Dodo Payments vs Remitly (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. Dodo Payments is best for Indian founders selling SaaS, AI tools, templates and other digital products to buyers worldwide. Remitly is best for family and personal remittances sent from the US to India.
| 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: Indian founders selling SaaS, AI tools, templates and other digital products to buyers worldwide | Dodo Payments | Dodo Payments is built for this. |
| Need: family and personal remittances sent from the US to India | Remitly | Remitly is built for this. |
How do Dodo Payments and Remitly compare at a glance?
| Attribute | Dodo Payments | Remitly |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Indian founders selling SaaS and digital products worldwide | Family and personal remittances from the US to India |
| Fees | 4% + 40c + other fees; payout $5 below $1,000, $25 SWIFT | Sender pays $3.99 below $1,000, $0 from $1,000; recipient charges not confirmed |
| FX markup | No INR conversion; Indian bank converts USD at its rate | Not published; may earn from rate difference |
| Settlement | Bi-monthly payouts by default; usually 1-2 business days to arrive | Promised time per transfer; specific timings not confirmed |
| FIRA | Not confirmed | Not confirmed; not stated on Remitly pages |
| Currencies | Customers pay in 80+ currencies; payouts in USD, GBP, EUR only | USD to INR for US to India corridor |
| RBI status | Not confirmed | Not confirmed; not shown as PA-CB authorised |
| Indian individuals | Yes, with PAN and ID, digital products | Personal transfers only; not freelance or export payments |
| Indian businesses | Yes, registered entities after KYB | Not supported for receiving |
| Limits | Minimum payout threshold of $100 by default, adjustable to $50 or above, applied to the combined USD, GBP and EUR balance; up to three linked payout accounts; payouts start only after all verifications are approved. Transaction limits: Not confirmed. | Not confirmed. Remitly's user agreement says it may limit amounts per transaction or in aggregate but publishes no figure on pages reviewed; the promotional first-transfer rate applies to the first $6,000 sent. |
How much INR do you receive on $2,000, $5,000 and $10,000 with Dodo Payments vs Remitly?
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dodo Payments, $2,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Indian founders selling SaaS and digital products worldwide |
| Dodo Payments, $5,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Indian founders selling SaaS and digital products worldwide |
| Dodo Payments, $10,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Indian founders selling SaaS and digital products worldwide |
| Remitly, $2,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Family and personal remittances from the US to India |
| Remitly, $5,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Family and personal remittances from the US to India |
| Remitly, $10,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Family and personal remittances from the US to India |
What is Dodo Payments and who is it for?
Dodo Payments is a merchant of record platform: it acts as the legal seller of a merchant's digital product, collects payment from the end customer, and handles sales tax, VAT and GST, billing and invoicing; merchants get dispute tools but chargeback liability stays with the merchant. Indian creators and businesses list their product, Dodo sells it to customers abroad, and the net revenue after tax and fees is paid out from a USD, GBP or EUR balance to the merchant's linked bank account. It does not provide local account details for receiving client bank transfers or invoice payments for services.
- Regulated by: Not confirmed
- Used by: Yes. Registered Indian entities complete KYB (incorporation document, business PAN or GSTIN, director and beneficial owner IDs) and link a bank account in the company's legal name.
- Best for: Indian founders selling SaaS, AI tools, templates and other digital products to buyers worldwide
What is Remitly and who is it for?
Remitly is a US-based money transfer service that lets senders in countries such as the US send money to recipients abroad, including India. Indian residents receive Remitly transfers as INR into their bank account, through UPI or via cash pickup, with the sender initiating and paying for the transfer. Its consumer service is restricted to personal, family or household purposes, so it is not designed for Indian freelancers or exporters invoicing foreign clients.
- Regulated by: Not confirmed. Remitly is not shown as an RBI PA-CB authorised entity on any page reviewed.
- Used by: Not supported for receiving. Remitly Business is for US-based companies sending payments abroad; no page reviewed offers Indian businesses a way to receive or collect payments.
- Best for: Family and personal remittances sent from the US to India
How do Dodo Payments and Remitly fees and FX markup compare?
