The best PayFac platforms for games, for a studio outside India selling to Indian players, are 1. Xflow, 2. Razorpay, 3. EximPe and 4. Stripe.
Xflow is embedded payments infrastructure that lets your Indian players pay in rupees by UPI, UPI AutoPay or Visa, Mastercard and RuPay cards, and pays you abroad in your own currency in T+2 (2 business days), which suits subscription games.
A studio selling to India meets two problems early: players pay by UPI instead of international cards, and chargebacks are usually the studio's to answer.
Casual and OTT games are in scope here, while online money games are banned under the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, 2025 (in force 1 May 2026).
The 4 best PayFac platforms for games studios selling to India
PayFac platforms, also called payment facilitators, collect for many studios, each a sub-merchant.
In India the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) authorises this activity as payment aggregators, and collecting from India for a business abroad falls under the cross-border category, PA-CB. Four PayFac platforms for games let a studio outside India collect from Indian players and get paid abroad.
- Xflow: best for subscription game studios that want Indian players to renew by UPI AutoPay, with no Indian entity needed.
- Razorpay: best for studios in Japan, South Korea or elsewhere that want payouts in currencies such as JPY, KRW, CHF or AED.
- EximPe: best for studios selling small in-app purchases through Unity or Unreal software development kits (SDKs), from INR 10 upwards.
- Stripe: best for studios already on Stripe that add UPI for items they sell themselves, switched on from the existing Dashboard.
Payment methods a studio needs for Indian players beyond international cards
An Indian player expects to pay the way they pay everywhere else in India, so the checkout you show decides whether the purchase happens.
- UPI: the app-based bank payment that suits small, frequent purchases such as a premium unlock or a weekly subscription.
- UPI AutoPay and card mandates: the player approves a mandate once, and renewals of subscriptions and passes are charged within its terms.
- Cards and netbanking: Visa, Mastercard and RuPay cards, plus netbanking for players who prefer their bank's page.
A checkout built around international cards alone leaves out the first two. Here is how to accept UPI payments from Indian players.
Pricing in-app purchases in rupees for Indian players
Show the price in rupees at checkout, because a player who sees a dollar price has to guess what it will cost on their bank statement.
On Stripe, UPI presents prices in INR, so a studio on Stripe sets rupee prices up front.
Keep the first purchase small. Provider ranges leave room for it: EximPe covers in-app purchases from INR 10 to INR 100,000, and Stripe's UPI option accepts INR 1 to INR 100,000.
Check that your smallest price point sits inside the range of the provider you pick, and set a rupee price for each tier instead of converting your dollar prices one for one.
Chargeback and payout comparison table across Xflow, Razorpay, EximPe and Stripe
The four differ most on Indian payment methods, in-game item rules, who carries a disputed payment, when money reaches you and where each stands on RBI's cross-border payment aggregator (PA-CB) licence, as of 6 Oct 2026.
| Platform | Indian payment methods, incl. renewals | Games and in-game items under its own rules | Chargeback handling | Payouts | RBI licence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xflow | UPI, UPI AutoPay, card mandates, e-NACH, netbanking, Visa, Mastercard, RuPay | Subscription games with no rewards or prizes; in-game items need Xflow approval | Xflow notifies you; you reply with documentary proof | T+2 (2 business days) in your own currency | Final PA-CB |
| Razorpay | UPI, UPI AutoPay, RuPay and other cards, netbanking, e-NACH | Digital goods and services eligible; games not named, so confirm in writing | Card networks or banks decide | Overseas account in USD, EUR, GBP and more | Final PA-CB |
| EximPe | UPI, cards, subscription mandates, INR virtual accounts | In-app purchases from INR 10 to INR 100,000 | You upload evidence; no reply in time is deemed accepted | 24 to 48 hours after INR conversion | Final PA-CB |
| Stripe | UPI, UPI AutoPay up to INR 15,000 | In-game currency and items barred unless you operate the game world | UPI: no contest once the bank accepts the return | Standard Stripe payout schedule | PA-O only |
Strengths and limits of the PayFac providers for games studios
Xflow, Razorpay, EximPe and Stripe suit different game models, so compare how each takes player payments, runs renewals, handles disputes and pays your studio.
1. Xflow
Best for: subscription game studios outside India that settle in their own currency.
Xflow is an embedded payments infrastructure that lets a company outside India collect INR from Indian players by UPI, UPI AutoPay, cards, card mandates, e-NACH and netbanking, and get paid abroad in its own currency, without an Indian entity.
We hold a final PA-CB licence (Payment Aggregator - Cross Border) from RBI for inward and outward payments, as of Feb 2026. We also handle high-frequency, low-ticket UPI payments, which fits the small, repeat charges of a subscription game.
Key features
- Players pay in rupees by UPI, UPI AutoPay, card mandates, e-NACH, netbanking or Visa, Mastercard and RuPay cards, so each player checks out with a method they already use.
- Funds settle through an AD-1 bank into an existing overseas bank account in USD, GBP, EUR, CAD, AUD and more, in T+2 (2 business days) on the standard cycle.
