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PayPal, Payoneer or Stripe: What GST and FIRC Mean for Game Developers Getting Paid for Work Sold Overseas

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Editorial team, serviceexportguide.com
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11 min read

Short answer

Game development billed to a studio abroad is an export when all five section 2(6) IGST conditions hold.1 Stripe does not issue a FIRC; Standard Chartered emails a payment advice.23 PayPal offers a free weekly digital FIRA from February 2026.4 Payoneer issues a free digital FIRA per transaction.56 Royalties use purpose code P0902.7

Applies toRules involvedPlatforms comparedLast verified
Indian game developers and studios paid from abroadIGST Act sections 2(6) and 16; FEMA 2026 Regulations, regulations 2, 3 and 5; RBI Circular No. 20; PA Master Direction189101112Razorpay, Karbon Business, Skydo, Payoneer, PayPal, Stripe131415161731831 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.

Indian game developers earn from abroad in three main ways: fees for co-development, art, porting or QA billed to a foreign studio; royalties or advances for licensing their own games; and sales through app stores and storefronts. PayPal, Payoneer and Stripe each fit some of these and not others. This page sets out what GST and the FIRC mean for each, with every provider judged on the same published facts. Store payouts are covered in international payments for game developers. Confirm your structure with a chartered accountant (CA).

How do PayPal, Payoneer and Stripe compare for game developers?

PayPal, Payoneer and Stripe differ for game developers in who can sign up, how the payer pays, the published fee, the receipt document and RBI status.171920212253182324 Stripe takes card payments through checkout, links or subscriptions, PayPal takes PayPal balance and card payments, and Payoneer takes local transfers and marketplace payouts.232531726271628 The table lists PayPal, Payoneer and Stripe, plus the three lowest-cost providers on published fees for a USD 2,000 receipt (Razorpay, Karbon Business and Skydo).29303132143334 Providers with enough published pricing to estimate come first, cheapest first; the rest follow A to Z.

PlatformBest forFeeFX markupSettlementFIRARBI PA-CB statusSource
RazorpayLocal transfers from the US, UK and eurozone1% plus GST on MoneySaver bank transfers, with a flat fee on small transfers; international cards up to 3% plus GST0% on MoneySaver bank transfers, per Razorpay; card conversion markup not publishedT+1 for push bank transfersForeign Inward Remittance Statement (FIRS) emailed within 24 hours of settlementAuthorised PA-CB, inward and outward132930313536373839
Karbon BusinessUS bank transfers and marketplace payouts1% transaction fee listed on its PayPal comparison page0% (freelancer page); 0.5% to 1.0% (PayPal alternative page)24 to 48 hoursFIRA for every transaction, from an unnamed banking partnerNot on the RBI list itself; its terms run export receipts under a partner the RBI lists as a PA-CB1432404142
SkydoLocal bank transfers from major marketsUSD 19 plus GST up to USD 2,000; USD 29 plus GST up to USD 10,000; 0.3% plus GST above0% markup on the mid-market rate (product page); retail rate set by Skydo or its partner banks (terms)T+1 to T+3 business days in its termsFree FIRA on every paymentAuthorised PA-CB, inward and outward, 8 January 20261533344344454639
PayoneerMarketplace payouts such as Amazon or UpworkFree to receive (multi-currency account page); fixed fee or 1% for non-local currencies (pricing page); card payment requests 2.90% + USD 0.491% to 4% when converted to INR for withdrawalWithin 24 hours (multi-currency account page); within 48 hours (pricing page)Free digital FIRA for each transactionIn-principle PA-CB authorisation on 22 January 2026; RBI lists the application as under process1622285647484942
PayPalClients paying by card or PayPal balance4.40% plus a fixed fee per international commercial transaction (USD 0.30 on USD)3.0% or 4.00% above the base exchange rateUp to 5 business days to reach the bankFree weekly digital FIRA from February 2026Existing PA-CB with in-principle authorisation on RBI's status list17265045139
StripeCard checkout and subscriptions3% on international Visa and Mastercard; 3.5% on American Express; 4.3% with non-INR presentmentAdditional 2% if conversion is requiredDaily payouts of card payments made five business days earlierPayment advice from Standard Chartered Bank; FIRC requested from your own bankAuthorised PA-O only; PA-CB application withdrawn, cross-border service invite-only3185253542395155

Stripe's international service is invite-only and closed to individuals, which rules it out for many solo developers.3182324 See PayPal vs Stripe for detail.