What does Dodo Payments charge?
| Fee type | Amount | When it applies | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receiving: International card and wallet payments via Dodo checkout | 4% + 40c, plus 1.5% for cards and APMs outside the US | Calculated on the total amount including sales tax. Plus 0.5% for subscriptions or usage-based billing; plus 3% for BNPL or PayPal | Indian founders selling SaaS and digital products worldwide |
| Receiving: US ACH direct debit (one-time payments) | 1.5%, capped at $15 per transaction | Replaces the card fee; the international and subscription surcharges do not apply | Indian founders selling SaaS and digital products worldwide |
| Receiving: SEPA direct debit | 1.5%, capped at EUR 15 per transaction | Replaces the card fee; the international and subscription surcharges do not apply | Indian founders selling SaaS and digital products worldwide |
| Receiving: Indian UPI, RuPay and Indian cards (INR) | 4% + 15c (+international payment fees) | – | Indian founders selling SaaS and digital products worldwide |
| Receiving: Bank push transfer initiated by the customer | Priced as a standard transaction (4% + 40c plus applicable surcharges) | Dodo does not offer local receiving account details for client invoice payments | Indian founders selling SaaS and digital products worldwide |
| Currency conversion to INR | No INR conversion by Dodo: payouts are sent in USD, GBP or EUR and the receiving Indian bank converts at its own rate; the pricing page says standard FX applies on non-USD settlements, and the 2-4% Adaptive Currency FX fee is charged to the buyer at checkout, not on the payout | When foreign currency is converted | Indian founders selling SaaS and digital products worldwide |
| Payout to an Indian bank | Net revenue (after tax, Dodo fees, refunds and disputes) is paid from the USD, GBP or EUR wallets to a bank account in the merchant's own name. Per the payouts documentation, each payout account is registered for a currency and transfer method: an international SWIFT wire is typically credited in USD with the USD SWIFT payout fee ($25 on the pricing page) deducted, a local bank transfer is credited in local currency with no per-wire fee, and a Payoneer receiving account is treated as a regular bank account. Available methods vary by country and the documentation does not say whether a local INR route is offered for Indian accounts. A $5 fee applies to payouts below $1,000. When a USD transfer reaches an INR account, the Indian bank converts at its own rate and it and any intermediary banks may deduct charges that do not appear on Dodo's payout invoice. | When INR is sent to your account | Indian founders selling SaaS and digital products worldwide |
| Refund | $1 per refund | – | Indian founders selling SaaS and digital products worldwide |
| Dispute | $30 per dispute | – | Indian founders selling SaaS and digital products worldwide |
| Visa RDR | $18 per dispute | – | Indian founders selling SaaS and digital products worldwide |
| Ethoca alert | $27 per alert | – | Indian founders selling SaaS and digital products worldwide |
| Dispute deflection | $15 per deflection | – | Indian founders selling SaaS and digital products worldwide |
| Payout under $1,000 | $5 | – | Indian founders selling SaaS and digital products worldwide |
| USD SWIFT payout (non-US businesses) | $25 | – | Indian founders selling SaaS and digital products worldwide |
| Bring your own processor | 0.5% | – | Indian founders selling SaaS and digital products worldwide |
| Abandoned cart recovery, subscription dunning and payment retries | 5% of the recovered amount | – | Indian founders selling SaaS and digital products worldwide |
| GST on fees | Not confirmed. Dodo states it calculates and applies GST on customer sales for Indian merchants based on the customer's location; whether GST is added to Dodo's own fees is not stated on official pages. | Applies to the platform's fee | Indian founders selling SaaS and digital products worldwide |
What does Remitly charge?
| Fee type | Amount | When it applies | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receiving: Bank deposit to an Indian bank account (sent by a Remitly customer abroad) | Paid by sender: $3.99 below $1,000, $0 at $1,000 or more (US to India) | Consumer, personal-purpose transfers only | Family and personal remittances from the US to India |
| Receiving: UPI payout in India | Paid by sender; Not confirmed whether it differs from bank deposit | – | Family and personal remittances from the US to India |
| Receiving: Cash pickup in India | Paid by sender; Not confirmed whether it differs from bank deposit | Cash pickup transactions expire after 60 days per the user agreement | Family and personal remittances from the US to India |
| Currency conversion to INR | Markup not published; Remitly's user agreement states it may earn from the difference between the rate at which it buys currency and the rate given to the customer. | When foreign currency is converted | Family and personal remittances from the US to India |
| Payout to an Indian bank | Funds arrive in INR directly in the recipient's Indian bank account, UPI or cash pickup. The sender pays the transfer fee and the exchange rate includes a spread Remitly does not publish. Any recipient-side charges are Not confirmed. | When INR is sent to your account | Family and personal remittances from the US to India |
| Transfer fee (US to India, paid by sender) | $3.99 below $1,000; $0 at $1,000 or more | – | Family and personal remittances from the US to India |
| First transfer for new customers | No fee, limited-time offer | – | Family and personal remittances from the US to India |
| FX conversion | Spread included in rate; markup not published | – | Family and personal remittances from the US to India |
| GST on fees | Not confirmed. Remitly does not publish GST treatment for Indian recipients; fees are charged to the foreign sender. | Applies to the platform's fee | Family and personal remittances from the US to India |
How do Dodo Payments and Remitly compare on settlement speed?