- When a player raises a chargeback, we notify you and ask for documentary proof such as transaction details, player correspondence and proof of delivery.
- Custom pricing (talk to sales): our team helps you onboard and gives you a quote before you sign, so you know the cost up front.
Pros
- Renewals run by mandate, so a subscription renews without the player paying again each month, which suits recurring game revenue.
- Customers describe the Xflow support team as quick, knowledgeable and easy to reach whenever a payment question needs sorting.
- Customers find the Xflow dashboard simple to use, so a small team can follow incoming payments with little training.
Cons
- Sales of in-game items or virtual currency need approval from our team before go-live, because our policy covers subscription games by default.
Review ratings: G2 4.8 out of 5 (27 reviews) and Trustpilot 4.5 out of 5 (27 reviews), as of 6 Oct 2026, covering Xflow as a whole.
2. Razorpay
Best for: studios in Japan, South Korea or elsewhere that want payouts in currencies such as JPY, KRW, CHF or AED.
Razorpay is an Indian payment gateway whose Import Flow lets a company outside India take rupee payments from Indian customers and settle them to an overseas bank account.
Players pay by UPI, cards or netbanking, and payouts can go in a wide choice of currencies.
Key features
- Import Flow takes UPI, RuPay and other cards, and netbanking, with renewals through UPI AutoPay and tokenised cards, and e-NACH for high-value recurring payments.
- Payouts go to an overseas bank account in USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, SGD, JPY, CHF, KRW, AED and more, and the settlement cycle shows on the Razorpay Dashboard.
- Digital goods and digital services are among the eligible business categories, but games are not named, so confirm your game type with Razorpay in writing.
Pros
- One checkout takes UPI, cards and netbanking, so players pay the way they already do without a separate gateway for each method.
- Developers and small teams generally find integration simple, with ready plugins and mobile SDK guidance, so a basic checkout can go live without heavy engineering.
- One dashboard tracks payments, refunds and settlements, so a finance team reconciles player payments without exporting data into spreadsheets first.
Cons
- Support can be slow when a payment is stuck or an account is under review, and some tickets wait days for an answer.
- Payouts can be held or accounts limited during compliance reviews, with little explanation of why, which can delay money a studio is counting on.
Review ratings: Capterra 3.7 out of 5 (121 reviews) and Trustpilot 1.4 out of 5 (454 reviews), as of 6 Oct 2026, mostly for Razorpay's India gateway, not Import Flow.
3. EximPe
Best for: studios selling small in-app purchases through Unity or Unreal SDKs.
EximPe is an Indian payments company that lets a studio outside India collect from Indian players through UPI, cards and INR virtual accounts, and receive the money in a bank outside India.
It offers a hosted checkout page and game-engine software development kits, so a studio can sell small in-app purchases without building its own checkout.
Key features
- In-app purchases from INR 10 to INR 100,000 are supported, so one integration covers both very small and larger amounts.
- SDKs for Unity and Unreal Engine, plus native mobile and REST APIs and a hosted checkout page, let a studio add payments inside the game itself.
- Card and UPI subscriptions create mandates, so renewals of a subscription or pass are charged without the player paying again.
Pros
- UPI refunds are typically instant on EximPe's gaming product, which helps a studio return a small purchase quickly when a player asks.
Cons
- Chargebacks, penalties and fines pass to you and can be offset against the payouts EximPe owes you, so a disputed sale can reduce a payout.
4. Stripe
Best for: studios already on Stripe that add UPI for items they sell themselves.
Stripe is a global payments processor, and a studio with an eligible Stripe account can switch on UPI for Indian players from its Dashboard.
Players pay in rupees by UPI. It works best for a studio that already runs its billing on Stripe.
Key features
- UPI accepts INR 1 to INR 100,000 and supports recurring e-mandates, also called UPI AutoPay, up to INR 15,000, so small buys and renewals both fit.
- Stripe's restricted list bars selling in-game currency or game items unless the business operates the virtual world, so check your items before you build.
- On Stripe's UK pricing, UPI is 2% per successful charge, plus 1.5% for international transactions and 2% for currency conversion, as of 6 Oct 2026; rates vary by country.
Pros
- The API and documentation are strong, so a studio with engineers can build a custom checkout around its game quickly.
- Processing is generally reliable and setup is quick, so a studio already on Stripe can add Indian players without a new payments stack.
Cons
- Support can be hard to reach, and chatbot replies do not always fix a stuck payment, which can leave a studio waiting on money it is owed.
- Some accounts are closed or have funds held for review with unclear reasons, in some cases for months, which can put payouts at risk.
Review ratings: Capterra 4.6 out of 5 (3,386 reviews) and Trustpilot 1.6 out of 5 (17,527 reviews), as of 6 Oct 2026, mostly from general merchants, not game studios.
Who pays for chargebacks in games when players in India dispute payments
When a platform collects for you instead of selling to your player, the studio answers the dispute. If a valid chargeback goes undefended, the funds can be debited from your account.
That applies on Xflow and EximPe, while on Razorpay the card networks or issuing banks make the final decision. Check each provider's current terms before you sign.
Take a digital item: a player buys a coin pack, uses it, then disputes the charge with their bank, and the studio needs its proof ready before the response window closes.
