confirmation. With DGateway, a Kampala event organizer can sell tickets via WhatsApp, collect mobile money payments automatically, and scan QR codes at the door — eliminating cash handling, counterfeit tickets, and manual tracking.

Where to find it: Dashboard > Events

8. Course Discussion Forums

Every course lesson has a built-in discussion forum. Students can ask questions, upvote answers, and interact with each other. The instructor can pin answers, mark questions as resolved, and ban disruptive users.

Email notifications keep students engaged — they get notified when their question is answered.

How to Enable

Forums are automatically enabled for every course. No setup required.

• For instructors: Go to Courses > Edit Course > Forum tab to moderate questions and answers.
• For students: The forum appears below each lesson on the learn page.

Forum Features

// Forum question structure
{
  "question": "How do I deploy a Next.js app on Vercel?",
  "lesson_id": "lesson_deploy_nextjs",
  "student_id": "student_abc123",
  "upvotes": 12,
  "answers": [
    {
      "body": "Run `vercel deploy` in your terminal. Make sure you have the Vercel CLI installed.",
      "is_instructor_answer": true,
      "is_pinned": true,
      "upvotes": 8
    }
  ],
  "status": "resolved"
}

Pricing

Discussion forums are free — included with every course at no additional cost.

Why It Matters for African Creators

Community is the secret weapon of successful online courses. A Kampala-based instructor teaching Python can build a thriving student community where learners help each other. The forum reduces instructor support burden — frequently asked questions get answered by peers, not just the teacher.

Where to find it: Courses > Edit Course > Forum tab (for instructors) / Learn page (for students)

9. 3D Ebook Preview

When you sell an ebook, buyers can flip through preview pages in a realistic 3D book viewer before purchasing. You upload your PDF and set how many pages are free to preview. The system auto-extracts pages as images for the flipper.

How to Enable

1. Go to Products > Create Product.
2. Select Type: Ebook.
3. Upload your PDF file.
4. Set the number of free preview pages (e.g., 5 pages).
5. The system automatically extracts those pages as high-quality images for the 3D flipper.

What the UI Looks Like

The buyer sees a realistic book rendered in 3D with:

• Page curl animations when flipping
• Book spine with depth and shadow
• Edge depth showing page thickness
• A "locked" page after the free preview ends with a "Purchase to Unlock" CTA
• Smooth touch/swipe support on mobile

# Extract preview pages from a PDF (done automatically by DGateway)
# The backend calls the pdf_extract handler:
POST /api/member/apps/:appId/products/:productId/extract-pages
{
  "num_pages": 5
}
# Returns: Array of image URLs for the extracted pages

Pricing

The ebook 3D preview is included for free with all digital product listings. Products use the standard 12% commission on sales.

Why It Matters for African Creators

East African authors and educators often sell ebooks via WhatsApp or social media as raw PDF files with no preview. The 3D book flipper gives buyers a premium browsing experience that builds trust and increases conversion. It is the difference between "send me the PDF on WhatsApp" and a professional storefront.

Where to find it: Products > Create Product > Type: Ebook

10. HLS Video Streaming (via MediaKit)

Course videos are streamed using HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) with adaptive bitrate — the same technology Netflix uses. Videos auto-transcode to 480p, 720p, and 1080p. Students get the best quality their connection can handle, with no buffering.

How to Enable

1. Go to Courses > Add Lesson.
2. Select lesson type: Video.
3. Choose Upload Video (MediaKit).
4. Upload your video file (MP4, MOV, or WebM).
5. MediaKit automatically transcodes to 480p, 720p, and 1080p HLS streams.
6. The lesson page shows an adaptive video player that switches quality based on the student's internet speed.

