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What Can Indian Freelancers Use Instead of Wise to Receive International Payments?

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Editorial team, serviceexportguide.com
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Short answer

Wise personal accounts in India cannot receive money in 2026.1 Wise Business accepts sole traders and charges a USD 2 equivalent per transfer to INR (India help article; its India receive pricing page describes a free e-FIRC).2316 Skydo and Razorpay are listed by RBI as PA-CB I & O.4 Remitly and Revolut are personal services, not export receipt tools.56

Applies toRules involvedPlatforms comparedLast verified
Indian freelancers receiving payments from foreign clients2PA-CB limit ₹25 lakh per transaction; EDF and 9-month realisation from 1 October 2026789Skydo, Razorpay, Karbon Business, Wise; Payoneer, PayPal, Remitly and Revolut for eligibility431 October 2026

1,000 USD = ₹94,243 at the reference rate for 13 November 2026 (European Central Bank data).

Estimated rupees received, on published fees

Sorted by estimated rupees received, highest first. Only providers that publish both their fee and their conversion markup for this currency and method can be estimated.

#Provider and routeBest forFee (+GST)MarkupYou receiveCost
1Karbon BusinessLowest estimated costBank transfer to a Karbon virtual USD accountUS bank transfers and marketplace payouts₹942plus GST, rate not stated0%₹93,131 to ₹93,3011.00 to 1.18%
2RazorpayMoneySaver Export Account: bank transfer to virtual account details (Standard plan)Local transfers from the US, UK and eurozone₹1,000plus GST, rate not stated0%₹93,063 to ₹93,2431.06 to 1.25%
3WinvestaGlobal Collections Account, standard plan (up to 2,000 a month per currency)Local transfers with a published per-payment fee₹1,4350%₹92,8091.52%
4SkydoPayment link (InstaLinks) paid by ACH debitLocal bank transfers from major markets₹1,885plus GST, rate not stated0%₹92,019 to ₹92,3582.00 to 2.36%
5PayoneerLocal bank transfer to Payoneer receiving account detailsMarketplace payouts such as Amazon or Upwork₹0no GST stated1 to 4%₹90,473 to ₹93,3011.00 to 4.00%
6PayPalInternational commercial transaction received into a PayPal account (PayPal checkout or invoice)Clients paying by card or PayPal balance₹4,175no GST stated3 to 4%₹86,465 to ₹87,3667.30 to 8.25%

Not estimated because pricing is not fully published: Cashfree Payments, Dodo Payments, PingPong, Stripe, Tazapay, TransFi, Wise.

Where a provider says GST applies to its fee but not at what rate, the range runs from no GST to 18%, the rate Skydo, Stripe and Winvesta state on their pages. Estimates use each provider's published fee, conversion markup, GST on fees and FIRA charge, checked 2026-10-28, against the reference rate. They exclude charges taken by intermediary banks and your own bank, and the rate a provider actually applies at the time of conversion. Check the provider's pricing page before you choose. The order is calculated only from these published numbers; no provider can pay to change its position, and there are no affiliate links.

This page answers a narrower question than its search phrase. "International transfers" covers both sending and receiving money, but an Indian freelancer billing foreign clients needs a way to receive export payments, and Wise personal accounts in India cannot receive money at all.1 No provider publishes how many Indian freelancers use it, so this page compares what Indian freelancers can use instead of Wise to receive payments, on published fees, documents and RBI status. Wise itself receives payments for Indian freelancers only through a Wise Business account opened as a sole trader.2 For every provider, see Wise alternatives.

How do Wise and its alternatives compare for Indian freelancers receiving international payments?

