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

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.

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subject to additional due diligence by PayU, the acquiring banks and the nodal bank, and that approval can be withdrawn at any time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

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

• PayU: T+2 business days in INR, as PayU states; same-day and priority settlement offered to some business categories, possibly for a fee
• 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.

• Choose PayU if: you need Indian businesses taking international card payments on a website or checkout.
• 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: PayU does not publish full pricing; Skydo does.

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

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. 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)
2. 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)
3. 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)
4. Skydo homepage (pricing and fee calculator), Know what you pay; calculator showing GST 18% of transaction fee (checked 6 Oct 2026)
5. 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)
6. Skydo FAQs: Payment queries, When will I receive money (timeline table); FIRA vs FIRC; Limitations and Restrictions (checked 6 Oct 2026)
7. Skydo FAQs: International accounts, Countries for local accounts; currencies via SWIFT account; unsupported countries (checked 6 Oct 2026)
8. Skydo FAQs: InstaLinks, Fees, settlement timeline, chargebacks (checked 6 Oct 2026)
9. Skydo: Receive International Payments in India, Skydo section: FIRA instant, automatic and free; settlement within 24 hours (checked 6 Oct 2026)
10. Skydo for Amazon Global Sellers, Know what you pay (checked 6 Oct 2026)
11. Skydo Terms of Use, About Skydo; Export transaction collection payments; KYC Process (checked 6 Oct 2026)
12. Skydo About Us (checked 6 Oct 2026)
13. 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)
14. 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)