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

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Editorial team, serviceexportguide.com
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14 min read

Short answer

Stripe publishes enough pricing to estimate the cost of a USD 5,000 receipt, so there is no cost verdict. The better choice depends on how your client pays: Stripe is best for card checkout and subscriptions, and Skydo is best for local bank transfers from major markets.8910

Use caseBetter optionWhy
Bank transfer of USD 5,000Cannot compareSkydo costs about 0.68%; Stripe does not publish full pricing.123456
Bank transfer of USD 2,000Cannot compareSkydo costs about 1.12%; Stripe does not publish full pricing.123456
Client paying USD 2,000 by card or linkCannot compareSkydo costs about 2.00 to 2.36%; Stripe does not publish full pricing.2756
Stripe is best forStripeCard checkout and subscriptions.89
Skydo is best forSkydoLocal bank transfers from major markets.10

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%
4SkydoThis pagePayment 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.

How do Stripe and Skydo compare at a glance?

Stripe and Skydo compare on the twelve points below, using each provider's published information as checked on 28 October 2026. Where a provider does not publish something, the table says so.111212

StripeSkydo
Best forCard checkout and subscriptions89Local bank transfers from major markets10
Fees3% for Visa and Mastercard cards issued outside India, 3.5% for American Express cards issued outside India, and 4.3% for international cards with USD or other non-INR presentment, per successful charge.1112Skydo says it charges USD 19 plus GST for transactions up to USD 2,000, USD 29 plus GST from USD 2,001 to USD 10,000, and 0.3% plus GST above USD 10,000; payments above USD 100K a month are priced on request.12
FX markupAdditional 2% if currency conversion is required. Stripe does not publish on these pages exactly which export charges need conversion.1112Skydo's product page says conversion is at a live mid-market rate with 0% markup. Its terms say conversion uses a retail foreign exchange rate determined by Skydo or its partner banks and do not guarantee the most favourable rate.56
SettlementEach daily payout includes international card payments processed five business days earlier. No payouts on weekends or public holidays. Seven-day waiting period for the first payout, which can be longer for high-risk industries.13Skydo's product page says funds settle to the Indian bank within 24 hours. Its terms commit to commercially reasonable efforts to credit within T+1 to T+3 business days, depending on currency and corridor. ACH Debit via InstaLinks typically settles within 6 business days.5614
FIRAStripe does not issue a FIRC itself. Standard Chartered Bank emails a payment advice (payee advice) to the registered Stripe email on the day an export payout is processed; Stripe says to present it to your own bank to request a FIRC. Cost of the FIRC from your bank: not published by Stripe.158Skydo says it issues a free FIRA on every payment received, and that its FIRA and FIRC are accepted for GST filing and by banks.516
CurrenciesStripe says it supports presentment in 135+ currencies on Visa and Mastercard, and INR or USD on American Express.812Local accounts in USD, GBP, AED, CAD, EUR, AUD and SGD; Skydo says its SWIFT account supports 32 currencies, listed only in an image.1017
KYC: who can sign upBy invite only: Indian businesses cannot sign up through the website and must request an invite. International payments are open to sole proprietorships, LLPs and companies. Individuals can use Stripe India for domestic payments only. Non-profits, NGOs and simple partnerships are not supported.891819Skydo's terms cover individuals aged 18 or over, proprietorships, companies and other legal entities, for business and commercial payments only; Skydo says the service is built for Indian freelancers and exporters. Whether GST registration is required is not published.65
RBI PA-CB statusRBI lists Stripe India Private Limited as an authorised Payment Aggregator Online (PA-O, 'Stripe', dated 15.01.2024), not as a Payment Aggregator-Cross Border (PA-CB). RBI's application status list as on 16.10.2026 shows its new PA-CB application returned on 12.07.2024 and marks it as withdrawn by the entity. Stripe says it withdrew the PA-CB application based on RBI guidance and continues cross-border services for Indian businesses on an invite-only basis. Stripe names Standard Chartered Bank as the bank that issues payment advice for export payouts.202122815Skydo Technologies Private Limited is on the RBI list as a PA-CB-I & O (Payment Aggregator, Cross Border, facilitating inward and outward transactions), authorised on 8 January 2026. Its terms say it uses partner banks to provide the service.206
SupportNot published for Indian users on the pages checked; prospective users fill in a contact form to request an invite.Skydo publishes support@skydo.com and phone 7026000500.4
LimitsUp to ₹25 lakh per export transaction for sole proprietorships, LLPs and companies.23Skydo says the minimum transaction is USD 50 and there is no upper limit on the amount you can receive. The RBI Master Direction caps each PA-CB inward or outward transaction at ₹25 lakh; Skydo's pages do not explain how this applies to its account transfers.424
How clients payForeign customers pay by card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), Apple Pay or Google Pay through a Stripe checkout, payment link, invoice or subscription. Cards must be issued outside India and the customer must give a non-Indian billing address. International card payments require 3D Secure authentication.18258Bank transfer to Skydo local account details in seven markets, or to an international SWIFT account for other currencies and countries; Skydo also offers payment links (InstaLinks) with ACH Debit.102676
Card paymentsYes, card payments are the core method: 3% (Visa or Mastercard issued abroad, INR presentment), 3.5% (American Express issued abroad), 4.3% (non-INR presentment), plus 2% if conversion is required. GST at 18% is charged on Stripe fees.1127Not published. Skydo publishes InstaLinks fees for ACH Debit only (2% per transaction, minimum $9) and no card fee.

