Airwallex vs Revolut (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. Airwallex is best for registered Indian companies that want multi-currency collection accounts and also pay suppliers globally. Revolut is best for Indian residents spending in INR and abroad with a prepaid wallet and forex card.
| 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: registered Indian companies that want multi-currency collection accounts and also pay suppliers globally | Airwallex | Airwallex is built for this. |
| Need: Indian residents spending in INR and abroad with a prepaid wallet and forex card | Revolut | Revolut is built for this. |
How do Airwallex and Revolut compare at a glance?
| Attribute | Airwallex | Revolut |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally | Indian residents using an INR wallet and forex card |
| Fees | No USD receive fee; free local payouts; Explore plan no monthly fee | Not confirmed; India terms bar business use |
| FX markup | 0.60% for INR (0.40% majors), Singapore schedule; India rate not confirmed | Not confirmed for inward payments |
| Settlement | States ~90% processed within hours to one business day | Not confirmed |
| FIRA | No auto FIRA; FIRC on request; partner fee may apply | Not confirmed; not mentioned on India pages |
| Currencies | Receive 20+ currencies from 70+ countries; INR payouts to India | INR wallet; forex card in 30+ currencies, 130+ countries |
| RBI status | Not confirmed; not on RBI list, no PA-CB claim | States RBI PPI and AD Category-II licences; not PA-CB |
| Indian individuals | No, registered businesses only | Personal account only; receiving payments not confirmed |
| Indian businesses | Yes, via Airwallex Singapore, subject to checks | Not confirmed; terms bar business use |
| Limits | Airwallex states most accounts have no deposit limit; transfer limits vary by method and are shown when creating a transfer. India-specific limits Not confirmed. | Not confirmed. The personal terms say Revolut may set limits on UPI receipts and payments and that limits are shown in the app. |
How much INR do you receive on $2,000, $5,000 and $10,000 with Airwallex vs Revolut?
Each row applies the platform's published fee, FX markup and GST on the fee to the XE mid-market rate for 4 Nov 2026.
| Platform and invoice | Fee | FX markup | GST | INR received | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airwallex, $2,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Airwallex, $5,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Airwallex, $10,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Revolut, $2,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Indian residents using an INR wallet and forex card |
| Revolut, $5,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Indian residents using an INR wallet and forex card |
| Revolut, $10,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Indian residents using an INR wallet and forex card |
What is Airwallex and who is it for?
Airwallex is a global business account provider that issues local collection account details (Global Accounts) in 20+ currencies. Its help centre lists India as an eligible business registration country, with Indian businesses onboarded to the Airwallex Singapore entity. An Indian company can collect foreign client payments into a Global Account, convert to INR and send the money to its Indian bank account by local transfer.
- Regulated by: Not confirmed. Airwallex is not on the RBI list of payment system authorisations dated 30 Sep 2026, and its pages make no PA-CB claim
- Used by: Yes. India is listed as an eligible registration country, with Indian businesses onboarded to Airwallex Singapore, subject to industry and risk checks
- Best for: Registered Indian companies that want multi-currency collection accounts and also pay suppliers globally
What is Revolut and who is it for?
Revolut operates in India through Revolut Payments India Private Limited, which issues a prepaid INR wallet, a domestic card and UPI, and Revolut Forex India Private Limited, which issues multi-currency forex cards. The India product is presented as a spending account for Indian residents aged 18 and over. The India site and terms do not describe a way for freelancers or exporters to receive payments from foreign clients.
- Regulated by: States it is RBI-authorised to issue PPIs (COA No. 224/2025) via Revolut Payments India, and that Revolut Forex India holds an AD Category-II licence (MUM-ADII-0963-2024); not a PA-CB
- Used by: Not confirmed. The India site lists no business account, and the personal terms bar business use.
- Best for: Indian residents spending in INR and abroad with a prepaid wallet and forex card
How do Airwallex and Revolut fees and FX markup compare?
