Best Cashfree Alternatives for Smooth Online Payments in India

As a business in India that works with customers internationally, you need a reliable way to receive payments on time and without unnecessary costs. Your customers may be based across regions, work with different banking systems and prefer different payment methods. The smoother payment experience you are able to deliver, the better your working capital management, customer satisfaction and ultimately, the scale of your operations across borders. 

Cashfree is a payment gateway provider used by Indian businesses to collect domestic and international payments. While Cashfree offers a wide range of features, many businesses are still looking for alternatives that offer more predictable global collections, simpler compliance and lower overhead.

Let's evaluate some of the best Cashfree alternatives available today, what Cashfree currently offers and where businesses feel the need for something more. 

Cashfree is an Indian payment gateway that helps you accept online payments through various payment rails like cards, UPI, netbanking, wallets, pay-later options, and select international methods. It supports both domestic and cross-border payments. Cashfree is used by SMEs, enterprises and freelancers who need a plug-and-play solution for online collections. 

Key features of Cashfree

• Cashfree supports domestic and international card payments. 
• It supports 70+ netbanking options, UPI, wallets and pay-later modes. 
• Checkout experience with no redirects and customizable UI components. 
• Dynamic routing to reduce failed transactions. 
• Offers a PCI-DSS-ready secure vault for storing your customer card details. 
• Local support for more than 30 international currencies. 

Many Indian businesses working with international customers find that Cashfree does not always meet their global collection needs. The most common concerns reflect gaps in pricing, support, integration, and operational clarity. 

Here's why businesses are looking at more effective Cashfree competitors: 

1. Higher costs for certain payment methods

Businesses may find Cashfree's pricing expensive for specific card networks or international payments. Charges on options like American Express can go up to 4-5%, which reduces your revenue significantly if you are receiving payments of large value or collecting large invoices. 

2. Slower or inconsistent support 

Merchants at times face slow or inconsistent responses from the support team, especially during integration issues or payment failures. Since your customers are from different time zones and need immediate clarity, delayed support from Cashfree can affect your payment timelines. 

3. Integration and dashboard complexity 

Cashfree's API integration and dashboard navigation may be less intuitive than expected. For businesses that rely heavily on automation, the complex setup slows down the deployment process. 

4. Features do not always perform reliably 

There have been reports of situations where certain Cashfree features did not work as intended. If you handle international clients, reliability cannot be optional, as it can cause unnecessary issues with cash flow and operational overhead. 

There are several things you need to consider before you select a payment gateway that works best for your business: 

1. Customer location and payment behaviour: Consider if your customers are in India or abroad, and also factor in what payment methods they prefer. The platform should be able to support these preferences. 

2. Supported payment methods: The more payment methods that the platform supports, the more flexibility and convenience your customers get. 

3. Settlement timelines: Look for a platform that offers quick settlements like T+0 or T+1. Quicker settlements mean you have better cash flow and operational flexibility. 

4. Pricing and FX transparency: Make sure that the platform offers a transparent and easy-to-understand pricing model. If it's a global payments platform, check that there is no FX markup spread or hidden charges. 

5. Security and compliance: You need to verify and confirm that the platform offers PCI-DSS compliance, strong risk management tools, and automated FIRA/eFIRC for international payments.

Here are the best 10 Cashfree alternatives to try in 2025:

1. Xflow 

Xflow is a specialised global payment collection platform that's built specifically to help Indian businesses that work with international customers. Unlike Cashfree, which focuses primarily on domestic UPI, cards, and netbanking, XFlow helps you receive payments from abroad through local bank transfers such as ACH (US), SEPA (EU), Faster Payments (UK), Fedwire, RTP, and more. This means your international customers pay you using familiar local rails. 

Xflow's infrastructure is powered by JP Morgan Chase and is built for exporters, startups, freelancers, SaaS companies, and fintech platforms. 

Key features of Xflow

1. Multi-currency local receiving account

You get your own USD, EUR, GBP, AED, CAD, AUD, SGD, and other local collection accounts. Your customers can pay directly to these accounts using payment methods they are familiar with. You can then move these funds to your Indian bank account. 

2. Fast and predictable settlements 

With Xflow, you receive one business day settlement into your Indian bank or EEFC account. This eliminates the long 3-5 settlement period of traditional SWIFT transfers. 

3. Transparent pricing with FX certainty 

Xflow links directly to mid-market benchmarks. You know the exact INR amount you will receive even before you initiate a withdrawal. This way you can manage your cash flow and liquidity better. 

4. No intermediary bank deductions

Since payments come through local rails, you can avoid hidden charges and unpredictable deductions that you generally would have to pay when using traditional SWIFT wire transfers. 