Technical Details

// MediaKit HLS stream structure
{
  "master_playlist": "https://mediakit.yourserver.com/stream/abc123/master.m3u8",
  "qualities": [
    { "resolution": "480p", "bitrate": "1000k", "playlist": "480p/index.m3u8" },
    { "resolution": "720p", "bitrate": "2500k", "playlist": "720p/index.m3u8" },
    { "resolution": "1080p", "bitrate": "5000k", "playlist": "1080p/index.m3u8" }
  ],
  "sprite_preview": "https://mediakit.yourserver.com/stream/abc123/sprites.vtt",
  "duration": 1847,
  "chapters": [
    { "title": "Introduction", "start": 0 },
    { "title": "Setting Up", "start": 120 },
    { "title": "Building the App", "start": 480 }
  ]
}

Powered by MediaKit, our open-source video infrastructure. Self-hosted — no per-minute streaming fees.

Pricing

Video hosting and streaming via MediaKit is free (self-hosted on your infrastructure). Course sales use the standard 15% commission.

Why It Matters for African Creators

Internet speeds in East Africa vary dramatically. A student in Kampala on fiber might get 20 Mbps, while another in Gulu on 3G gets 500 Kbps. Adaptive bitrate streaming means both students get smooth playback — the Kampala student watches in 1080p, the Gulu student in 480p, with no buffering. Without HLS, the Gulu student would be stuck with infinite loading screens.

Where to find it: Courses > Add Lesson > Upload Video (MediaKit)

11. Multi-Currency Pricing

Set different prices for the same product in different currencies. A course can be UGX 25,000 for local students and USD 7 for international ones. The checkout automatically shows the right price based on the buyer's selected currency.

How to Enable

1. Go to Courses/Products > Edit the item you want to price in multiple currencies.
2. Scroll to Additional Currencies.
3. Add prices for each currency you want to support.

// Multi-currency pricing example
{
  "title": "React Masterclass",
  "base_price": 25000,
  "base_currency": "UGX",
  "additional_currencies": {
    "USD": 7,
    "KES": 900,
    "TZS": 18000,
    "RWF": 8500,
    "EUR": 6,
    "GBP": 5
  }
}

Supported currencies: UGX, KES, TZS, RWF, USD, EUR, GBP.

Pricing

Multi-currency pricing is free to use. Standard commission rates apply per product type.

Why It Matters for African Creators

A Ugandan course creator selling only in UGX misses the Kenyan market (KES), the Tanzanian market (TZS), and the diaspora (USD/EUR/GBP). Multi-currency pricing lets you set locally appropriate prices. UGX 25,000 might be right for Uganda, but KES 900 is more appropriate for Kenya — even if the exchange rate says otherwise. Local pricing converts better.

Where to find it: Courses/Products > Edit > Additional Currencies

12. App-to-App Transfers

Send money between DGateway apps securely. Initiate a transfer, the receiver gets an OTP to confirm, and the balance moves instantly. Also supports external transfers to any phone number via mobile money.

How to Enable

1. Go to Dashboard > Transfers in the sidebar.
2. Choose transfer type:
   • App-to-App — Send to another DGateway app by name or ID
   • External — Send to any phone number via mobile money (MTN/Airtel)
3. Enter the amount and reason.
4. The receiver gets an OTP via email to confirm (app-to-app only).
5. Upon confirmation, the balance transfers instantly.

# Initiate an app-to-app transfer
curl -X POST https://api.dgateway.desispay.com/api/member/apps/your-app-id/transfers \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer your_jwt_token" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "type": "app_to_app",
    "receiver_app_id": "receiver-app-id",
    "amount": 100000,
    "currency": "UGX",
    "reason": "Payment for design services"
  }'

Pricing

App-to-app and external transfers have a 2% platform fee.

Why It Matters for African Creators

Freelancers, agencies, and business partners often need to split revenue or pay collaborators. Instead of withdrawing to mobile money and sending separately (paying fees twice), app-to-app transfers move money within DGateway instantly at a flat 2% fee.

Where to find it: Dashboard > Transfers

13. System Health Monitoring

Real-time monitoring of every payment provider line (Iotec MTN, Iotec Airtel, Relworx MTN, Relworx Airtel, Stripe). Daily automated health checks at 6 AM. When a line goes down, all app owners get email alerts. When it recovers, they are notified again.