What does Airwallex charge?
| Fee type | Amount | When it applies | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receiving: USD local account details in the US (ACH, Fedwire) | 0% Global Account receiving fee | FedNow and RTP only for eligible customers | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Receiving: SWIFT into a Global Account (USD, EUR, GBP and others) | 0% Global Account receiving fee | Intermediary bank charges are Not confirmed | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Receiving: Local GBP, EUR, SGD, AUD, CAD and other local account details | 0% for most currencies (0.60% for KRW, VND, BRL and MYR collections) | – | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Receiving: Online card payments | 3.60% + SGD 0.50 for international cards (Singapore schedule) | – | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Currency conversion to INR | 0.60% customer mark-up for INR (0.40% for major currencies such as USD, EUR, GBP), included in the exchange rate, per the Singapore fee schedule; optional API quote-lock premiums of 0.02% to 0.30% are extra; India-specific rate Not confirmed | When foreign currency is converted | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Payout to an Indian bank | Convert the balance to INR with the 0.60% customer mark-up included in the rate and send by local transfer to the Indian bank account; the local payout fee is $0. SWIFT payouts cost SGD 20 (SHA) or SGD 35 (OUR). | When INR is sent to your account | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Explore plan | Free | – | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Grow plan | SGD 79/month | – | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Accelerate plan | From SGD 399/month | – | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| SWIFT payout | SGD 20 (SHA) or SGD 35 (OUR) per payout | – | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| FIRC | May be charged by the banking partner; quoted by support on request | – | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Extra spend users | SGD 5 per additional active spend user per month (5 free) | – | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| API FX quote validity premium (optional, API version 2024-06-30 or later) | 0.02% (1 minute) to 0.30% (24 hours), added to the FX mark-up | – | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| GST on fees | The Singapore fee schedule states fees are exclusive of GST where applicable. Whether Indian GST applies to Indian customers is Not confirmed. | Applies to the platform's fee | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
What does Revolut charge?
| Fee type | Amount | When it applies | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receiving: Top up INR wallet from own Indian bank or card via UPI, net banking or external card | UPI 0%; Netbanking 1.28% + GST; Debit Card 0.30% + GST; Credit Card 1.63% + GST (Standard plan fee schedule) | Domestic top-up only. Funds to a currency account must come from the same bank account given during verification. | Indian residents using an INR wallet and forex card |
| Receiving: Receive money from other Revolut or non-Revolut wallets and bank accounts in India | Not confirmed | Described in the personal terms for the INR PPI wallet; not an international receiving method. | Indian residents using an INR wallet and forex card |
| Receiving: International bank transfer (SWIFT or local foreign account details) from a foreign client | Not confirmed | Not offered on the Revolut India site or terms as of 2026-10-06. | Indian residents using an INR wallet and forex card |
| Currency conversion to INR | Not confirmed for inward payments; the India site does not publish an inward conversion rate | When foreign currency is converted | Indian residents using an INR wallet and forex card |
| Payout to an Indian bank | Not confirmed. Revolut India does not describe converting foreign client payments to INR or paying them out to an Indian bank account. | When INR is sent to your account | Indian residents using an INR wallet and forex card |
| Plus plan | ₹499/year plus taxes | – | Indian residents using an INR wallet and forex card |
| Premium plan | ₹2,499/year plus taxes | – | Indian residents using an INR wallet and forex card |
| Metal plan | ₹9,999/year plus taxes | – | Indian residents using an INR wallet and forex card |
| Standard plan | Free | – | Indian residents using an INR wallet and forex card |
| First Revolut Card (Standard plan) | ₹199, plus applicable GST | – | Indian residents using an INR wallet and forex card |
| ATM withdrawal (Standard plan) | 2% of the withdrawal amount or ₹150, whichever is lower, plus GST as applicable | – | Indian residents using an INR wallet and forex card |
| GST on fees | Paid plan prices are shown plus taxes, and the Standard fee schedule lists wallet top-up and card fees plus GST. GST on any receiving fee is not confirmed because no receiving fee is published. | Applies to the platform's fee | Indian residents using an INR wallet and forex card |
How do Airwallex and Revolut compare on settlement speed?
