Cashfree Payments alternatives
12 products compared · Updated November 3, 2026
The short answer
For global businesses needing broad international reach and developer tools, Stripe is the strongest alternative. Indian businesses wanting a full-stack payments platform with transparent per-transaction pricing should consider Razorpay. Fintechs building custom banking and payment flows via APIs in India and APAC are best served by Decentro.
Your shortlist, at a glance
Read the comparisons ↓
Razorpay2.70% + $0.30Indian businesses that want a full-stack payments solution with transparent per-transaction pricing and a US-focused pricing page.PayUCustom quoteIndian startups and SMBs that want a transparent, pay-as-you-go payment gateway with fast integration and no upfront costs.
PaytmNot publishedSmall businesses and merchants in India that want simple UPI and card acceptance with a well-known consumer brand.
InstamojoFrom ₹0/yr + 5% + ₹3Small D2C businesses in India that want to sell online with their own store or landing page and built-in payments.CCAvenueNot publishedIndian businesses that need a reliable, PCI-DSS compliant payment gateway with broad domestic bank and wallet support and don't require advanced AI features.
- JJuspayNot publishedEnterprises in Europe and the UK that need to orchestrate multiple PSPs and local payment methods to maximize acceptance rates.
DecentroNot publishedFintech startups and platforms in India and APAC that want to build custom banking and payment flows via APIs.
MambuNot publishedBanks and fintechs in Europe and other regions that need a composable core banking platform for lending and deposit products.
PlaidNot publishedFintechs and apps in Europe that need bank account linking, identity verification, and transaction data for lending or money movement.
StripeFrom 1.5% + €0.25Global businesses, especially in Europe, that need a flexible payment platform with extensive developer tools and international currency support.- SSynapseSee websiteSynapse platform for financial infrastructure needs.
- TThought MachineNot publishedBanks and financial institutions that need a modern core banking platform to run deposits, loans, and other banking products.
About Cashfree Payments and its alternatives
Cashfree Payments is a next-gen digital payments provider for India. It offers a full payments stack including a payment gateway, subscriptions, payment links, payouts, and fraud tools, with a strong focus on UPI and local methods. It also supports international payments and AI-powered operations.
When comparing alternatives, weigh pricing structure, regional coverage, integration complexity, and support. Some providers publish transparent per-transaction rates, while others require contacting sales. Consider whether you need a ready-made gateway or an API platform for custom builds. Check if the provider supports your target markets and payment methods.
Explore the alternatives
- 2.70% + $0.30
1.Razorpay
Best for: Indian businesses that want a full-stack payments solution with transparent per-transaction pricing and a US-focused pricing page.
- Pricing
- 2.70% + $0.30
- Category
- Finance & Accounting
Razorpay is a full-stack payments platform for Indian businesses, offering payment gateway, subscriptions, payouts, and more. You would choose it over Cashfree Payments if you want a similar broad payments stack but with a different pricing model and a strong focus on the US market.
Where it is strong
- Transparent per-transaction pricing with no setup fees.
- Volume-based discounts for growing businesses.
- Includes payment links, pages, and buttons at no extra cost.
Where it falls short
- Pricing shown is for the US edition. Indian pricing may differ.
- Buy Now, Pay Later is listed as 'coming soon'.
- Pricing:
- In the United States, card transactions are 2.70% + $0.30, with international cards at +1.2% and ACH direct debit at 0.5% capped at $5.
- Switching from Cashfree Payments:
- Moving from Cashfree Payments to Razorpay would involve re-integrating your payment flows and updating any custom checkout code, but both offer similar core features like payment links and subscriptions.
- Custom quote
2.PayU
Best for: Indian startups and SMBs that want a transparent, pay-as-you-go payment gateway with fast integration and no upfront costs.
- Pricing
- Custom quote
- Category
- Finance & Accounting
PayU is a payment gateway for Indian businesses that covers online, in-store, and recurring payments. Choose it over Cashfree Payments if you want a simpler pricing model with no setup or annual fees, and a strong focus on developer experience with clean APIs and SDKs.
Where it is strong
- No setup fees, no annual maintenance fees, and no hidden charges on the standard plan.
- 150+ payment methods including cards, UPI, wallets, net banking, EMI, and BNPL.
- Intelligent routing and risk management to reduce failed payments and fraud.
Where it falls short
- Pricing details are not transparently listed. You need to contact sales for exact rates.
- International and EMI transactions are priced differently, which may add complexity for cross-border businesses.
- Pricing:
- Pricing is not published on the site. It varies by business type and transaction volume, with custom pricing for enterprises.
- Switching from Cashfree Payments:
- Switching from Cashfree Payments involves integrating PayU's APIs and SDKs, which are designed for quick setup, and migrating your payment configurations and settlement preferences.
- Not published
3.Paytm
Best for: Small businesses and merchants in India that want simple UPI and card acceptance with a well-known consumer brand.