5. AI-powered FX analyst 

Xflow's FX analyst uses machine learning and analyzes millions of data points to predict foreign exchange movements, set smart triggers, and help you convert at better rates. 

6. Unlimited withdrawals 

If you receive large invoices, you can withdraw them fully at once without having to split the amount. Xflow automatically generates eFIRA for every transaction from an approved bank.

7. Enterprise-grade security 

XFlow is ISO 27001 and SOC 2 certified and backed by JP Morgan Chase. This means you get top-tier security for all your global transactions. 

Pros of Xflow

• Faster and cheaper than SWIFT
• FX certainty + transparent pricing
• Free FIRA within 24 hours
• Accepts payments from 140+ countries
• Supports 25+ currencies
• Ideal for exporters, SaaS companies, funded startups & freelancers
• 7,000+ businesses trust XFlow
• No hidden fees or deductions

Pricing

Xflow offers a transparent tiered plan that starts at just $12 per transaction. 

Rating

4.9/5 on G2, among the highest-rated global payment platforms.

Receive global payments easier and faster. Get your Xflow Receiving account today and start collecting payments from your international customers! 

2. Razorpay 

Razorpay is one of India's most widely used payment gateways. It offers extensive domestic payment coverage and a smooth checkout experience. It provides a full-stack online payment solution to help you accept international payments in over 100 currencies. Razorpay also supports recurring billing with its products like Subscriptions, Routes, Optimizer, and POS. 

Key Features

• Accepts international cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Diners) and supports 100+ global currencies.
• Strong domestic coverage through UPI, wallets, netbanking, pay-later solutions, and cardless EMIs.
• One-click checkout experience for customers, improving conversion rates.
• Wide range of plugins for Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, and other platforms.
• Free digital FIRC for international transactions.

Pros of Razorpay

• It supports almost every domestic and international payment method. 
• The Sleek UI and one-click checkout help boost conversions. 
• Developer-friendly API and plugins can help you reduce implementation time. 

Cons of Razorpay

• The standard fee starts at around 3% + GST and can be even higher for corporate cards. 
• All international payments settle directly in INR, and you cannot choose conversion timing. 

Pricing

Razorpay charges a platform fee starting at 2% + GST for many payment methods, and roughly 2.15% + GST for international card transactions.

Rating: 4.2/5 on G2. 

3. Stripe

Stripe is a globally recognised online payment solution. It is trusted by businesses like startups and large infrastructure for its user-friendly infrastructure, global reach and advanced checkout systems. It lets you accept international payments from customers across 195+ countries in 135+ currencies. 

Key Features

• Lets you accept customer payments from 195+ countries and supports 100+ payment methods.
• Offers seamless one-click checkout using Link, improving conversion rates.
• You can use Stripe Radar, an AI-powered fraud detection engine trained on billions of global transactions.
• Integrates quickly using flexible APIs or pre-built checkout components.
• Provides recurring billing, subscriptions, and advanced invoicing with Stripe Billing.
• Allows for global payment acceptance, including Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Apple Pay, Google Wallet, and more.

Pros of Stripe 

• You can accept payments from nearly anywhere as the platform offers broad currency support. 
• Offers best-in-class APIs and documentation support. 
• The one-click checkout can help you improve conversions. 
• It is a recognised name globally. 

Cons of Stripe

• The cost of using Stripe is very high for Indian businesses. The platform fee for international cards can be between 4% and 7%. 
• FIRA/FIRC documentation must be obtained manually. The lack of automation can cause delays. 
• UPI and several domestic payment methods are not supported natively.

Pricing 

Stripe charges 2% on cards issued in India and 3% on cards issued outside of India. 

Rating: 4.3/5 of G2 

4. PayPal

PayPal is a globally recognized payment platform and a popular choice for freelancers and agencies who want to receive payments from international customers. It also has a brand reputation and is well-recognised across the US and Europe. It integrates with major e-commerce platforms and accounting tools. 

Key Features

• Helps you accept payments from customers in 200+ markets using cards, PayPal balance, or linked bank accounts.
• Gives you the option to create professional invoices, payment buttons, and one-click checkout experiences.
• Offers PayPal Seller Protection for certain categories of tangible goods.
• Integrates easily with Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, Squarespace, and more.

Pros of PayPal 

• Customers abroad feel safe paying through PayPal, and this improves conversions. 
• It can be set up with minimal configuration. 
• Has strong buyer and seller safeguards to reduce disputes and fraud for eligible goods. 

Cons of PayPal 

• Combining the transaction fee (~4.4%), fixed fee, and a 4% FX markup often pushes the total cost above 8% per transaction. This makes PayPal one of the most expensive options for Indian businesses.
• You receive a consolidated monthly statement instead of a per-transaction FIRA. This slows compliance and GST documentation. 
• PayPal may freeze or hold funds if it detects activity that appears unusual, which affects cash flow.

