Adyen vs Karbon Business (Karbon FX) (2026): Which Is Better for Receiving International Payments in India?
- Author:
- Manoj Sharma
- Verified by:
- Editorial team
- Published:
- Last modified:
Short answer
The better choice depends on how your clients pay and which documents you need. Neither platform publishes full pricing for Indian users. Adyen is best for large enterprises accepting card and UPI payments from Indian shoppers. The table compares both by use case using published information.
| Use case | Better option | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Invoices around $2,000 | Not comparable | Neither platform publishes full pricing for Indian users. |
| Invoices around $5,000 | Not comparable | Neither platform publishes full pricing for Indian users. |
| Invoices around $10,000 | Not comparable | Neither platform publishes full pricing for Indian users. |
| Need: large enterprises accepting card and UPI payments from Indian shoppers | Adyen | Adyen is built for this. |
| Need: Indian exporters and service businesses that want local USD account details and INR credits with FIRA | Karbon Business (Karbon FX) | Karbon Business (Karbon FX) is built for this. |
How do Adyen and Karbon Business (Karbon FX) compare at a glance?
| Attribute | Adyen | Karbon Business (Karbon FX) |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
| Fees | Indicative $0.13/txn + Interchange++ + 0.60% for cards; custom pricing | 1% + 18% GST on fee, indicative; varies by country, method |
| FX markup | Not confirmed: reference rate + contract-set FX fee, not published | Conflicting: claims 0% markup or lists 0.5%-1.0% |
| Settlement | INR local payout, up to two days; export timing unpublished | Conflicting: same day before 3 PM IST, 4-8h or 24-48h |
| FIRA | Not confirmed: no FIRA or FIRC provision published | States e-FIRA per transaction, 1-2 business days; cost unstated |
| Currencies | Fees in USD; multi-currency bank accounts; accepts INR from Indian shoppers | States all major currencies except RBI-restricted, including USD, EUR, GBP |
| RBI status | States PA-Online and PA-CB-Outward; not independently confirmed | Not confirmed; states it works only with PACB-licensed players |
| Indian individuals | Not confirmed: no offering for Indian individuals | Freelancers per site; unregistered individuals not confirmed |
| Indian businesses | Domestic acquiring yes; export receipts not confirmed | Yes, proprietors, partnerships, LLPs and companies |
| Limits | Not confirmed | Per-transaction and annual limits are set at account setup based on KYC, bank partner policy and RBI rules, and can be raised on request. No figures are published |
How much INR do you receive on $2,000, $5,000 and $10,000 with Adyen vs Karbon Business (Karbon FX)?
Each row applies the platform's published fee, FX markup and GST on the fee to the XE mid-market rate for 3 Nov 2026.
| Platform and invoice | Fee | FX markup | GST | INR received | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adyen, $2,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
| Adyen, $5,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
| Adyen, $10,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
| Karbon Business (Karbon FX), $2,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
| Karbon Business (Karbon FX), $5,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
| Karbon Business (Karbon FX), $10,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
What is Adyen and who is it for?
Adyen is a Netherlands-headquartered payment platform for enterprise merchants. Its India page states it has operated in India since 2018 and holds RBI authorisations for domestic online payments and cross-border outward payments, which cover global brands collecting INR from Indian shoppers. It does not publish a product for Indian freelancers or exporters to receive foreign client payments into an Indian bank account.
- Regulated by: States it holds RBI authorisations for domestic (PA-Online) and cross-border outward (PA-CB-Outward) payments; not independently confirmed on an RBI list
- Used by: Indian businesses can use Adyen for domestic online acquiring (PA-Online, as stated by Adyen); use for receiving export payments from foreign clients is not confirmed
- Best for: Large enterprises accepting card and UPI payments from Indian shoppers
What is Karbon Business (Karbon FX) and who is it for?
Karbon Business is a Bengaluru fintech whose Karbon FX product lets Indian businesses and freelancers collect payments from overseas clients. The Karbon Forex terms name Interropac Private Limited as the operator of the platform at karbonfx.com. They also say inward collections are processed under a third-party partner's connected-user terms. Users get account details for receiving foreign payments, and the funds are converted and paid out in INR to their Indian bank account with an e-FIRA.
