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Stripe vs Razorpay: Which Is Better for Indian Devs?

Which is better

In the booming Indian startup and freelancer economy, online payments are the fuel that keeps projects running. Two names dominate this space for developers building SaaS products, client dashboards, or mobile apps: Stripe and Razorpay.

But which one is better for Indian developers in 2025? Let’s break it down based on features, ease of use, integration, pricing, and local support.

💳 1. Onboarding & KYC

  • Stripe: Offers international-level onboarding. But Stripe India requires you to be a registered business (no individual freelancers allowed).
  • Razorpay: Allows both individuals and companies to sign up. Faster KYC for Indian users.

🏆 Winner: Razorpay (more accessible for freelancers & students)

🧑‍💻 2. Developer Experience

  • Stripe: World-class documentation, SDKs for every language (Node.js, Python, Flutter, etc.), sandbox testing, CLI tools.
  • Razorpay: Good documentation, JS SDK, mobile SDKs available, but slightly less mature and polished.

🏆 Winner: Stripe (hands down for DX)

💸 3. Payment Options

  • Stripe: Credit/Debit Cards, UPI, Net Banking (via Razorpay backend in India). Lacks wallet integration like Paytm or PhonePe.
  • Razorpay: UPI, Cards, Net Banking, Wallets, PayLater, EMI — everything Indian users expect.

🏆 Winner: Razorpay (better for local Indian users)

💵 4. Payouts & Settlements

  • Stripe: Payouts take 5–7 days for new users. Only to Indian bank accounts.
  • Razorpay: Payouts in 1–2 working days. RazorpayX allows advanced automation and virtual accounts.

🏆 Winner: Razorpay (faster & more powerful payout tools)

🌎 5. International Payments

  • Stripe: Best for receiving payments in USD, EUR, etc. Currency conversion is automatic. Global reach.
  • Razorpay: Supports international payments but needs special approval. More limitations.

🏆 Winner: Stripe (global client-friendly)

📊 6. Pricing & Fees

  • Stripe India: 3% + GST on international cards, UPI is ~2%. Slightly higher for currency conversion.
  • Razorpay: UPI - 0%, Cards - ~2%, International Cards - 3%. Charges vary by service.

🏆 Tie (depends on your audience)

🤖 7. Extra Features

  • Stripe: Subscription billing, advanced fraud detection (Radar), Connect for platforms, Terminal.
  • Razorpay: RazorpayX (neobanking), Payroll, Subscriptions, Invoices, Smart Collect, Payment Links.

🏆 Winner: Razorpay (more India-focused features out of the box)

🎯 Final Verdict: Which One Should You Use?

It depends on your use case:

  • Use Stripe if: You are serving international clients, working on global SaaS products, or want best-in-class developer tools.
  • Use Razorpay if: You’re building for Indian customers, freelancing locally, or want fast payouts and wide payment methods.

🧠 Pro Tip from Atharv (TechCognita):

“Start with Razorpay if you're an Indian freelancer. Upgrade to Stripe when you scale internationally. Or use both with fallback integration for max flexibility.”

Whichever you choose, both platforms are powerful and developer-friendly. Just make sure your app or business is compliant with Indian tax and finance laws!

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