Pricing

International commercial transactions usually incur ~4.4% + a fixed fee, followed by a 4% currency conversion spread during INR withdrawal.

Rating: 4.4/5 of G2

5. Paytm for Business

Paytm is a recognised payment platform in India that has a strong footprint across domestic and international transactions. For Indian businesses that already rely on Paytm for UPI, cards, and in-store payments, the platform's international acceptance feature is a natural extension. Its Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) offering allows you to accept payments from customers in 95+ currencies while still receiving settlements in INR. 

Key Features

• Paytm allows you to accept payments in 95+ international currencies, with all settlements made to you in INR.
• You can offer real-time FX rates at checkout, helping customers clearly understand the amount in their home currency.
• You can rely on high domestic recognition, which strengthens customer trust and improves success rates.
• The platform supports a unified dashboard for analytics, settlements and transaction tracking.
• Paytm provides DCC (Dynamic Currency Conversion), giving your global customers the choice to pay in their own currency.

Pros

• Paytm's local brand trust helps you offer a familiar experience to both Indian and international customers.
• Offers a transparent real-time FX display, and customers see the converted price upfront. 
• Competitive international card fees are affordable than Stripe or PayPal for cross-border card payments.

Cons

• All international payments are settled only in INR, and the conversion rate is applied instantly. You cannot choose when to convert foreign currency.
• Since Paytm relies on card payments for international acceptance, fees can quickly become expensive for large invoices compared to specialised B2B solutions.

Pricing

Paytm's pricing varies by payment method and merchant category, but international card payments typically fall in the 2.75%-3.99% range plus GST.

Rating: 4.6/5 on G2

6. PayU

PayU is one of India's most widely adopted payment gateways, especially popular among domestic e-commerce and service businesses. It offers a broad suite of features, subscription billing, instant refunds, smart routing, and a secure checkout experience that make it suitable for businesses with mixed domestic and international customer bases. 

Key Features

• You can accept international cards from 150+ countries, including all major global card networks.
• The platform offers subscription billing, instant refunds and tokenised secure checkout flows.
• You can benefit from no setup or annual maintenance fees, ideal for businesses with fluctuating volumes.
• PayU provides smart routing to improve domestic success rates, which can help with certain international cards.

Pros

• PayU has strong local bank connections that often lead to smoother transaction flows.
• Suitable if you need more than one-time payments, such as subscriptions or recurring billing.
• Helpful for smaller international transactions or B2C customer segments.
• Makes it easier for small businesses to start accepting payments without upfront charges.

Cons

• Typically charges a 3-4% + GST high international transaction fee, which becomes expensive for B2B invoices over $1,000.
• INR-only settlements are charged with an FX markup. 
• Activation for international cards requires approvals and documentation, which can take weeks.
• Not suitable for B2B collections as no virtual accounts or low-cost bank transfer models are available. 

Pricing 

PayU operates on a pay-as-you-go model with zero setup or annual maintenance fees for many plans. Transaction fees for international card acceptance typically fall in the 3.0% to 4.0% + GST range. 

Rating: 3.1/5 on G2

7. CCAvenue

CCAvenue is one of India's oldest and most feature-rich payment gateways, known for its broad currency support and multi-language checkout. It is designed for businesses that want maximum payment mode coverage, including niche international cards and lesser-known regional methods. CCAvenue supports 27 international currencies and offers checkout pages in 18 languages. 

Key Features

• You can accept payments in 27 global currencies and display checkout experiences in 18 languages.
• The gateway supports one of the widest ranges of payment modes, including niche cards and international debit cards.
• CCAvenue uses smart dynamic routing to optimise success rates for both domestic and international transactions.
• The FRISK risk engine provides enhanced fraud detection, helpful for digital goods and high-risk categories.

Pros

• Extensive currency and localisation options make it ideal for businesses selling across multiple global markets.
• Broadest payment method coverage reduces drop-offs by allowing almost any customer to complete a transaction.
• Dynamic routing improves success rates and is helpful for large-volume online stores.

Cons

• Highest international transaction fees and typically 4.0%-4.99% + GST. 
• Annual software charges add a fixed ASUC fee (₹1,200-₹3,600/year), which impacts smaller businesses.
• Many users report slow resolution of issues related to refunds or unsettled payments.

Rating: 3.4/5 on Trustpilot

8. Square Payments

Square Payments is a payments and POS ecosystem best known for its simplicity, clean design, and powerful retail-focused tools. However, despite its strong global brand, Square is not available in India for businesses that want to accept international payments and settle them into an Indian bank account. Square's payment infrastructure, POS terminals, invoicing, card readers, and online checkout tools are built primarily for markets like the US, Canada, Australia, the UK and Japan.

