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Airwallex vs Skydo: What's best for Indian exporters in 2026?

  • Cheaper than Airwallex on a typical $10K invoice
  • Flat fee, zero forex markup vs Airwallex's FX spread plus SWIFT fees
  • Instant FIRA, eBRC and GST invoicing built in
  • Built for India, trusted by 30,000+
View detailed comparison

Over $1B processed • Trusted by 30,000+ businesses • Licensed by RBI

RBI PA-CB authorized
HDFC Bank
ISO 27001 certified
Visa
Accept payment from 150+ countries
USA
Client pays
50010K50K100K
1 USD = 83.500 INR
Live FX rate · Updated now
You'll receiveINR
₹ 4,15,079
airwallex₹ 4,07,538
You lose:1.8%
₹7,540 more received via Skydo

Airwallex vs Skydo: The Detailed Comparison

Both let you receive international payments in India. The difference shows up in fees, paperwork, and the small things that add up.

Featuresairwallex
Pricing
Total cost on $10K invoice~$210 (0.5-1% FX plus $10-30 SWIFT per transfer)$29 flat fee
Forex markup0.5-1% above interbankLive mid-market rate, 0% markup
Compliance
FIRANot confirmed as automaticInstant, free, per-transaction
eBRCNot confirmedAutomated for Amazon Global Selling
GST invoicingNot availableBuilt-in GST compliant invoicing
RBI authorizationNo PA-CB confirmed (Singapore entity)Full PA-CB authorization
Payment & experience
Settlement to bank2-3 business days via SWIFTWithin one business day
Customer supportChat and email, global queueIndia-based WhatsApp, email, phone
Founded2015, Melbourne, Australia2022, Bengaluru, India

Airwallex vs Skydo: Pricing and Forex

See what a typical invoice actually costs on Airwallex versus Skydo's one flat fee at the live mid-market rate.

You're receiving🇺🇸$
Converted to🇮🇳INR
airwallex
Amount received$5,000.00
Transfer fee (1%)-$50.00
Fixed fee-$20.00
Amount after fees$4,930.00
FX rate applied0.5-1% markup₹82.6650
Converted amount (INR)₹4,07,538
0% FX Markup
Amount received$5,000.00
Platform fee ($29 flat)-$29.00
Fixed fee$0.00
Amount after fees$4,971.00
FX rate appliedLive Mid-Market₹83.5000
Converted amount (INR)₹4,15,079
For every $5,000 invoice, you keep 7,540 more with Skydo

Compliance, Payment Rails, and Platform Comparison

Fees matter. So does everything else.

airwallex
No confirmed automatic FIRA for India inward remittances
Instant per-transaction FIRA within 24 hours
No automated eBRC, generate manually through DGFT
Automated eBRC, especially for Amazon Global Selling
Invoicing tool does not produce GST-compliant invoices for India
GST-compliant invoice generation built in
No confirmed purpose-code handling published
Correct purpose code assignment, full transparency
SOFTEX and EDPMS handled separately
SOFTEX / EDPMS handled in compliance workflow

No more chasing your CA every quarter or your bank for stamped certificates the day before a GST deadline.

Who Should Use Airwallex Over Skydo?

Airwallex still wins in a few situations. Here are the ones worth knowing.

Airwallex is better for

  • Global businesses already using Airwallex for cards or payroll
  • Teams paying suppliers across many countries
  • Companies wanting corporate cards with receivables
  • Businesses fine without automatic FIRA
  • When multi-currency banking matters most

Skydo is better for

  • Indian freelancers, IT/ITeS, and SaaS companies
  • Businesses receiving $2,000+/month internationally
  • Exporters needing FIRA, eBRC, and GST invoicing
  • Anyone who wants zero forex markup and flat fees
  • SaaS and Amazon Global Selling merchants

How to Migrate from Airwallex to Skydo

You don't need to close Airwallex to start with Skydo. Most exporters run both in parallel for a few weeks while transitioning clients.

Step 1 of 5Takes ~5 minutes

Create your Skydo account

Sign up at skydo.com with PAN, Aadhaar, and business documents (GST certificate, IEC if you have one). India-based onboarding typically completes verification within 24 hours, often within the same business day.

  • PAN card
  • Aadhaar card
  • GST certificate
  • Bank account details

Airwallex vs Skydo: Frequently Asked Questions

Airwallex vs Skydo: which is cheaper for receiving international payments in India?+
Skydo is typically cheaper for most Indian exporters. Airwallex stacks an FX spread, a SWIFT fee, and a monthly plan fee, landing around 2-3% per invoice, while Skydo charges a flat $19-29 fee regardless of invoice size with zero FX markup — the gap widens as your invoice sizes grow.
Airwallex vs Skydo: which has better forex rates for USD to INR conversion?+
Both use a spread over the interbank rate rather than a bank's wider markup. Airwallex publishes roughly 0.5-1%, while Skydo applies a live-rate approach with a flat fee instead of a percentage. On larger invoices, Skydo's flat-fee structure usually works out cheaper overall.
Does Skydo provide FIRA and eBRC that Airwallex does not offer?+
Yes. Skydo provides FIRA on every transaction and eBRC support built into its workflow, both automatic by default. Airwallex does not publicly confirm equivalent automatic issuance for India inward remittances, which can mean extra manual steps for your GST and EDPMS filings.
Airwallex vs Skydo: which is better for Indian IT services and SaaS companies?+
Skydo is built specifically around Indian export compliance — automatic FIRA, GST-compliant invoicing, and India-based support — which tends to suit IT services and SaaS exporters well. Airwallex offers a broader global banking toolkit but with less India-specific compliance automation.
Can I migrate from Airwallex to Skydo without losing existing international clients?+
Yes. Migrating to Skydo doesn't require telling your international clients anything beyond updated payment details on your invoices. You can run both Airwallex and Skydo in parallel for a few weeks while transitioning invoices, so no existing client relationship is disrupted in the process.
Is Skydo RBI authorized like Airwallex for cross-border payments to India?+
Skydo is built specifically for Indian exporters with RBI-aligned authorisation and compliance workflows baked in from day one. Airwallex, by contrast, has no publicly confirmed RBI PA-CB authorisation and onboards Indian businesses through its Singapore entity rather than a direct India-recognised arrangement.