How much INR do you receive on $2,000, $5,000 and $10,000 with Stripe vs Skydo?

The INR you receive with Stripe and Skydo is the invoice at the reference rate, less each provider's fee, conversion markup, GST on fees and FIRA charge. The table works this out from published pricing at today's 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%

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.

What is Stripe and who is it for?

Stripe is a US-headquartered online payments company whose India accounts, available by invite only, let registered Indian businesses accept card and wallet payments from customers abroad and receive payouts in INR.812

  • Regulated by: RBI lists Stripe India Private Limited as an authorised Payment Aggregator Online (PA-O, 'Stripe', dated 15.01.2024), not as a Payment Aggregator-Cross Border (PA-CB). RBI's application status list as on 16.10.2026 shows its new PA-CB application returned on 12.07.2024 and marks it as withdrawn by the entity. Stripe says it withdrew the PA-CB application based on RBI guidance and continues cross-border services for Indian businesses on an invite-only basis. Stripe names Standard Chartered Bank as the bank that issues payment advice for export payouts.202122815
  • Used by: By invite only: Indian businesses cannot sign up through the website and must request an invite. International payments are open to sole proprietorships, LLPs and companies. Individuals can use Stripe India for domestic payments only. Non-profits, NGOs and simple partnerships are not supported.891819
  • Best for: Card checkout and subscriptions.89

What is Skydo and who is it for?

Skydo is a Bengaluru-based payment aggregator, listed by the RBI as a PA-CB for inward and outward transactions, that gives Indian exporters local and SWIFT account details abroad and pays out in INR to their Indian bank.20610

  • Regulated by: Skydo Technologies Private Limited is on the RBI list as a PA-CB-I & O (Payment Aggregator, Cross Border, facilitating inward and outward transactions), authorised on 8 January 2026. Its terms say it uses partner banks to provide the service.206
  • Used by: Skydo's terms cover individuals aged 18 or over, proprietorships, companies and other legal entities, for business and commercial payments only; Skydo says the service is built for Indian freelancers and exporters. Whether GST registration is required is not published.65
  • Best for: Local bank transfers from major markets.10

How do Stripe and Skydo fees and FX markup compare?

Stripe and Skydo charge in different ways, so compare the fee and the conversion markup together, not the headline fee alone.

What does Stripe charge?

Transaction typeFeeFX markupGST on feesBest for
Visa or Mastercard issued outside India, charged in INR3%1112270%18%Clients paying by card
American Express card issued outside India3.5%11272%18%Clients paying by card
International card with USD or other non-INR presentment4.3%1112272%18%Clients paying by card

What does Skydo charge?

Transaction typeFeeFX markupGST on feesBest for
Transfer to Skydo local account details or international SWIFT accountUSD 19 up to USD 2,000; USD 29 up to USD 10,000; 0.3% above that1234560%18%Clients paying by local bank transfer
Payment link (InstaLinks) paid by ACH debit2% + minimum USD 927560%Not statedClients paying through a payment link

How do Stripe and Skydo compare on settlement speed?

