Dodo Payments vs Skydo (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. Dodo Payments does not publish full pricing; Skydo does. Dodo Payments is best for Indian founders selling SaaS, AI tools, templates and other digital products to buyers worldwide. The table compares both by use case using published information.
| Use case | Better option | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Invoices around $2,000 | Not comparable | Dodo Payments does not publish full pricing; Skydo does. |
| Invoices around $5,000 | Not comparable | Dodo Payments does not publish full pricing; Skydo does. |
| Invoices around $10,000 | Not comparable | Dodo Payments does not publish full pricing; Skydo does. |
| Need: Indian founders selling SaaS, AI tools, templates and other digital products to buyers worldwide | Dodo Payments | Dodo Payments is built for this. |
| Need: Indian freelancers and exporters receiving mid to large B2B invoices by bank transfer | Skydo | Skydo is built for this. |
CurrencyUSD
At the mid-market rate
₹4,73,034
Highest payout: Skydo
₹4,69,796
- 1.Skydo₹4,69,796cost 0.68%
1 USD = 94.61 INR, ECB reference rate for 4 Nov 2026. Payout = amount minus fees, converted at the reference rate minus each platform's markup, minus 18% GST on fees where charged. Platforms without published pricing are left out.
How do Dodo Payments and Skydo compare at a glance?
| Attribute | Dodo Payments | Skydo |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Indian founders selling SaaS and digital products worldwide | Indian freelancers and exporters receiving mid to large B2B invoices |
| Fees | 4% + 40c + other fees; payout $5 below $1,000, $25 SWIFT | $19 up to $2,000, $29 to $10,000, 0.3% above + GST |
| FX markup | No INR conversion; Indian bank converts USD at its rate | States zero FX margin at live rate |
| Settlement | Bi-monthly payouts by default; usually 1-2 business days to arrive | States under 24 hours; FAQ timelines vary by rail |
| FIRA | Not confirmed | States instant, free FIRA per payment |
| Currencies | Customers pay in 80+ currencies; payouts in USD, GBP, EUR only | Local USD, GBP, EUR, CAD, AUD, SGD, AED; 32 via SWIFT |
| RBI status | Not confirmed | RBI authorised PA-CB Inward and Outward; on RBI list |
| Indian individuals | Yes, with PAN and ID, digital products | Yes, freelancers and sole proprietors with PAN |
| Indian businesses | Yes, registered entities after KYB | Yes, companies, partnerships and HUFs |
| 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. | Minimum USD 50 per payment; Skydo states there is no upper limit. Payments above USD 100,000 a month are priced on request. |
How much INR do you receive on $2,000, $5,000 and $10,000 with Dodo Payments vs Skydo?
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Skydo, $2,000 | ₹1,798 | ₹0 | ₹324 | ₹1,87,092 | 1.12% | Indian freelancers and exporters receiving mid to large B2B invoices |
| Skydo, $5,000 | ₹2,744 | ₹0 | ₹494 | ₹4,69,796 | 0.68% | Indian freelancers and exporters receiving mid to large B2B invoices |
| Skydo, $10,000 | ₹2,744 | ₹0 | ₹494 | ₹9,42,830 | 0.34% | Indian freelancers and exporters receiving mid to large B2B invoices |
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 Skydo and who is it for?
Skydo is a Bengaluru-based cross-border collection platform run by Skydo Technologies Private Limited, founded in 2022. It gives Indian exporters and freelancers local account details in the US, UK, Europe, Canada, Australia, Singapore and the UAE, plus an International SWIFT account, so foreign clients can pay by bank transfer. Skydo converts the funds and settles INR to the user's Indian bank account, issuing a FIRA for each payment.
- Regulated by: RBI authorised Payment Aggregator: PA-O 'Skydo' (08.01.2026) and PA-CB Inward and Outward (RBI Certificates of Authorisation list dated 30 September 2026)
- Used by: Yes. Private limited companies, partnerships and HUFs sign up with the business PAN; partnerships also provide the partnership deed.
