Payment gateway for an Indian website: Razorpay, Cashfree, Stripe compared
Short answer: Razorpay and Cashfree are practical starting points for an Indian business that needs UPI and other local payment methods. Stripe India can suit an eligible business that mainly needs card payments, subscriptions or international sales, but new India accounts are currently invite-only and local payment-method support is limited. Compare approval, payment methods, settlement terms and the quote offered to your business before choosing.
What is Razorpay?
Razorpay is an Indian payment platform that lets an approved website or app accept methods such as UPI, cards and net banking. It is authorised by the Reserve Bank of India to operate as an online Payment Aggregator. It sits between the checkout and the banking networks, then settles eligible funds to the merchant bank account under the schedule shown in that merchant's dashboard and agreement.
It is not a bank. It does not lend money. It is a payment plumbing layer, and the same core role is what Cashfree, PayU, Instamojo, Paytm Payment Gateway and CCAvenue also fill.
Is Razorpay safe?
Razorpay is an RBI-authorised Payment Aggregator and states that its payment platform is PCI DSS compliant. That makes it a legitimate, regulated provider; it does not remove normal merchant risks such as chargebacks, account reviews, settlement holds or fraud attempts. Protect the account with strong access controls, verify webhooks server-side, and read the settlement and dispute terms that apply to your business.
Is Razorpay free?
Razorpay advertises no setup fee or annual maintenance fee on its standard payment-gateway plan, but platform fees and GST can apply to successful transactions. The exact rate can vary by payment method, product, volume and negotiated plan. Do not assume UPI processing is free simply because UPI MDR rules exist: check the provider's current commercial terms and the price shown for your account.
Is Stripe available in India?
Yes, with important restrictions. Stripe says new accounts in India are currently available by invitation to a select number of businesses. An eligible India account can accept supported India-issued and international cards, so it is inaccurate to describe Stripe as international-only. However, Stripe's India support page says local payment methods are not currently supported for India accounts; businesses that require UPI should therefore evaluate an India-focused gateway.
Practical rule:
- Need UPI and India-focused payment methods → compare Razorpay, Cashfree and other RBI-authorised providers.
- Need supported cards, subscriptions or cross-border collection → compare Stripe, Razorpay and Cashfree, subject to onboarding approval and export requirements.
- Serve both audiences → one provider may be enough, or two checkout paths may be justified. Decide from the actual payment-method and settlement requirements, not the provider logo.
Does Razorpay accept international payments?
Razorpay offers international card acceptance, subject to approval, supported business category and the documentation requested during activation. Export and tax documentation depends on the business and transaction, so confirm requirements with your accountant and the provider rather than assuming an IEC or LUT is always sufficient. Check the current fee, currency-conversion treatment and settlement currency in the written account terms.
How to integrate a UPI payment gateway on a website
UPI integration on a website goes through a payment aggregator - you do not integrate directly with NPCI. The path:
- Complete business onboarding. The provider may request PAN, bank-account proof, business registration or tax details, the website URL, policies and information about what is being sold. Approval time varies by provider, business category and document review.
- Get API keys. Use test credentials while building; use live credentials only after the merchant account and required payment methods are approved.
- Add the checkout script. One JS include for the hosted checkout, or the SDK for a custom flow. UPI, cards, net banking and wallets all appear inside the same checkout modal.
- Handle the webhook. On successful payment, the gateway calls a URL on your server (the webhook) with the transaction result. Your code marks the order as paid, sends the confirmation email, and updates inventory. Never mark an order paid based on the redirect URL alone - always verify via the webhook signature.
- Test with the sandbox. Both gateways provide test UPI IDs, test cards, and simulated failure scenarios. Run all four: success, failed, cancelled, timeout - before going live.
Which payment gateway is best in India?
Depends on the business:
- Small store, mostly UPI: shortlist India-focused providers such as Razorpay and Cashfree, then compare approval, current pricing, plugin quality and the settlement schedule offered to you.
- Subscription/SaaS: verify recurring-payment support for the required methods, currencies and RBI e-mandate rules. Razorpay Subscriptions and Stripe Billing solve different payment-method and onboarding needs.
- High-volume ecommerce: request written custom quotes and compare success rates, dispute tooling, support and settlement terms as well as headline fees.
- Exports/SaaS to overseas: compare Stripe and Indian providers' international products, subject to eligibility and export-compliance requirements.
- Freelancer/consultant taking one-off invoices: Instamojo or Razorpay Payment Links - no site integration needed.
What Overbuilt sets up by default
For an Indian business site or online store, the default is Razorpay or Cashfree - customer's choice, both work. Setup includes:
- Payment aggregator account in your business name (not the developer's), linked to your current account.
- UPI as the primary checkout method, cards + net banking as fallbacks.
- Webhook wired to a paid-order handler on your site - no orders marked paid on redirect alone.
- Test-mode verification: success, failure, cancel, timeout - all four run before switching to live keys.
- Written handover of the payment dashboard login, refund workflow, and where settlement reports live.
Stripe is considered when its supported cards, currencies, billing tools and invite-based India onboarding fit the project. It is not automatically required just because a business charges in a foreign currency.
Official sources and last review
This comparison was fact-checked on 26 September 2026. Provider terms can change, and the commercial terms offered to an individual merchant may differ from public pricing.
- Razorpay payment gateway pricing and Razorpay UPI product information
- Cashfree payment gateway charges
- Stripe India pricing, Stripe India availability FAQ and Stripe India supported payment methods
Building an online store or subscription site and unsure which gateway fits? Send me the business type and the customer country mix - I'll tell you what actually makes sense and how much the integration adds to the build.
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Frequently asked questions
Which is the cheapest payment gateway in India?
There is no universally cheapest provider. Public rates, promotional offers and negotiated plans change, and costs can differ by payment method, card origin, currency conversion, refunds and value-added services. Compare a written quote for your actual payment mix and expected monthly volume.
Do I need a company (Pvt Ltd) to use Razorpay?
Razorpay supports multiple business types, not only private limited companies. Eligibility and documents vary by entity type and product, so use the provider's onboarding checklist for your account rather than relying on a generic list.
How much does Razorpay charge per transaction in 2026?
Razorpay's public pricing page lists the current standard plan and any method-specific charges; GST can apply to its fees. Pricing and negotiated terms can change, so verify the live pricing page and the rate displayed for your merchant account before publishing your own checkout costs.
Can I use Stripe in India for domestic payments?
An eligible Stripe India account can accept supported India-issued cards as well as international cards. New India accounts are currently invite-only, and Stripe says local payment methods are not supported for India accounts, so it is generally not the right sole gateway when UPI is required.
What is a webhook and why does the payment gateway need one?
A webhook is a URL on your server that the payment gateway calls when a transaction status changes. It is how your site learns "this order is paid" reliably. Relying on the browser redirect alone is unsafe - customers close the tab, networks drop, payment succeeds anyway. The webhook is the source of truth. Every proper integration verifies the webhook signature server-side before marking the order paid.
How long does Razorpay take to settle money to my bank account?
Settlement timing depends on the merchant account, payment method, risk review and the settlement product enabled. Use the schedule shown in your Razorpay dashboard and agreement; do not promise customers or suppliers a generic T+2 timeline without checking the account.