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

  • Stripe is the global standard for card payments, trusted by the likes of Amazon and Shopify, but you give up ~6% on every invoice
  • Razorpay is easy for existing domestic users, but the 1% fee grows large as your invoices get bigger
  • Which one is better comes down to your priorities - fees, FIRA, GST handling, and how your clients actually pay you
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
Stripe
₹3,94,936
You lose:7.1%
Razorpay
₹4,19,985
You lose:1.2%
100+ reviews
Trusted by 40,000+ businesses
Over $500M processed • Licensed by RBI
RBI PA-CB authorizedHDFC BankISO 27001 certifiedVisa

Stripe vs Razorpay: understanding the key differences

While both Stripe and Razorpay let Indian businesses accept global payments, they take different routes: Stripe is built for global card payments at ~6%, while Razorpay handles international bank transfers at 1% with automatic FIRA. Here is how they compare.
Featuresstriperazorpay
Transfer fees4.3% card fee per transaction1% on bank transfers (cards 3%, wallets 3.5%)
Forex markupAround 2% above mid-marketZero, live exchange rate
FIRANot provided, request from your bankAutomatic FIRA per transaction
eBRCNot supported, via your bankNot supported, via your bank
GST-compliant invoiceNoNo
Settlement time2 to 5 business days1 business day
Customer supportCallback-based & email supportIndia-based support
Best suited forCard billing and subscriptionsLower-value invoices where 1% takes a smaller cut

Stripe vs Razorpay: pricing and forex breakdown

Stripe charges about 4.3% on cards plus a ~2% forex spread, taking the total cost to ~6%, while Razorpay charges 1% on bank transfers and 3% on cards, but with no forex markup. Move the slider to see what each costs.
With Skydo, you receive₹8,47,091
Money transferUSD 10,000
$500$10K$100K$1M
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
razorpay0% markup
₹8,39,970
Exchange rate85.00
Forex markup₹0
Transfer fee (1%)₹8,500
Fixed fee₹0
GST (18%)₹1,530
Total fees₹10,030
You receive₹8,39,970

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

stripe
  • FIRA comes weekly and consolidated, not one per payment
  • No automated eBRC, you manually generate it from DGFT against shipping bills
  • Has an invoicing tool, but it is not built for India GST compliance
  • Assigns one broad purpose code by default, so a payment can be recorded under the wrong category
  • SOFTEX and EDPMS are handled separately through your bank, not by Stripe
razorpay
  • Does not issue FIRA, you request it from your AD bank at ₹200 to ₹500 each, taking 3 to 7 days
  • No automated eBRC, you manually generate it from DGFT
  • Has an invoicing tool, but it is not built for India GST compliance
  • Leaves the purpose code to your AD bank at settlement, outside the payment flow
  • SOFTEX and EDPMS are handled separately, not by Razorpay

Stripe vs Razorpay: 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.
01stripe

Choose Stripe if:

You sell to global, card paying customers and want deep developer APIs, subscription billing, and marketplace tooling.
  • You are a SaaS company billing global, card paying customers on subscriptions
  • You are a marketplace that collects from buyers and pays out to many sellers
  • You are a developer led team that wants deep API control and 500+ integrations
  • You are a funded business that can absorb a higher effective cost for that card and developer tooling
02razorpay

Choose Razorpay if:

You want bank transfer rails and 1% pricing with 0 markup, rather than Stripe's card option and a higher effective cost.
  • You are an exporter or freelancer who wants to be paid by local bank transfer, like ACH, SEPA, or SWIFT, rather than card
  • You want 1% with zero forex markup instead of Stripe's roughly 6% effective cost
  • You want automatic per transaction FIRA, which Stripe does not provide
  • You already run on Razorpay's India stack and want gateway, payouts, and collections in one dashboard

Skydo: a better alternative to Stripe and Razorpay

Featuresstriperazorpay
Settlement time2 to 5 days1 business day24 hours
Forex markupAround 2%Zero, live rateZero, live rate
Transaction fee4.3% card fee1% on transfers$19 up to $2k, $29 up to $10k, 0.3% aboveBest
FIRANot provided, via bankAutomatic, per transactionFree, instant, per payment
GST invoicingNot built inManual upload, not built inBuilt in, GST compliant
Customer supportCallback-based & emailIndia-based supportIndia-based, on WhatsApp, call and email
Payment trackingDashboard, real timeDashboard, payment statusAuto tracked, remittance to bank deposit
RBI authorisationPA license only, not PA-CBFull PA-CB (Dec 2025)Full 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, Stripe or Razorpay, for international payments in 2026?+
It comes down to how your clients pay you. Stripe is built for card payments, subscriptions, and developer APIs, with an effective cost of around 6%. Razorpay is built for international bank transfers at 1% with no forex markup, automatic FIRA, and settlement to your Indian bank in about a business day. Stripe suits card-led and subscription businesses, while Razorpay suits exporters and freelancers collecting by bank transfer.
Is Stripe cheaper than Razorpay?+
For bank transfers, usually not. Stripe runs about 4.3% on cards plus a roughly 2% forex spread, around 6% all in. Razorpay charges 1% on bank transfers with no markup, and 3% on cards or 3.5% on wallets. If your clients pay by bank transfer, Razorpay is cheaper. Stripe only competes where you specifically need card acceptance.
Which provides better exchange rates, Stripe or Razorpay?+
Razorpay. Stripe builds a forex spread of about 2% into the rate, while Razorpay converts at the live exchange rate with no markup.
Do Stripe and Razorpay provide FIRA for Indian exporters?+
Razorpay generates a digital FIRA automatically for every transaction on the dashboard. Stripe does not, you request it from your AD bank, often at ₹200 to ₹500 each and taking 3 to 7 days. FIRA matters for GST and export compliance.
Are Stripe and Razorpay RBI-approved for receiving payments in India?+
Razorpay holds the full RBI Payment Aggregator Cross Border (PA-CB) licence, granted in December 2025. Stripe holds a PA license (Jan 2024) but not PA-CB, and its India product is in an invite only beta.
Is Stripe or Razorpay better for freelancers or businesses?+
Freelancers and exporters who get paid by international bank transfer are better served by Razorpay, with its 1% fee, automatic FIRA, and fast settlement. Card-led businesses, especially SaaS and subscription products selling to global card customers, are better served by Stripe.
Is there a better alternative to Stripe and Razorpay 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, built-in GST compliant invoicing, eBRC closure, 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.