- Pricing
- Not published
- Category
- Finance & Accounting
Paytm is a consumer payments app that also offers business payment tools like QR codes, soundboxes, and card machines. Choose it if you want a familiar brand for in-store and online collections, especially if your customers already use Paytm for recharges and bill payments.
Where it is strong
- Widely recognized consumer brand in India
- Offers QR, soundbox, and card machine for in-store payments
- Includes consumer services like recharges and bill payments
Where it falls short
- No published pricing for business payment solutions
- Less focus on developer-centric features like checkout customization or fraud tools
- Pricing:
- Pricing is not published on the site.
- From ₹0/yr + 5% + ₹3
4.Instamojo
Best for: Small D2C businesses in India that want to sell online with their own store or landing page and built-in payments.
- Pricing
- From ₹0/yr + 5% + ₹3
- Category
- E-commerce
Instamojo is an e-commerce website builder with integrated payments, shipping, and marketing tools for small Indian businesses. Choose it over Cashfree Payments if you need a ready-made online store or landing page, not just a payment gateway.
Where it is strong
- Includes website builder, payment gateway, and shipping integrations in one platform.
- Free plan available for starting out, with no upfront cost.
- Do-It-For-Me plans where Instamojo sets up your store for you.
Where it falls short
- Transaction fees are higher than Cashfree's typical rates, especially on lower plans.
- Limited to India-focused e-commerce, not suitable for international payments or complex BFSI needs.
- Pricing:
- The Lite online store plan is ₹0/year with a 5% + ₹3 transaction fee. The Growth plan is ₹14,999/year (or ₹2,999/month) with a 2% + ₹3 transaction fee. Payment links start at ₹0/year with a 3% + ₹3 transaction fee.
- Switching from Cashfree Payments:
- Moving from Cashfree Payments means rebuilding your payment integration and potentially migrating your store if you use Instamojo's builder, but you can keep your existing payment setup and use Instamojo only for the storefront.
- Not published
5.CCAvenue
Best for: Indian businesses that need a reliable, PCI-DSS compliant payment gateway with broad domestic bank and wallet support and don't require advanced AI features.
- Pricing
- Not published
- Category
- Finance & Accounting
CCAvenue is a long-standing Indian payment gateway with 200+ payment modes and a strong focus on domestic cards, netbanking, and wallets. Choose it over Cashfree Payments if you want a straightforward gateway with a large bank coverage list and don't need Cashfree's AI-agent payment operations or in-chat checkout.
Where it is strong
- 200+ payment modes including all major Indian banks and wallets
- Dynamic routing and retry options to boost success rates
- Customizable branded payment page and no-code payment forms
Where it falls short
- Pricing is not transparent. Requires contacting sales for a quote
- No built-in AI agent or in-chat payment capabilities like Cashfree
- Pricing:
- Pricing is not published on the site.
- Switching from Cashfree Payments:
- Switching from Cashfree Payments to CCAvenue involves re-integrating your checkout and configuring new payment methods, but the process is standard for a payment gateway.
- JNot published
6.Juspay
Best for: Enterprises in Europe and the UK that need to orchestrate multiple PSPs and local payment methods to maximize acceptance rates.
- Pricing
- Not published
- Category
- Other
Juspay is a payment orchestration platform that connects you to 300+ PSPs and local payment methods, with features like smart routing, retries, and tokenization. Choose it over Cashfree Payments if you operate in Europe or the UK and need to manage multiple payment providers and optimize acceptance rates across countries.
Where it is strong
- No-code integration to 300+ PSPs and local payment methods
- Automated and dynamic routing to maximize acceptance rates
- PSP-agnostic token vault and network tokenization
Where it falls short
- Pricing not published, likely enterprise-focused
- No direct mention of in-chat payments or AI agents like Cashfree
- Pricing:
- Pricing is not published on the site.
- Not published
7.Decentro
Best for: Fintech startups and platforms in India and APAC that want to build custom banking and payment flows via APIs.
- Pricing
- Not published
- Category
- Finance & Accounting
Decentro is an API platform for banking integrations in India and APAC, offering plug-and-play APIs and SDKs to build fintech products. Choose it over Cashfree Payments when you need to embed banking services like payments, payouts, and account verification directly into your own platform, rather than using a ready-made payment gateway.
Where it is strong
- Plug-and-play APIs and SDKs for faster fintech launches
- Trusted by 2000+ Indian businesses
- Focus on banking integrations beyond just payments
Where it falls short
- Pricing not transparent on the website
- May require more development effort compared to Cashfree's ready-made checkout
- Pricing:
- Pricing is not published on the site.
- Not published
8.Mambu
Best for: Banks and fintechs in Europe and other regions that need a composable core banking platform for lending and deposit products.
- Pricing
- Not published
- Category
- Finance & Accounting
Mambu is a cloud banking platform for building and running financial products like loans, deposits, and cards. Choose it over Cashfree Payments if you are a bank, fintech, or lender that needs a core banking system, not just a payment gateway.