- Airwallex: Airwallex states about 90% of transfers to India are processed within a few hours to one business day
- Revolut: Not confirmed. No inward international settlement to an Indian bank account is described on the India site
| Platform | Settlement to India | Payout route | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airwallex | States ~90% processed within hours to one business day | Convert to INR (0.60% markup in rate), $0 local transfer | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Revolut | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Indian residents using an INR wallet and forex card |
Do Airwallex and Revolut provide FIRA and e-BRC, and are they RBI PA-CB authorised?
| Platform | FIRA and e-BRC | RBI status | Checked | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airwallex | No auto FIRA; FIRC on request; partner fee may apply | Not confirmed; not on RBI list, no PA-CB claim | 30 Sept 2026 | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Revolut | Not confirmed; not mentioned on India pages | States RBI PPI and AD Category-II licences; not PA-CB | 30 Sept 2026 | Indian residents using an INR wallet and forex card |
Which currencies, countries and payment methods do Airwallex and Revolut support?
| Platform | Currencies | Payment methods | Indian individuals | Indian businesses | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airwallex | Receive 20+ currencies from 70+ countries; INR payouts to India | USD local account details in the US (ACH, Fedwire); SWIFT into a Global Account (USD, EUR, GBP and others); Local GBP, EUR, SGD, AUD, CAD and other local account details; Online card payments | No, registered businesses only | Yes, via Airwallex Singapore, subject to checks | Registered Indian companies collecting multi-currency and paying suppliers globally |
| Revolut | INR wallet; forex card in 30+ currencies, 130+ countries | Top up INR wallet from own Indian bank or card via UPI, net banking or external card; Receive money from other Revolut or non-Revolut wallets and bank accounts in India; International bank transfer (SWIFT or local foreign account details) from a foreign client | Personal account only; receiving payments not confirmed | Not confirmed; terms bar business use | Indian residents using an INR wallet and forex card |
What are the strengths and limitations of Airwallex and Revolut?
Airwallex
- No receiving fee: 0% Global Account receiving fee for USD and most currencies
- Published FX margin: 0.60% for INR on the Singapore fee schedule, included in the quoted rate
- Multi-currency holding: funds can be held in major currencies before converting
- Wider toolkit: cards, bill pay and payment acceptance in one account
- Businesses only: no personal accounts for individuals or unregistered freelancers
- Offshore entity: Indian customers are onboarded to the Singapore entity, not an Indian one
- FIRC on request: not issued automatically, and the banking partner may charge for it
- No confirmed RBI status: Airwallex is not on the RBI authorisation list and makes no PA-CB claim
Revolut
- Regulated Indian entities: the site states a PPI authorisation and an AD Category-II forex licence from the RBI
- Travel spending: a multi-currency card for spending abroad across 30+ currencies, as stated on the India site
- Domestic payments: UPI and a domestic card in one app
- Free entry plan: a Standard plan with no annual fee
- No inward remittance product: the India site and terms describe no way to receive a foreign client's payment and convert it to INR
- No business use: the personal terms state a Revolut Account cannot be used for business purposes
- INR only wallet: the terms state PPIs can only be used for payments in Indian Rupees
- No FIRA: no inward remittance documentation is mentioned
Should you choose Airwallex or Revolut?
- Choose Airwallex if: you need registered Indian companies that want multi-currency collection accounts and also pay suppliers globally.
- Choose Revolut if: you need Indian residents spending in INR and abroad with a prepaid wallet and forex card.
For example, an exporter billing $5,000 a month: Neither platform publishes full pricing for Indian users.
Which other platforms should you consider besides Airwallex and Revolut?
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 | ₹4,71,073 | 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 | ₹4,68,722 | 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 | ₹4,65,700 | 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 | ₹4,65,321 | 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 4 Nov 2026. The formula is on the methodology page.
