PayU vs Dodo Payments (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. PayU is best for Indian businesses taking international card payments on a website or checkout. Dodo Payments is best for Indian founders selling SaaS, AI tools, templates and other digital products to buyers worldwide.
| 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 businesses taking international card payments on a website or checkout | PayU | PayU is built for this. |
| Need: Indian founders selling SaaS, AI tools, templates and other digital products to buyers worldwide | Dodo Payments | Dodo Payments is built for this. |
How do PayU and Dodo Payments compare at a glance?
| Attribute | PayU | Dodo Payments |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Indian businesses taking international card payments online | Indian founders selling SaaS and digital products worldwide |
| Fees | 3% international + 18% GST; custom pricing for higher volume | 4% + 40c + other fees; payout $5 below $1,000, $25 SWIFT |
| FX markup | Not confirmed; inter-bank rate, no margin published | No INR conversion; Indian bank converts USD at its rate |
| Settlement | States T+2 business days in INR | Bi-monthly payouts by default; usually 1-2 business days to arrive |
| FIRA | Not confirmed; not mentioned on public pages | Not confirmed |
| Currencies | States 135+ currencies including USD, EUR, GBP, settled in INR | Customers pay in 80+ currencies; payouts in USD, GBP, EUR only |
| RBI status | Not confirmed; no PA-CB claim or RBI listing verified | Not confirmed |
| Indian individuals | Freelancers addressed; eligibility without entity not confirmed | Yes, with PAN and ID, digital products |
| Indian businesses | Yes, subject to PayU and bank due diligence | Yes, registered entities after KYB |
| Limits | Not confirmed | 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. |
How much INR do you receive on $2,000, $5,000 and $10,000 with PayU vs Dodo Payments?
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PayU, $2,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Indian businesses taking international card payments online |
| PayU, $5,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Indian businesses taking international card payments online |
| PayU, $10,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Indian businesses taking international card payments online |
| 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 |
What is PayU and who is it for?
PayU is an Indian payment gateway that lets merchants accept online payments through cards, UPI, net banking and wallets. For overseas customers, it accepts international credit and debit cards and PayPal at checkout, converts the amount to INR and settles to the merchant's Indian bank account. It is a checkout tool. It does not give users foreign bank account details for receiving bank transfers.
- Regulated by: Not confirmed. PA-CB status could not be verified on rbi.org.in, and PayU's pages make no PA-CB claim
- Used by: Yes. New merchants sign up online, and existing merchants enable international payments through help.payu.in or care@payu.in. PayU's international card terms (clause 1.2(b)) say international card processing is provided at PayU's discretion, subject to additional due diligence by PayU, the acquiring banks and the nodal bank, and that approval can be withdrawn at any time
- Best for: Indian businesses taking international card payments on a website or checkout
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
How do PayU and Dodo Payments fees and FX markup compare?
What does PayU charge?
| Fee type | Amount | When it applies | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receiving: International credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express) | 3% for international transactions plus 18% GST on the standard plan; FX markup not confirmed | PayU's international payments page says specific rates come from an account manager or care@payu.in | Indian businesses taking international card payments online |
| Receiving: PayPal wallet at checkout | Not confirmed | – | Indian businesses taking international card payments online |
| Receiving: Foreign bank transfer (ACH, SWIFT) to local account details | Not offered | PayU's public pages do not describe any foreign account details | Indian businesses taking international card payments online |
| Currency conversion to INR | Not confirmed. PayU's terms say it converts at the inter-bank rate decided by the banks or card associations, shared in the daily merchant payment report (non-business days use the previous business day's rate); no margin over mid-market is published | When foreign currency is converted | Indian businesses taking international card payments online |
| Payout to an Indian bank | PayU converts international payments to INR and settles to the merchant's Indian bank account, typically within T+2 business days. The fee is deducted per transaction. Same-day or priority settlement may carry a nominal extra fee | When INR is sent to your account | Indian businesses taking international card payments online |
| Setup, onboarding or annual fee | None on the standard plan | – | Indian businesses taking international card payments online |
| Same-day or priority settlement | Nominal fee may apply; amount not published | – | Indian businesses taking international card payments online |
| Domestic payments | 2% for Visa, Mastercard, net banking, BNPL and wallets; 3% for Diners, American Express and EMI; plus 18% GST | – | Indian businesses taking international card payments online |
| Currency Calculator Fee (multicurrency checkout) | Charged to the paying customer, not the merchant, at a rate PayU specifies at the time of payment, with the customer's consent (international card terms, clause 1.2(g)); rate not published | – | Indian businesses taking international card payments online |
| GST on fees | PayU's pricing page states "18% GST applicable on all transactions". It does not spell out the base further; GST is shown alongside its transaction fees | Applies to the platform's fee | Indian businesses taking international card payments online |
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 |
How do PayU and Dodo Payments compare on settlement speed?