- Regulated by: Not confirmed. States it works 'only with PACB-licensed players and regulated banks'. No RBI listing for Karbon or its operating company was checked or found
- Used by: Yes. Sole proprietors, partnerships, LLPs and companies, with documents based on business type
- Best for: Indian exporters and service businesses that want local USD account details and INR credits with FIRA
How do Adyen and Karbon Business (Karbon FX) fees and FX markup compare?
What does Adyen charge?
| Fee type | Amount | When it applies | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receiving: International card payments (Visa/Mastercard) via online checkout | $0.13 + Interchange++ + 0.60% (indicative, global pricing page) | Availability for an Indian exporter collecting from foreign cardholders is not confirmed | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
| Receiving: Local bank transfer account details for foreign clients | Not confirmed | Not offered as a published product for Indian recipients | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
| Currency conversion to INR | Not confirmed: Adyen converts at its FX reference rate plus an FX management fee (spread); how the spread is calculated is set in the merchant's contract and by default differs by currency category (USD category one, INR category two); no figure is published | When foreign currency is converted | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
| Payout to an Indian bank | Adyen's payout currency docs list INR as the settlement currency for its India acquiring connection, with funds held in India and paid out locally, and say INR can only be paid out to a local bank account in India (SWIFT payouts are not supported for INR). Payout fees and any route for export proceeds are not published. | When INR is sent to your account | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
| Setup or monthly fee | None, per pricing page | – | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
| Minimum invoice | Depends on industry or business model (not published) | – | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
| American Express | $0.13 + 3.95% global (indicative) | – | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
| UPI | $0.13 + defined by funding source used (India pricing page, indicative) | – | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
| RuPay | $0.13 + on request (India pricing page) | – | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
| GST on fees | Adyen's help centre lists Adyen India service invoices with GST: 'GST rate 18% if the merchant is in Maharashtra. Or CGST of 9% and SGST of 9% if the merchant is located outside Maharashtra', as worded on the page. Either way the total is 18% on Adyen's service fees. | Applies to the platform's fee | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
What does Karbon Business (Karbon FX) charge?
| Fee type | Amount | When it applies | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receiving: US account details (Fedwire) | Not confirmed (homepage calculator shows 1% + 18% GST on the fee, indicative; FAQ says fees vary by sending country, currency and method) | Typically credited within 0 to 1 business days | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
| Receiving: US account details (ACH) | Not confirmed (homepage calculator shows 1% + 18% GST on the fee, indicative; FAQ says fees vary by sending country, currency and method) | Usually credited within 2 to 3 business days | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
| Receiving: SWIFT international wire | Not confirmed (homepage calculator shows 1% + 18% GST on the fee, indicative; FAQ says fees vary by sending country, currency and method) | Generally 1 to 3 business days; intermediary bank charges may be deducted | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
| Receiving: SEPA (EUR) | Not confirmed (homepage calculator shows 1% + 18% GST on the fee, indicative; FAQ says fees vary by sending country, currency and method) | Typically credited within 0 to 1 business days | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
| Receiving: Payment link or invoice | Not confirmed | Created from the Karbon FX dashboard | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
| Currency conversion to INR | Conflicting: freelancer and exporter pages and two Karbon blog posts claim 0% markup at mid-market rates; the Stripe, Payoneer, PayPal and Razorpay comparison pages list a 0.5%-1.0% forex markup; the calculator uses a third-party live rate with an 85.60 INR fallback | When foreign currency is converted | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
| Payout to an Indian bank | Funds are converted and sent in INR to the user's registered Indian bank account, the same working day if requested before 3:00 PM IST. Karbon's homepage calculator shows an indicative 1% fee plus 18% GST on that fee; its FAQ says fees vary by sending country, currency and payment method, and intermediary bank charges may also be deducted | When INR is sent to your account | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
| Intermediary bank charges | May be deducted by correspondent banks; outside Karbon's control | – | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
| GST | 18% on Karbon's fee, per the homepage calculator | – | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
| Account opening or annual fee | Conflicting. Karbon's PayPal vs Karbon case study says there are no setup, monthly or closure fees; the Karbon Forex terms mention fees collected during onboarding and refer to fees set on the platform or in a customer agreement, without amounts | – | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
| GST on fees | The homepage calculator applies GST at 18% on Karbon's 1% fee, not on the full payment. The help centre says taxes apply as per government rules and that GST-compliant invoices for Karbon's charges are available on request. Karbon's blog posts also state that GST at 18% applies only to Karbon's 1% fee, not to the invoice amount (PayPal vs Karbon case study). | Applies to the platform's fee | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
How do Adyen and Karbon Business (Karbon FX) compare on settlement speed?