Wise and its alternatives all give foreign clients account details and pay rupees into an Indian bank, and they differ on fee structure, conversion and documents.3101112 The table lists the three lowest-cost providers for a USD 5,000 receipt on published fees, cheapest first, then Wise, which does not publish enough pricing to estimate.13141516

PlatformBest forFeeFX markupSettlementFIRARBI PA-CB statusSource
SkydoLocal bank transfers from major markets10USD 19 up to USD 2,000, USD 29 up to USD 10,000, 0.3% above, plus GST130% markup on the mid-market rate (product page); retail rate set by Skydo or its partner banks (terms)1721Within 24 hours (product page); T+1 to T+3 business days (terms)1721Free FIRA on every payment17PA-CB I & O, authorised 8 January 20264Official pages1013174
RazorpayLocal transfers from the US, UK and eurozone11Bank transfers 1% (flat ₹1,000 below ₹1,00,000); cards up to 3%; GST extra14180% on MoneySaver bank transfers14T+1 for bank transfers; T+7 working days for cards1119FIRS emailed within 24 hours of settlement11PA-CB I & O4Official pages111418194
Karbon BusinessUS bank transfers and marketplace payouts121% transaction fee on its PayPal comparison page150% (freelancer page); 0.5% to 1.0% (PayPal alternative page)121524 to 48 hours12FIRA for every transaction from a banking partner12Not on the RBI list itself; its terms run export receipts under a partner the RBI lists as a PA-CB204Official pages1215204
WiseBank transfers to local account details3Equivalent of USD 2 per transfer to the INR account (help article); free e-FIRC (receive pricing page)316Conversion fee varies by currency; no INR percentage published16INR in 1 to 2 days3e-FIRC per transfer within 3 working days3PA-CB I, authorised 12 March 20264Official pages3164

See Wise vs Skydo, Wise vs Razorpay and Wise vs Karbon Business.

Which platforms are named as Wise alternatives, and can Indian freelancers use them to get paid?

The platforms named as Wise alternatives include receiving tools and personal remittance apps, and only the receiving tools suit export payments. Remitly is a sender service for personal, family or household transfers, and Revolut India is a personal INR wallet that cannot be used for business.56

PlatformWho can sign upReceives export payments into India?Best for
SkydoIndividuals aged 18 or over, proprietorships and companies, for business payments only21Yes, through local account details and a SWIFT account10Local bank transfers from major markets10
RazorpayIndian businesses with Razorpay KYC; MoneySaver lists individuals, proprietorships, partnerships, LLPs and companies11Yes, by ACH, FPS, SEPA or SWIFT to virtual account details11Local transfers from the US, UK and eurozone11
Karbon BusinessIts forex terms require a user incorporated under the laws of India20Yes, by transfer to a virtual USD account12US bank transfers and marketplace payouts12
PayoneerFreelancers and businesses verified with ID such as Aadhaar or PAN22Yes, with automatic withdrawal to an Indian bank in INR23Marketplace payouts such as Amazon or Upwork23
PayPalIndian residents with a verified PAN, a linked Indian bank account, a purpose code and full KYC24Yes, as an export payment service under its India user agreement24Clients paying by card or PayPal balance24
WiseWise Business only: sole traders, proprietorships, private limited companies, LLPs and general partnerships2Yes for Wise Business; Wise personal accounts in India cannot receive money31Bank transfers to local account details3
RemitlySenders only; the personal service is for personal, family or household purposes5Recipients in India are paid without an account; no FIRA is mentioned25US business clients already using Remitly25
RevolutIndividuals for personal use; business use is not allowed6No; Revolut India is a personal INR wallet6Personal spending, not export receipts6
  • Receiving tools: Skydo, Razorpay, Karbon Business, Payoneer, PayPal and Wise Business all describe receiving payments from abroad into India.10111223243
  • Personal remittance apps: Remitly's pages mention no FIRA for the Indian recipient, and Revolut India's pages mention none either.256
  • RBI status: Remitly and Revolut are not on RBI's list as cross-border payment aggregators.4

What does each Wise alternative charge?