- Dodo Payments: Payout dates: bi-monthly by default (18th and 4th), weekly on request for higher volumes (11th, 18th, 25th and 4th) or monthly (11th of the following month), moved to the next business day after weekends and US Federal Reserve holidays; the FAQ says funds usually appear 1-2 business days after initiation, while the payouts documentation says arrival depends on the receiving bank and payout rail
- Remitly: Delivered to Indian bank accounts, UPI or cash pickup; Remitly shows a promised delivery time per transfer and refunds its fee if late. Specific timings Not confirmed.
| Platform | Settlement to India | Payout route | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dodo Payments | Bi-monthly payouts by default; usually 1-2 business days to arrive | USD, GBP or EUR to own bank; $25 SWIFT; bank converts | Indian founders selling SaaS and digital products worldwide |
| Remitly | Promised time per transfer; specific timings not confirmed | INR to bank, UPI or cash pickup; spread not published | Family and personal remittances from the US to India |
Do Dodo Payments and Remitly provide FIRA and e-BRC, and are they RBI PA-CB authorised?
| Platform | FIRA and e-BRC | RBI status | Checked | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dodo Payments | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | 30 Sept 2026 | Indian founders selling SaaS and digital products worldwide |
| Remitly | Not confirmed; not stated on Remitly pages | Not confirmed; not shown as PA-CB authorised | 30 Sept 2026 | Family and personal remittances from the US to India |
Which currencies, countries and payment methods do Dodo Payments and Remitly support?
| Platform | Currencies | Payment methods | Indian individuals | Indian businesses | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dodo Payments | Customers pay in 80+ currencies; payouts in USD, GBP, EUR only | International card and wallet payments via Dodo checkout; US ACH direct debit (one-time payments); SEPA direct debit; Indian UPI, RuPay and Indian cards (INR); Bank push transfer initiated by the customer | Yes, with PAN and ID, digital products | Yes, registered entities after KYB | Indian founders selling SaaS and digital products worldwide |
| Remitly | USD to INR for US to India corridor | Bank deposit to an Indian bank account (sent by a Remitly customer abroad); UPI payout in India; Cash pickup in India | Personal transfers only; not freelance or export payments | Not supported for receiving | Family and personal remittances from the US to India |
What are the strengths and limitations of Dodo Payments and Remitly?
Dodo Payments
- Tax handling: Dodo states it calculates, collects and files sales tax, VAT and GST for sales it processes
- Individual sign-up: creators and sole proprietors can register as individuals with PAN-based KYC
- No fixed costs: no monthly fee on the standard plan, per the pricing page
- Payout frequency: bi-monthly by default, weekly on request for higher volumes, with a threshold adjustable down to $50
- Digital products only: the merchant acceptance policy targets SaaS, AI products, digital goods, templates, plugins and apps, not client services or invoices
- Per-sale fee: 4% + 40c plus 1.5% for international cards is charged on each sale, calculated on the total including sales tax
- No INR payouts: the INR payout wallet was discontinued, so payouts are sent in USD, GBP or EUR and converted by the receiving bank
- Payout fees: $5 on payouts under $1,000 and $25 on USD SWIFT payouts to non-US businesses (whether both apply to a small SWIFT payout is not stated), plus any receiving and intermediary bank charges
Remitly
- Recipient simplicity: The Indian recipient needs only a bank account or UPI ID; the sender handles the transfer
- Published sender fee: USD to INR fee of $3.99 below $1,000 and $0 at $1,000 or more is shown on Remitly's site
- Multiple payout options: Bank deposit, UPI and cash pickup in India
- Delivery promise: Fee refund if the transfer arrives after the promised date
- Personal use only: The consumer service is limited to personal, family or household purposes, not business or export receipts
- Sender-initiated: Indian users cannot get collection account details or invoice clients through Remitly
- FX markup not disclosed: Remitly states it may earn on the exchange rate spread but does not publish the markup
- No published FIRA: Remitly does not state that it issues FIRA or e-FIRC for export documentation
Should you choose Dodo Payments or Remitly?