Stripe and Skydo publish these settlement times for money reaching an Indian bank account.

PlatformSettlement timePayout to IndiaBest for
StripeEach daily payout includes international card payments processed five business days earlier. No payouts on weekends or public holidays. Seven-day waiting period for the first payout, which can be longer for high-risk industries.13Automatic daily payouts in INR only to the Indian bank account. Export payouts are made separately from domestic payouts and are labelled International. Manual, weekly and monthly schedules are not available. No payout fee is stated.13812Card checkout and subscriptions89
SkydoSkydo's product page says funds settle to the Indian bank within 24 hours. Its terms commit to commercially reasonable efforts to credit within T+1 to T+3 business days, depending on currency and corridor. ACH Debit via InstaLinks typically settles within 6 business days.5614Converted to INR and credited to the user's Indian bank account; Skydo says there is no additional SWIFT fee for the transfer to India apart from its own fee.35Local bank transfers from major markets10

Do Stripe and Skydo provide FIRA and e-BRC, and are they RBI PA-CB authorised?

Stripe and Skydo publish the FIRA position and RBI status below, checked on 28 October 2026. An e-BRC is generated by the exporter on the DGFT portal from bank remittance data, so it does not depend on the provider issuing one.44

PlatformFIRARBI PA-CB statusBest for
StripeStripe does not issue a FIRC itself. Standard Chartered Bank emails a payment advice (payee advice) to the registered Stripe email on the day an export payout is processed; Stripe says to present it to your own bank to request a FIRC. Cost of the FIRC from your bank: not published by Stripe.158RBI lists Stripe India Private Limited as an authorised Payment Aggregator Online (PA-O, 'Stripe', dated 15.01.2024), not as a Payment Aggregator-Cross Border (PA-CB). RBI's application status list as on 16.10.2026 shows its new PA-CB application returned on 12.07.2024 and marks it as withdrawn by the entity. Stripe says it withdrew the PA-CB application based on RBI guidance and continues cross-border services for Indian businesses on an invite-only basis. Stripe names Standard Chartered Bank as the bank that issues payment advice for export payouts.202122815Card checkout and subscriptions89
SkydoSkydo says it issues a free FIRA on every payment received, and that its FIRA and FIRC are accepted for GST filing and by banks.516Skydo Technologies Private Limited is on the RBI list as a PA-CB-I & O (Payment Aggregator, Cross Border, facilitating inward and outward transactions), authorised on 8 January 2026. Its terms say it uses partner banks to provide the service.206Local bank transfers from major markets10

Which currencies, countries and payment methods do Stripe and Skydo support?

Stripe and Skydo accept the currencies and payment methods below, as each publishes them.

PlatformCurrenciesHow clients payCard paymentsBest for
StripeStripe says it supports presentment in 135+ currencies on Visa and Mastercard, and INR or USD on American Express.812Foreign customers pay by card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), Apple Pay or Google Pay through a Stripe checkout, payment link, invoice or subscription. Cards must be issued outside India and the customer must give a non-Indian billing address. International card payments require 3D Secure authentication.18258Yes, card payments are the core method: 3% (Visa or Mastercard issued abroad, INR presentment), 3.5% (American Express issued abroad), 4.3% (non-INR presentment), plus 2% if conversion is required. GST at 18% is charged on Stripe fees.1127Card checkout and subscriptions89
SkydoLocal accounts in USD, GBP, AED, CAD, EUR, AUD and SGD; Skydo says its SWIFT account supports 32 currencies, listed only in an image.1017Bank transfer to Skydo local account details in seven markets, or to an international SWIFT account for other currencies and countries; Skydo also offers payment links (InstaLinks) with ACH Debit.102676Not published. Skydo publishes InstaLinks fees for ACH Debit only (2% per transaction, minimum $9) and no card fee.Local bank transfers from major markets10

What are the strengths and limitations of Stripe and Skydo?

Stripe and Skydo each suit some exporters better than others. These points come from each provider's own pages.

What are the strengths and limitations of Stripe?

