PingPong 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. PingPong is best for Indian marketplace sellers (Amazon and similar) collecting in multiple currencies. 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 marketplace sellers (Amazon and similar) collecting in multiple currencies | PingPong | PingPong is built for this. |
| Need: family and personal remittances sent from the US to India | Remitly | Remitly is built for this. |
How do PingPong and Remitly compare at a glance?
| Attribute | PingPong | Remitly |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Indian marketplace sellers collecting in multiple currencies | Family and personal remittances from the US to India |
| Fees | Free receiving; 1% withdrawal, may vary by region | Sender pays $3.99 below $1,000, $0 from $1,000; recipient charges not confirmed |
| FX markup | Not confirmed; Amazon page states all-inclusive up to 1% | Not published; may earn from rate difference |
| Settlement | Conflicting: T+0 before 2:30 pm cut-off, or 1-2 days | Promised time per transfer; specific timings not confirmed |
| FIRA | Free digital FIRC per transaction, 3-5 business days | Not confirmed; not stated on Remitly pages |
| Currencies | Receives USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD, JPY and more; INR or EEFC | USD to INR for US to India corridor |
| RBI status | States OPGSP via RBI-approved liaison office; PA-CB not confirmed | Not confirmed; not shown as PA-CB authorised |
| Indian individuals | Not confirmed without business registration | Personal transfers only; not freelance or export payments |
| Indian businesses | Yes, sellers, exporters and service businesses | Not supported for receiving |
| Limits | PingPong's Terms and Conditions (India section) allow receipts for exports of goods or services of value not exceeding the equivalent of INR 25,00,000 (about USD 30,000) per transaction. Receiving accounts also have a virtual account limit that can be raised by applying in the dashboard; specific amounts 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 PingPong 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PingPong, $2,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Indian marketplace sellers collecting in multiple currencies |
| PingPong, $5,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Indian marketplace sellers collecting in multiple currencies |
| PingPong, $10,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Indian marketplace sellers collecting in multiple currencies |
| 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 PingPong and who is it for?
PingPong is a cross-border payments company founded in New York in 2015 and headquartered in Hangzhou, China, which has operated in India since July 2019 from a Bengaluru office. Indian e-commerce sellers, exporters and freelancers open virtual receiving accounts in foreign currencies, link them to marketplaces or share them with clients, and withdraw to an Indian bank account in INR or, through an EEFC account, in foreign currency.
- Regulated by: States its India Liaison Office is RBI-approved (UIN BGLO19008226) and that it acts as an OPGSP; RBI PA-CB authorisation Not confirmed
- Used by: Yes. India pages target e-commerce sellers, exporters and service businesses; KYC includes business information.
- Best for: Indian marketplace sellers (Amazon and similar) collecting in multiple currencies
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 PingPong and Remitly fees and FX markup compare?
What does PingPong charge?
| Fee type | Amount | When it applies | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receiving: Local virtual receiving accounts (e.g. USD routing and account number) linked to marketplaces | Free to receive per help centre; 1% on withdrawal | Help centre lists Amazon, AliExpress, eBay, TikTok, Shopee and others, developer platforms such as Google and App Store, and platforms paying via PayPal or Stripe | Indian marketplace sellers collecting in multiple currencies |
| Receiving: Direct bank or wire transfer from overseas buyers | Free to receive per help centre; 1% on withdrawal | Requires invoice or contract for inbound approval; some accounts reject funds from individual payers | Indian marketplace sellers collecting in multiple currencies |
| Receiving: Payment request or invoice | Not confirmed | India pages say bank transfers and US debit card payments are accepted | Indian marketplace sellers collecting in multiple currencies |
| Currency conversion to INR | Not confirmed: the terms say conversion is at the rate PingPong determines at transaction time; the Amazon seller page describes pricing as 'all-inclusive up to 1%'; no separate FX markup is published | When foreign currency is converted | Indian marketplace sellers collecting in multiple currencies |
| Payout to an Indian bank | Funds are withdrawn automatically to a linked Indian bank account in INR (T+0 before the 2:30 pm cut-off, else T+1) or to an EEFC account in foreign currency (1-3 days); the help centre states a 1% withdrawal fee that may vary by region. | When INR is sent to your account | Indian marketplace sellers collecting in multiple currencies |
| Account opening | Free | – | Indian marketplace sellers collecting in multiple currencies |
| Receiving account | 'Most accounts are free to use' | – | Indian marketplace sellers collecting in multiple currencies |
| Withdrawal to own bank account or supplier payment | 1% per transaction (may vary by region) | – | Indian marketplace sellers collecting in multiple currencies |
| Digital FIRC | Free | – | Indian marketplace sellers collecting in multiple currencies |
| VAT and global tax payments | No additional fee, per India pages | – | Indian marketplace sellers collecting in multiple currencies |
| Transfers within the PingPong network | No charge, per the India B2B page (listed under supplier payments for businesses with US/UK/EU entities) | – | Indian marketplace sellers collecting in multiple currencies |
| GST on fees | Not confirmed: PingPong's India pages and terms do not state whether GST is charged on its fees. The India home page's 'Pay VAT/GST and other taxes with no additional costs' refers to paying taxes from the balance, not to GST on PingPong's fees. | Applies to the platform's fee | Indian marketplace sellers collecting in multiple currencies |
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 PingPong and Remitly compare on settlement speed?
