SWIFT, PayPal or Wise: How to Get Paid by a Client in Italy

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 SWIFT bank transfer to an Indian bank account: A SWIFT transfer is a wire sent by the client's bank in Italy to your AD bank in India, which credits it to your account as an inward remittance. Receipts from countries outside the Asian Clearing Union, such as Italy, may be in INR or any foreign currency through an authorised bank under Reg 3(2)(I)(a)(iii), and each bank sets its own charges, so check them with your AD bank before you invoice.

Money from an Italian client for services is governed by the FEMA (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026, in force from 1 October 2026, and by the FEMA (Manner of Receipt and Payment) Regulations, 2023. Italy is outside the Asian Clearing Union, so payment may be received in Indian Rupees or any foreign currency, including EUR, through an authorised bank or authorised person. The same rules apply whether the money arrives by SWIFT, PayPal or Wise.

Each row applies the platform's published fee, FX markup and 18% GST on the fee to the XE mid-market rate for 4 Nov 2026. Platforms without full published pricing are not included.

For example, on a $2,000 invoice Skydo pays about ₹1,87,526 and PayPal about ₹1,74,333 at today's reference rate, a difference of ₹13,193.

A payment from Italy needs an export invoice, an EDF, a bank inward remittance record such as a FIRC or FIRA and, for GST, an LUT or IGST payment. Services to a client in Italy are an export of services when the place of supply is outside India and payment comes in convertible foreign exchange, or in INR where the RBI permits. Export of services is a zero-rated supply, and an LUT in FORM GST RFD-11 lets you supply without paying IGST.

The main change in 2026 is that the FEMA Export and Import Regulations 2026 came into force on 1 October 2026. A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 20 supersedes the Master Directions on Export and on Import of Goods and Services, and the listed SOFTEX circulars, from the same date.

• New regulations: The 2026 Regulations came into force on 1 October 2026 and were amended on 22 September 2026.
• SOFTEX: The SOFTEX circulars are listed as superseded in Circular No. 20, and software exports now use the EDF.
• Realisation: The 22 September 2026 amendment set nine months, replacing fifteen, and twelve months for INR invoices, replacing eighteen (Reg 5).
• Small invoices: Invoices up to ₹10 lakh can close in EDPMS on the exporter's declaration (Reg 4(2)).
• Italian VAT law: Italy's official legal database shows Article 7-ter of DPR 633/1972, the VAT place of supply rule for services, as repealed from 1 January 2027 by Legislative Decree No. 10 of 19 January 2026. Your client's accountant handles the Italian VAT side.

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. Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) Regulations, 2026 (Notification FEMA 23(R)/2026-RB, amended up to 22 September 2026), Reg 1(2), 2(1)(f), 3(2), 4(2), 5(1), 18(2) (checked 6 Oct 2026)
2. RBI A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 20 dated 16 January 2026: Export and Import of Goods and Services, Supersession of Master Directions; Annex (SOFTEX circulars) (checked 6 Oct 2026)
3. Foreign Exchange Management (Manner of Receipt and Payment) Regulations, 2023, Reg 3(2)(I)(a)(iii) (checked 6 Oct 2026)
4. RBI A.P. (DIR Series) Circular No. 84 dated 29 February 2012: Compilation of R-Returns, Reporting under FETERS, Purpose codes for reporting (checked 6 Oct 2026)
5. IGST Act, 2017, Section 2 (Definitions), s.2(6) export of services (checked 6 Oct 2026)
6. IGST Act, 2017, Section 16 (Zero rated supply), s.16(1) and 16(3) (checked 6 Oct 2026)
7. CGST Rules, 2017, Rule 96A (Export under bond or Letter of Undertaking), Rule 96A(1)(b) (checked 6 Oct 2026)
8. CGST Rules, 2017, Rule 89 (Application for refund), Rule 89(2)(c) (checked 6 Oct 2026)
9. European Central Bank: Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), SEPA countries: 41 European countries (status 22 May 2025), Italy listed (checked 6 Oct 2026)
10. DGFT FAQs on Self-Generation of eBRC (Version 1.0, March 2024), FAQ 1 and 2 (checked 6 Oct 2026)
11. Normattiva: DPR 26 October 1972, n. 633, Article 7-ter (status page), Art. 7-ter repealed by D.Lgs. 19 January 2026, n. 10, from 1 January 2027 (checked 6 Oct 2026)
12. Skydo homepage (pricing and fee calculator), Know what you pay; calculator showing GST 18% of transaction fee (checked 6 Oct 2026)
13. 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)
14. 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)
15. 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)