Key Features

• Integrated POS ecosystem, including hardware and inventory tools.
• User-friendly digital invoices and payment links.
• Flat-rate pricing in supported regions for predictable cost calculation.
• Strong analytics and reporting for retail and service businesses.

Pros 

• Excellent in-person payment experience through Square POS.
• Extremely intuitive dashboard and invoicing features.
• Suitable for retail, hospitality, health, and service businesses in supported markets.

Cons

• Unavailable in India and cannot accept payments or settle funds into an Indian bank account.
• Cannot accept global payments for Indian entities.
• No multi-currency processing even in supported markets. Square generally processes in the home currency only.

Pricing

Square's typical fees range around 3.3% + $0.30 for online payments. 

Rating: 4.5/5 on G2

9. Bulkpe

Bulkpe is an Indian fintech platform built around operational finance, focusing on payouts, domestic collections and verification tools. Its payment gateway offering is designed to simplify payment collection across UPI, cards, net banking, EMI, and wallets. While Bulkpe supports both domestic and international cards, it remains a domestic-first platform. 

Key features 

• Supports domestic and international cards, UPI, net banking, wallets and EMI.
• Offers 1.95% FREE payment gateway charges for a limited period (domestic only).
• Provides dynamic UPI QR, UPI collect requests, and fast checkout.
• Offers a unified dashboard for collections, payouts, deposits, reconciliation and verification tools.
• Integration options include developer-friendly APIs, SDKs and plugins.

Pros of Bulkpe

• Provides an integrated financial suite that handles collections, payouts and verification. 
• Strong domestic performance with excellent UPI and card success rates. 
• Zero setup and annual charges. 

Cons of Bulkpe

• No virtual receiving accounts or low-cost wire rails for B2B collections.
• Exact charges for foreign cards are not transparent
• International pricing and flows depend on third-party providers.

Pricing

Bulkpe advertises 1.95% FREE for domestic PG for 6 months (limited offer) and flat charges thereafter for domestic transactions. International card pricing is not clearly provided publicly.

Rating: Unavailable 

10. PhonePe Payment Gateway

PhonePe Payment Gateway extends the reliability of one of India's largest digital payment ecosystems into a merchant-facing product. It excels in domestic transactions, UPI, wallets, and cards, and also supports international card acceptance for eligible merchants. While PhonePe PG can process foreign cards in INR, it remains a domestic-first gateway without low-cost FX or B2B cross-border capabilities.

Key Features

• You can accept Visa, Mastercard and Amex international cards in INR once enabled.
• Checkout is consistent and embedded, offering strong trust and familiarity.
• Supports detailed reconciliation reports and transaction insights.
• Uses real-time card validation to identify eligible foreign cards.
• PCI DSS-compliant for secure payments.

Pros

• Customers recognise and trust the PhonePe experience.
• Offers strong domestic reliability and excellent success rates on Indian payment methods. 
• No complex steps to enable international cards.

Cons

• International acceptance is card-only, and there is no support for low-cost bank transfer collections.
• No per-transaction FIRA/FIRC, and it's not suited for exporters needing compliance-ready documents.

Pricing

PhonePe PG pricing is 0% for domestic UPI and ~1.95%-2.15% for domestic cards/net banking. International card fees are not publicly available. 

Rating: Unavailable 

To choose the right payment platform for your business, you first need to identify who your customers are, where they are based, and what payment methods they prefer. Here's how you can go about it: 

1. Identify where your customers are based. For customers in India, select a domestic payment gateway, and for international customers, pick a broader global collection solution. 

2. Map what payment methods your customers prefer and pick a platform that supports those methods. 

3. Compare settlement timelines, as this can affect your overall cash flow. 

4. Consider FX spreads, payout charges and any hidden charges the platform may come with. 

5. Lastly, also check that the payment platform integrates well with your existing business platform and that it's scalable enough to grow with your business. 

While payment gateways like Razorpay, PayU, Paytm, PhonePe, Stripe and others are strong choices for domestic or card-based online payments, they are not designed to optimise the global payment experience for Indian businesses. This is where Xflow steps in. 

Xflow is a global payment collection platform that gives you local receiving accounts in major markets. These allow your international customers to pay you using familiar local rails like ACH, SEPA, Faster Payments, Fedwire or RTP, while you can then withdraw these funds into your Indian bank or EEFC account. Xflow supports 25+ currencies in over 140+ countries along with predictable FX rates, one-day settlements and free eFIRA documentation. 

Get your Xflow Receiving Account and optimize your global payments today!