For businesses and freelancers in India, receiving payments from international clients can be a complex and costly process. Between hidden fees, unfavorable exchange rates, and lengthy settlement times, a significant portion of your earnings can be lost before it even hits your account. Fortunately, a new wave of fintech platforms has emerged to simplify this process, offering more transparent and efficient solutions. 

While many options exist, BRISKPE stands out as a leading contender, focusing on minimal charges and fast settlements to help Indian exporters and service providers retain more of their income.

Why Indian Businesses Need Smarter Payment Solutions

Traditional banking via SWIFT isn’t just slow, but it’s expensive. A single remittance can attract fees from both sending and receiving banks, plus a hefty markup on currency conversion. What finally lands in your account often looks very different from the invoice you raised. For SMEs and freelancers, those hidden costs eat directly into already thin margins.

That’s why smarter fintech platforms are gaining traction. The best ones focus on four critical areas:

• Transparent, Low Fees: No mystery deductions.
  
• Fair Exchange Rates: Rates that mirror the real mid-market, not padded with spreads.
  
• Speed: Settlements measured in hours or a day, not weeks.
  
• Compliance Made Simple: Automated e-FIRA and documentation so you’re not buried in paperwork.

Each payment platform in the market claims to address some or all of these pain points but not all do it equally well. Some focus on ultra-low fees, others on marketplace integrations, and some try to bundle banking services with payments.

So, the real question is, which platform actually delivers the most value for Indian businesses and freelancers?

Top Platforms for Foreign Payments: A Deep Dive

BRISKPE

BRISKPE positions itself as a cost-effective and efficient solution for Indian exporters, freelancers, and businesses. Its key value proposition is a flat fee of 0.75% + GST for inward remittances, which is significantly lower than many competitors and traditional banks. BRISKPE also provides virtual accounts in major currencies like USD, GBP, and EUR, allowing clients to make local transfers that avoid SWIFT charges. 

The platform offers a mobile app and a web portal for real-time tracking, e-FIRA generation, and invoice management. For larger businesses with high transaction volumes, BRISKPE offers the ability to provide custom quotes, tailoring pricing to specific business needs to maximize savings.

Strengths:

• Lowest transparent fee structure (0.75% + GST)
  
• No forex markup—live rate applied directly
  
• Fastest Settlement: 24-48 hours settlement
  
• Free e-FIRA instantly
  
• Custom pricing for high volumes

For smaller transactions ($1,000):

• Transparent fee of $7.50 + GST
  
• Net receipt ~$992.50 (before GST)

For monthly volume ($100,000):

• Flat 0.75% = $750 + GST
  
• Still the lowest among percentage-based models

For more than $100,000/month:

• Fee drops to 0.2%
  
• On $200,000 volume, fee = just $400 (vs. $2,000 with 1% platforms)
  
• This makes BRISKPE unbeatable at scale

RazorpayX

RazorpayX, an extension of the popular payment gateway, focuses on providing a complete business banking solution. For international payments, it offers a “MoneySaver Export Account” that charges a 1% fee on the transaction value. While this is competitive, it’s slightly higher than BRISKPE’s standard rate. Razorpay is well known for its robust payment gateway that allows for various payment methods.

Strengths:

• Comprehensive suite of payment and banking tools
  
• Strong brand presence and ecosystem integration

For smaller transactions ($1,000):

• Fee = $10
• Net receipt: ~$990

For monthly volume ($100,000):

• Fee = $1,000
• No discount at higher scale

Skydo

Skydo is a homegrown platform that, like BRISKPE, provides virtual international bank accounts to Indian freelancers and businesses. It prides itself on converting payments using the mid-market rate with no markup. The platform also offers free and instant e-FIRA generation.

Strengths:

• No forex markup, mid-market rates
  
• Instant, free e-FIRA
  
• Freelancer-focused

For smaller transactions ($1,000):

• Flat fee of $19
• Net receipt ~$981

For monthly volume ($100,000):

• $19 per transaction × 100 = $1,900
• More expensive at scale compared to % fee models

Instarem

Instarem, a global remittance platform, offers low-cost money transfers with a focus on sending funds rather than receiving them. Its fees and exchange rates are generally competitive, but it may not offer the specific, India-centric features like automated e-FIRA generation that platforms like BRISKPE and Skydo do.