- Best for: Indian freelancers and exporters receiving mid to large B2B invoices by bank transfer
How do Dodo Payments and Skydo 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 Skydo charge?
| Fee type | Amount | When it applies | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receiving: Local bank transfer to Skydo local account details (US, UK, Europe, Canada, Australia, Singapore, UAE) | $19 up to $2,000, $29 from $2,001 to $10,000, 0.3% above $10,000, plus GST | Skydo states SWIFT charges are not applicable for local transfers | Indian freelancers and exporters receiving mid to large B2B invoices |
| Receiving: SWIFT transfer to the International SWIFT account (32 currencies) | Same slab fee plus GST | SWIFT charges are borne by the sender or deducted in-line as the sender chooses; Skydo adds no further SWIFT fee for transfer to India | Indian freelancers and exporters receiving mid to large B2B invoices |
| Receiving: InstaLinks payment link (US ACH Debit) | 2% per transaction, minimum $9 | Typically settles within 6 business days; chargebacks possible | Indian freelancers and exporters receiving mid to large B2B invoices |
| Receiving: Amazon Global Selling withdrawals to Skydo accounts | 0.5% (min $2) for monthly payments under USD 10,000; 0.3% above USD 10,000 | Separate Amazon seller pricing | Indian freelancers and exporters receiving mid to large B2B invoices |
| Currency conversion to INR | Zero FX margin; Skydo states it converts at the live rate with no markup (its India payments page describes this as the live mid-market rate) | When foreign currency is converted | Indian freelancers and exporters receiving mid to large B2B invoices |
| Payout to an Indian bank | Skydo converts the received funds at the live rate with zero FX margin and settles INR to the user's registered Indian bank account; the only charge stated is the Skydo slab fee plus GST, with no extra SWIFT fee for the transfer to India. | When INR is sent to your account | Indian freelancers and exporters receiving mid to large B2B invoices |
| InstaLinks (ACH Debit payment link) | 2% per transaction, minimum $9 | – | Indian freelancers and exporters receiving mid to large B2B invoices |
| Refund or chargeback | User bears the original amount, processing fees and any bank transfer fees to return funds | – | Indian freelancers and exporters receiving mid to large B2B invoices |
| FIRA | Free (as stated by Skydo) | – | Indian freelancers and exporters receiving mid to large B2B invoices |
| Account opening or annual fee | Not confirmed | – | Indian freelancers and exporters receiving mid to large B2B invoices |
| GST on fees | GST at 18% is charged on the Skydo transaction fee, as shown in the homepage calculator and the FAQ ('+ GST'). | Applies to the platform's fee | Indian freelancers and exporters receiving mid to large B2B invoices |
How do Dodo Payments and Skydo 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
- Skydo: Skydo's FAQ gives standard timelines by local account: to the Skydo virtual account in 1 to 3 business days for USD ACH, EUR SEPA, CAD EFT and AUD, 1 business day for USD Fedwire and GBP FPS, and 1 to 5 business days for SWIFT; then to the Indian bank account in 1 business day for USD, GBP, EUR and SGD, 1 to 2 for CAD, and 1 to 3 for AUD and SWIFT. The homepage states payments are received in less than 24 hours. InstaLinks ACH Debit payments typically settle within 6 business days.
| 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 |
| Skydo | States under 24 hours; FAQ timelines vary by rail | INR to Indian bank at live rate; no extra SWIFT fee | Indian freelancers and exporters receiving mid to large B2B invoices |
Do Dodo Payments and Skydo 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 |
| Skydo | States instant, free FIRA per payment | RBI authorised PA-CB Inward and Outward; on RBI list | 30 Sept 2026 | Indian freelancers and exporters receiving mid to large B2B invoices |
Which currencies, countries and payment methods do Dodo Payments and Skydo 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 |
| Skydo | Local USD, GBP, EUR, CAD, AUD, SGD, AED; 32 via SWIFT | Local bank transfer to Skydo local account details (US, UK, Europe, Canada, Australia, Singapore, UAE); SWIFT transfer to the International SWIFT account (32 currencies); InstaLinks payment link (US ACH Debit); Amazon Global Selling withdrawals to Skydo accounts | Yes, freelancers and sole proprietors with PAN | Yes, companies, partnerships and HUFs | Indian freelancers and exporters receiving mid to large B2B invoices |
What are the strengths and limitations of Dodo Payments and Skydo?