- Choose Dodo Payments if: you need Indian founders selling SaaS, AI tools, templates and other digital products to buyers worldwide.
- Choose Remitly if: you need family and personal remittances sent from the US to India.
For example, an exporter billing $5,000 a month: Neither platform publishes full pricing for Indian users.
Which other platforms should you consider besides Dodo Payments and Remitly?
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 | ₹4,69,991 | 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 | ₹4,67,646 | 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 | ₹4,64,631 | 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 | ₹4,64,253 | 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.
- Dodo Payments Pricing, Domestic (USA) cards and wallets 4% + 40c; International +1.5%; BNPL +3%; PayPal +3%; Domestic (India - INR) 4% + 15c +international payment fees; ACH 1.5% capped at $15, SEPA 1.5% capped at EUR 15, replaces the card fee; bank push transfers priced as standard transactions; Payouts free, fee of $5 if payout <$1000, standard FX applicable on non-USD settlements; USD SWIFT payouts $25; Adaptive Currency 2-4% FX fee charged to customer (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Dodo Payments Docs: Payouts Process, Bi-monthly payout dates 18th and 4th, weekly 11th/18th/25th/4th, monthly 11th; your bank converts the transfer on arrival at its own exchange rate; USD default threshold $100, lowest $50; INR native wallet discontinued; International SWIFT wire: USD SWIFT payout fee, deducted from the payout; Local bank transfer: none; payout fee is $5 for payouts below $1,000 (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Dodo Payments Docs: Balances, Three native wallets: USD, GBP, EUR (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Dodo Payments Docs: FAQ, Q31 GST for Indian merchants; Q35 PAN or GST; Q84 USD, GBP and EUR payout currencies, INR no longer a native payout wallet; Q99 bank and intermediary charges; Q100 payouts usually take 1-2 business days (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Dodo Payments Docs: Account Verification (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Dodo Payments Docs: Merchant of Record Introduction, Transaction fees are calculated on the total amount including tax, using standard pricing (example: 4% of $230, 1.5% international, $0.40 fixed) (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Dodo Payments Docs: Merchant Acceptance Policy (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Dodo Payments Docs: Accepted Countries and Territories (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Dodo Payments Terms of Use, Preamble naming group companies (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Remitly: Send Money to India from the US (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Remitly USD to INR rates and fees, Fee $3.99 below $1,000, $0 at $1,000 or more; promotional rate on first $6,000 (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Remitly User Agreement, Consumer use for personal, family or household purposes; FX spread disclosure; US residency and age 18; delivery promise; Remitly may limit transfer amounts per transaction or in aggregate; cash pickup cancelled if not collected within 60 days (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Remitly Business, For US-based companies paying freelancers, contractors and vendors abroad (checked 6 Oct 2026)
FAQs about Dodo Payments vs Remitly
Is Dodo Payments or Remitly 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, Dodo Payments or Remitly?
Dodo Payments states: Payout dates: bi-monthly by default (18th and 4th), weekly on request for higher volumes (11th, 18th, 25th and 4th) or monthly (11th of the following month), moved to the next business day after weekends and US Federal Reserve holidays; the FAQ says funds usually appear 1-2 business days after initiation. Specific timings Not confirmed..
Do Dodo Payments and Remitly both provide a FIRA?
Dodo Payments: Not confirmed (no FIRA, FIRC or e-FIRC mention found on official pages). Remitly: Not confirmed. Remitly does not state on its pages that it issues FIRA or e-FIRC to Indian recipients.. Check the platform's own pricing page before relying on these figures.
Are Dodo Payments and Remitly authorised by RBI?
Dodo Payments: Not confirmed. Remitly: Not confirmed. Remitly is not shown as an RBI PA-CB authorised entity on any page reviewed.. RBI publishes the list of authorised cross-border payment aggregators, so check the current list before relying on any platform's own statement about its status.
Can Indian freelancers use both Dodo Payments and Remitly?
Dodo Payments, individuals: Yes. Creators and sole proprietors can register as individuals; Indian individuals must provide PAN, government ID (via Persona) and a bank account in their own name, and must sell an eligible digital product. Remitly, individuals: Indian residents can receive personal transfers sent by family or friends abroad.
Should I switch from Dodo Payments to Remitly?
Switch only if Remitly pays more on your usual invoice size or fits how your clients pay. Keep the Dodo Payments account open until every invoice sent with its details is paid, and download your FIRA or FIRC records first.