Strengths:

• Large global reach
  
• Good for both inward and outward transfers

For smaller transactions ($1,000):

• Competitive rates, but fees vary
• Net receipt uncertain due to corridor-based pricing

For monthly volume ($100,000):

• No flat structure, costs fluctuate
• Lack of automated e-FIRA makes it less India-focused

Payoneer

Payoneer is one of the oldest and most widely used platforms for international payments, especially popular with freelancers and gig workers. Its main selling point is its broad integration with global marketplaces like Upwork, Fiverr, and Amazon. However, its fees can be complex, including up to a 1% fee on payments received via its virtual accounts and up to 3% for withdrawals to an Indian bank account.

Strengths:

• Trusted global brand
  
• Strong marketplace integration

For smaller transactions ($1,000):

• Fee = ~$10 (1%) + possible withdrawal costs
• Net receipt ~$990 or lower

For monthly volume ($100,000):

• At least $1,000 in fees, plus extra if withdrawn to Indian bank
• Higher effective cost compared to BRISKPE or Skydo

Analysis for Small Payments:

For a single $1,000 transaction, BRISKPE’s transparent 0.75% fee ensures you receive the maximum possible amount. While Tazapay can be very competitive, its variable fees and potential for additional charges for services like FIRC make it less predictable. BRISKPE’s simple, flat percentage provides peace of mind and the lowest cost upfront.

Cost of Receiving Payments

Platform	Fee Structure	Total Fee on $12,000 (annual $1k × 12)	Total Fee on $100,000 monthly	Total Amount Received (Pre-GST)
BRISKPE	0.75% + GST (drops to 0.2% above $100k)	$90.00	$750.00 (at $100k)$200.00 (at $200k)	$11,910.00 (on $12k)
Skydo	Flat $19 per transaction	$228.00	$1,900.00	$11,772.00 (on $12k)
RazorpayX	1% of transaction value	$120.00	$1,000.00	$11,880.00 (on $12k)
Tazapay	Variable (~0.8% for local payments)	~$96.00	~$800.00	~$11,904.00 (on $12k)
Payoneer	Up to 1% per transaction+ up to 3% for withdrawals	~$120.00	$1,000.00+ (withdrawal extra)	~$11,880.00 (on $12k)
Instarem	Corridor-based, variable	Variable	Variable	Variable

Overall Comparison

Feature	BRISKPE	RazorpayX	Skydo	Instarem	Payoneer	Tazapay
Fees for Inward Remittances	0.75% + GST0.2% above $100k	1% (MoneySaver Export Account)	Flat $19 per transaction	Corridor-based, variable	Up to 1% + withdrawal fees	~0.8% (variable)
Forex Markup	None (live mid-market rate)	Possible markup on gateway rates	None (mid-market rate)	Minimal markup	Markup may apply	Variable
Fastest Settlement	T+1 day	T+1 day	24–48 hours	Corridor dependent	1–3 business days	1–2 business days
e-FIRA Generation	Instant & Free	Automated	Instant & Free	Manual / request-based	Free (for Indian customers)	Paid in some cases
Custom Quotes	Yes (esp. for high volumes)	No	No	No	No	No
Strengths	Lowest fees, zero markup, 0.2% at scale, fast settlement	Wide ecosystem & integrations	Freelancer-friendly, no markup	Global remittances (in/out)	Marketplace integrations, global trust	B2B payments, competitive rates

Analysis for High Volume:

For businesses with frequent or high-volume transactions, BRISKPE’s pricing model becomes even more advantageous. The consistent 0.75% fee results in a significant saving over platforms that charge 1% or have more complex structures. Moreover, for businesses exceeding a certain volume, BRISKPE’s unique ability to offer custom quotes further cements its position as the most efficient choice in the market. 

This personalized pricing ensures that as your business grows, your cost per transaction continues to decrease, something that other platforms do not offer.

Conclusion

The choice of platform depends on your specific needs. For a business or freelancer in India focused on maximizing earnings by minimizing fees and forex costs, BRISKPE’s flat 0.75% + GST and zero markup on the live exchange rate make it a powerful choice. For those with high transaction volumes, BRISKPE becomes even more attractive: fees drop to 0.2% above $100,000/month, making it unmatched in cost efficiency. Combined with custom quotes for large enterprises, this solidifies its position as the market leader.

While competitors like RazorpayX and Payoneer have their own advantages, they often come with a higher or more complex fee structure, which can eat into profits. By prioritizing transparency and cost-effectiveness, BRISKPE allows Indian exporters to focus on growth without worrying about losing a significant portion of their hard-earned money.