- Airwallex Help: Eligible Countries and Territories, INDIA IN - AWX Legal Entity SINGAPORE (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Airwallex Help: Eligibility to open an account, unable to offer personal accounts to individuals (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Airwallex Singapore Fee Schedule, Customer Mark-Up / Margin (... INR ...) 0.60%; "The customer mark-up / margin will be included as the FX Exchange Rate"; Global Account Receiving Funds Fee 0% for other currencies; Local Payout Fee $0; 24-Hour Quote Validity 0.30%; "exclusive of GST (where applicable)" (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Airwallex Singapore Pricing, Grow $79/month; Accelerate from $399/month; 3.60% + $0.50 international cards (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Airwallex: Send money to India (Singapore), Approximately 90% of transactions are processed within a few hours to one business day (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Airwallex Help: What is an FIRC and how do I get one?, "there may be a fee associated with issuing an FIRC. This fee is not set by Airwallex; it is determined by our banking partner" (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Airwallex Help: Which currencies can I get a Global Account in (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Airwallex Help: Documents required for companies in other countries, Ultimate Beneficial owner ... more than 25% of the issued share capital (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Airwallex Help: Limits for transfers and deposits (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- RBI: Certificates of Authorisation under the PSS Act (30 Sep 2026), Airwallex not listed (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Revolut India home page, Eligibility (Indian residents aged 18+); plan prices; footer legal entity and RBI PPI and AD-II statements (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Revolut India spending account (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Revolut India personal terms, PPIs only for payments in Indian Rupees; foreign currency services via affiliates; no business use; KYC under RBI guidelines; UPI receipt and payment limits shown in the app; top-up methods (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Revolut India products legal index (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Revolut India Multi-Currency Cards Terms and Conditions, Eligibility: Indian citizen, resident in India, Indian passport, PAN and Aadhaar; loading funds by bank transfer (NEFT, IMPS, RTGS) (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Revolut India Help Centre: Add money with a bank transfer (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Revolut India Personal Fees (Standard), Add money fees, card fee, ATM fee; no inward international payment fee listed (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Revolut India fees index (checked 6 Oct 2026)
FAQs about Airwallex vs Revolut
Is Airwallex or Revolut 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, Airwallex or Revolut?
Airwallex states: Airwallex states about 90% of transfers to India are processed within a few hours to one business day. Revolut states: Not confirmed. No inward international settlement to an Indian bank account is described on the India site. Check the platform's own pricing page before relying on these figures.
Do Airwallex and Revolut both provide a FIRA?
Airwallex: No automatic FIRA; FIRC can be requested from support and is issued by Airwallex's banking partner, which may charge a fee that support will quote. Revolut: Not confirmed. No FIRA or FIRC is mentioned on Revolut India pages. Check the platform's own pricing page before relying on these figures.
Are Airwallex and Revolut authorised by RBI?
Airwallex: Not confirmed. Airwallex is not on the RBI list of payment system authorisations dated 30 Sep 2026, and its pages make no PA-CB claim. Revolut: States it is RBI-authorised to issue PPIs (COA No. 224/2025) via Revolut Payments India, and that Revolut Forex India holds an AD Category-II licence (MUM-ADII-0963-2024); not a PA-CB.
Can Indian freelancers use both Airwallex and Revolut?
Airwallex, individuals: No. Airwallex states it is unable to offer personal accounts to individuals; applicants must be officially registered, active businesses Revolut, individuals: Indian residents aged 18 and over can open a personal spending account. The personal terms bar business use, and no inward international payment service is described, so receiving client payments is not confirmed.
Should I switch from Airwallex to Revolut?
Switch only if Revolut pays more on your usual invoice size or fits how your clients pay. Keep the Airwallex account open until every invoice sent with its details is paid, and download your FIRA or FIRC records first. Check the platform's own pricing page before relying on these figures.