Strengths:

  • You are a registered sole proprietorship, LLP or company and have been invited to Stripe India.89
  • Your foreign customers pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, for example on a website checkout or a subscription.18
  • You bill recurring international subscriptions or invoices and want Stripe Billing to collect them.8
  • Each payment is within ₹25 lakh.23

Limitations:

  • Available by invite only in India; new businesses cannot sign up through the website.819
  • Individuals (freelancers not registered as a business entity) cannot accept international payments.91823
  • Only card and wallet payments from abroad are listed; no local bank account details for clients to pay by bank transfer are listed for India accounts.18
  • Payouts are in INR only; a foreign currency balance cannot be held or withdrawn.128
  • Only one transaction purpose code per Stripe account.8
  • Stripe does not issue a FIRC; you take the Standard Chartered payment advice to your own bank.15
  • RBI lists Stripe India as a Payment Aggregator Online (PA-O), not a Payment Aggregator-Cross Border (PA-CB); its PA-CB application was withdrawn, per RBI's status list and Stripe's own support page.202122
  • Stripe charges ₹1,000 per dispute received and ₹1,000 per dispute countered, each returned if you win, and the original processing and conversion fees are not returned on refunds.11

What are the strengths and limitations of Skydo?

Strengths:

  • Your clients are in the US, UK, UAE, Canada, Europe, Australia or Singapore and can pay by local bank transfer in their own currency.10
  • Your invoices are large enough that a flat USD 19 or USD 29 fee is a small share of the amount; Skydo itself says invoices under $1,000 carry a higher effective rate.15
  • You want a FIRA issued for each payment by an RBI-authorised PA-CB.520

Limitations:

  • Payments below USD 50 cannot be processed, and the flat fee weighs more on small invoices.45
  • Skydo says it does not accept payments from 15 countries, but lists them only in an image.45
  • No card payment option or card fee is published.7
  • Skydo's pages give different settlement times (within 24 hours on its product page, T+1 to T+3 business days in its terms) and describe its FX rate differently (0% markup on its product page, a retail rate set by Skydo or its partner banks in its terms).56
  • Skydo's terms limit the service to business and commercial payments, so it does not cover personal remittances.6

Should you choose Stripe or Skydo?

Choose between Stripe and Skydo by how your clients pay and your usual invoice size.

Choose Stripe if:

  • You are a registered sole proprietorship, LLP or company and have been invited to Stripe India.89
  • Your foreign customers pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, for example on a website checkout or a subscription.18
  • You bill recurring international subscriptions or invoices and want Stripe Billing to collect them.8
  • Each payment is within ₹25 lakh.23

Choose Skydo if:

  • Your clients are in the US, UK, UAE, Canada, Europe, Australia or Singapore and can pay by local bank transfer in their own currency.10
  • Your invoices are large enough that a flat USD 19 or USD 29 fee is a small share of the amount; Skydo itself says invoices under $1,000 carry a higher effective rate.15
  • You want a FIRA issued for each payment by an RBI-authorised PA-CB.520

For example, say a designer invoices a US client USD 2,000. Because Stripe does not publish full pricing for that case, ask for a quote in writing and compare it with the FIRA rate after the first payment.111256

Which other platforms should you consider besides Stripe and Skydo?

Other platforms to consider besides Stripe and Skydo are the ones with the lowest estimated cost on a USD 5,000 receipt, listed in that order.2829313234363738404142

PlatformBest forEstimated cost on USD 5,000FIRAReview
Karbon BusinessUS bank transfers and marketplace payouts281.00 to 1.18%2829Karbon says it provides a FIRA for every transaction, issued by its licensed banking partner, which it does not name. Cost not published.28Karbon Business review
RazorpayLocal transfers from the US, UK and eurozone301.00 to 1.18%3132Razorpay provides a Foreign Inward Remittance Statement (FIRS), sent to the contact email within 24 hours after settlement for bank transfers, and downloadable from the dashboard, which shows bank-provided certificates and Razorpay-generated statements. The pricing page lists FIRC or eFIRC as included and auto-generated for international cards. No separate charge is published.303332Razorpay review
WinvestaLocal transfers with a published per-payment fee34351.24%34363738Free e-FIRA, emailed within 24 hours of funds reaching the Indian bank account and downloadable from the dashboard; it shows the purpose code and exchange rate.3736Winvesta review
PayoneerMarketplace payouts such as Amazon or Upwork391.00 to 4.00%404142Free digital FIRA PDF for each transaction, issued by Payoneer's partner AD bank and available in the account under Manage, Reports and statements, within 24 to 72 hours (the same help article also says 1 to 3 business days). The e-FIRA/IRM in EDPMS is issued by the exporter's own bank, which may need the FIRA plus export documents.4243Payoneer review

Compare every provider on your own invoice in the platform cost comparison.

