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SBI vs Yes Bank Forex Rates: Which Is Better for Exporters in 2026?

Both banks publish a card rate, and neither one is what lands in your account. See the real rate each bank applied to exporter transfers, side by side, and what the same invoice is worth on Skydo.
Fetching the live FX rate
Amount billed$10,000.00
USD
INR
Transfer ViaExchange rateConverted amount
State Bank of India (SBI)INR 84.1500INR 8,38,780.63You lose: 1.3% ↓
YES BankINR 83.3000INR 8,29,872.00You lose: 2.4% ↓
SkydoINR 85.0000Live Mid Market RateINR 8,47,091.30
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SBI vs Yes Bank: understanding the key differences for exporters

While both SBI and Yes Bank let Indian exporters receive international payments, they differ in the rate applied, the fees taken before the money lands, how you get your FIRA, and how much room you have to negotiate. Here is how they compare side by side.
FeaturesState Bank of India (SBI)YES Bank
Forex markupThe gap to the mid-market rate can start from around 1% and varies by account type and your relationship with the bank.Around 2% markup from the mid-market rate
Transfer and processing feesSWIFT fees plus a processing fee depending on business type, typically around Rs. 500 per remittanceIn practice a commission in lieu of exchange applies, 0.125% of the bill amount or minimum Rs 1,000 whichever is higher. Correspondent banks also deduct roughly $15-30 in transit
How you settle the remittanceHandled through yono Business (eTrade and eForex) or at a branch. Your current account must first be enabled for inward remittanceRegister a standing instruction for inward remittances with your purpose code, so future credits are processed automatically. Yes Bank reserves the right to call for documents on any specific transaction
Time to credit after you submitEnd to end, an inward export payment usually takes 2 to 5 business daysCredit typically in 2 to 4 working days
FIRA and e-FIRCSBI reports e-FIRC to EDPMS. It costs Rs. 200 for usage, can vary according to account typee-FIRC issued on request per transaction. It can cost upto Rs.800. Free on select accounts such as YES Premia
Currencies you can receive inmajor currencies processed directly, and all other currencies routed through correspondent banksAll the major trade currencies through the SWIFT network.
Compliance trackingDocuments can be uploaded via the eForex portal on yono Business, with SMS/email status alerts; SBI reports realisation to EDPMS.Status tracked through YES Transact or your RM. A standing instruction reduces per credit paperwork but the bank can still hold a credit for documents or a purpose code query
Best suited forBest for existing SBI exporters with an export credit facility and for marginal currencies as it has a wide networkExporters already banking with Yes Bank, MSMEs using the TradeBiz or GST ready current accounts

SBI vs Yes Bank Bank exchange rates, fees and hidden charges

Three things decide what actually reaches your account: the markup buried in the rate, the fees taken before the money lands, and the charges that only appear on your statement afterwards.
State Bank of India (SBI)State Bank of India (SBI) card:
  • Measured from actual FIRAs, the markup starts at around 1% and varies by account type and your relationship with the bank
  • SBI updates rates through the day, and the rate applied is usually the one at the time funds are credited
  • Exporters with an export credit facility tend to get better treatment on rates
  • SBI applies its USD TT buying rate to inward wires
YES BankYES Bank card:
  • Yes Bank converts inward payments at its card rate, which carries a markup of about 2% against the live mid-market rate
  • Card rates apply only up to USD 25,000 or equivalent per Yes Bank's own daily FX card rate sheet. For amounts beyond that you must contact the Branch or RM for a quote.
  • The rate depends on transfer amount, account type, your relationship with the bank

Keep ₹17,219 more on a $10,000 invoice by bypassing SBI and Yes Bank with Skydo.

International payments carry hidden costs from the markup baked into your bank rate and the fees deducted before the money lands. Use the tool below to see what each bank leaves you on the same invoice, and what you keep with Skydo.
You keep with Skydo₹8,47,091
Money transferUSD 10,000
$500$10K$100K$1M
State Bank of India (SBI)1% markup
₹8,38,781
Exchange rate84.15
SWIFT fee₹1,893
Documentation fee₹200
Platform fee₹500
GST (18%)₹126
You receive₹8,38,781
YES Bank2% markup
₹8,29,872
Exchange rate83.30
SWIFT fee₹1,874
Documentation fee₹0
Platform fee₹1,063
GST (18%)₹191
You receive₹8,29,872
Skydo0% markup
₹8,47,091
Exchange rate85.00
SWIFT fee₹0
Documentation fee₹0
Platform fee₹2,465
GST (18%)₹444
You receive₹8,47,091

