If you’ve just set up your eCommerce store or decided to digitize your small business and sell your products online, you need a payment gateway to accept payments from your customers. There are many payment gateways available in India that allow customers to make payments online
However, we have made the process of picking the best payment gateway for your online store easier by compiling a list of top payment gateways in India.
Here are the top best payment gateways for India that you can integrate with your website or mobile application for seamless online transactions.
What Is A Payment Gateway?
A payment gateway is a service that enables merchants to accept credit card and other forms of electronic payment from customers on their online store. The payment gateway acts as a secure bridge between the merchant’s website and the payment processor, which handles the actual transaction and transfer of funds.
When a customer makes a purchase on an online store, the payment gateway processes the payment by verifying the customer’s payment information and transmitting the necessary data to the payment processor. The payment processor then communicates with the customer’s bank or credit card company to confirm that the funds are available and to complete the transaction. Once the payment is approved, the payment gateway sends a confirmation back to the merchant’s website and the order is completed.
Payment gateways are an essential component of any online store, as they provide a secure and convenient way for merchants to accept electronic payments from customers. There are many different payment gateways available, and merchants can choose one that best meets the needs of their business and their customers.
Let’s evaluate the best 5 payment gateways for India (List):
1. PayPal India
PayPal is a global name and offers services in 200+ countries. They offer business loans, web payments, apps, etc for a richer customer experience.
What’s included?
- Customized invoices to customers to get payments quickly & easily
- Live customer support
- Receive money in 100+ currencies
- PayPal Here Card & Apps processes payment creates an invoice and tracks sales.
It also offers,
- Zero initial setup fee.
- Zero annual maintenance fee.
- Secure with 128 bit SSL encryption and two-factor authentication
- App-ready with mobile SDKs for Android and iOS platforms.
- A wide range of payment options includes debit and credit cards from all card associations, 50+ net banking, UPI payment mode as a default checkout option, and digital wallets.
Transaction fee:
- 2% + GST for domestic payments.
- 3% + GST for international payments.
2. PayU Money
One of the largest gateways in India. It has assured the lowest prices.
What’s included?
- Zero setup and maintenance fees
- SSL and 2FA
- Transaction management
- Integrated Payment system
- Payment Options (Netbanking, UPI, Cards, Wallets)
Transaction fee:
- 2% + GST for domestic payments.
- 3% + GST for international payments.
3. RazorPay
It allows us to accept, process, and disburse payments. Brands like Udacity, Blinkit, HotStar use this.
What’s included?
- Easy integration
- API Driven
- 100+ Payment options
- Dashboard reporting
- Instant activation
It also offers,
- 100+ payment options including PayLater and NEFT/RTGS payments
- UPI auto pay
- Subscriptions base features
- Smart Collect (using UPI, BharatQR, ePOS, NEFT, etc)
Transaction fee:
- From 2% to 3% depending on the payment mode
4. CCAvenue
Start off without any worries with a zero setup fee. Brands like Myntra, MakeMyTrip, Starbucks Coffee, and ClearTrip are its customers.
What’s included?
- Zero setup fee
- 200+ Payment Options
- Mobile Payments
- Analytics
- Multi-Currency Processing
It also offers,
- Accept payments in INR, USD, EURO, etc
- 200+ payment options including EMI options.
- Support credit cards such as MasterCard, Visa, Diners Club, Amex, etc.
- CCAvenue can be integrated with your website for free
Transaction fee:
- 2% – 3% for domestic Credit/Debit cards.
- 0% for UPI payments.
- 3% – 4% for international Credit cards.
5. Instamojo
It’s the fastest-growing platform for eCommerce businesses. To create payment links, share with customers, and get paid instantly!
What’s included?
- Payment buttons
- Free tools
- Shareable payment links
- Visual charts of payment
- Dispute Resolution Center for your buyers
- Deciding on your payment gateway
It also offers,
- Supports 100+ Payment Methods
- It is one of the PCI DSS compliant payment gateway in India
- no charge for NEFT/RTGS or bank transfer
- Allows merchants to charge a convenience fee to their customers.
Transaction fee:
- Zero setups & maintenance cost
- 2% + Rs 3 per transaction on domestic credit/debit cards, net banking, UPI, & wallets.
- 3% + Rs 3 per transaction on American & other international cards.