How did we verify this?

We checked this page against the sources below on 28 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]Skydo FAQ, How much does Skydo charge? (checked 2026-10-28)
  2. [2]Skydo, Home page (checked 2026-10-28)
  3. [3]Skydo FAQ, Who will bear the SWIFT charges? (checked 2026-10-28)
  4. [4]Skydo FAQ, Limitations and restrictions on receiving your foreign remittance via Skydo (checked 2026-10-28)
  5. [5]Skydo, Receive international payments in India as a freelancer (checked 2026-10-28)
  6. [6]Skydo, Terms of use (checked 2026-10-28)
  7. [7]Skydo FAQ, What are the fees for using Payment Links? (checked 2026-10-28)
  8. [8]Stripe Docs, Accept international payments from India (checked 2026-10-28)
  9. [9]Stripe Support, Accepting international payments from Stripe accounts in India (checked 2026-10-28)
  10. [10]Skydo FAQs, What countries can I get paid locally through Skydo? (checked 2026-10-28)
  11. [11]Stripe India, Pricing (checked 2026-10-28)
  12. [12]Stripe Support, Additional pricing information for Indian cross-border sellers (checked 2026-10-28)
  13. [13]Stripe Support, Payout schedule for Stripe accounts in India (checked 2026-10-28)
  14. [14]Skydo FAQs, How long does settlement take on InstaLinks? (checked 2026-10-28)
  15. [15]Stripe Support, FIRC/payment advice for international transactions in India (checked 2026-10-28)
  16. [16]Skydo FAQs, What is accepted for GST filings and banks between FIRA and FIRC? (checked 2026-10-28)
  17. [17]Skydo FAQs, In which currencies I can receive money using Skydo? (checked 2026-10-28)
  18. [18]Stripe Support, Supported payment methods, currencies and businesses for Stripe accounts in India (checked 2026-10-28)
  19. [19]Stripe India, Contact sales (request an invite) (checked 2026-10-28)
  20. [20]RBI, Payment system operators authorised under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, list dated 16 October 2026 (checked 2026-10-28)
  21. [21]RBI, Status of Applications received under Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, as on 16.10.2026, Table F (checked 2026-10-28)
  22. [22]Stripe Support, Cross-border payment services in India (checked 2026-10-28)
  23. [23]Stripe Support, Export (international) transaction limits for Stripe accounts in India (checked 2026-10-28)
  24. [24]RBI: Master Direction on Regulation of Payment Aggregator, 15 September 2025, paragraph 11 (checked 2026-10-28)
  25. [25]Stripe Support, Requirements for India export charges (checked 2026-10-28)
  26. [26]Skydo FAQs, When should I use the International SWIFT account and when should I use the Local Account? (checked 2026-10-28)
  27. [27]Stripe Support, Taxes on Stripe fees for India-based businesses (checked 2026-10-28)
  28. [28]Karbon Business, Karbon for Freelancers (checked 2026-10-28)
  29. [29]Karbon, PayPal alternative (checked 2026-10-28)
  30. [30]Razorpay Docs, International Bank Transfer (MoneySaver Export Account) (checked 2026-10-28)
  31. [31]Razorpay, MoneySaver Export Account (international bank transfers) (checked 2026-10-28)
  32. [32]Razorpay, Pricing (checked 2026-10-28)
  33. [33]Razorpay Docs, FIRS Automated Process (checked 2026-10-28)
  34. [34]Winvesta FAQs, What are the charges for the global collections account? (checked 2026-10-28)
  35. [35]Winvesta FAQs, What currencies are available with local accounts? (checked 2026-10-28)
  36. [36]Winvesta, Multi-currency account (checked 2026-10-28)
  37. [37]Winvesta FAQ, When will I receive my e-FIRA certificate? (checked 2026-10-28)
  38. [38]Winvesta FAQ, Can I get priority processing for my withdrawal? (checked 2026-10-28)
  39. [39]Payoneer, How to use Payoneer in India (last modified 18 September 2026, checked 2026-10-28)
  40. [40]Payoneer India, Payoneer Fees (checked 2026-10-28)
  41. [41]Payoneer India, Multi-currency account page and FAQs (checked 2026-10-28)
  42. [42]Payoneer Help Center, Digital FIRA FAQ (checked 2026-10-28)
  43. [43]Payoneer India, Digital FIRC page (checked 2026-10-28)
  44. [44]DGFT: eBRC services (self-generation of e-BRC from bank inward remittance data)
  45. [45]Skydo FAQs, From which countries I can not receive payments using Skydo? (checked 2026-10-28)
  46. [46]GST Portal user guide: Furnishing of Letter of Undertaking (FORM GST RFD-11)

Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper for Indian exporters, Stripe or Skydo?+

There is no cost verdict for a USD 5,000 bank transfer: skydo costs about 0.68%; Stripe does not publish full pricing.123456 The answer can change with the currency, payment method and invoice size, so check your own numbers in the platform cost comparison.

Do Stripe and Skydo give a FIRA to Indian exporters?+

Stripe: Stripe does not issue a FIRC itself. Standard Chartered Bank emails a payment advice (payee advice) to the registered Stripe email on the day an export payout is processed; Stripe says to present it to your own bank to request a FIRC. Cost of the FIRC from your bank: not published by Stripe.158 Skydo: Skydo says it issues a free FIRA on every payment received, and that its FIRA and FIRC are accepted for GST filing and by banks.516

Can individual freelancers use Stripe and Skydo?+

Stripe: By invite only: Indian businesses cannot sign up through the website and must request an invite. International payments are open to sole proprietorships, LLPs and companies. Individuals can use Stripe India for domestic payments only. Non-profits, NGOs and simple partnerships are not supported.891819 Skydo: Skydo's terms cover individuals aged 18 or over, proprietorships, companies and other legal entities, for business and commercial payments only; Skydo says the service is built for Indian freelancers and exporters. Whether GST registration is required is not published.65

Are Stripe and Skydo authorised by the RBI?+

Stripe: RBI lists Stripe India Private Limited as an authorised Payment Aggregator Online (PA-O, 'Stripe', dated 15.01.2024), not as a Payment Aggregator-Cross Border (PA-CB). RBI's application status list as on 16.10.2026 shows its new PA-CB application returned on 12.07.2024 and marks it as withdrawn by the entity. Stripe says it withdrew the PA-CB application based on RBI guidance and continues cross-border services for Indian businesses on an invite-only basis. Stripe names Standard Chartered Bank as the bank that issues payment advice for export payouts.202122815 Skydo: Skydo Technologies Private Limited is on the RBI list as a PA-CB-I & O (Payment Aggregator, Cross Border, facilitating inward and outward transactions), authorised on 8 January 2026. Its terms say it uses partner banks to provide the service.206

How fast do Stripe and Skydo pay out to an Indian bank?+

Stripe: Each daily payout includes international card payments processed five business days earlier. No payouts on weekends or public holidays. Seven-day waiting period for the first payout, which can be longer for high-risk industries.13 Skydo: Skydo's product page says funds settle to the Indian bank within 24 hours. Its terms commit to commercially reasonable efforts to credit within T+1 to T+3 business days, depending on currency and corridor. ACH Debit via InstaLinks typically settles within 6 business days.5614

Do I still need an LUT if I am paid through Stripe or Skydo?+

Yes, if you are registered under GST and want to invoice the export without IGST. The Letter of Undertaking is a GST filing for the financial year, and it does not depend on how the money reaches you, whether through Stripe, Skydo or a bank wire.46

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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What Are the Best Skydo Alternatives for Indian Exporters and Freelancers in 2026?

Skydo alternatives for Indian freelancers and agencies, ordered by estimated cost: INR received on $2,000 to $10,000, fees, FX markup, FIRA and RBI status.