- Adyen: Adyen's docs list INR as the settlement currency for its India acquiring connection, paid out locally to a bank account in India, and say payouts can take up to two days to arrive depending on the currencies and banks involved; no timeline for export receipts is published
- Karbon Business (Karbon FX): Help centre: typically the same working day by end of day if the INR transfer is submitted before the 3:00 PM IST forex cut-off, otherwise by end of day on the next working day. The homepage says 4-8 hours and the freelancer and exporter pages say 24-48 hours
| Platform | Settlement to India | Payout route | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adyen | INR local payout, up to two days; export timing unpublished | INR to local Indian bank account only; payout fees not published | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
| Karbon Business (Karbon FX) | Conflicting: same day before 3 PM IST, 4-8h or 24-48h | INR to Indian bank, same day if before 3:00 PM IST | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
Do Adyen and Karbon Business (Karbon FX) provide FIRA and e-BRC, and are they RBI PA-CB authorised?
| Platform | FIRA and e-BRC | RBI status | Checked | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adyen | Not confirmed: no FIRA or FIRC provision published | States PA-Online and PA-CB-Outward; not independently confirmed | 30 Sept 2026 | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
| Karbon Business (Karbon FX) | States e-FIRA per transaction, 1-2 business days; cost unstated | Not confirmed; states it works only with PACB-licensed players | 30 Sept 2026 | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
Which currencies, countries and payment methods do Adyen and Karbon Business (Karbon FX) support?
| Platform | Currencies | Payment methods | Indian individuals | Indian businesses | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adyen | Fees in USD; multi-currency bank accounts; accepts INR from Indian shoppers | International card payments (Visa/Mastercard) via online checkout; Local bank transfer account details for foreign clients | Not confirmed: no offering for Indian individuals | Domestic acquiring yes; export receipts not confirmed | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
| Karbon Business (Karbon FX) | States all major currencies except RBI-restricted, including USD, EUR, GBP | US account details (Fedwire); US account details (ACH); SWIFT international wire; SEPA (EUR); Payment link or invoice | Freelancers per site; unregistered individuals not confirmed | Yes, proprietors, partnerships, LLPs and companies | Exporters and service businesses wanting USD account details and FIRA |
What are the strengths and limitations of Adyen and Karbon Business (Karbon FX)?
Adyen
- Pricing transparency: Interchange++ model with published indicative scheme markup
- India presence: States local operations since 2018 and its own RBI authorisations
- Payment methods: UPI, cards and local rails for Indian shoppers
- Scale: Built for enterprise merchants with high volumes
- Not for export receipts: Published RBI authorisation is PA-CB-Outward (Indian shoppers paying foreign merchants), not inward export collection
- Enterprise focus: Minimum invoice depends on industry or business model; onboarding through sales
- No individuals: No published route for Indian freelancers or individuals
- Opaque totals: interchange varies per card, published fees are labelled indicative, and the FX management spread is set in the contract rather than published
Karbon Business (Karbon FX)
- Settlement timing: Publishes a 3:00 PM IST forex cut-off, with INR typically credited the same working day before it
- Documentation: States it issues e-FIRA automatically and can map shipping bills for exporters
- Receiving rails: Lists Fedwire, ACH, SWIFT and SEPA credit times in its help centre
- Fee visibility: a calculator on the homepage shows a 1% fee and 18% GST on the fee for an entered USD amount, labelled indicative
- Pricing: the only public figures are an indicative calculator (1% + 18% GST on the fee) and a FAQ saying fees vary by country, currency and method
- Conflicting claims: Its pages state both 0% markup and a 0.5% to 1% forex markup, and settlement times of 4-8 hours, 24-48 hours and same day
- Regulation: Karbon relies on PA-CB licensed partners; its own RBI authorisation is not confirmed
- Limits: Per-transaction and annual limits are set during onboarding and are not published
Should you choose Adyen or Karbon Business (Karbon FX)?
- Choose Adyen if: you need large enterprises accepting card and UPI payments from Indian shoppers.
