PayPal, Wise or Payoneer: What GST and FIRC Mean for Freelance Web Designers Getting Paid

Platforms named in the question are shown alongside the 2 highest payouts among the platforms this site covers, ranked by the INR received on a $5,000 invoice. Fees were checked on 30 Sept 2026.

A web design fee from a foreign client is an export of services under FEMA and, in most cases, under GST. From 1 October 2026 the FEMA (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026 govern declaration, realisation and reporting, and A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 20 supersedes the old Master Direction. These rules apply whichever platform or bank receives the money.

Web design fees are often reported under group 08 (computer and information services) of the RBI purpose codes, such as P0802. DGFT's e-BRC guidelines allow only P0802, P0803, P0807 and P0103 for IT services when generating an e-BRC. Pure graphic or branding work may sit elsewhere, so confirm the code with your AD bank or platform before the first receipt. AD banks report codes under A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 84.

Each row applies the platform's published fee, FX markup and 18% GST on the fee to the XE mid-market rate for 3 Nov 2026. Platforms without full published pricing are not included.

For example, on a $2,000 invoice Skydo pays about ₹1,87,213 and PayPal about ₹1,74,042 at today's reference rate, a difference of ₹13,171.

Each web design payment from abroad should leave a FIRC or FIRA, an e-BRC where needed, an EDF filing and a valid LUT. These records back the GST export claim, EDPMS closure and income tax records. DGFT's eBRC FAQs describe the e-BRC as confirmation that the exporter received payment against an export.

Three changes affect web designers paid from abroad in 2026. RBI replaced its export Master Direction and SOFTEX circulars with new FEMA regulations from 1 October 2026, the realisation period was set at nine months, and the Income-tax Act, 2025 replaced the 1961 Act from 1 April 2026.

• EDF replaces SOFTEX: Software exports, which include designs on a non-physical medium, are declared on an EDF under Regulation 3(2). Circular No. 20 superseded the SOFTEX circulars from 1 October 2026. See SOFTEX for freelancers.
• Nine months: The September 2026 amendment replaced fifteen months with nine months for realisation, and eighteen with twelve months for rupee invoices.
• Unrealised exports: If proceeds stay unrealised for over one year past the due date, further exports need full advance or a letter of credit under Regulation 13.
• Tax year: From 1 April 2026 the Income-tax Act, 2025 uses tax year in place of previous year. Returns for AY 2026-27 still use the old Act's forms.
• Presumptive tax: The presumptive schemes, including section 44ADA, are now consolidated in section 58 of the 2025 Act, per the Income Tax Department FAQ. See section 44ADA for freelancers.

Every rule is linked to its official source below with the date it was checked. Platform figures come from each platform's own pages; the full method is on the methodology page.

1. RBI Notification No. FEMA 23(R)/2026-RB: Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026 (amended up to September 22, 2026), Regulations 1(2), 2(1)(e), 2(1)(f), 3(2), 4(2), 5(1), 13 and 18(2) (checked 6 Oct 2026)
2. RBI Notification No. FEMA 23(R)/(1)/2026-RB: Export and Import of Goods and Services (Amendment) Regulations, 2026, Nine and twelve months in Regulation 5; proviso to Regulation 13 (checked 6 Oct 2026)
3. RBI A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 20 dated January 16, 2026: Export and Import of Goods and Services, Paragraphs 4 and 7 and Annex (SOFTEX circulars superseded) (checked 6 Oct 2026)
4. RBI Notification No. FEMA 10(R)/2015-RB: Foreign Currency Accounts by a person resident in India Regulations, 2015, Regulation 4(A) and Schedule I, paragraph 1(1) (checked 6 Oct 2026)
5. RBI A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 84 (2012), FETERS purpose codes for receipts, Receipt codes P0802, P0803, P1007, P1099 (checked 6 Oct 2026)
6. RBI A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 84 dated February 29, 2012: Compilation of R-Returns, Reporting under FETERS, Paragraph 3: reporting with revised purpose codes (checked 6 Oct 2026)
7. IGST Act, 2017, Section 2: Definitions (CBIC tax information portal), Section 2(6): export of services (checked 6 Oct 2026)
8. IGST Act, 2017, Section 13: Place of supply where location of supplier or recipient is outside India, Section 13(2) (checked 6 Oct 2026)
9. IGST Act, 2017, Section 16: Zero rated supply, Section 16(1)(a) and 16(3) (checked 6 Oct 2026)
10. CGST Rules, 2017, Rule 96A: Export of goods or services under bond or Letter of Undertaking, Rule 96A(1) and 96A(1)(b) (checked 6 Oct 2026)
11. GST Portal user manual: Furnishing of Letter of Undertaking (FORM GST RFD-11) (checked 6 Oct 2026)
12. DGFT Self-Certified eBRC Generation Guidelines, Version 1.0, Rule 10: IT service purpose codes P0802, P0803, P0807, P0103 (checked 6 Oct 2026)
13. DGFT FAQs: Self-Generation of eBRC, Version 1.0, March 2024, Q1 (what is eBRC) and Q2 (IRM) (checked 6 Oct 2026)
14. Income Tax Department e-filing portal: Objective and scope of the New Act (FAQs), FAQs 2, 9, 21 and 25 (checked 6 Oct 2026)
15. Skydo homepage (pricing and fee calculator), Know what you pay; calculator showing GST 18% of transaction fee (checked 6 Oct 2026)
16. Razorpay MoneySaver Export Account (International Bank Transfers) pricing, Standard Plan: 0% FX markup, 1% fee, FlashLinks 2%, GST applicable, flat fee of INR 1,000 on transactions below INR 1,00,000, setup and AMC INR 0 (checked 6 Oct 2026)
17. Wise India: Fees for receiving money (Business), Conversion fee depends on the currency; eFIRC for every transfer; GST 18% of (conversion fee + eFIRC fee); calculator (checked 6 Oct 2026)
18. PayPal India Merchant Fees, Receiving international transactions; Currency Conversions (3.0% converting balance and payments received; 4.00% all other cases); Withdrawals Out of PayPal; Dispute Fees; Other Fees (Last Updated 28 March 2024) (checked 6 Oct 2026)
19. Payoneer India home (checked 6 Oct 2026)