Each Wise alternative charges its own mix of per-payment fee and conversion cost. Wise charges a USD 2 equivalent per transfer to the INR account (India help article; its India receive pricing page describes a free e-FIRC) plus a conversion fee that varies by currency.316

PlatformBank transfer routeCard or link routeConversionBest for
SkydoUSD 19 up to USD 2,000, USD 29 up to USD 10,000, 0.3% above, plus GST13InstaLinks ACH Debit 2%, minimum $9; no card fee published260% markup on the mid-market rate (product page); retail rate set by Skydo or its partner banks (terms)1721Local bank transfers from major markets10
Razorpay1% per transaction, flat ₹1,000 below ₹1,00,000, GST extra14Up to 3% plus 18% GST180% on bank transfers; card markup not published14Local transfers from the US, UK and eurozone11
Karbon Business1% transaction fee on its PayPal comparison page15Not published120% (freelancer page); 0.5% to 1.0% (PayPal alternative page)1215US bank transfers and marketplace payouts12
PayoneerFree to receive (multi-currency account page); fixed fee or 1% for non-local currencies (pricing page)2227Card 2.90% + $0.49; US ACH debit 1%271% to 4% to withdraw to INR27Marketplace payouts such as Amazon or Upwork23
PayPal4.40% plus a fixed fee per international commercial transaction28No separate card rate published283.0% or 4.00% above the base rate28Clients paying by card or PayPal balance24
WiseEquivalent of USD 2 per transfer to the INR account (help article); free e-FIRC (receive pricing page)316Card acceptance not available for India-based businesses29Varies by currency; no INR percentage published16Bank transfers to local account details3

Wise says 18% GST applies to its fees, and Skydo and Razorpay quote their fees plus GST.161314

Which option is cheapest at $500, $2,000 and $5,000?

The cheapest option depends on invoice size and route, and the table below uses published fees at today's rate for providers this site can estimate.1314

PlatformBest forINR on USD 2,000INR on USD 5,000INR on USD 10,000Cost on USD 5,000
SkydoMost INRTransfer to Skydo local account details or international SWIFT accountLocal bank transfers from major markets₹1,86,373₹4,67,991₹9,39,2060.68%
Karbon BusinessBank transfer to a Karbon virtual USD accountUS bank transfers and marketplace payouts₹1,86,262 to ₹1,86,601₹4,65,655 to ₹4,66,503₹9,31,311 to ₹9,33,0071.00 to 1.18%
RazorpayMoneySaver Export Account: bank transfer to virtual account details (Standard plan)Local transfers from the US, UK and eurozone₹1,86,262 to ₹1,86,601₹4,65,655 to ₹4,66,503₹9,31,311 to ₹9,33,0071.00 to 1.18%
PayoneerLocal bank transfer to Payoneer receiving account detailsMarketplace payouts such as Amazon or Upwork₹1,80,947 to ₹1,86,601₹4,52,367 to ₹4,66,503₹9,04,734 to ₹9,33,0071.00 to 4.00%
PayPalInternational commercial transaction received into a PayPal account (PayPal checkout or invoice)Clients paying by card or PayPal balance₹1,72,958 to ₹1,74,760₹4,32,436 to ₹4,36,940₹8,64,899 to ₹8,73,9087.27 to 8.23%

Not estimated because pricing for USD is not fully published: Wise.

Ranked by INR received on USD 5,000. Reference rate: European Central Bank data for 13 November 2026. Fees, conversion markup, GST on fees and FIRA charges as published by each provider, checked 28 October 2026. Ranges appear where a provider publishes a range or does not state its GST rate. Intermediary bank charges are excluded. See the methodology.

For example, on a USD 2,000 invoice, Skydo's USD 19 fee is 0.95% before GST and Razorpay's MoneySaver fee is 1% before GST, while Wise's USD 2 equivalent fee (India help article; its India receive pricing page describes a free e-FIRC) is 0.1% before its conversion fee.1314316 PayPal on the same invoice charges 4.40% plus USD 0.30, before a conversion fee of 3.0% or 4.00%.28

What documents do you get from each Wise alternative?