- Choose Karbon Business (Karbon FX) if: you need Indian exporters and service businesses that want local USD account details and INR credits with FIRA.
For example, an exporter billing $5,000 a month: Neither platform publishes full pricing for Indian users.
Which other platforms should you consider besides Adyen and Karbon Business (Karbon FX)?
Other covered platforms ranked by the INR received on a $5,000 invoice.
| Platform | Fees | FX markup | FIRA | INR on $5,000 | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skydo | $19 up to $2,000, $29 to $10,000, 0.3% above + GST | States zero FX margin at live rate | States instant, free FIRA per payment | ₹4,71,037 | Indian freelancers and exporters receiving mid to large B2B invoices |
| Razorpay | 1% per bank transfer (Rs 1,000 flat below Rs 1,00,000) + GST | States 0% markup on MoneySaver at live rate | FIRS within 24 hours of settlement; no charge listed | ₹4,68,686 | Indian businesses and freelancers on Razorpay invoicing foreign clients |
| Kotak Mahindra Bank | No inward, FIRC, SWIFT fee on current accounts; GST on conversion | Card rate, markup not published; 1.71% below mid-market on 7 Oct 2026 | Nil FIRC on current accounts; savings Rs 100 or nil | ₹4,65,665 | Service exporters wanting a current account without inward remittance fees |
| HDFC Bank | No inward charge; physical FIRC INR 200 + taxes; GST on conversion | Card rate ~1.79% below mid-market on 6 Oct 2026; markup unpublished | Physical FIRC INR 200; emailed advice free for trade | ₹4,65,286 | Existing HDFC customers wanting free SWIFT receipts or EEFC accounts |
How did we verify this?
Fees, FIRA terms and RBI status were checked on each platform's own pages and RBI sources on 30 Sept 2026. INR figures use the XE mid-market rate for 3 Nov 2026. The formula is on the methodology page.
- Adyen India, Established in India since 2018; RBI PA-Online and PA-CB-Outward authorisations (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Adyen pricing (India), Indicative fees: $0.13 fixed; Visa/Mastercard Interchange++ + 0.60%; Amex 3.95%; UPI defined by funding source; RuPay on request; minimum invoice depends on industry or business model; the fees outlined above are indicative; no monthly, set-up, integration or closure fees (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Adyen pricing (global), Fixed processing fee plus payment-method fee; no setup or monthly fees; minimum invoice depends on industry (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- India expansion made easy, Accept online payments in INR from Indian shoppers with Adyen's own RBI licences (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Adyen Visa payment method (India), Visa: $0.13 + Interchange+ + 0.60%; no monthly fees, set-up fees, integration fees or closure fees; INR not listed among settlement currencies (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Adyen currency codes and FX management fee, Adyen applies a foreign currency exchange rate when a currency conversion takes place (FX reference rate) and charges an FX management fee, or spread, which by default differs based on the currency category; category one: AUD, CAD, DKK, EUR, GBP, HKD, JPY, NOK, NZD, PLN, SEK, USD, ZAR; category two: all other currencies; how this fee is calculated is included in your contract with Adyen (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- What kind of tax is applied to my invoice? (Adyen), Adyen India: GST rate 18% if the merchant is in Maharashtra. Or CGST of 9% and SGST of 9% if the merchant is located outside Maharashtra (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Adyen Docs: Supported payout currencies, India (IN): settlement currency INR, funds held in India, local payout; certain currencies can only be paid out to a local bank account within a country or region where that currency is the official legal tender: BRL, INR, MYR, MXN, and AED; SWIFT payouts are not supported for these currencies (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Adyen Docs: Getting paid, Depending on the currencies and banks involved, it may take up to two days for the payout funds to arrive in your account; like-for-like (no currency conversion) settlement if the currency is also supported as a settlement currency by the payment method (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Karbon Business homepage, Embeds forex calculator (iframe src v0-calculator-taupe.vercel.app); 'For higher volume transactions, please reach out to your assigned AM for customized rates'; PACB-licensed players note (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Karbon For Freelancers, Virtual USD account; FIRA issued by licensed banking partner; 0% markup claim; 24-48 hours (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Karbon For Exporters, USD, EUR, GBP; FIRA and shipping