How do you receive payments from Contra in India?

Contra is a portfolio and payments platform that independent designers, brand strategists, no-code developers, writers and video editors use to sell services and get paid by clients. This page explains how Contra money reaches India, what Contra and its payment processors charge, who your client is under Contra's terms, and how the export rules apply.

What withdrawal methods does Contra support for India?

Contra supports withdrawals by bank account (through Airwallex or Stripe), PayPal, Payoneer and crypto; its debit card option is for the US only.¹² Contra pays independents in US dollars.¹ The table lists providers in the cost order this site uses, with providers that do not publish full pricing after, A to Z; the delivery times are Contra's:¹

Contra does not say which bank route (Airwallex or Stripe) it uses for an Indian account.

How does each Contra withdrawal method work?

Each Contra withdrawal method takes your US dollar balance and sends it through a payment processor, which may convert it and charge its own fee shown at withdrawal.¹² Standard payouts include a 4-day safety clearance, and the faster option lets you access earnings before that clearance ends.¹

How does a Contra bank payout through Airwallex work?

A Contra bank payout through Airwallex converts your US dollars and pays your bank account.¹³

• FX fee: Contra lists a 0.30% Airwallex FX fee for INR.³
• Processor fee: Contra says every Airwallex payout also carries a processor fee, but its page does not give the amount for India.³
• Time: 0 to 3 business days on the faster option, or 4 to 7 on the standard option.¹

See the Airwallex review.

How does a Contra bank payout through Stripe work?

A Contra bank payout through Stripe pays your bank account, with a 1% conversion fee on Stripe payouts to a non-US bank account.³ Contra lists 2 to 5 business days on the faster option and 6 to 9 on the standard option.¹ See the Stripe review.

How do Contra payouts to PayPal and Payoneer work?

Contra payouts to PayPal or Payoneer arrive within 30 minutes on the faster option or in 4 business days on the standard option.¹ Payment processor fees are passed on to the independent and shown at withdrawal.² See the Payoneer review and the PayPal review.

How does a Contra crypto payout work?

A Contra crypto payout costs 2% of the amount, or 1% on the Pro plan.² The delivery times Contra publishes do not include crypto.¹

How do you set up Contra withdrawals to India?

You set up Contra withdrawals to India by choosing a payout method, letting the client's payment settle, and picking a faster or standard payout.¹²

1. Check the platform fee: Contra's help article lists a platform fee of $15 or $29 per payment, waived on Pro, so check the fee shown on each payment.²
2. Choose a payout method: a bank account through Airwallex or Stripe, PayPal, Payoneer or crypto; the debit card is for the US only.¹²
3. Wait for the client's payment to settle: ACH takes 3 to 5 business days and SEPA 7 to 10 before you can withdraw.¹
4. Pick a faster or standard payout: standard payouts include a 4-day safety clearance.¹
5. Keep the dated invoice: the EDF and the realisation clock both work from the invoice date.⁷⁸

For example, a brand designer paid by a German client over SEPA waits 7 to 10 business days for the funds to settle, then 4 to 7 business days for a standard Airwallex payout.¹

What fees does Contra charge before you withdraw?

Contra's help article lists a platform fee of $15 on smaller payments and $29 on payments greater than $500, waived on its Pro plan.²

• Platform fee: $15 or $29 per payment per the help article, waived on Pro.²
• Processor fees: passed on to the independent and shown at withdrawal.²
• Conversion: 0.30% Airwallex FX fee for INR; 1% on Stripe payouts to non-US bank accounts.³
• Crypto: 2%, or 1% on Pro.²

Say a copywriter receives a $600 payment on the standard plan: the help article's platform fee for a payment above $500 is $29, before any processor and conversion fees.²³

What tax forms and TDS apply to Contra earnings?

Contra income is taxable in India for a resident as business or professional income, and Contra's public fee pages do not mention any Indian tax deduction.²³

• Presumptive scheme: a resident in a specified profession under section 62(4) can use section 58 of the Income-tax Act, 2025: 50% of gross receipts is deemed profit, with a limit of ₹50 lakh, or ₹75 lakh if cash receipts are 5% or less.¹⁰
• Gross receipts: count the amount the client paid, not the amount after processor fees.
• TDS: if a deduction does appear, see TDS on marketplace payouts.

Confirm whether your work fits a specified profession with a chartered accountant.

Is Contra income an export of services under GST?

Contra income is an export of services when your client is outside India and all five conditions in section 2(6) of the IGST Act hold.⁵ Your client is the business or person you work for, not Contra: Contra's Terms of Service say "All agreements and transactions related to the sale of services are made directly between Independent and Client" and that Contra is not a direct party to those agreements.⁴

1. Supplier: the supplier is located in India.⁵
2. Recipient: the recipient is located outside India.⁵
3. Place of supply: outside India; for most remote services, section 13(2) makes it the recipient's location.⁶
4. Payment: received in convertible foreign exchange, or in rupees where RBI permits.⁵
5. Distinct person: the supplier and recipient are not merely establishments of a distinct person.⁵

For example, a brand designer billing a London startup through Contra usually meets conditions 1 to 3, while work for a client in India does not.⁵⁶ Condition 4 turns on how the money arrives; a processor payout converted to rupees before it reaches India should still come with a bank credit advice showing the foreign inward remittance, so ask your bank how it records the credit.

Do Contra payouts give you FIRA, and what purpose code applies?

Contra payouts do not come with a FIRA process that Contra publishes, and Contra does not publish which purpose code its payouts to India carry. The code is set in the payment chain run by Airwallex, Stripe, PayPal or Payoneer and your bank, so check the first credit advice and ask your bank to amend the code if it does not fit.

RBI's purpose code list includes:⁹

• P1007: advertising.⁹
• P1006: business and management consultancy and public relations.⁹
• P0802: software consultancy and implementation.⁹
• P1101: audio-visual services.⁹

See purpose codes for freelancers and FIRA for freelancers.

What does the EDF rule from 1 October 2026 mean for Contra income?

From 1 October 2026, every exporter of services gives an Export Declaration Form (EDF) to its authorised dealer (AD) bank within 30 days from the end of the month in which the invoice was raised, under the FEMA (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026.⁷ Exporters of services other than software may instead file on or before the date payment is received.⁷ Proceeds must be realised within nine months from the invoice date, or twelve months for rupee invoices.⁸

Keep the dated invoice or payment request you send each client and agree with your bank which document it will accept. See EDF for service exporters.

Why do Contra withdrawals to India fail or get held?

Contra withdrawals to India are held by the 4-day safety clearance on standard payouts, by client payments that have not yet settled, and by fraud review.¹

• Payout on hold: standard payouts include a 4-day safety clearance, and Contra says some payouts are held for fraud review, which it aims to finish within 24 hours.¹
• Unsettled client payment: ACH payments take 3 to 5 business days and SEPA 7 to 10 to settle before you can withdraw.¹
• Name mismatch and returned transfers: Contra's payouts page does not describe how it handles either, so raise them with Contra support and the processor.¹

Check the payment status in Contra before contacting your bank.

What does Contra not publish for Indian independents?

Contra's public pages do not publish:

• Bank route: which bank route (Airwallex or Stripe) applies to Indian accounts, or the Airwallex processor fee for India.³
• Minimum payout: a minimum payout amount.
• FIRA and purpose code: the purpose code on India payouts, or a FIRA or FIRC process.
• Indian tax: whether Contra deducts or reports any Indian tax.