- PayU: T+2 business days in INR, as PayU states; same-day and priority settlement offered to some business categories, possibly for a fee
- 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
| Platform | Settlement to India | Payout route | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| PayU | States T+2 business days in INR | INR to Indian bank, typically T+2; fee deducted per transaction | Indian businesses taking international card payments online |
| 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 |
Do PayU and Dodo Payments provide FIRA and e-BRC, and are they RBI PA-CB authorised?
| Platform | FIRA and e-BRC | RBI status | Checked | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PayU | Not confirmed; not mentioned on public pages | Not confirmed; no PA-CB claim or RBI listing verified | 30 Sept 2026 | Indian businesses taking international card payments online |
| Dodo Payments | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | 30 Sept 2026 | Indian founders selling SaaS and digital products worldwide |
Which currencies, countries and payment methods do PayU and Dodo Payments support?
| Platform | Currencies | Payment methods | Indian individuals | Indian businesses | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PayU | States 135+ currencies including USD, EUR, GBP, settled in INR | International credit and debit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express); PayPal wallet at checkout; Foreign bank transfer (ACH, SWIFT) to local account details | Freelancers addressed; eligibility without entity not confirmed | Yes, subject to PayU and bank due diligence | Indian businesses taking international card payments online |
| 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 |
What are the strengths and limitations of PayU and Dodo Payments?
PayU
- Published base rate: the standard plan lists 3% for international transactions, plus 18% GST
- No fixed costs: no setup, onboarding or annual fees on the standard plan
- Fast settlement: T+2 business days to an Indian bank account
- One checkout: domestic and international payments run through the same gateway
- FX markup not published: PayU's terms name an inter-bank rate set by banks or card associations but do not state its margin over mid-market
- No bank transfer receiving: there are no local USD, GBP or EUR account details for clients who pay by wire or ACH
- Pricing on request and approval needed: the international payments page sends merchants to an account manager for detailed rates, and PayU's international card terms say the service is provided at PayU's discretion, subject to extra due diligence by PayU and its acquiring and nodal banks
- FIRA not documented: PayU's public pages say nothing about FIRA or FIRC for international receipts
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
Should you choose PayU or Dodo Payments?
- Choose PayU if: you need Indian businesses taking international card payments on a website or checkout.
- Choose Dodo Payments if: you need Indian founders selling SaaS, AI tools, templates and other digital products to buyers worldwide.
For example, an exporter billing $5,000 a month: Neither platform publishes full pricing for Indian users.
Which other platforms should you consider besides PayU and Dodo Payments?
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 | ₹4,69,887 | 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 | ₹4,67,542 | 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 | ₹4,64,528 | 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 | ₹4,64,149 | 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.
- PayU Pricing, 3% for Diners, American Express, EMI, International transactions; 18% GST applicable on all transactions; No set-up fee; standard settlement T+2; custom pricing slabs for higher volumes or enterprise needs, based on payment mode, industry type, risk profile, transaction volume, value-added features and processing requirements; no setup, onboarding or annual fees (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- PayU International Payments, 135+ currencies; Visa, Mastercard, American Express and PayPal; INR conversion at transaction-date rate; T+2 business days; specific rates via account manager or care@payu.in; compliance with global standards (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- PayU terms for international card processing and multicurrency payments, 1.2(e): the exchange rate used by PayU for all Authorised Currencies will be the inter-bank rate as decided by the respective banks or card associations and as shared by PayU with the Merchant by issuing the merchant payment report on every Business Day; non-Business Day transactions use the rate of the immediately preceding Business Day; 1.2(b): the International Card Processing Payment Mechanism and the Multicurrency Payment Feature shall be provided solely at PayU's discretion, subject to additional due diligence and criteria specified by PayU and/or Acquiring Banks and the Nodal Bank, who may withdraw approval at any time; 1.2(g): PayU may charge Customers a Currency Calculator Fee at a rate specified at the time of payment, upon the Customer consenting (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- 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)
FAQs about PayU vs Dodo Payments
Is PayU or Dodo Payments 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, PayU or Dodo Payments?
PayU states: T+2 business days in INR, as PayU states; same-day and priority settlement offered to some business categories, possibly for a fee. Actual timing also depends on the payment method your client uses, cut-off times and bank holidays, so allow extra time for the first payment on either platform.
Do PayU and Dodo Payments both provide a FIRA?
PayU: Not confirmed. PayU's public pages do not mention FIRA, FIRC or e-FIRC. Dodo Payments: Not confirmed (no FIRA, FIRC or e-FIRC mention found on official pages). A FIRA or FIRC is used as proof of export for GST refunds and income tax records, so confirm how each platform issues it before you invoice.
Are PayU and Dodo Payments authorised by RBI?
PayU: Not confirmed. PA-CB status could not be verified on rbi.org.in, and PayU's pages make no PA-CB claim. Dodo Payments: Not confirmed. 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 PayU and Dodo Payments?
PayU, individuals: PayU's international payments page addresses freelancers such as designers, developers, consultants and coaches. Its public pages do not state the KYC or entity conditions for individuals, so eligibility without a business entity is Not confirmed Dodo Payments, individuals: Yes. Eligibility can change, so confirm on each platform's sign-up pages.
Should I switch from PayU to Dodo Payments?
Switch only if Dodo Payments pays more on your usual invoice size or fits how your clients pay. Keep the PayU account open until every invoice sent with its details is paid, and download your FIRA or FIRC records first.