For the model itself, read what a merchant of record is and how it differs from the PA-CB route a PayFac uses.
Refund a clearly unwanted purchase before the player raises a dispute, because a refund returns one sale, while a lost dispute can also bring penalties under some provider terms. Stripe allows UPI refunds up to 60 days after the payment.
How a card dispute and a UPI dispute reach you
On a card payment, the player's issuer contacts the acquiring bank, which informs the platform, and the platform notifies you. You then answer with proof inside the timeframe the platform gives you.
UPI payments can be disputed too: the payer raises it with their bank or payment service provider. On Stripe, once that bank accepts the return, you cannot contest it and Stripe removes the funds immediately.
Check which method the player used before you answer.
Friendly fraud and the proof that defends a digital item purchase
Friendly fraud is a player disputing a purchase they made. We ask you for transaction details, correspondence with the player and proof of delivery, and EximPe asks for proof of delivery and service utilisation.
For a digital item, your own account or server logs showing the player received and used it are usually the strongest proof. Failure to respond may result in the chargeback being upheld on Xflow, and EximPe deems it accepted.
Taking in-game purchases from Indian players outside Google Play billing
Google Play lets developers offer alternative billing for in-app purchases and subscriptions to mobile and tablet users in India, so the studio's own payment provider, not Google's billing system, can collect the payment.
The Google Play service fee is reduced by 4% on those transactions. Conditions include:
- Reporting: you report these transactions to Google within 24 hours.
- Card security: you certify PCI DSS compliance, the card-data security standard, and give users a way to report fraudulent transactions, so ask any provider how it handles card data.
A PayFac can be the payment provider behind that alternative billing or behind your own web store: the player sees a rupee price, pays by UPI or card, and the studio is paid abroad.
Ask any provider you compare whether it works with Google's programme, and read Google's current policy page before you build, because its rules and fee schedule change.
What happens when a UPI subscription renewal fails for players in India
A renewal can fail even when the player still wants the game.
RBI's Digital Payments E-mandate Framework, 2026 (circular of 21 April 2026), covers recurring payments by card, prepaid wallet and UPI, domestic or cross-border, and three of its rules shape how you handle a failed renewal:
- Notice first: the player's issuing bank sends a pre-debit notification at least 24 hours before each charge, so a renewal cannot run the moment it falls due.
- Authentication limit: recurring payments up to INR 15,000 per transaction go through without extra authentication, and above that the player authenticates again.
- Set-up and exit: the first transaction needs authentication, and the player can opt out of a single transaction or the whole mandate.
When a renewal fails, treat the subscription as past due, not cancelled. Retry after the notice window, keep the player's access for a short grace period and send a message asking them to approve the mandate again.
Billing teams call this dunning.
We support UPI AutoPay, card mandates and e-NACH, so ask our team how renewal retries are set up for your game.
How to choose a PayFac for games based on how you sell
Among PayFac platforms for games and other PayFac companies, the right pick depends on your game model, who handles disputes and where you want to be paid. Match your game model to a provider:
- Subscription game studio outside India with no Indian entity: Xflow, so you can accept international payments from Indian players, renew subscriptions through UPI AutoPay and get paid abroad in your own currency.
- Wanting payouts in less common currencies such as JPY, CHF or KRW: Razorpay, whose Import Flow settles in those currencies; confirm your game type with Razorpay in writing first.
- Small in-app purchases through Unity or Unreal SDKs: EximPe, which supports in-app purchases from INR 10 to INR 100,000; read its dispute terms before you sign.
- Already on Stripe and selling your own items by UPI: Stripe, provided your items sit outside its restricted list and you operate the game world they belong to.
Talk to us about collecting from Indian players for your subscription game
For other options open to companies outside India, read about a payment gateway for foreign companies.
Frequently asked questions
A payment facilitator collects for many sub-merchants, while a merchant of record sells to the player in its own name.
We are embedded payments infrastructure, so your studio keeps the player relationship, is paid in its own currency and answers disputes with documentary proof.
Game developers answer a chargeback with documentary proof. Under our policy, we notify you and you send transaction details, correspondence with the player and proof of delivery.
Reply inside the timeframe we give, because failure to respond may result in the chargeback being upheld.
No. You can collect through Xflow without an Indian entity.
Sales to Indian consumers can still attract GST on OIDAR services: suppliers outside India register on Form GST REG-10 and file GSTR-5A monthly, and 18% integrated GST applies to information supply services.
Ask a tax adviser how your game is treated.
With Xflow, the player sees an INR price and pays by UPI, netbanking or cards, and funds reach your overseas account through an AD-1 bank in T+2 (2 business days). Read more on how to accept payments from Indian customers.
Yes, though refund handling differs by provider. Under our policy, your studio decides on and handles the refund, and we facilitate the refund payment back to the player.
Ask our team how long a UPI refund takes to reach the player.
Yes, for subscriptions. With Xflow, the player approves a UPI AutoPay or card mandate once, and renewals are then charged within the mandate terms; we also support e-NACH. Passes that include in-game items need approval from our team before go-live.