Each Wise alternative used for export receipts gives a document for each payment, while personal remittance apps do not describe one. Wise emails an e-FIRC for each transfer within 3 working days.325

PlatformProof of receiptHow you get itBest for
SkydoFree FIRA on every payment17Issued for each receiptLocal bank transfers from major markets10
RazorpayForeign Inward Remittance Statement (FIRS)11Emailed within 24 hours after settlementLocal transfers from the US, UK and eurozone11
Karbon BusinessFIRA from an unnamed banking partner12For every transactionUS bank transfers and marketplace payouts12
PayoneerDigital FIRA from a partner AD bank30Within 24 to 72 hours, in Reports and statementsMarketplace payouts such as Amazon or Upwork23
PayPalWeekly digital FIRA; custom FIRA 100 INR plus 18% GST each31Download under Reports, then TaxClients paying by card or PayPal balance24
Wisee-FIRC3Emailed within 3 working daysBank transfers to local account details3

You then self-certify the e-BRC on the DGFT portal from your bank's inward remittance messages.32 See do I get a FIRA from Wise and FIRA for freelancers.

What changes in 2026 for Indian freelancers using Wise or an alternative?

Indian freelancers using Wise or an alternative in 2026 work under the new FEMA export regulations from 1 October 2026, which add an Export Declaration Form for every service exporter.8

  • 2026 Regulations: The Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026 came into force on 1 October 2026 and replaced the 2015 Regulations.8
  • EDF for every service exporter: From 1 October 2026 every exporter of services gives an Export Declaration Form (EDF) to the AD bank within 30 days from the end of the month of invoicing, and non-software exporters may instead file it on or before the date payment is received.8
  • SOFTEX: RBI Circular No. 20 supersedes the earlier SOFTEX circulars with effect from 1 October 2026.33
  • Realisation period: Export proceeds must be realised within nine months from the invoice date, or twelve months if invoiced or settled in Indian rupees.9
  • PA-CB limit: A cross-border payment aggregator (PA-CB) can handle up to ₹25 lakh per transaction, for inward and outward transactions.7
  • Wise status: RBI's list includes Wise Payments India Private Limited as PA-CB I, authorised on 12 March 2026.4

See how to receive international payments in India and EDF for service exporters.

How did we verify this?

We checked this page against the sources below on 31 October 2026. Provider fees, conversion markups and RBI payment aggregator (PA-CB) status were checked on 28 October 2026. Rupee amounts use European Central Bank reference rates for 13 November 2026. Read our methodology or report an error.