Which RBI and GST rules apply to game developers?

Game developers exporting services follow the IGST export test, the LUT, the 2026 FEMA export regulations on the EDF and realisation, and the payment aggregator limit; game software now goes on the EDF because SOFTEX was superseded.15691112

RuleBest for (who it applies to)Plain meaningSource
IGST Act, section 2(6)Studios billing foreign publishers or developersWork is an export of services only if all five conditions hold: supplier in India, recipient outside India, place of supply outside India, payment in convertible foreign exchange (or INR where RBI permits), and the two are not establishments of one person.1
IGST Act, section 13(2)Builds, art and code delivered onlineThe place of supply is the client's location when the supplier or the client is outside India, unless a special rule in sections 13(3) to 13(13) applies.57
CGST Act, section 22; Notification No. 10/2017-Integrated TaxSolo developers whose yearly turnover is near ₹20 lakhRegistration is needed once aggregate turnover in a financial year exceeds ₹20 lakh (₹10 lakh in special category States). Export turnover counts in aggregate turnover.585960
IGST Act, section 16(3); FORM GST RFD-11GST-registered studiosA registered exporter files a Letter of Undertaking (LUT) for each financial year and invoices exports without IGST; the LUT is deemed accepted when the ARN is generated.85661
FEMA (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026, regulations 3 and 4Every game developer exporting servicesFrom 1 October 2026 every service exporter gives an Export Declaration Form (EDF) to the AD bank within 30 days from the end of the month of invoicing; non-software exporters may instead file on or before the date payment is received.9
RBI A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 20, 16 January 2026Studios that filed SOFTEX for software exportsThe circular supersedes the earlier SOFTEX circulars from 1 October 2026; software exports are now declared on the EDF under the 2026 Regulations.119
2026 Regulations, regulation 5, as amended on 22 September 2026Studios waiting on milestone paymentsExport proceeds are realised within nine months from the invoice date, or twelve months for invoices raised or settled in rupees; the AD bank can extend the period.109
RBI Master Direction on Regulation of Payment Aggregator, paragraph 11(d)Developers paid through Skydo, Razorpay or another PA-CBEach cross-border payment aggregator (PA-CB) transaction is capped at ₹25 lakh, for inward and outward payments alike.12
Income-tax Act, 2025, sections 58(2) and 62(4)Developers whose work fits information technology in section 62(4)A resident individual or partnership firm (not an LLP) in a specified profession may declare 50% of gross receipts as profit, up to ₹50 lakh of receipts (₹75 lakh if cash receipts are within 5%).6263

How is work sold overseas treated differently from client work?

Client work for a foreign studio and licensing your own game abroad use different purpose codes, and both must meet the same five conditions in section 2(6) to be an export.71

  • Client work: Co-development, porting, QA and live-ops fees are usually reported under P0802.7
  • Licensing and royalties: Publisher royalties and licence fees for your game IP fit P0902.764
  • Store sales: App store and storefront payouts follow each store's distribution agreement; the persona guide linked above explains them.

For example, a Pune team porting a console title for a Japanese studio bills a service fee, while the same team's royalty from a UK publisher is a licensing receipt.

Which purpose code applies to game developers?

The purpose code that applies to a game developer depends on whether the receipt is a service fee, a royalty or a video deliverable, chosen from the RBI receipt codes introduced by Circular No. 84 of 29 February 2012.65

CodeBest for (transaction type)Official RBI descriptionSource
P0802Co-development, porting, QA and live-ops feesSoftware consultancy/implementation (other than those covered in SOFTEX form)764
P0807Software exports your bank classifies as off-siteOff-site Software Exports764
P0902Publisher royalties or licensing your game IPReceipts for use, through licensing arrangements, of produced originals or prototypes (such as manuscripts and films), patents, copyrights, trademarks, industrial processes, franchises etc.764
P1101Trailers and cinematics billed as video productionAudio-visual and related services like Motion picture and video tape production, distribution and projection services.764

Stripe allows one transaction purpose code per account from a fixed list, and Payoneer applies one profile code to every payment.3185 A studio receiving both fees and royalties may need a bank wire for one of them. See purpose code for software export.

