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Adyen vs Stripe: which is better for international payments in 2026?

  • Adyen is enterprise-grade omnichannel acquiring trusted by global brands, but it is sales-led, carries a minimum invoice, and cannot collect export payments into India
  • Stripe is the global standard for card payments, but it is invite-only in India, accepts cards alone, and all-in costs run ~7% on international invoices
  • Which one is better comes down to your priorities - fees, FIRA handling, and how your clients prefer to pay
Accept payment from 150+ countries
USD
Client pays
USD 100USD 100,000
1 USD = 85.00 INR
Live fx rate
You'll receiveINR
₹4,22,091
Adyen
₹4,07,434
You lose:4.1%
Stripe
₹3,94,936
You lose:7.1%
100+ reviews
Trusted by 40,000+ businesses
Over $1B processed • Licensed by RBI
RBI PA-CB authorizedHDFC BankISO 27001 certifiedVisa

Adyen vs Stripe: understanding the key differences

Both Adyen and Stripe are well-known names for international payments, but they differ in who can use them from India, fees, export documentation like FIRA, GST compliance, settlement timelines, and support. Here is how they compare side by side.
Featuresadyenstripe
Transfer feesInterchange++ plus 0.60% + $0.13 per transaction (~3.5% est. on international cards)4.3% card fee per transaction
Forex markupNot published, contract-specificAround 2% above mid-market
FIRANot offered at allNot provided, request from your bank
eBRCNo eBRC, and no inward flow to need it forNot supported, closed on DGFT after your bank issues the IRM
GST-compliant invoiceNot available, no invoicing productNot India GST-compliant
Settlement time2 to 3 business days2 to 5 business days
Customer supportTicket-based, account managers for enterpriseCallback-based & email support
Best suited forEnterprise omnichannel acquiringCard billing and subscriptions

Adyen vs Stripe: pricing and forex breakdown

Beyond the published fees, the real cost is what lands in your bank after fees, forex and GST. Move the slider to see what each one works out to, and how Skydo compares.
With Skydo, you receive₹8,47,091
Money transferUSD 10,000
$500$10K$100K$1M
adyenFX not published
₹8,14,882
Exchange rate85.00
Forex markup₹0
Card fee₹29,750
Fixed fee₹11
GST (18%)₹5,357
Total fees₹35,118
You receive₹8,14,882
stripe2% markup
₹7,89,871
Exchange rate83.30
Forex markup₹17,000
Card fee₹36,550
Fixed fee₹0
GST (18%)₹6,579
Total fees₹60,129
You receive₹7,89,871

Adyen vs Stripe: compliance, payment rails, and platform comparison

adyen
  • No FIRA or e-FIRC — not offered at all
  • No eBRC support — and no inward flow to need it for
  • No GST-compliant invoicing; Adyen has no invoicing product
  • Purpose codes not handled — no export remittances move through Adyen
  • India licences: online PA (Jul 2024) plus import-side PA-CB only
stripe
  • No FIRA from Stripe — partner bank emails a payment advice, FIRC via your own bank
  • No automated eBRC, generate manually through DGFT
  • Invoicing shows GSTIN but is not India GST-compliant, no IRN or QR
  • One RBI purpose code per account, fixed at onboarding
  • SOFTEX and EDPMS handled separately via your bank

Adyen vs Stripe: which one is right for you

There is no single winner. The right pick depends on who pays you, how large your invoices are, and how much paperwork you can handle.
01adyen

Choose Adyen if:

You are an enterprise selling omnichannel at scale and can meet sales-led minimums.
  • Global brand with an Indian entity acquiring from Indian consumers
  • High-volume retailer unifying online and in-store payments on one stack
  • Marketplace or platform needing split payments and sub-merchant payouts
  • Enterprise with developer teams ready for API integration
02stripe

Choose Stripe if:

You want Stripe's card checkout and developer stack, and can absorb a ~7% all-in cost.
  • SaaS business already inside Stripe's invite programme
  • Checkout-first sellers whose customers pay by card
  • Teams that need subscriptions and billing automation
  • Businesses that can live with payment-advice-based FIRC paperwork