SBI vs Yes Bank: understanding the key differences for exporters

While both SBI and Yes Bank let Indian exporters receive international payments, they differ in the rate applied, the fees taken before the money lands, how you get your FIRA, and how much room you have to negotiate. Here is how they compare side by side.
FeaturesState Bank of India (SBI)YES Bank
Forex markupTT buying rate, markup can start around 1% and is often higherAround 2% from the mid-market rateZero, live mid-market
Rate you are quotedCard rate published, actual rate applied fixed at time of creditCard rate applied, differs from published indicative rate, verify from your FIRASame rate for everyone, shown before you receive
Transaction feearound Rs. 500 per remittance for non-credit customers, plus GST and SWIFT fee - nil otherwiseCommission in lieu of exchange 0.125% min Rs 1,000 applies, plus GST$19 up to $2k, $29 up to $10k, 0.3% above
Cost on a small invoiceFor non-export-credit customers, the ~Rs. 500 processing fee plus margin hits small invoices hardestFX markup plus a minimum Rs 1,000 commission means small invoices lose a far higher shareFlat $19, the share falls as the invoice grows
Settlement time2 to 5 business days end to end (mostly SWIFT transit); SBI's own crediting is usually 1 to 2 banking days2 to 4 working days by SWIFT, credits can stay pending during compliance checks24 hours
FIRAe-FIRC to EDPMS, Rs. 200 per usagee-FIRC to EDPMS on request, charged per certificate, up to 7 to 10 days to processFree, instant, one per payment
Who it suitsExporters who already bank with SBI, especially those with an export credit facilityExporters already on YES Bank with negotiated ratesExporters receiving $2,000 or more a month

See what our clients say about us

Quotes paraphrased from public G2, Trustpilot, and Reddit threads from Indian exporters.
100+ reviews
"I want to spend my time growing my business, not negotiating exchange rates every time I make an international payment. The process should be simple and predictable."
AbhishekAbhishekCEO, Aidetic
"We banked with the same private bank for nine years and never questioned the rate. When we checked one month of FIRAs against mid-market, the spread was larger than our entire logistics bill."
Rohan M.Founder, home textiles exporter
"Every payment meant a form, a follow-up for the FIRA, and a call to the relationship manager to find out where the money was. Now it just arrives and the certificate is already there."
Priya S.Director, engineering goods exporter
Reviews paraphrased from publicly available sources. They reflect individual experiences, not Skydo's endorsement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which bank has better forex rates for exporters, State Bank of India (SBI) or YES Bank?State Bank of India (SBI): The gap to the mid-market rate can start from around 1% and varies by account type and your relationship with the bank. YES Bank: Around 2% markup from the mid-market rate Neither bank converts at the live mid-market rate, so compare the rate on your FIRA against the mid-market rate for that day to see what you actually paid.
What fees do State Bank of India (SBI) and YES Bank charge on inward remittances?State Bank of India (SBI): SWIFT fees plus a processing fee depending on business type, typically around Rs. 500 per remittance YES Bank: In practice a commission in lieu of exchange applies, 0.125% of the bill amount or minimum Rs 1,000 whichever is higher. Correspondent banks also deduct roughly $15-30 in transit
How long does an international payment take with State Bank of India (SBI) vs YES Bank?State Bank of India (SBI): End to end, an inward export payment usually takes 2 to 5 business days YES Bank: Credit typically in 2 to 4 working days
How do I get a FIRA or e-FIRC from State Bank of India (SBI) or YES Bank?State Bank of India (SBI): SBI reports e-FIRC to EDPMS. It costs Rs. 200 for usage, can vary according to account type YES Bank: e-FIRC issued on request per transaction. It can cost upto Rs.800. Free on select accounts such as YES Premia
Who is State Bank of India (SBI) best suited for, and who should pick YES Bank?State Bank of India (SBI) suits: Best for existing SBI exporters with an export credit facility and for marginal currencies as it has a wide network. YES Bank suits: Exporters already banking with Yes Bank, MSMEs using the TradeBiz or GST ready current accounts.
Is there a cheaper alternative to State Bank of India (SBI) and YES Bank for receiving export payments?Skydo converts at the live mid-market rate with zero forex markup and a flat fee: $19 up to $2,000, $29 up to $10,000, and 0.3% above that. There is no correspondent deduction because you receive into a local account abroad, settlement takes 24 hours, and a FIRA is issued free with every payment.

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