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

The cheapest option for game developers changes with invoice size, because a flat fee weighs more on a small invoice and a percentage fee weighs more on a large one.3334293031 The table below works out the INR received from each provider's published fees at today's exchange rate.

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: Stripe.

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 $2,000 invoice Skydo's USD 19 fee is 0.95% of the invoice before GST, and Razorpay's MoneySaver fee is 1% before GST.3334293031 PayPal's 4.40% plus USD 0.30 is 4.415% of the same invoice, and converting the rest at 3.0% to 4.00% above the base rate brings the total to about 7.28% to 8.24%.2617 On a $500 invoice, the same USD 19 Skydo fee is 3.8% before GST.3334

  • Large invoices: A single PA-CB payment cannot exceed ₹25 lakh, so check how a provider handles a bigger invoice before you send it.12
  • PayPal ceiling: PayPal's India user agreement lists an export payment above USD 10,000 per transaction as a restricted activity.1720
  • Stripe cards: Stripe charges 3% on an international Visa or Mastercard payment, plus 2% if currency conversion is required.5253 The platform cost comparison and the USD to INR rate page let you rerun the numbers for your own invoice.

What documents follow each payment to a game developer?

Each payment to a game developer should be matched by a FIRA, FIRC or payment advice, an e-BRC where the bank reports the receipt, and the monthly EDF; a registered studio also keeps an LUT and a rule 46 export invoice.666795668

DocumentBest forWhat it showsWhenSource
FIRA or FIRCMatching each milestone or royalty payment to its invoiceProves the foreign payment was credited; rule 89(2)(c) asks for BRC or FIRC details when claiming a GST refund on exported services.For each payment, from the bank or payment provider66
e-BRCShowing the export was realisedElectronic Bank Realisation Certificate the exporter self-generates on the DGFT portal from the bank's inward remittance message (IRM).After the bank reports the receipt6769
Export Declaration Form (EDF)Every studio from 1 October 2026, including software exportsDeclares the month's service exports to the AD bank; one EDF can cover all exports to one or more recipients in a month.Within 30 days from the end of the invoice month, or by the payment date for non-software services9
Letter of Undertaking (LUT)GST-registered studiosLets a registered exporter invoice without IGST.Once for each financial year, in FORM GST RFD-115661
Export invoiceGST-registered studiosCarries the rule 46 export endorsement and the recipient's name, address and country of destination.With each invoice68

What each platform gives:

  • Razorpay: Razorpay emails a Foreign Inward Remittance Statement (FIRS) within 24 hours after settlement for bank transfers.133830
  • Karbon Business: Karbon says it provides a FIRA for every transaction, issued by its licensed banking partner.14
  • Skydo: Skydo says it issues a free FIRA on every payment received.4346
  • Payoneer: Payoneer gives a free digital FIRA for each transaction within 24 to 72 hours, showing the purpose code you set in your profile.56
  • PayPal: PayPal offers a free weekly digital FIRA from February 2026, with custom FIRAs charged per request.4
  • Stripe: Stripe does not issue a FIRC; Standard Chartered Bank emails a payment advice on payout day, which you present to your own bank to request a FIRC.23

The FIRC vs FIRA vs e-BRC guide explains which document each body accepts.

What changes in 2026 for game developers paid from abroad?