  1. [1]Wise India, Receive pricing (personal accounts) (checked 2026-10-28)
  2. [2]Wise Help Centre, How to verify your Indian business to receive payments (checked 2026-10-28)
  3. [3]Wise Help Centre, Receiving payments for Indian businesses (checked 2026-10-28)
  4. [4]RBI: Certificates of Authorisation issued under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 (Payment Aggregators and PPI issuers), list dated 30 October 2026 (checked 2026-10-31)
  5. [5]Remitly User Agreement (US), effective 23 February 2026 (checked 2026-10-28)
  6. [6]Revolut India, Personal terms, effective 19 November 2025, sections 1, 2, 4 and 20 (checked 2026-10-28)
  7. [7]RBI: Master Direction on Regulation of Payment Aggregator dated 15 September 2025, paragraph 11(d) (transaction limit)
  8. [8]RBI: Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026, FEMA 23(R)/2026-RB, amended up to 22 September 2026, regulations 3 and 4
  9. [9]RBI: Notification FEMA 23(R)/(1)/2026-RB dated 22 September 2026, amending regulation 5 (realisation period)
  10. [10]Skydo FAQs, What countries can I get paid locally through Skydo? (checked 2026-10-28)
  11. [11]Razorpay Docs, International Bank Transfer (MoneySaver Export Account) (checked 2026-10-28)
  12. [12]Karbon Business, Karbon for Freelancers (checked 2026-10-28)
  13. [13]Skydo FAQs, How much does Skydo charge? (checked 2026-10-28)
  14. [14]Razorpay, Multi-Currency Account for International Bank Transfers (MoneySaver Export Account pricing) (checked 2026-10-28)
  15. [15]Karbon Business, PayPal Alternative comparison page (checked 2026-10-28)
  16. [16]Wise India, Fees for getting paid (Wise Business receive pricing) (checked 2026-10-28)
  17. [17]Skydo, Receive international payments as a freelancer in India (product page) (checked 2026-10-28)
  18. [18]Razorpay, Pricing, International Payments and International Bank Transfers tabs (checked 2026-10-28)
  19. [19]Razorpay Docs, International Payments FAQs (checked 2026-10-28)
  20. [20]Karbon Forex Terms and Conditions, Interropac Private Limited (checked 2026-10-28)
  21. [21]Skydo, Terms of Use, last updated 9 April 2026 (checked 2026-10-28)
  22. [22]Payoneer India, Multi-currency account page and FAQs (checked 2026-10-28)
  23. [23]Payoneer, How to use Payoneer in India (last modified 18 September 2026) (checked 2026-10-28)
  24. [24]PayPal India, User Agreement for PayPal Services (last updated 13 January 2025) (checked 2026-10-28)
  25. [25]Remitly, Business payments from the United States to India (checked 2026-10-28)
  26. [26]Skydo FAQs, What are the fees for using Payment Links? (checked 2026-10-28)
  27. [27]Payoneer India, Payoneer Fees (checked 2026-10-28)
  28. [28]PayPal India, PayPal Merchant Fees (page last updated 28 March 2024) (checked 2026-10-28)
  29. [29]Wise Help Centre, Getting paid to your Wise Business by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay (checked 2026-10-28)
  30. [30]Payoneer Help Center, Digital FIRA FAQ (checked 2026-10-28)
  31. [31]PayPal India, Foreign Inward Remittance Advise (FIRA) (checked 2026-10-28)
  32. [32]DGFT: eBRC system, self-certification of eBRC from bank IRMs, Trade Notice 33/2023-24 dated 10 November 2023
  33. [33]RBI: A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 20 dated 16 January 2026

Frequently asked questions

Can I receive money in a Wise account in India?+

Only through Wise Business. Wise personal accounts in India cannot receive money. Wise Business accepts sole traders or freelancers with a personal PAN and an INR bank account in their own name, as well as proprietorships, private limited companies, LLPs and general partnerships.12

Is Remitly a Wise alternative for freelancers in India?+

Remitly is a sender service: its personal service is for personal, family or household transfers, and business use breaches its US user agreement. Its pages do not mention a FIRA for the Indian recipient, so it is not described as a way to receive export payments.525

Can I use Revolut India to get paid by foreign clients?+

Revolut India's personal terms say you cannot use a Revolut account for business purposes, and the India wallet holds INR only. Revolut Payments India is an RBI-authorised prepaid payment instrument issuer and does not appear on RBI's list as a cross-border payment aggregator.64

What international transfer apps do Indian freelancers use to receive USD?+

Indian freelancers receive USD through providers that give foreign clients account details and pay INR, such as Skydo, Razorpay, Karbon Business, Payoneer and Wise Business, or through PayPal when clients pay by card or PayPal balance. Usage figures are not published by these providers.10111223324

Is Wise cheaper than Skydo for Indian freelancers?+

Wise charges a USD 2 equivalent per transfer to the INR account (India help article; its India receive pricing page describes a free e-FIRC) plus a conversion fee it does not publish as a percentage for INR. Skydo charges USD 19 up to USD 2,000 and USD 29 up to USD 10,000, plus GST; its product page says 0% markup on the mid-market rate, and its terms say conversion uses a retail rate set by Skydo or its partner banks.316131721

Does Wise accept card payments for Indian freelancers?+

No. Wise lists card acceptance only for Wise Business accounts in the EEA, UK, Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Singapore, Canada and the US. An Indian freelancer whose client wants to pay by card needs a provider with a card route, such as PayPal or Razorpay.292418

This page is general information for Indian service exporters, not tax or legal advice. Rules change and outcomes depend on your facts, so confirm with a chartered accountant before acting.

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