Wise Business vs Adyen (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. Adyen does not publish full pricing; Wise Business does. Wise Business is best for freelancers and small exporters wanting local account details in several currencies with an eFIRC per payment. Adyen is best for large enterprises accepting card and UPI payments from Indian shoppers.
| Use case | Better option | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Invoices around $2,000 | Not comparable | Adyen does not publish full pricing; Wise Business does. |
| Invoices around $5,000 | Not comparable | Adyen does not publish full pricing; Wise Business does. |
| Invoices around $10,000 | Not comparable | Adyen does not publish full pricing; Wise Business does. |
| Need: freelancers and small exporters wanting local account details in several currencies with an eFIRC per payment | Wise Business | Wise Business is built for this. |
| Need: large enterprises accepting card and UPI payments from Indian shoppers | Adyen | Adyen is built for this. |
CurrencyUSD
At the mid-market rate
₹4,73,493
Highest payout: Wise Business
₹4,64,502
- 1.Wise Business₹4,64,502cost 1.90%
1 USD = 94.70 INR, ECB reference rate for 3 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 Wise Business and Adyen compare at a glance?
| Attribute | Wise Business | Adyen |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Freelancers and small exporters wanting multi-currency local accounts and eFIRC | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
| Fees | Calculator: 1.6% + $2 per payment + 18% GST | Indicative $0.13/txn + Interchange++ + 0.60% for cards; custom pricing |
| FX markup | Mid-market rate; cost is the 1.6% conversion fee | Not confirmed: reference rate + contract-set FX fee, not published |
| Settlement | States under 90 minutes in business hours | INR local payout, up to two days; export timing unpublished |
| FIRA | eFIRC per transfer, 2 USD + 18% GST | Not confirmed: no FIRA or FIRC provision published |
| Currencies | Receive USD, GBP, EUR, AUD, CAD, NZD, SGD, HUF; to INR | Fees in USD; multi-currency bank accounts; accepts INR from Indian shoppers |
| RBI status | States in-principle PA-CB approval; not found on RBI page | States PA-Online and PA-CB-Outward; not independently confirmed |
| Indian individuals | Only via Wise Business as sole trader/freelancer | Not confirmed: no offering for Indian individuals |
| Indian businesses | Yes; other business types can join waitlist | Domestic acquiring yes; export receipts not confirmed |
| Limits | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
How much INR do you receive on $2,000, $5,000 and $10,000 with Wise Business vs Adyen?
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wise Business, $2,000 | ₹3,159 | ₹0 | ₹569 | ₹1,85,669 | 1.97% | Freelancers and small exporters wanting multi-currency local accounts and eFIRC |
| Wise Business, $5,000 | ₹7,619 | ₹0 | ₹1,372 | ₹4,64,502 | 1.90% | Freelancers and small exporters wanting multi-currency local accounts and eFIRC |
| Wise Business, $10,000 | ₹15,053 | ₹0 | ₹2,710 | ₹9,29,223 | 1.88% | Freelancers and small exporters wanting multi-currency local accounts and eFIRC |
| Adyen, $2,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
| Adyen, $5,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
| Adyen, $10,000 | – | – | – | Not published | – | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
What is Wise Business and who is it for?
Wise is a UK-headquartered money transfer company. In India, receiving money from abroad is offered only through Wise Business, which gives local account details in eight currencies, converts incoming payments to INR at the mid-market rate and pays them to the user's Indian bank account. Freelancers can sign up under the sole trader / freelancer business type.
- Regulated by: States that Wise Payments India Private Limited is an in-principle approved Payment Aggregator - Cross Border and that inward remittance runs through a local bank partner with RBI approval (platform's claim; not found on an RBI page)
- Used by: Yes. Wise onboards sole trader / freelancer, sole proprietorship, private limited company, limited liability partnership and general partnership; other business types can join a waitlist.
- Best for: Freelancers and small exporters wanting local account details in several currencies with an eFIRC per payment
What is Adyen and who is it for?
Adyen is a Netherlands-headquartered payment platform for enterprise merchants. Its India page states it has operated in India since 2018 and holds RBI authorisations for domestic online payments and cross-border outward payments, which cover global brands collecting INR from Indian shoppers. It does not publish a product for Indian freelancers or exporters to receive foreign client payments into an Indian bank account.
