Shopify Payments is Stripe-powered and not available in India. Indian merchants using Shopify for international sales must integrate a third-party payment gateway. This guide covers the best options for accepting international card payments on Indian Shopify stores — and how to avoid Shopify's additional transaction fees.
Why Shopify Payments Isn't Available in India
Shopify Payments is available in 23+ countries but India is not among them (as of 2026). This means:
- Indian Shopify merchants cannot use Shopify's built-in checkout
- All transactions go through third-party payment gateways
- Shopify charges an additional transaction fee (0.5-2% depending on plan) on top of whatever gateway you use
- This double-fee structure makes international payment collection expensive if not managed correctly
The Transaction Fee Problem
Shopify waives its transaction fee only for merchants using Shopify Payments. Since Shopify Payments isn't available in India, every Indian Shopify merchant pays both:
- Their payment gateway's processing fee
- Shopify's transaction fee (0.5-2% based on plan) Basic plan (2% Shopify fee) + Razorpay International (~5%): 7% total on international orders.
Advanced plan (0.5% Shopify fee) + Playto Pay (4%): 4.5% total on international orders.
Upgrading to Shopify Advanced reduces the transaction fee from 2% to 0.5% — worth it above ~$15,000 monthly international GMV.
Best Shopify Payments Alternative for Indian Merchants: International Sales
Playto Pay for International Customers
- International Visa/Mastercard/Amex: 4% flat, zero forex markup
- FIRA auto per international order
- Daily INR direct to Indian bank
- Indian KYB in 24-72 hours How to integrate with Shopify: Playto Pay checkout can be linked from your Shopify product pages. For orders from international customers, direct them to a Playto Pay payment link (created per product or order amount). Alternatively, consult Playto Pay's documentation for Shopify integration status.
Razorpay for Indian Customers
Razorpay's Shopify integration covers domestic Indian payments:
- UPI at 0% (same as Playto Pay)
- Indian credit card EMI (Bajaj, HDFC, ICICI)
- Indian BNPL (Simpl, LazyPay)
- NetBanking The optimal Shopify setup for Indian merchants: Razorpay for domestic Indian customers + Playto Pay for international customers.
True Cost Comparison for International Orders on Indian Shopify
$5,000 Monthly International GMV, Shopify Advanced Plan (0.5% fee)
| Gateway | Gateway Fee | Shopify Fee | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Playto Pay (4% flat) | $200 | $25 | $225 (4.5%) |
| Razorpay International (~5%) | $250 | $25 | $275 (5.5%) |
| PayPal (~8.5%) | $425 | $25 | $450 (9%) |
FAQ
Why isn't Shopify Payments available in India? Shopify has not yet expanded Shopify Payments to India (powered by Stripe, which has limited India merchant access). Indian merchants must use approved third-party gateways.
What is the best Shopify Payments alternative for Indian merchants selling internationally? Playto Pay for international orders (4% flat, zero markup, FIRA auto, daily INR) + Razorpay for domestic Indian orders.
Does Shopify charge extra fees when not using Shopify Payments? Yes. Shopify charges 0.5-2% additional transaction fee on all orders not processed via Shopify Payments. This applies to all Indian Shopify merchants on all plans.
How do I minimise Shopify transaction fees as an Indian merchant? Upgrade to Shopify Advanced ($299/month) to reduce transaction fee from 2% to 0.5%. Worthwhile above ~$15K monthly GMV where fee savings exceed the plan upgrade cost.