Where it is strong
- Composable architecture lets you assemble banking services from modular components.
- Supports a wide range of financial products, including loans, deposits, and cards.
- Cloud-native, so you avoid legacy on-premise infrastructure.
Where it falls short
- Not a payment gateway, so you still need a separate provider for payment processing.
- Regional focus may be limited. No explicit mention of India-specific payment methods.
- Pricing:
- Pricing is not published on the site.
- Not published
9.Plaid
Best for: Fintechs and apps in Europe that need bank account linking, identity verification, and transaction data for lending or money movement.
- Pricing
- Not published
- Category
- Finance & Accounting
Plaid connects financial accounts to apps for payments, lending, and financial management. It is a data and payment infrastructure layer, not a merchant payment gateway. Choose Plaid when you need to link bank accounts, verify identity, or access transaction data across Europe, not when you need to accept card or UPI payments.
Where it is strong
- Access to 12,000+ financial institutions across 20 countries.
- 99.99% uptime and 55% YoY European customer growth.
- Products for Auth, Balance, Identity, Transactions, and more.
Where it falls short
- No card processing or UPI support. It is not a payment gateway.
- Pricing is custom and not transparent on the site.
- Pricing:
- Pricing is not published on the site.
- From 1.5% + €0.25
10.Stripe
Best for: Global businesses, especially in Europe, that need a flexible payment platform with extensive developer tools and international currency support.
- Pricing
- From 1.5% + €0.25
- Category
- Finance & Accounting
Stripe is a global payments platform that handles online and in-person payments, subscriptions, and payouts. Choose it over Cashfree Payments if you operate outside India and need a provider with broad international reach and a large ecosystem of integrations.
Where it is strong
- Supports over 135 currencies and 100+ payment methods globally.
- 99.999% historical uptime for Stripe services.
- Strong developer experience with SDKs, APIs, and AI-assisted tools.
Where it falls short
- Not tailored for India-specific methods like UPI or RuPay as deeply as Cashfree.
- Pricing for international cards and currency conversion can add costs.
- Pricing:
- Standard pricing is 1.5% + €0.25 for standard cards in the European Economic Area and 2.5% + €0.25 for UK cards.
- Switching from Cashfree Payments:
- Moving from Cashfree Payments to Stripe requires re-integrating payment flows and migrating customer data, but Stripe offers migration support and partner consultants to assist.
- SSee website
11.Synapse
Finance & Accounting
Synapse platform for financial infrastructure needs.
- TNot published
12.Thought Machine
Best for: Banks and financial institutions that need a modern core banking platform to run deposits, loans, and other banking products.
- Pricing
- Not published
- Category
- Finance & Accounting
Thought Machine is a cloud core banking platform for banks, not a payment gateway. It replaces legacy banking infrastructure with modern technology. You would choose it instead of Cashfree Payments if you are a bank or financial institution looking to rebuild your core systems, not a business collecting payments.
Where it is strong
- Cloud-native core banking platform
- Designed for modern banking products
- Replaces legacy infrastructure
Where it falls short
- Not a payment gateway for merchants
- No public pricing or self-serve signup
- Pricing:
- Pricing is not published on the site.
See more comparisons in Finance & Accounting alternatives.
FAQ
Questions about Cashfree Payments alternatives
Which alternative is best for a business operating outside India?
Stripe is the strongest choice for global businesses, especially in Europe, with support for over 135 currencies and 100+ payment methods. It offers extensive developer tools and a large ecosystem of integrations. Cashfree Payments is India-focused, so Stripe better serves international operations.
What is the cheapest option for a small Indian business?
Instamojo offers a free Lite plan with a 5% + ₹3 transaction fee, which is higher than typical rates but has no upfront cost. PayU has no setup or annual fees on its standard plan, but pricing is not transparent. Compare transaction fees and features to find the best fit for your volume.
Can I use these alternatives to build custom payment flows?
Decentro is an API platform for banking integrations in India and APAC, offering plug-and-play APIs and SDKs to build custom fintech products. Plaid connects financial accounts for data and payments but is not a payment gateway. For ready-made checkouts, Stripe and Razorpay offer more out-of-the-box solutions.
Do any of these alternatives support UPI and other Indian payment methods?
Razorpay, PayU, CCAvenue, and Instamojo all support UPI and other Indian methods like cards, wallets, and netbanking. Cashfree Payments is also strong in UPI, but if you are comparing alternatives, these providers cover local needs. Stripe and Juspay have broader international focus but may not be as deep on UPI.
Are there any alternatives with transparent pricing?
Stripe publishes standard pricing: 1.5% + €0.25 for EEA cards and 2.5% + €0.25 for UK cards. Razorpay shows US pricing at 2.70% + $0.30 for cards, but Indian pricing may differ. Instamojo lists plans with transaction fees. Others like PayU, CCAvenue, and Decentro require contacting sales for quotes.
Last updated November 3, 2026.