- Regulated by: States it holds RBI authorisations for domestic (PA-Online) and cross-border outward (PA-CB-Outward) payments; not independently confirmed on an RBI list
- Used by: Indian businesses can use Adyen for domestic online acquiring (PA-Online, as stated by Adyen); use for receiving export payments from foreign clients is not confirmed
- Best for: Large enterprises accepting card and UPI payments from Indian shoppers
How do Wise Business and Adyen fees and FX markup compare?
What does Wise Business charge?
| Fee type | Amount | When it applies | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receiving: US ACH to USD account details (routing and account number) | 1.6% conversion fee, 2 USD eFIRC fee and 18% GST on both in Wise's calculator (20.86 USD total on 1,000 USD on 2026-10-06) | – | Freelancers and small exporters wanting multi-currency local accounts and eFIRC |
| Receiving: International Swift or wire to USD account details | 27.93 USD total on 1,000 USD in Wise's calculator on 2026-10-06 | Wise's price data adds a 6.11 USD pay-in fee to the conversion fee for wire receipts; the page does not explain this in words | Freelancers and small exporters wanting multi-currency local accounts and eFIRC |
| Receiving: Payment from a client's Wise account | Not confirmed | Wise says the client can skip bank transfer or wire transfer fees and that the user saves 4.14 USD on USD wire fees if the client pays with Wise | Freelancers and small exporters wanting multi-currency local accounts and eFIRC |
| Receiving: GBP, EUR, AUD, CAD, NZD, SGD, HUF local details | Not confirmed | Wise states the conversion fee depends on the currency | Freelancers and small exporters wanting multi-currency local accounts and eFIRC |
| Currency conversion to INR | Converts at the mid-market rate; the cost is the 1.6% conversion fee | When foreign currency is converted | Freelancers and small exporters wanting multi-currency local accounts and eFIRC |
| Payout to an Indian bank | Funds are converted to INR at the mid-market rate and sent to the Indian bank account linked at signup; Wise's charges are the conversion fee, the eFIRC fee and GST on both. | When INR is sent to your account | Freelancers and small exporters wanting multi-currency local accounts and eFIRC |
| eFIRC | 2 USD per transfer plus GST, per Wise's calculator | – | Freelancers and small exporters wanting multi-currency local accounts and eFIRC |
| Receiving account details | Free per Wise's India business page ('Get international account details in India for free') | – | Freelancers and small exporters wanting multi-currency local accounts and eFIRC |
| GST on fees | Wise states it charges GST only on the Wise fees, at 18% of (conversion fee + eFIRC fee). | Applies to the platform's fee | Freelancers and small exporters wanting multi-currency local accounts and eFIRC |
What does Adyen charge?
| Fee type | Amount | When it applies | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Receiving: International card payments (Visa/Mastercard) via online checkout | $0.13 + Interchange++ + 0.60% (indicative, global pricing page) | Availability for an Indian exporter collecting from foreign cardholders is not confirmed | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
| Receiving: Local bank transfer account details for foreign clients | Not confirmed | Not offered as a published product for Indian recipients | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
| Currency conversion to INR | Not confirmed: Adyen converts at its FX reference rate plus an FX management fee (spread); how the spread is calculated is set in the merchant's contract and by default differs by currency category (USD category one, INR category two); no figure is published | When foreign currency is converted | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
| Payout to an Indian bank | Adyen's payout currency docs list INR as the settlement currency for its India acquiring connection, with funds held in India and paid out locally, and say INR can only be paid out to a local bank account in India (SWIFT payouts are not supported for INR). Payout fees and any route for export proceeds are not published. | When INR is sent to your account | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
| Setup or monthly fee | None, per pricing page | – | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
| Minimum invoice | Depends on industry or business model (not published) | – | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
| American Express | $0.13 + 3.95% global (indicative) | – | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
| UPI | $0.13 + defined by funding source used (India pricing page, indicative) | – | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
| RuPay | $0.13 + on request (India pricing page) | – | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
| GST on fees | Adyen's help centre lists Adyen India service invoices with GST: 'GST rate 18% if the merchant is in Maharashtra. Or CGST of 9% and SGST of 9% if the merchant is located outside Maharashtra', as worded on the page. Either way the total is 18% on Adyen's service fees. | Applies to the platform's fee | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
How do Wise Business and Adyen compare on settlement speed?
