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PayU vs Remitly: which is better for international payments in 2026?

  • PayU is a domestic-first gateway with full RBI authorisation, but its international product is a card checkout, not a collections account — so B2B invoicing doesn't fit
  • Remitly is a top-rated consumer remittance app — transfers land in minutes and pricing beats the banks, but it is built for personal payments, not 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
PayU
₹4,01,455
You lose:5.5%
Remitly
₹4,21,175
You lose:0.9%
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Trusted by 40,000+ businesses
Over $1B processed • Licensed by RBI
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PayU vs Remitly: understanding the key differences

Both PayU and Remitly 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.
FeaturesPayURemitly
Transfer fees3% on international cards (2% domestic)$3.99 under $1,000, free above (paid by the sender)
Forex markup1.5-2.5% (anecdotal)~0.3-1.5% inside the exchange rate
FIRANot documented publiclyNot issued at any price
eBRCNot documentedNot supported, payments never enter the export system
GST-compliant invoiceNot publishedNot available
Settlement timeT+2 standard (domestic)Minutes (Express) to 3-5 days (Economy)
Customer supportIndia-based, ticket and email24/7 chat and phone, for the sender
Best suited forConsumer checkout, recurring card billingPersonal remittances from family abroad

PayU vs Remitly: 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
PayU1.5-2.5% markup
₹8,02,910
Exchange rate83.30
Forex markup₹17,000
Card fee₹25,500
Fixed fee₹0
GST (18%)₹4,590
Total fees₹47,090
You receive₹8,02,910
Remitly~0.3-1.5% markup
₹8,42,350
Exchange rate84.23
Forex markup₹7,650
Transfer fee₹0
Fixed fee₹0
GST (18%)₹0
Total fees₹7,650
You receive₹8,42,350

PayU vs Remitly: compliance, payment rails, and platform comparison

PayU
  • FIRA handling is not documented publicly at all
  • No eBRC generation documented for exporters
  • No documented GST-compliant sales invoicing
  • Purpose code handling is not documented publicly
  • Card checkout only, and no bank transfer collections
Remitly
  • No FIRA or FIRC issued, at any price
  • Payments arrive under personal purpose codes (P1301/P1302), not export codes
  • No GST-compliant invoicing — no invoicing at all
  • No eBRC support; EDPMS entries are never created
  • Consumer terms prohibit business use outright — it's a breach of the user agreement

PayU vs Remitly: 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.
01PayU

Choose PayU if:

You want PayU's domestic reach and can absorb 3% plus a 1.5 to 2.5% forex markup on top.
  • Consumer e-commerce brand selling to buyers overseas
  • Ed-tech or SaaS business billing global customers by card
  • Business already running PayU for domestic payments
  • Seller who needs recurring card billing
02Remitly

Choose Remitly if:

You want Remitly's consumer speed and polish, and the payment is genuinely personal.
  • Client is an individual who already uses the app
  • Small, occasional transfers with no paperwork needs
  • Speed to UPI or a bank account is the top priority
  • You accept personal-remittance classification and no FIRA

Skydo: a better alternative to PayU and Remitly

FeaturesPayURemitly
Settlement timeT+2 (domestic)Minutes to 3-5 days24 hours
Forex markup1.5-2.5% (anecdotal)~0.3-1.5% in the rateZero, live rate
Transaction fee3% intl cards$3.99 under $1K, else free (sender pays)$19 up to $2k, $29 up to $10k, 0.3% aboveBest
FIRANot documentedNot issuedFree, instant, per payment
eBRC and EDPMSNot documentedNot supportedOne-click eBRC, EDPMS closure assistance
GST invoicingNot publishedNot availableBuilt in, GST compliant
Customer supportIndia-based ticketsSender-side onlyIndia-based, on WhatsApp, call and email
Payment trackingDashboard reportsSender app trackingAuto tracked, remittance to bank deposit
RBI authorisationFull PA aggregation (2025)Not on PA-CB register (RDA rail)Full PA-CB authorized
Losing money on each transfer but not sure how much?

See what our clients say about us

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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, PayU or Remitly, for international payments in 2026?+
It comes down to how your clients pay you and how much compliance you want handled. PayU is a domestic-first gateway with full RBI authorisation, but its international product is a card checkout, not a collections account — B2B invoicing does not fit. Remitly is a top-rated consumer remittance app whose transfers land in minutes, but it moves personal remittances — business income arrives misclassified with no FIRA. PayU suits consumer checkout and recurring card billing, while Remitly suits genuinely personal transfers, not invoices.
Is PayU cheaper than Remitly?+
Usually not. PayU lists 3% for international cards, with an anecdotal 1.5 to 2.5% forex markup on top, landing near 5% all in. Remitly's cost sits almost entirely inside the exchange rate at roughly 0.3 to 1.5%, and the overseas sender pays it — but no FIRA is ever issued and transfers arrive under personal purpose codes. Remitly is generally cheaper — but it is a consumer remittance app: the costs sit with your sender, no FIRA is issued, and business use breaches its terms, though what actually lands in your bank depends on invoice size.
Which provides better exchange rates, PayU or Remitly?+
Remitly. PayU carries an anecdotal 1.5 to 2.5% forex markup on top of the card MDR, while Remitly builds roughly 0.3 to 1.5% into the exchange rate, varying by corridor and tier.
Do PayU and Remitly provide FIRA for Indian exporters?+
PayU does not document FIRA provision publicly for exporters. Remitly issues no FIRA or FIRC at any price — a personal-remittance credit is not export-classified. For GST refunds and export compliance an instant per-payment FIRA matters — Skydo issues one free with every payment.
Are PayU and Remitly RBI-approved for receiving payments in India?+
PayU holds full RBI authorisation across online, offline and cross-border payment aggregation (2025). Remitly has no RBI authorisation of its own — it delivers via partner banks under the Rupee Drawing Arrangement, a personal-remittance rail.
Is PayU or Remitly better for freelancers or businesses?+
Consumer e-commerce brands selling to overseas buyers at checkout lean towards PayU. Remitly only fits genuinely personal transfers — its consumer terms prohibit business use outright.
Is there a better alternative to PayU and Remitly 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.

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