Skydo: a better alternative to Adyen and Stripe

Featuresadyenstripe
Settlement time2 to 3 business days2 to 5 business days24 hours
Forex markupNot publishedAround 2%Zero, live rate
Transaction fee~3.5% est. on intl cards4.3% card fee$19 up to $2k, $29 up to $10k, 0.3% aboveBest
FIRANot offeredNot provided, via bankFree, instant, per payment
eBRC and EDPMSNot supportedNot supported, handled with your AD bankOne-click eBRC, EDPMS closure assistance
GST invoicingNot availableNot built inBuilt in, GST compliant
Customer supportTickets, enterprise account managersCallback-based & emailIndia-based, on WhatsApp, call and email
Payment trackingReal-time dashboardDashboard, real timeAuto tracked, remittance to bank deposit
RBI authorisationPA + import-side PA-CB onlyPA license only, not PA-CBFull PA-CB authorized
Losing money on each transfer but not sure how much?

See what our clients say about us

100+ reviews
Trusted by 40,000+ businesses
Shashank
“I'm looking for straightforward, transparent pricing. With most payment providers, it's hard to understand the actual fees and exchange rates, making it difficult to know what I'm really paying.”ShashankCEO, HCODE

Frequently asked questions

Which is better, Adyen or Stripe, for international payments in 2026?+
It comes down to how your clients pay you and how much compliance you want handled. Adyen is enterprise-grade omnichannel acquiring trusted by global brands, but onboarding is sales-led with a minimum invoice, and its India cross-border licence covers import flows only. Stripe is the global standard for card payments with strong developer tools, at around 7% all in, but it is invite-only in India and accepts cards only. Adyen suits enterprise omnichannel acquiring, while Stripe suits card-led and subscription businesses.
Is Adyen cheaper than Stripe?+
Usually yes. Adyen prices at Interchange++ plus 0.60% + $0.13, working out to roughly 3.5% on international cards — and its India licence covers import-side flows only, so Indian exporters cannot collect through it. Stripe is about 4.3% on cards plus a roughly 2% conversion markup, around 7% all in. Adyen is generally cheaper, though what actually lands in your bank depends on invoice size.
Which provides better exchange rates, Adyen or Stripe?+
Neither is clearly cheaper. Stripe at least publishes its pricing — currency conversion adds about 2% above mid-market — while Adyen does not publish FX pricing — it is contract-specific, and Indian merchants settle in INR only.
Do Adyen and Stripe provide FIRA for Indian exporters?+
Adyen provides no FIRA or e-FIRC at all. Stripe does not issue FIRA — its partner bank emails a payment advice and you obtain FIRC via your own bank. For GST refunds and export compliance an instant per-payment FIRA matters — Skydo issues one free with every payment.
Are Adyen and Stripe RBI-approved for receiving payments in India?+
Adyen is an RBI-authorised online payment aggregator (July 2024) with PA-CB for outward, import-side flows only. Stripe holds a domestic PA licence (Jan 2024) but not PA-CB, and its India product is invite-only.
Is Adyen or Stripe better for freelancers or businesses?+
Enterprises with an Indian entity acquiring omnichannel at scale lean towards Adyen — it is not an option for exporters collecting from abroad. Card-led businesses, especially SaaS and subscription products selling to global card customers, lean towards Stripe.
Is there a better alternative to Adyen and Stripe for receiving money in India?+
Skydo is built for Indian exporters and freelancers. It charges a flat fee ($19 up to $2k, $29 up to $10k, 0.3% above) that works out cheaper than a percentage fee as invoices grow, with zero forex markup, instant FIRA on every payment, one-click eBRC and EDPMS closure assistance, built-in GST-compliant invoicing, full RBI PA-CB authorisation, and India-based support.

Ready to save more on international payments?

Start receiving global payments with Skydo and keep more of what you earn.