The 2026 changes for game developers are the new FEMA export regulations from 1 October 2026, the EDF replacing SOFTEX for software exports, the nine-month realisation period and the Income-tax Act, 2025.9111070

  • New FEMA 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.9
  • EDF for every service exporter: From 1 October 2026 every exporter of services, not only software exporters, files an EDF with the AD bank.9
  • SOFTEX superseded: RBI Circular No. 20 supersedes the earlier SOFTEX circulars with effect from 1 October 2026, and the EDF now covers software exports.119
  • Realisation back to nine months: The period moved to 15 months from 14 November 2025, returned to nine months from 5 June 2026, and stays at nine months from the invoice date under the amended 2026 Regulations.717210
  • Income-tax Act, 2025: The new Act applies from 1 April 2026, and "tax year" replaces previous year and assessment year, so tax year 2026-27 runs from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027.70
  • Return due date: The due date for non-audit business and profession cases moved to 31 August.73
  • PA-CB authorisations: RBI's list dated 16 October 2026 shows Skydo authorised on 8 January 2026 and Wise on 12 March 2026, while Payoneer received in-principle authorisation on 22 January 2026.394474474849425
  • PayPal FIRA: PayPal moved to a free weekly digital FIRA from February 2026.4

Whether P0802 or P0807 is preferred for off-site software exports after SOFTEX ended is not settled, so follow your bank's practice.11 See SOFTEX replaced by EDF.

