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

  • Save on every invoice vs PayU's 3% plus FX markup
  • Flat fee, zero forex markup, free instant FIRA
  • Bank transfer collections, not card checkout
  • Built for India, trusted by 30,000+ businesses
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
payu₹ 3,96,876
You lose:4.4%
₹18,203 more received via Skydo

PayU 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.

Featurespayu
Pricing
Total cost on $10K invoice~$500 (3% on international cards (2% domestic))$29 flat fee
Forex markup1.5-2.5% (anecdotal)Live mid-market rate, 0% markup
Compliance
FIRANot documented publiclyInstant, free, per-transaction
eBRCNot documentedAutomated for Amazon Global Selling
GST invoicingNot publishedBuilt-in GST compliant invoicing
RBI authorizationFull PA aggregation (2025)Full PA-CB authorization
Payment & experience
Settlement to bankT+2 standard (domestic)Within one business day
Customer supportIndia-based, ticket and emailIndia-based WhatsApp, email, phone
Founded2002, Netherlands, India 20112022, Bengaluru, India

PayU vs Skydo: Pricing and Forex

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

You're receiving🇺🇸$
Converted to🇮🇳INR
payu
Amount received$5,000.00
Card fee (3%)-$150.00
Amount after fees$4,850.00
FX rate applied1.5-2.5% markup₹81.8300
Converted amount (INR)₹3,96,876
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 18,203 more with Skydo

Compliance, Payment Rails, and Platform Comparison

Fees matter. So does everything else.

payu
FIRA handling is not documented publicly at all
Instant per-transaction FIRA within 24 hours
No eBRC generation documented for exporters
Automated eBRC, especially for Amazon Global Selling
No documented GST-compliant sales invoicing
GST-compliant invoice generation built in
Purpose code handling is not documented publicly
Correct purpose code assignment, full transparency
Card checkout only, and no bank transfer collections
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 PayU Over Skydo?

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

PayU is better for

  • Consumer e-commerce brands selling to overseas buyers
  • Ed-tech and SaaS businesses billing global customers
  • Subscription businesses needing tokenised cards
  • Merchants already using PayU domestically
  • Businesses wanting one gateway for both

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 PayU to Skydo

You don't need to close PayU 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

PayU vs Skydo: Frequently Asked Questions

PayU vs Skydo: which is cheaper for receiving international payments in India?+
Skydo is cheaper at essentially every invoice size above about $380. PayU charges 3% on international cards plus an FX markup anecdotally around 1.5% to 2.5%, so a $5,000 payment costs roughly $250. Skydo charges a flat $29 at the live mid-market rate, which is about ₹20,995 more in your account.
PayU vs Skydo: which has better forex rates for USD to INR conversion?+
Skydo uses the live mid-market rate with zero markup and shows its fee as a separate line. On PayU we have anecdotally seen a forex markup of 1.5% to 2.5% above mid-market on top of the 3% MDR, which on a $5,000 payment is another $75 to $125. Confirm your own rate with PayU before you proceed.
Does Skydo provide FIRA and eBRC that PayU does not offer?+
Yes. Skydo provides free instant per-transaction FIRA, automated eBRC for Amazon Global Selling sellers, and GST-compliant invoicing. PayU does not document FIRA, eBRC or GST-compliant sales invoicing for exporters on any public page, so you would need to confirm all three with them directly.
PayU vs Skydo: which is better for Indian IT services and SaaS companies?+
Skydo is purpose-built for Indian IT, ITeS and SaaS exporters receiving direct B2B invoices, with bank transfer collections, GST-compliant invoicing, free instant FIRA and automated eBRC. PayU is built for consumer checkout. For direct invoicing, Skydo is the closer fit and typically far cheaper.
Can I migrate from PayU to Skydo without losing existing international clients?+
Yes. You share new virtual account details for ACH, wire or local transfer and clients update the payee record once. The payment experience does not change for them. Most exporters run both in parallel for a few weeks, keeping PayU for consumer checkout while direct invoices move to Skydo.
Is Skydo RBI authorized like PayU for cross-border payments to India?+
Both hold full RBI authorisation. PayU received integrated authorisation across online, offline and cross-border payment aggregation in 2025. Skydo holds full Payment Aggregator Cross Border authorisation from January 2026. On regulatory standing the two are comparable, which is not true of every platform.