A clear and practical guide for freelancers, agencies and online businesses.

For Indian businesses that work with both domestic and international customers, choosing a payment gateway is rarely simple. Most gateways in India are designed around INR payments, domestic cards and UPI, while only a smaller set also support international cards and foreign currency transactions. If you work with clients abroad or run a global facing business, you need a system that can accept INR from Indian customers and foreign currency payments from international clients without needing separate providers.

This blog explains which Indian gateways actually offer both, how they differ in fees and compliance handling, and why some India focused cross border platforms may be more efficient for exporters and freelancers than traditional gateways.

Why You Need a Gateway That Supports Both INR and Foreign Cards

Many Indian businesses today operate in a hybrid model:

• A freelancer may have Indian and US clients in the same month.
• A SaaS startup may sell subscriptions to Indian and European users.
• A design studio may charge INR for local projects and USD for international work.

Using two entirely separate systems for domestic and foreign payments creates unnecessary operational complexity. It is more efficient to have one system that allows:

• Domestic INR payments through UPI, netbanking and Indian cards.
• International payments through Visa, Mastercard or Amex from foreign cards.
• Clean settlement in INR with proper compliance documentation.

This is where Indian gateways with both domestic and international support come into play.

Major Indian Gateways Supporting Both Currencies

BRISKPE

BRISKPE is structured differently from traditional gateways because it does not use card networks for foreign payments.
International Support: It enables businesses to receive foreign currency payments through virtual USD, EUR and other currency accounts.
Domestic Capability: Users can still operate in INR because settlements ultimately reach Indian bank accounts.
Payout Structure: Conversion happens at live interbank rates with no markup and settlements typically clear faster than card based methods. BRISKPE serves the same purpose as international card acceptance but without card fees and slower settlement cycles.

Razorpay

Razorpay has become one of the most popular options for small businesses and startups in India. It supports a wide range of INR payment methods including UPI, netbanking, wallets and domestic cards.

• International Support: Razorpay can accept foreign cards once the account is approved for global payments. The approval process includes reviewing the website, business model and compliance checks.
• Payouts: For businesses that receive both domestic and international card payments, Razorpay provides a unified dashboard, but international fees are higher than domestic fees. The settlement time for foreign payments is also longer because the funds need to be converted before being sent to the Indian bank account.

Cashfree Payments

Cashfree supports domestic payments, payout services and international card acceptance after the merchant enables cross border processing.

• Key Features: Cashfree is known for fast onboarding, and for many users, its INR settlement flow is smooth.
• International Payouts: International payments have different pricing and follow a separate compliance process similar to other gateways. Cashfree is often chosen by service businesses, learning platforms and software companies that need a mix of domestic and foreign payment flows. Foreign card acceptance requires approval and may take longer for the first payout.

PayU India

PayU is another established gateway widely used across e-commerce and services.

• Key Features: It supports domestic INR payments and also allows merchants to accept payments from international cards once the business passes the required checks. PayU focuses heavily on helping merchants improve success rates for both domestic and foreign cards, which makes it suitable for larger platforms or those with high transaction volumes.
• International Payouts: International fees on PayU are usually higher than domestic ones, and settlement times can vary depending on the nature of the business and payment risk level.

CCAvenue

CCAvenue is one of the earliest payment gateways in India and supports many payment modes.

• International Support: It allows merchants to accept domestic INR payments and foreign card payments in supported currencies. The platform is often chosen by businesses that prefer a traditional gateway setup, although onboarding and documentation requirements can feel heavier compared to newer gateways.
• International Payouts: For international payments, CCAvenue converts the amount to INR before settlement, and the settlement cycle is slower than domestic payments due to compliance checks.

What All These Gateways Have in Common

Even though these gateways support both INR and international cards, they share some common characteristics:

• International transactions are priced higher than domestic ones.
• Currency conversion happens at a rate chosen by the gateway, often with a hidden markup.
• Settlement of foreign currency takes longer than standard INR payouts.
• First time payouts for foreign transactions may be held for additional verification.
• Compliance requirements, such as purpose codes and inward remittance norms, still apply.

For businesses that rely heavily on international clients, these factors can reduce take home revenue and slow down cash flow.

Why Many Exporters and Freelancers Prefer India Focused Cross Border Platforms

While gateways are great for domestic INR payments and card based commerce, they are not optimised for cross border service exports. International card acceptance is expensive, settlements are slower and currency conversion may involve significant markup. For recurring invoices or large value clients abroad, these costs add up quickly.

India focused cross border platforms take a different approach. Instead of handling international payments through card rails, they allow businesses to collect foreign payments directly through virtual foreign currency accounts. These platforms:

• Convert the money at live rates.
• Apply flat transparent fees.
• Provide inward remittance documentation that aligns with Indian banking requirements.

This structure is more suitable for freelancers, agencies and exporters whose primary revenue comes from clients outside India.

How BRISKPE Fits Into This Landscape

BRISKPE is an example of a platform designed specifically for Indian users receiving global payments.

• Collection Method: It supports collection in foreign currencies through virtual accounts rather than relying on card networks.
• Conversion and Settlement: The money is converted into INR at live interbank rates and settled quickly.
• Compliance: Because the system is built around FEMA rules and inward remittance requirements, users get proper documentation automatically.

While traditional gateways help with domestic INR and e commerce style payments, platforms like BRISKPE focus on maximising the INR value of international earnings and simplifying export compliance. For businesses with significant foreign revenue, this model often results in both higher take home pay and fewer operational hurdles.

Final Thoughts

If your business expects payments from both Indian and international customers, choosing a payment gateway that supports both is essential. Razorpay, Cashfree, PayU and CCAvenue all offer domestic INR payments along with foreign card processing. These gateways are strong choices for blended customer bases but carry higher costs and slower settlements for international payments.

If your primary revenue comes from foreign clients, a cross border platform that handles foreign currency directly may offer a more efficient and cost effective model. Understanding these differences helps you choose a system that fits your cash flow needs, compliance requirements and long term business goals.