Export Services India

Karbon Business (Karbon FX) vs Skydo (2026): Which Is Better for Receiving International Payments in India?

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Short answer

The better choice depends on how your clients pay and which documents you need. Karbon Business (Karbon FX) does not publish full pricing; Skydo does. Karbon Business (Karbon FX) is best for Indian exporters and service businesses that want local USD account details and INR credits with FIRA. The table compares both by use case using published information.

CurrencyUSD

At the mid-market rate

₹4,73,937

Highest payout: Skydo

₹4,70,693

  1. 1.Skydo₹4,70,693cost 0.68%

1 USD = 94.79 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 Karbon Business (Karbon FX) and Skydo compare at a glance?

How much INR do you receive on $2,000, $5,000 and $10,000 with Karbon Business (Karbon FX) 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.

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

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 Karbon Business (Karbon FX) and Skydo fees and FX markup compare?

What does Karbon Business (Karbon FX) charge?

What does Skydo charge?

How do Karbon Business (Karbon FX) and Skydo compare on settlement speed?

  • 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
  • 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.

Do Karbon Business (Karbon FX) and Skydo provide FIRA and e-BRC, and are they RBI PA-CB authorised?

Which currencies, countries and payment methods do Karbon Business (Karbon FX) and Skydo support?

What are the strengths and limitations of Karbon Business (Karbon FX) and Skydo?

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

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 Karbon Business (Karbon FX) or Skydo?

  • Choose Karbon Business (Karbon FX) if: you need Indian exporters and service businesses that want local USD account details and INR credits with FIRA.
  • 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: Karbon Business (Karbon FX) does not publish full pricing; Skydo does.

Which other platforms should you consider besides Karbon Business (Karbon FX) and Skydo?

Other covered platforms ranked by the INR received on a $5,000 invoice.

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.

  1. 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)
  2. Karbon For Freelancers, Virtual USD account; FIRA issued by licensed banking partner; 0% markup claim; 24-48 hours (checked 6 Oct 2026)
  3. Karbon For Exporters, USD, EUR, GBP; FIRA and shipping bill mapping; 0% markup claim; 24-48 hours; dedicated account manager (checked 6 Oct 2026)
  4. Karbon Business vs Payoneer (Karbon page), Forex Markup 0.5%-1.0%; Transaction fee: 1%, 0% Forex markup (checked 6 Oct 2026)
  5. Karbon Help Centre: Pricing & Fees, Settlement cut-off 3:00 PM IST; receiving rail timelines; currencies; KYC; limits; GST invoices (checked 6 Oct 2026)
  6. 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)
  7. Do you provide a FIRA for every transaction?, e-FIRA within 1-2 business days (checked 6 Oct 2026)
  8. 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)
  9. 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)
  10. 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)
  11. Karbon Business vs Stripe (Karbon page), Forex Markup 0.5%-1.0%; feature panel: Transaction fee: 1%, 0% Forex markup (checked 7 Oct 2026)
  12. 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)
  13. 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)
  14. 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)
  15. 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)
  16. Skydo homepage (pricing and fee calculator), Know what you pay; calculator showing GST 18% of transaction fee (checked 6 Oct 2026)
  17. 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)
  18. Skydo FAQs: Payment queries, When will I receive money (timeline table); FIRA vs FIRC; Limitations and Restrictions (checked 6 Oct 2026)
  19. Skydo FAQs: International accounts, Countries for local accounts; currencies via SWIFT account; unsupported countries (checked 6 Oct 2026)
  20. Skydo FAQs: InstaLinks, Fees, settlement timeline, chargebacks (checked 6 Oct 2026)
  21. Skydo: Receive International Payments in India, Skydo section: FIRA instant, automatic and free; settlement within 24 hours (checked 6 Oct 2026)
  22. Skydo for Amazon Global Sellers, Know what you pay (checked 6 Oct 2026)
  23. Skydo Terms of Use, About Skydo; Export transaction collection payments; KYC Process (checked 6 Oct 2026)
  24. Skydo About Us (checked 6 Oct 2026)
  25. 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)
  26. 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 Karbon Business (Karbon FX) vs Skydo

Is Karbon Business (Karbon FX) or Skydo cheaper for receiving USD in India?

Karbon Business (Karbon FX) does not publish full pricing; Skydo does. At $2,000: Karbon Business (Karbon FX) does not publish full pricing; Skydo does. At $10,000: Karbon Business (Karbon FX) 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, Karbon Business (Karbon FX) or Skydo?

Karbon Business (Karbon FX) states: 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.

Do Karbon Business (Karbon FX) and Skydo both provide a FIRA?

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. Skydo: FIRA issued instantly for each payment, emailed and downloadable from the dashboard; Skydo states it is free.

Are Karbon Business (Karbon FX) and Skydo authorised by RBI?

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. 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).

Can Indian freelancers use both Karbon Business (Karbon FX) and Skydo?

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. The Karbon Forex terms describe the User as an entity duly incorporated under the laws of India, so eligibility for unregistered individuals is not confirmed Skydo, individuals: Yes.

Should I switch from Karbon Business (Karbon FX) to Skydo?

Switch only if Skydo pays more on your usual invoice size or fits how your clients pay. Keep the Karbon Business (Karbon FX) account open until every invoice sent with its details is paid, and download your FIRA or FIRC records first.