bill mapping; 0% markup claim; 24-48 hours; dedicated account manager (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Karbon Business vs Payoneer (Karbon page), Forex Markup 0.5%-1.0%; Transaction fee: 1%, 0% Forex markup (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Karbon Help Centre: Pricing & Fees, Settlement cut-off 3:00 PM IST; receiving rail timelines; currencies; KYC; limits; GST invoices (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- What are the charges for receiving an inward remittance?, Charges may include currency conversion fees based on live FX rates, transfer fees that vary by the sending country, currency, and payment method, applicable taxes, and intermediary bank charges (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Do you provide a FIRA for every transaction?, e-FIRA within 1-2 business days (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Karbon Forex Terms & Conditions, Operator Interropac Private Limited; User duly incorporated in India; clause 3 onboarding fees; clause 6 Fees; clause 7 Foreign Inward Remittance Services (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Karbon forex calculator (embedded on karboncard.com), Karbon's Fee(1%); GST(18%); Live Forex Rate 1 USD = 85.60 INR; The displayed amount is indicative and subject to change based on the rate booking date (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Karbon forex calculator script, Fee = 0.01 x INR amount; GST = 0.18 x fee; rate from api.exchangerate-api.com, default 85.6 if the fetch fails (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Karbon Business vs Stripe (Karbon page), Forex Markup 0.5%-1.0%; feature panel: Transaction fee: 1%, 0% Forex markup (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Karbon blog: Payoneer vs Wise vs Karbon, Karbon charges a flat 1% inward remittance fee and uses mid-market Xe.com rates with 0% FX markup. GST at 18% applies only to the 1% fee; e-FIRA within 24 hours; hold for up to 60 days (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Karbon blog: Case study, PayPal vs Karbon, 1% platform fee, GST of 18% only on that fee, effective 1.18% all in; zero FX markup; no setup, monthly, or closure fees; hold USD, EUR, GBP, or CAD for up to 60 days (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Karbon Business vs PayPal (Karbon page), Forex Markup 0.5%-1.0% (transparent, upfront); feature panel: Transaction fee: 1%, 0% Forex markup (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Karbon Business vs Razorpay (Karbon page), transparent forex markups as low as 0.5%; Forex Markup 0.5%-1.0%; feature panel: Transaction fee: 1%, 0% Forex markup (checked 7 Oct 2026)
FAQs about Adyen vs Karbon Business (Karbon FX)
Is Adyen or Karbon Business (Karbon FX) cheaper for receiving USD in India?
Neither platform publishes full pricing for Indian users. At $2,000: Neither platform publishes full pricing for Indian users. At $10,000: Neither platform publishes full pricing for Indian users. Figures use each platform's published pricing and today's reference rate, so check both pricing pages before you decide.
Which is faster, Adyen or Karbon Business (Karbon FX)?
Adyen states: Adyen's docs list INR as the settlement currency for its India acquiring connection, paid out locally to a bank account in India, and say payouts can take up to two days to arrive depending on the currencies and banks involved; no timeline for export receipts is published.
Do Adyen and Karbon Business (Karbon FX) both provide a FIRA?
Adyen: Not confirmed: no FIRA or FIRC provision is published. Karbon Business (Karbon FX): States an e-FIRA is issued for every eligible inward transaction, by email and on the dashboard, typically 1 to 2 business days after funds are credited. Cost not stated.
Are Adyen and Karbon Business (Karbon FX) authorised by RBI?
Adyen: States it holds RBI authorisations for domestic (PA-Online) and cross-border outward (PA-CB-Outward) payments; not independently confirmed on an RBI list. Karbon Business (Karbon FX): Not confirmed. States it works 'only with PACB-licensed players and regulated banks'. No RBI listing for Karbon or its operating company was checked or found.
Can Indian freelancers use both Adyen and Karbon Business (Karbon FX)?
Adyen, individuals: Not confirmed: Adyen does not publish an offering for Indian resident individuals or freelancers Karbon Business (Karbon FX), individuals: Freelancers can sign up, according to Karbon's freelancer page, and the KYC list asks for a GST certificate only if registered.
Should I switch from Adyen to Karbon Business (Karbon FX)?
Switch only if Karbon Business (Karbon FX) pays more on your usual invoice size or fits how your clients pay. Keep the Adyen account open until every invoice sent with its details is paid, and download your FIRA or FIRC records first.