PayPal, Wise or Payoneer: What GST and FIRC Mean for Mobile App Developers Getting Paid from Overseas

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.

Mobile app developers in India who build apps for foreign clients are exporters of software under FEMA and exporters of services under GST. From October 01, 2026 the FEMA (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026 govern declaration, realisation and EDPMS closure, and they treat software as a service. For GST, IGST section 2(6) sets the five export conditions and section 16 zero rates the supply. The same rules apply whether the money arrives through a platform or a bank wire.

Mobile app developers usually receive client payments under P0807 or P0802 from the FETERS purpose code list. P0807 fits an app built in India and delivered to the client. P0802 fits implementation and consulting work. DGFT's e-BRC guidelines accept only P0802, P0803, P0807 and P0103 for IT services, so confirm the code with your AD bank or platform before the first payment.

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 ₹1,87,314 and PayPal about ₹1,74,136 at today's reference rate, a difference of ₹13,178.

Each foreign payment to a mobile app developer is backed by an export invoice, a FIRC or FIRA, an EDF and, for GST-registered developers, an LUT. An e-BRC can be generated on DGFT under the self-certified e-BRC guidelines. From October 01, 2026 the EDF under Regulation 3(2) is used for software, after Circular No. 20 superseded the SOFTEX circulars.

In 2026 mobile app developers move to a new FEMA export framework, a nine-month realisation period and a new income tax law. The FEMA Regulations 2026 took effect on October 01, 2026, and the September 2026 amendment cut the realisation period to nine months.

• EDF replaces SOFTEX: Software exports from October 01, 2026 are declared on an EDF under Regulation 3(2). Circular No. 20 superseded the SOFTEX circulars from that date.
• Nine months: FEMA 23(R)/(1)/2026-RB replaced fifteen months with nine months for realisation, and eighteen with twelve months for INR invoices.
• Unrealised exports: Proceeds unrealised for over one year past the due date mean further exports need full advance or an irrevocable letter of credit under Regulation 13.
• Income tax: The Income-tax Act, 2025 replaced the 1961 Act from April 01, 2026. Its FAQ 25 says the presumptive schemes, including old section 44ADA, are now in section 58.
• Faster credit: RBI told banks in April 2026 to endeavour to credit inward payments received in forex market hours on the same business day, effective six months from April 09, 2026.

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, Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026 (FEMA 23(R)/2026-RB), Regulations 2(1)(e), 3(2), 4(2), 5(1) and 13 (checked 6 Oct 2026)
2. RBI, FEMA (Export and Import of Goods and Services) (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 (FEMA 23(R)/(1)/2026-RB), Paragraph 2: nine and twelve months in Regulation 5(1) (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, Purpose codes for reporting under FETERS (Annex to A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 84, 2012), Receipt purpose codes P0103, P0802, P0803, P0807 (checked 6 Oct 2026)
5. RBI, A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 84 dated February 29, 2012, Reporting under FETERS, Paragraph 3 (checked 6 Oct 2026)
6. IGST Act, 2017, Section 2 (Definitions), Section 2(6), export of services (checked 6 Oct 2026)
7. IGST Act, 2017, Section 13 (Place of supply where supplier or recipient is outside India), Section 13(2) (checked 6 Oct 2026)
8. IGST Act, 2017, Section 16 (Zero rated supply), Section 16(1) and 16(3) (checked 6 Oct 2026)
9. CGST Rules, 2017, Rule 96A (Export under bond or Letter of Undertaking), Rule 96A(1)(b) (checked 6 Oct 2026)
10. GST Portal user manual, Furnishing of Letter of Undertaking (FORM GST RFD-11), Filing steps (checked 6 Oct 2026)
11. DGFT, Self-Certified eBRC Generation Guidelines, Version 1.0 (10 November 2023), Rules 1, 2, 6 and 10 (checked 6 Oct 2026)
12. Income Tax Department, Objective and scope of the New Act (Income-tax Act, 2025 FAQs), FAQ 2 and FAQ 25 (checked 6 Oct 2026)
13. RBI, Guidelines to facilitate faster cross-border inward payments (April 09, 2026), Paragraphs 3 and 4 (checked 6 Oct 2026)
14. Skydo homepage (pricing and fee calculator), Know what you pay; calculator showing GST 18% of transaction fee (checked 6 Oct 2026)
15. 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)
16. 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)
17. 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)
18. Payoneer India home (checked 6 Oct 2026)