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]CBIC: IGST Act, 2017, section 2(6) (export of services) and Explanation 1 to section 8
  2. [2]Stripe Support, FIRC/payment advice for international transactions in India (checked 2026-10-28)
  3. [3]Stripe Docs, Accept international payments from India (checked 2026-10-28)
  4. [4]PayPal India, Foreign Inward Remittance Advise (FIRA) (checked 2026-10-28)
  5. [5]Payoneer Help Center, Digital FIRA FAQ (checked 2026-10-28)
  6. [6]Payoneer India, Digital FIRC page (checked 2026-10-28)
  7. [7]HDFC Bank: Inward Remittance Purpose Codes (bank reproduction of the RBI list, checked 2026-10-28)
  8. [8]CBIC: IGST Act, 2017, section 16 (zero-rated supply, supply under bond or LUT)
  9. [9]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 2, 3, 4, 13 and 18 (checked 2026-10-31)
  10. [10]RBI: Notification FEMA 23(R)/(1)/2026-RB dated 22 September 2026, amending regulation 5 (realisation period)
  11. [11]RBI: A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 20 dated 16 January 2026 (supersedes earlier circulars including SOFTEX from 1 October 2026)
  12. [12]RBI: Master Direction on Regulation of Payment Aggregator dated 15 September 2025, paragraph 11(d) (transaction limit) and 11(h) (documents to the AD bank)
  13. [13]Razorpay Docs, International Bank Transfer (MoneySaver Export Account) (checked 2026-10-28)
  14. [14]Karbon Business, Karbon for Freelancers (checked 2026-10-28)
  15. [15]Skydo FAQs, What countries can I get paid locally through Skydo? (checked 2026-10-28)
  16. [16]Payoneer, How to use Payoneer in India (last modified 18 September 2026, checked 2026-10-28)
  17. [17]PayPal India, User Agreement for PayPal Services (last updated 13 January 2025) (checked 2026-10-28)
  18. [18]Stripe Support, Accepting international payments from Stripe accounts in India (checked 2026-10-28)
  19. [19]PayPal India, Four steps to complete your KYC (checked 2026-10-28)
  20. [20]PayPal India Help, How do I receive payments through PayPal? (checked 2026-10-28)
  21. [21]Payoneer, How to receive international payments in India (last modified 31 August 2026, checked 2026-10-28)
  22. [22]Payoneer India, Multi-currency account page and FAQs (checked 2026-10-28)
  23. [23]Stripe Support, Supported payment methods, currencies and businesses for Stripe accounts in India (checked 2026-10-28)
  24. [24]Stripe India, Contact sales (request an invite) (checked 2026-10-28)
  25. [25]Stripe Support, Requirements for India export charges (checked 2026-10-28)
  26. [26]PayPal India, PayPal Merchant Fees (page last updated 28 March 2024) (checked 2026-10-28)
  27. [27]PayPal India Help, Can I use PayPal to receive payments from Indian customers? (checked 2026-10-28)
  28. [28]Payoneer India, Payoneer Fees (checked 2026-10-28)
  29. [29]Razorpay, Multi-Currency Account for International Bank Transfers (MoneySaver Export Account pricing) (checked 2026-10-28)
  30. [30]Razorpay, Pricing, International Payments and International Bank Transfers tabs (checked 2026-10-28)
  31. [31]Razorpay, Accept International Payments (checked 2026-10-28)
  32. [32]Karbon Business, PayPal Alternative comparison page (checked 2026-10-28)
  33. [33]Skydo FAQs, How much does Skydo charge? (checked 2026-10-28)
  34. [34]Skydo, home page fee table (checked 2026-10-28)
  35. [35]Razorpay Docs, Currency Conversion (checked 2026-10-28)
  36. [36]Razorpay Docs, Flash Links (ACH Debit) (checked 2026-10-28)
  37. [37]Razorpay Docs, International Payments FAQs (checked 2026-10-28)
  38. [38]Razorpay Docs, FIRS Automated Process (checked 2026-10-28)
  39. [39]RBI: Certificates of Authorisation issued under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, Payment Aggregators list (dated 16 October 2026)
  40. [40]Karbon, Karbon FX Remittances, home page (checked 2026-10-28)
  41. [41]Karbon Forex Terms and Conditions, Interropac Private Limited (checked 2026-10-28)
  42. [42]RBI: Certificates of Authorisation issued under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, Payment Aggregators (PA-O, PA-P and PA-CB), list dated 16 October 2026 (checked 2026-10-28)
  43. [43]Skydo, Receive international payments as a freelancer in India (product page) (checked 2026-10-28)
  44. [44]Skydo, Terms of Use, last updated 9 April 2026 (checked 2026-10-28)
  45. [45]Skydo FAQs, How long does settlement take on InstaLinks? (checked 2026-10-28)
  46. [46]Skydo FAQs, What is accepted for GST filings and banks between FIRA and FIRC? (checked 2026-10-28)
  47. [47]Payoneer India, Payoneer's multi-jurisdictional licenses (checked 2026-10-28)
  48. [48]Payoneer press release, Payoneer receives in-principle authorization as Cross-Border Payment Aggregator in India, 22 January 2026
  49. [49]RBI, Status of applications received under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, as on 16.10.2026, Table E (checked 2026-10-28)
  50. [50]PayPal India Help, How do I transfer funds to my bank account? (checked 2026-10-28)
  51. [51]RBI, Status of Applications received under Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, as on 16.10.2026, Table D (checked 2026-10-28)
  52. [52]Stripe India, Pricing (checked 2026-10-28)
  53. [53]Stripe Support, Additional pricing information for Indian cross-border sellers (checked 2026-10-28)
  54. [54]Stripe Support, Payout schedule for Stripe accounts in India (checked 2026-10-28)
  55. [55]Stripe Support, Cross-border payment services in India (checked 2026-10-28)
  56. [56]GST portal user guide: Furnishing of Letter of Undertaking (FORM GST RFD-11)
  57. [57]CBIC: IGST Act, 2017, section 13 (place of supply where supplier or recipient is outside India)
  58. [58]CBIC: CGST Act, 2017, section 22 (persons liable for registration) (checked 2026-10-31)
  59. [59]Notification No. 10/2017-Integrated Tax (exemption from registration for inter-State suppliers of taxable services), GSTZen reproduction
  60. [60]CBIC: CGST Act, 2017 (updated to 31 August 2021), section 2(6), aggregate turnover includes exports
  61. [61]CBIC Circular No. 40/14/2018-GST (LUT deemed accepted on generation of ARN)
  62. [62]Income Tax Department: Income-tax Act, 2025, section 58 (presumptive taxation)
  63. [63]Income Tax Department: Income-tax Act, 2025, section 62 (specified profession, sub-section (4))
  64. [64]DGFT: Purpose Code and SAC Code Mapping, Version 1.0, 10 November 2023 (reproduces RBI receipt code descriptions)
  65. [65]RBI: A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 84 dated 29 February 2012, reporting under FETERS (revised purpose codes)
  66. [66]CBIC: CGST Rules, 2017, rule 89(2)(c) (BRC or FIRC statement for refunds on export of services) (checked 2026-10-31)
  67. [67]DGFT: eBRC system, self-certification of eBRC from bank inward remittance messages (IRMs), Trade Notice 33/2023-24 dated 10 November 2023
  68. [68]CBIC: CGST Rules, 2017, rule 46 (tax invoice, export endorsement)
  69. [69]DGFT: FAQs on Self-Certification of eBRC, March 2024
  70. [70]PIB: Income-tax Act, 2025 comes into force from 1 April 2026
  71. [71]RBI: Notification FEMA 23(R)/(7)/2025-RB dated 13 November 2025 (realisation period of 15 months)
  72. [72]RBI: Notification FEMA 23(R)/(8)/2026-RB (realisation period back to nine months from 5 June 2026)
  73. [73]CBDT: FAQs on Budget 2026 (return due date of 31 August for non-audit business and profession cases)
  74. [74]Wise Help Centre, Receiving payments for Indian businesses (checked 2026-10-28)