How to Enable

System health monitoring is always on. No setup required.

• App owners: See disruption banners on the dashboard when a line is down. Check System > System Health for detailed status (admin only).
• API consumers: Poll /v1/health/providers for programmatic status checks.

What the Dashboard Shows

The System Health page displays:

Pricing

System health monitoring is free for all users. Email alerts are sent automatically at no cost.

Why It Matters for African Creators

Mobile money provider outages are common in East Africa — MTN MoMo goes down for maintenance, Airtel has intermittent issues. Without health monitoring, you would not know why payments are failing. DGateway tells you proactively: "Iotec MTN is down since 2:15 AM. We are routing through Relworx." This transparency builds trust.

Where to find it: System > System Health (admin) / Banner on dashboard (members)

14. WordPress & WooCommerce Plugin

Accept mobile money payments on your WordPress site without writing any code. Install the DGateway plugin, enter your API key, and your WooCommerce checkout gets MTN Mobile Money and Airtel Money as payment options.

How to Enable

# Install via WP-CLI
wp plugin install https://dgateway.desispay.com/downloads/dgateway-plugin-v1.0.2.zip --activate
 
# Or from WordPress admin:
# Plugins > Add New > Search "DGateway" > Install > Activate
# Then: WooCommerce > Settings > Payments > DGateway > Enter API keys

Plugin Capabilities

For the complete installation walkthrough, read our dedicated guide: Accept Mobile Money on WooCommerce with the DGateway Plugin.

Pricing

The plugin is free. Standard 8% transaction commission applies.

Why It Matters for African Creators

WordPress powers thousands of websites in East Africa — church sites, school portals, small business stores. The DGateway plugin turns any WordPress site into a mobile money-accepting storefront in 15 minutes. No developer needed.

Where to find it: Plugin Download

15. Communications Center

Admin can send categorized messages to app owners: informative updates, warnings, or incident reports. Filter recipients by what features they use (courses, products, events, API keys). Messages go to both email and the in-app notification inbox.

Users see a notification bell with unread count, and a Messages page where they can read and manage notifications.

How to Enable

The Communications Center is always active. As an app owner, you automatically receive relevant communications.

• Notification bell appears in the top-right of your dashboard. Unread count updates every 30 seconds.
• Messages page at Dashboard > Messages shows all received communications.

Message Categories

# Check unread notifications (polled every 30s by the dashboard)
curl -X GET https://api.dgateway.desispay.com/api/member/apps/your-app-id/notifications?unread=true \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer your_jwt_token"

Pricing

Communications are free. All messages are included at no cost.

Why It Matters for African Creators

When a payment provider goes down at 2 AM, you need to know before your customers start complaining. The Communications Center ensures you are always informed — whether it is a service incident, a new feature launch, or an important policy update.

Where to find it: System > Communications (admin) / Bell icon > Messages (members)

Bonus: Organization Management

For groups and associations, DGateway supports full organization management with member roles, savings groups, remittance tracking, fee collection, and org-specific events. Each organization gets its own branded portal where members can log in, view their contributions, and track their savings.

Perfect for churches, fitness clubs, alumni associations, investment groups, and community organizations across East Africa. Read the full guide: DGateway Introduces Organizations.

What's Next?

We ship features fast. In the past month alone, we have added events, forums, transfers, communications, the going-live checklist, and multi-currency pricing. Here is what is coming:

• Live streaming for course lessons (RTMP to HLS)
• AI auto-captions for uploaded videos
• Subscription billing improvements with better retry logic
• Mobile app for managing your DGateway business on the go

Summary: All 15 Features at a Glance

If you are not using DGateway yet, create a free account and explore. If you are — go check your sidebar. There is probably a feature you have not tried yet.

Follow us on GitHub and join the WhatsApp Support Group for updates.