- Wise Business: Wise states payments can arrive in under 90 minutes within business hours
- Adyen: Adyen's docs list INR as the settlement currency for its India acquiring connection, paid out locally to a bank account in India, and say payouts can take up to two days to arrive depending on the currencies and banks involved; no timeline for export receipts is published
| Platform | Settlement to India | Payout route | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wise Business | States under 90 minutes in business hours | INR at mid-market rate to linked Indian bank account | Freelancers and small exporters wanting multi-currency local accounts and eFIRC |
| Adyen | INR local payout, up to two days; export timing unpublished | INR to local Indian bank account only; payout fees not published | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
Do Wise Business and Adyen provide FIRA and e-BRC, and are they RBI PA-CB authorised?
| Platform | FIRA and e-BRC | RBI status | Checked | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wise Business | eFIRC per transfer, 2 USD + 18% GST | States in-principle PA-CB approval; not found on RBI page | 30 Sept 2026 | Freelancers and small exporters wanting multi-currency local accounts and eFIRC |
| Adyen | Not confirmed: no FIRA or FIRC provision published | States PA-Online and PA-CB-Outward; not independently confirmed | 30 Sept 2026 | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
Which currencies, countries and payment methods do Wise Business and Adyen support?
| Platform | Currencies | Payment methods | Indian individuals | Indian businesses | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wise Business | Receive USD, GBP, EUR, AUD, CAD, NZD, SGD, HUF; to INR | US ACH to USD account details (routing and account number); International Swift or wire to USD account details; Payment from a client's Wise account; GBP, EUR, AUD, CAD, NZD, SGD, HUF local details | Only via Wise Business as sole trader/freelancer | Yes; other business types can join waitlist | Freelancers and small exporters wanting multi-currency local accounts and eFIRC |
| Adyen | Fees in USD; multi-currency bank accounts; accepts INR from Indian shoppers | International card payments (Visa/Mastercard) via online checkout; Local bank transfer account details for foreign clients | Not confirmed: no offering for Indian individuals | Domestic acquiring yes; export receipts not confirmed | Large enterprises accepting card and UPI from Indian shoppers |
What are the strengths and limitations of Wise Business and Adyen?
Wise Business
- Transparent calculator: Wise's India pricing page calculator shows the conversion fee, eFIRC fee and GST for a given amount
- Mid-market rate: no exchange rate markup; the cost sits in a stated conversion fee
- Speed: Wise states payouts can arrive in under 90 minutes within business hours
- Freelancer eligibility: sole traders and freelancers are an accepted business type
- Cost on USD: Wise's calculator showed a 1.6% conversion fee plus a 2 USD eFIRC fee, before 18% GST, on a 1,000 USD ACH receipt on 2026-10-06
- Per-payment paperwork: Wise says a payment request is needed for every payment, with payment information such as sender and invoice
- Business only: personal Wise accounts in India cannot receive money; users must register Wise Business
- Regulatory status: the PA-CB licence is in-principle per Wise's own statement
Adyen
- Pricing transparency: Interchange++ model with published indicative scheme markup
- India presence: States local operations since 2018 and its own RBI authorisations
- Payment methods: UPI, cards and local rails for Indian shoppers
- Scale: Built for enterprise merchants with high volumes
- Not for export receipts: Published RBI authorisation is PA-CB-Outward (Indian shoppers paying foreign merchants), not inward export collection
- Enterprise focus: Minimum invoice depends on industry or business model; onboarding through sales
- No individuals: No published route for Indian freelancers or individuals
- Opaque totals: interchange varies per card, published fees are labelled indicative, and the FX management spread is set in the contract rather than published
Should you choose Wise Business or Adyen?
- Choose Wise Business if: you need freelancers and small exporters wanting local account details in several currencies with an eFIRC per payment.
- Choose Adyen if: you need large enterprises accepting card and UPI payments from Indian shoppers.
For example, an exporter billing $5,000 a month: Adyen does not publish full pricing; Wise Business does.
Which other platforms should you consider besides Wise Business and Adyen?
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 | ₹4,70,252 | 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 | ₹4,67,906 | 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 | ₹4,64,889 | 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 | ₹4,64,511 | 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.