Frequently asked questions

Can an individual game developer in India use Stripe for international payments?+

An individual cannot use Stripe India for international payments: Stripe says individuals can use it for domestic payments only. International payments are open to sole proprietorships, LLPs and companies, by invite, so a solo developer would need to register as a sole proprietorship and request an invite first.3182324

Which purpose code do I use for publisher royalties on my game?+

Publisher royalties for licensing your game use P0902, which covers receipts for use, through licensing arrangements, of produced originals, copyrights and similar rights. Co-development, porting and QA fees use P0802 instead. If one publisher pays both in a single transfer, ask your bank whether to split it.764

Do I still need SOFTEX for game software exported after October 2026?+

Game software exported from 1 October 2026 is declared on the Export Declaration Form, because RBI Circular No. 20 supersedes the earlier SOFTEX circulars from that date. One EDF can cover all services exported to one or more recipients in a month.119

How does Payoneer pay a game studio in India?+

Payoneer withdraws payments received to the linked Indian bank account automatically, with 1% to 4% charged when the balance is converted to INR. Clients can pay to Payoneer receiving account details by local transfer, by USD SWIFT wire, or through a payment request paid by card or US ACH debit.282216

Is a Stripe payment advice enough for my GST refund?+

Rule 89(2)(c) of the CGST Rules asks for BRC or FIRC details when a refund is claimed on exported services. Stripe says to present the Standard Chartered payment advice to your own bank to request a FIRC, so ask the bank for one alongside the e-BRC on DGFT.662367

Is there a limit on how much a foreign publisher can pay through PayPal?+

PayPal's India user agreement lists using its export payment services for a product or service worth more than USD 10,000 per transaction as a restricted activity. Larger milestone payments can go by bank wire or through a PA-CB, which RBI caps at ₹25 lakh per transaction.172012

Does Stripe charge extra on game sales paid in dollars?+

Stripe India charges 3% on international Visa and Mastercard payments, 3.5% on American Express and 4.3% for international cards with USD or other non-INR presentment. An additional 2% applies if currency conversion is required. Payouts reach the Indian bank daily, in INR only.5253543

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.

Keep reading

Profession

How should a game developer in India receive payments from abroad?

How Indian game studios and developers get paid by foreign publishers, co-dev clients and stores: export test, store contracts, purpose codes, EDF and income tax.

Purpose codes

Which purpose code should a software developer or IT company use for export receipts?

Purpose codes for software and IT service exports from India: P0802, P0807, P0803, P0804, P0801 and P0902, how DGFT's IT e-BRC rules use them, and how to choose.

Platforms

What are Stripe fees in India for receiving international payments in 2026?

Stripe India fees for export payments: 3% to 4.3% card fees, 2% conversion, INR payouts, dispute fees, GST on fees, and what Stripe does not publish.

RBI and FEMA

How did the EDF replace SOFTEX, and what happens to older SOFTEX forms?

How the EDF replaced SOFTEX on 1 October 2026, which RBI instruments did it, and what the rules say about SOFTEX forms and invoices from before that date.

Compare

PayPal vs Stripe (2026): Which Is Better for Receiving International Payments in India?

PayPal vs Stripe for Indian freelancers and agencies: verdict by use case, INR received on $2,000 to $10,000, fees, FX markup, FIRA, RBI status and settlement time.