- PingPong: Help centre: INR withdrawals succeed the same day (T+0) if submitted before the 2:30 pm cut-off, otherwise the next day (T+1); non-INR withdrawals within 1-3 days. The freelancer page separately says INR withdrawals take 1-2 working days
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| PingPong | Conflicting: T+0 before 2:30 pm cut-off, or 1-2 days | Auto INR, T+0 before 2:30 pm else T+1; 1% fee, may vary | Indian marketplace sellers collecting in multiple currencies |
| 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 PingPong and Remitly provide FIRA and e-BRC, and are they RBI PA-CB authorised?
| Platform | FIRA and e-BRC | RBI status | Checked | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PingPong | Free digital FIRC per transaction, 3-5 business days | States OPGSP via RBI-approved liaison office; PA-CB not confirmed | 30 Sept 2026 | Indian marketplace sellers collecting in multiple currencies |
| 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 PingPong and Remitly support?
| Platform | Currencies | Payment methods | Indian individuals | Indian businesses | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PingPong | Receives USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD, JPY and more; INR or EEFC | Local virtual receiving accounts (e.g. USD routing and account number) linked to marketplaces; Direct bank or wire transfer from overseas buyers; Payment request or invoice | Not confirmed without business registration | Yes, sellers, exporters and service businesses | Indian marketplace sellers collecting in multiple currencies |
| 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 PingPong and Remitly?
PingPong
- Marketplace focus: India pages list Amazon US, UK, EU, Japan, Canada and Australia, plus other marketplaces and PayPal or Stripe payouts
- Fast INR payout: help centre says same day for INR withdrawals submitted before 2:30 pm (the freelancer page says 1-2 working days)
- Free FIRC: digital FIRC per transaction at no charge
- Free receiving: help centre says opening an account and receiving payments is free
- Pricing opacity: the 1% figure 'may vary from region to region' and no FX markup or GST treatment is published
- Regulatory status in India: platform describes itself as an OPGSP with an RBI-approved liaison office; PA-CB authorisation not confirmed on an RBI page
- Inbound checks: wire transfers need order information (invoice or contract) for approval, and rejected payments take around 15-20 working days to return
- Personal payers: some receiving accounts do not accept funds from individual accounts
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 PingPong or Remitly?
- Choose PingPong if: you need Indian marketplace sellers (Amazon and similar) collecting in multiple currencies.
- 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 PingPong 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 | ₹4,71,037 | 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 | ₹4,68,686 | 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 | ₹4,65,665 | 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 | ₹4,65,286 | 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.
- PingPong India home, Digital FIRCs in your PingPong dashboard. Free of cost; All fee charges are shown on the account dashboard (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- PingPong India: For Amazon Sellers, All-inclusive transaction fee up to 1%; FIRC for each transaction (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- PingPong India: Freelancers and service providers (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- PingPong India: E-commerce sellers (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- PingPong India: B2B payments, OPGSP with partner Citibank; no charge for transfers within network (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- PingPong India: Value added services (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- PingPong India: Licensing and regulation, RBI-approved liaison office BGLO19008226; OPGSP (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- PingPong India: About us (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Help centre: What is the charging standard?, Creating a PingPong account and receiving payment is free of charge. Withdraw balance ... will be charged 1% per transaction. However, fee standard may vary from region to region (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Help centre: What does KYC mean? (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Help centre: What does sole proprietorship mean? (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Help centre: How long does the verification process take? (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Help centre: How does your virtual account charge? (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Help centre: Which currencies are supported? (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Help centre: Which platforms can I receive payments from? (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Help centre: Can I receive funds through wire transfer? (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Help centre: Transfer conditions (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Help centre: Increase virtual account limit (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Help centre: How can I withdraw funds?, INR T+0 before 2:30 pm cut-off; non-INR 1-3 days (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Help centre: How can I get a FIRC?, 3-5 business days (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- PingPong Terms and Conditions (incl. Exhibit A, Customer Location in India), value not exceeding the equivalent of ₹25,00,000 (approximately US$30,000) per transaction; conversion at the foreign exchange rate at the applicable transaction time as determined by PingPong; Export Collection Account with an AD Bank in India (checked 7 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 PingPong vs Remitly
Is PingPong 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, PingPong or Remitly?
PingPong states: Help centre: INR withdrawals succeed the same day (T+0) if submitted before the 2:30 pm cut-off, otherwise the next day (T+1); non-INR withdrawals within 1-3 days. The freelancer page separately says INR withdrawals take 1-2 working days. Specific timings Not confirmed..
Do PingPong and Remitly both provide a FIRA?
PingPong: Free digital FIRC per transaction, applied for from the dashboard; the help centre says applications complete in 3-5 business days. Remitly: Not confirmed. Remitly does not state on its pages that it issues FIRA or e-FIRC to Indian recipients..
Are PingPong and Remitly authorised by RBI?
PingPong: States its India Liaison Office is RBI-approved (UIN BGLO19008226) and that it acts as an OPGSP; RBI PA-CB authorisation Not confirmed. Remitly: Not confirmed. Remitly is not shown as an RBI PA-CB authorised entity on any page reviewed.. Check the platform's own pricing page before relying on these figures.
Can Indian freelancers use both PingPong and Remitly?
PingPong, individuals: Not confirmed. India pages market to freelancers and service providers, and the help centre lists sole proprietorship as a business type requiring business documents; whether an individual without a business registration can sign up is not stated. Remitly, individuals: Indian residents can receive personal transfers sent by family or friends abroad.
Should I switch from PingPong to Remitly?
Switch only if Remitly pays more on your usual invoice size or fits how your clients pay. Keep the PingPong account open until every invoice sent with its details is paid, and download your FIRA or FIRC records first. Check the platform's own pricing page before relying on these figures.