Comparison Chart of the Top Payment Gateways in India
Following is a comparison chart for India’s top 5 payment gateways—PayPal India, PayU Money, RazorPay, CCAvenue, and Instamojo—based on important factors like transaction fees, payment options, international support, ease of integration, and security. The chart is meant to assist you in determining which one may be the best fit for you.
| Feature | PayPal India | PayU Money | RazorPay | CCAvenue | Instamojo |
| Transaction Fees | 2.5%–4.4% + fixed fee (varies by currency) | 2% + GST (domestic), 3% + GST (international) | 2% + GST (domestic), 3% + GST (international) | 2% + GST (domestic, Startup Pro), custom for Privilege | 2% + ₹3 (domestic), 3% + ₹3 (international) |
| Setup Fees | None | None | None | None (Startup Pro), ₹30,000 (Privilege) | None |
| Annual Maintenance | None | None | None | ₹1,200 (Startup Pro), varies (Privilege) | None |
| Payment Methods | Credit/Debit Cards, PayPal Wallet | Credit/Debit Cards, Net Banking, UPI, Wallets | Credit/Debit Cards, Net Banking, UPI, Wallets, EMI | Credit/Debit Cards, Net Banking, UPI, Wallets, EMI | Credit/Debit Cards, Net Banking, UPI, Wallets |
| International Support | Yes (100+ currencies, 200+ countries) | Yes (100+ currencies) | Yes (92+ currencies) | Yes (27+ currencies) | Limited (INR only, some international cards) |
| Settlement Time | 1–3 days (to bank account) | T+1 day (next day) | T+1 day (next day) | Weekly (T+7), T+1 for extra fee | T+3 days |
| Ease of Integration | Easy (APIs, plugins available) | Moderate (requires merchant key) | Very Easy (single-line code, APIs) | Easy (APIs, integration kit) | Very Easy (no docs for trial, simple setup) |
| Security | 128-bit SSL, PCI-DSS compliant | 128-bit SSL, PCI-DSS compliant | 128-bit SSL, PCI-DSS compliant | 128-bit SSL, PCI-DSS, FRISK system | 128-bit AES, PCI-DSS compliant |
| Best For | International businesses, freelancers | Small to medium businesses | All sizes, tech-savvy businesses | Large businesses, e-commerce | Small businesses, digital sellers |
| Mobile App Support | Yes (iOS, Android) | No | Yes (iOS, Android) | Yes (iOS, Android) | Yes (iOS, Android) |
| Customer Support | 24/7 (global standard) | 24/7 (email, phone) | 24/7 (chat, email, phone) | 24/7 (dedicated team) | Weekdays (email, IVR) |
Key Insights:
- PayPal India: Ideal for companies that market to global consumers since it has wide currency support and global reach. However, it is less convenient to use for domestic Indian transactions due to banking practices (no Indian credit card compatibility).
- PayU Money: A good option for small and medium enterprises with good international support and competitive prices. No mobile app, which some may not want.
- RazorPay: Very flexible and easy to use, with great integration capabilities and international and domestic payment support. A popular choice among technologically advanced companies of all sizes.
- CCAvenue: One of the oldest and strongest options with the longest history, perfect for large-scale e-commerce with substantial payment choices and support for many currencies. More expensive setup costs for higher-tier plans could discourage startups.
- Instamojo: Great for small businesses and online sellers, simple to install and free to begin. Support for other countries is limited, so not great for international transactions.
Recommendation:
- For International Focus: PayPal India or RazorPay.
- For Startups/Small Businesses: Instamojo or PayU Money.
- For Large E-commerce: CCAvenue or RazorPay.
Select according to your business size, target, and if you want low fees, ease, or international capabilities!
Get help to choose & integrate the best payment method for your eCommerce.
Imagine this: You have a beautiful and speedy website. Your customer is impressed and is about to complete the transaction but the payment fails. That would hurt bad, right?
The ultimate goal of your website is sales. Your decision should take into consideration various aspects like integration, quick resolution center, currency support so that there’s no failure.
Avoid going for a payment gateway “only” because of the low cost. There are high chances you will have to invest a lot of your time in integration and setting up everything on your own.
Author Bio
Sakshi Behl is a marketing manager at Webscoot, a Managed Webscoot Hosting Company. She specializes in content marketing and has knowledge of WordPress, Magento, and Hosting. You can connect with her on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sakshibehl