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
Skydo
- FX: Zero FX margin on conversion to INR, as stated on the homepage and pricing section
- Predictable fees: Flat $19 or $29 per payment up to $10,000, so the effective rate falls as invoice size rises
- Compliance paperwork: FIRA issued instantly and stated to be free; Skydo says its FIRA and FIRC are accepted for GST filing and by banks
- Regulation: Listed by RBI as an authorised Payment Aggregator with PA-CB Inward and Outward authorisation
- Small payments: Minimum payment of USD 50, and a $19 flat fee is a high share of small invoices
- Card payments: Skydo's published pricing and FAQs list bank transfers and ACH Debit payment links only; no card payment option is listed
- InstaLinks cost: Payment links cost 2% per transaction with a $9 minimum and typically settle within 6 business days
- Chargebacks: For InstaLinks, the user is liable for chargeback amounts and fees, which Skydo may debit from the account
Should you choose Dodo Payments or Skydo?
- Choose Dodo Payments if: you need Indian founders selling SaaS, AI tools, templates and other digital products to buyers worldwide.
- Choose Skydo if: you need Indian freelancers and exporters receiving mid to large B2B invoices by bank transfer.
For example, an exporter billing $5,000 a month: Dodo Payments does not publish full pricing; Skydo does.
Which other platforms should you consider besides Dodo Payments and Skydo?
Other covered platforms ranked by the INR received on a $5,000 invoice.
| Platform | Fees | FX markup | FIRA | INR on $5,000 | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ₹4,67,452 | 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 | ₹4,64,438 | 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 | ₹4,64,060 | Existing HDFC customers wanting free SWIFT receipts or EEFC accounts |
| Wise Business | Calculator: 1.6% + $2 per payment + 18% GST | Mid-market rate; cost is the 1.6% conversion fee | eFIRC per transfer, 2 USD + 18% GST | ₹4,64,051 | Freelancers and small exporters wanting multi-currency local accounts and eFIRC |
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.
- 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)
- Skydo homepage (pricing and fee calculator), Know what you pay; calculator showing GST 18% of transaction fee (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Skydo FAQs: Fees & charges, How much does Skydo charge; Who will bear the SWIFT charges; Payment Links fees; Refund or chargeback fees (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Skydo FAQs: Payment queries, When will I receive money (timeline table); FIRA vs FIRC; Limitations and Restrictions (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Skydo FAQs: International accounts, Countries for local accounts; currencies via SWIFT account; unsupported countries (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Skydo FAQs: InstaLinks, Fees, settlement timeline, chargebacks (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Skydo: Receive International Payments in India, Skydo section: FIRA instant, automatic and free; settlement within 24 hours (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Skydo for Amazon Global Sellers, Know what you pay (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Skydo Terms of Use, About Skydo; Export transaction collection payments; KYC Process (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Skydo About Us (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Skydo blog: How to Sign Up on Skydo in 5 Minutes, What Do You Need Before You Sign Up on Skydo (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- RBI: Certificates of Authorisation issued under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 (dated 30 September 2026), Section A, Payment Aggregators, serial 56, and footnote # (checked 6 Oct 2026)
FAQs about Dodo Payments vs Skydo
Is Dodo Payments or Skydo cheaper for receiving USD in India?
Dodo Payments does not publish full pricing; Skydo does. At $2,000: Dodo Payments does not publish full pricing; Skydo does. At $10,000: Dodo Payments does not publish full pricing; Skydo does. 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 Skydo?
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.
Do Dodo Payments and Skydo both provide a FIRA?
Dodo Payments: Not confirmed (no FIRA, FIRC or e-FIRC mention found on official pages). Skydo: FIRA issued instantly for each payment, emailed and downloadable from the dashboard; Skydo states it is free. Check the platform's own pricing page before relying on these figures.
Are Dodo Payments and Skydo authorised by RBI?
Dodo Payments: Not confirmed. Skydo: RBI authorised Payment Aggregator: PA-O 'Skydo' (08.01.2026) and PA-CB Inward and Outward (RBI Certificates of Authorisation list dated 30 September 2026). 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 Skydo?
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. Skydo, individuals: Yes. Payments must be for export of goods, services or software.
Should I switch from Dodo Payments to Skydo?
Switch only if Skydo 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.