If you run an Indian business selling to customers overseas, you know how exciting it is to see those international sales come in! But have you ever felt confused about how much money actually ends up in your bank account? You're not alone.

I've talked to many founders, especially in SaaS, E-commerce, and EdTech, who struggle with the real costs of using an international payment gateway in India. It's often more than just the fee you see upfront. There can be hidden charges and confusing exchange rate tricks that lower your profits.

Let's break down these costs simply, so you know what to look out for when choosing gateways for international payments in India.

What Are You Really Paying? Let's Look Closer

Getting paid from other countries often involves more costs than you might think. Here are the big ones I see businesses struggle with when they are using an international payment gateway in India:

• Forex Markups (The Exchange Rate Game): This is often the biggest hidden cost!

  • You see an exchange rate online (maybe ₹84 for $1).

  • But many payment companies (like PayPal or banks) give you a lower rate (say, ₹82.50).

  • They keep the difference – that’s the markup.

  • This markup (often 1.5% to 3% or more!) can mean losing thousands of rupees on payments.

  • It makes it hard to predict your income.

    
    

  

  
  

• Lots of Little Fees Add Up: It’s usually not just one fee. Watch out for:

  • Wire Fees: Costs for sending the money ($20-$75+).

  • Other Bank Fees: Charges from banks in the middle.

  • Platform Fees: The gateway's own percentage.

  • Cross-Border Fees: An Extra charge just because the payment is international.

  • Paperwork Fees: Charges for things like [Link to: FIRC Compliance Guide].

  • Account Fees: Monthly or setup charges.

  • Keeping track of all these different fees is extra work!

    
    

• Surprise Charges: Sometimes, extra fees for international cards or currency conversion pop up unexpectedly.

  
  

• GST on Fees: You often pay 18% GST on top of the fees charged by payment providers (like Stripe or Razorpay) in India, adding another cost layer.

Seeing the Difference: How Costs Can Add Up

It's eye-opening to see how much these different fees can cost, especially for larger businesses. Let’s look at a company processing $1 million internationally per month. Here’s a rough estimate of monthly costs with typical providers:

Thought for a few seconds

(Disclaimer: Competitor fees are estimates based on generally available public info & can change. Forex markups significantly impact total cost.)

Wow! The difference can be huge, right? Just avoiding those extra markups and hidden fees can mean saving hundreds of thousands of dollars every year when you are collecting international payments in India. This shows why choosing a truly low-cost Indian international payments gateway matters so much.

The Solution: xPay focuses on Transparency

Seeing these challenges led us to build XPay differently. We wanted to create India's international payment gateway that was truly transparent and fair for businesses like yours. Here’s our approach:

• Zero Forex Markup: We give you the real, mid-market exchange rate you see on Google—no sneaky markups. You keep more of your money.

• Zero Hidden Fees: Our pricing is upfront. One simple, low percentage fee (under 5%, often as low as 0.5%!). No extra charges for setup, basic FIRC help, or anything else. [Link to: xPay Features Page]

• Zero GST on Fees: We’ve structured things so that Zero GST applies to our processing fees for export payments. That’s an instant 18% saving compared to many others.

Our goal is simple: make receiving international payments in India easy, clear, and affordable.

Take Control of Your International Payment Costs

You work hard for your global sales; you deserve to keep as much revenue as possible. Stop letting hidden fees and confusing rates reduce your profits.

Ready for clearer, cheaper global payments?

Start Your One-Month ZERO Fees Trial with xPay.