- Wise India: Fees for receiving money (Business), Conversion fee depends on the currency; eFIRC for every transfer; GST 18% of (conversion fee + eFIRC fee); calculator (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Wise India: Fees for receiving money (Personal), Receiving money feature is currently available only for business customers (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Wise India: Receive money from abroad in India, Eight currencies, free account details, mid-market rate, eFIRC, under 90 minutes within business hours, eligible company types, 4.14 USD wire saving, regulatory footer (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Wise Help: How to verify your Indian business to receive payments, Eligible business types and documents (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Wise India: Pricing (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Wise price data behind the India receive calculator (USD to INR, business, India), RECEIVE_BANK_TRANSFER 1,000 USD: variableFee 15.68 (1.6%), flatFee 2.0, vat 3.18 (18%), total 20.86; RECEIVE_SWIFT: total 27.93 incl. 6.11 pay-in fee; 100,000 USD: total 1,770.52 after HAT_VOLUME_DISCOUNT -73.23 (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Wise calculator price data for an Indian business receiving USD (RECEIVE_BANK_TRANSFER to INR), $5,000: conversion fee 78.48 (1.6% of converted amount), flat fee 2.00, GST 14.49, total 94.97; also read at $500 to $100,000 (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Adyen India, Established in India since 2018; RBI PA-Online and PA-CB-Outward authorisations (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Adyen pricing (India), Indicative fees: $0.13 fixed; Visa/Mastercard Interchange++ + 0.60%; Amex 3.95%; UPI defined by funding source; RuPay on request; minimum invoice depends on industry or business model; the fees outlined above are indicative; no monthly, set-up, integration or closure fees (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Adyen pricing (global), Fixed processing fee plus payment-method fee; no setup or monthly fees; minimum invoice depends on industry (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- India expansion made easy, Accept online payments in INR from Indian shoppers with Adyen's own RBI licences (checked 6 Oct 2026)
- Adyen Visa payment method (India), Visa: $0.13 + Interchange+ + 0.60%; no monthly fees, set-up fees, integration fees or closure fees; INR not listed among settlement currencies (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Adyen currency codes and FX management fee, Adyen applies a foreign currency exchange rate when a currency conversion takes place (FX reference rate) and charges an FX management fee, or spread, which by default differs based on the currency category; category one: AUD, CAD, DKK, EUR, GBP, HKD, JPY, NOK, NZD, PLN, SEK, USD, ZAR; category two: all other currencies; how this fee is calculated is included in your contract with Adyen (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- What kind of tax is applied to my invoice? (Adyen), Adyen India: GST rate 18% if the merchant is in Maharashtra. Or CGST of 9% and SGST of 9% if the merchant is located outside Maharashtra (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Adyen Docs: Supported payout currencies, India (IN): settlement currency INR, funds held in India, local payout; certain currencies can only be paid out to a local bank account within a country or region where that currency is the official legal tender: BRL, INR, MYR, MXN, and AED; SWIFT payouts are not supported for these currencies (checked 7 Oct 2026)
- Adyen Docs: Getting paid, Depending on the currencies and banks involved, it may take up to two days for the payout funds to arrive in your account; like-for-like (no currency conversion) settlement if the currency is also supported as a settlement currency by the payment method (checked 7 Oct 2026)
FAQs about Wise Business vs Adyen
Is Wise Business or Adyen cheaper for receiving USD in India?
Adyen does not publish full pricing; Wise Business does. At $2,000: Adyen does not publish full pricing; Wise Business does. At $10,000: Adyen does not publish full pricing; Wise Business does. Figures use each platform's published pricing and today's reference rate, so check both pricing pages before you decide.
Which is faster, Wise Business or Adyen?
Wise Business states: Wise states payments can arrive in under 90 minutes within business hours. 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 Wise Business and Adyen both provide a FIRA?
Wise Business: eFIRC sent by email for every transfer; 2 USD each in Wise's calculator, plus 18% GST. Adyen: Not confirmed: no FIRA or FIRC provision is published. 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 Wise Business and Adyen authorised by RBI?
Wise Business: States that Wise Payments India Private Limited is an in-principle approved Payment Aggregator - Cross Border and that inward remittance runs through a local bank partner with RBI approval (platform's claim; not found on an RBI page). Check the platform's own pricing page before relying on these figures.
Can Indian freelancers use both Wise Business and Adyen?
Wise Business, individuals: Not through Wise Personal: Wise's India receive pricing page says receiving is currently available only for business customers. Individual freelancers can register Wise Business as a 'sole trader / freelancer'. Check the platform's own pricing page before relying on these figures.
Should I switch from Wise Business to Adyen?
Switch only if Adyen pays more on your usual invoice size or fits how your clients pay. Keep the Wise Business account open until every invoice sent with its details is paid, and download your FIRA or FIRC records first.