Best payment gateway with no setup fee India 2026

If your priority is **₹0 setup fee + no annual maintenance + reliable UPI/card support**, these are the strongest payment gateways in India for 2026. For most businesses, the decision comes down to: - **Transaction fees** - **Settlement speed** - **Ease of integration** - **Support quality** - **UPI success rates** - **Hidden AMC/maintenance charges** ## Best overall: Razorpay Most startups, SaaS apps, freelancers, and ecommerce stores still default to Razorpay because it has: - No setup fee - No monthly fee - Excellent APIs/plugins - Strong UPI checkout experience - Easy onboarding for Indian businesses Published pricing remains around 2% + GST for domestic transactions. ## Cheapest published pricing: Cashfree Cashfree is attractive if: - You process high volume - Need faster settlements - Need payouts/disbursals - Want slightly lower MDR Typical pricing is around 1.75%–1.9% + GST. However, many founders on Reddit mention that some plans may include AMC/maintenance fees depending on business type or contract, so confirm pricing before signing. ## Best for international + EMI: PayU PayU works well if: - You need international payments - EMI coverage matters - You expect enterprise scale But setup/AMC fees may apply unless waived. ## Best for very small businesses & payment links: Instamojo Good for: - Freelancers - Creators - Instagram sellers - Small merchants Very simple onboarding, but settlement speed and scaling are weaker than Razorpay/Cashfree. --- ## Quick comparison | Feature | Razorpay | Cashfree | PayU | Instamojo | |---|---|---|---|---| | Setup fee | No | Usually no | Sometimes yes | No | | Annual fee | No | Depends on plan | Often yes | No | | Domestic MDR | ~2% | ~1.75–1.9% | ~2% | ~2% + fixed fee | | UPI support | Excellent | Excellent | Good | Basic | | Settlement | T+1/T+2 | Fastest | T+2/T+3 | T+3 | | Best for | Startups, SaaS | High-volume businesses | Enterprise, global | Solopreneurs | | Developer experience | Excellent | Very good | Average | Basic | --- ## Recommendation by use case - **New startup / Shopify / SaaS / app:** → Razorpay - **Lowest fees + fast settlements:** → Cashfree - **International payments + EMI-heavy business:** → PayU - **Freelancer / creator / no-code seller:** → Instamojo --- ## Official websites - - - - Community discussions consistently rank Razorpay highest for onboarding and reliability, while Cashfree is preferred once transaction volume grows.

Choosing a payment gateway in India with **no setup fee** is highly achievable, as most modern providers have shifted away from upfront fees and annual maintenance charges (AMC) to a purely "pay-as-you-go" model. However, you should look out for the **Merchant Discount Rate (MDR)**—the transaction fee—and the payment success rates, which dictate the true cost of running your business. The top payment gateways in India with ₹0 setup fees, updated for 2026, include the following options: --- ### 1. Razorpay (The Market Leader) Razorpay is the go-to default for Indian startups and e-commerce brands due to its robust developer APIs, smooth checkout flow, and highest payment success rates. * **Setup Fee:** ₹0 * **Annual Maintenance Charge (AMC):** ₹0 * **Transaction Fee (MDR):** Standard **2% + GST (18%)** per successful transaction for domestic cards, UPI, net banking, and wallets. International cards incur a 3% fee. * **Best For:** All-in-one scalability, SaaS subscriptions (via UPI AutoPay), and seamless e-commerce integrations (Shopify, WooCommerce). ### 2. PhonePe Payment Gateway (Best for UPI-Heavy Businesses) PhonePe has aggressively captured market share by leveraging its massive consumer UPI base. It offers incredibly competitive entry-level pricing to challenge established players. * **Setup Fee:** ₹0 * **Annual Maintenance Charge (AMC):** ₹0 * **Transaction Fee (MDR):** Offers a **Free Standard Plan** for new/small merchants (subject to T&Cs). For enterprise levels, it scales to custom transactional pricing. * **Best For:** Businesses where a majority of customers prefer paying via UPI. ### 3. Cashfree Payments (Best for Fast Settlements) Cashfree is well-known for its lightning-fast settlement cycles and powerful automated payout capabilities (vendor payouts, instant refunds). * **Setup Fee:** ₹0 * **Annual Maintenance Charge (AMC):** ₹0 * **Transaction Fee (MDR):** Typically ranges around **1.75% to 2% + GST**. They often run promotional offers for new merchants (e.g., lower introductory rates for the first year). * **Best For:** On-demand marketplaces, multi-vendor platforms, and businesses requiring instant settlement options (rather than the traditional T+2 days). ### 4. Instamojo (Best for Solo Creators & Micro-Merchants) Instamojo is ideal if you do not want to build a custom website. It provides built-in "Smart Pages" and payment links out of the box. * **Setup Fee:** ₹0 * **Annual Maintenance Charge (AMC):** ₹0 on their Lite plan. * **Transaction Fee (MDR):** **2% + ₹3 per transaction (+ GST)**. * **Best For:** Freelancers, digital product sellers, and small businesses that want a no-code solution to accept payments immediately. --- ### 📊 Quick Comparison Table | Payment Gateway | Setup Fee | AMC | Standard Transaction Fee (MDR)* | Key Strength | |:--- |:--- |:--- |:--- |:--- | | **Razorpay** | ₹0 | ₹0 | 2.0% | Highest success rates & stellar API | | **PhonePe PG** | ₹0 | ₹0 | Competitive / Free Tier | Massive UPI ecosystem integration | | **Cashfree** | ₹0 | ₹0 | 1.75% – 2.0% | Instant settlements & split payouts | | **Instamojo** | ₹0 | ₹0 | 2.0% + ₹3 | Built-in payment links & micro-stores | **Note: An mandatory 18% GST is applicable on all payment gateway transaction fees across India (e.g., a 2% fee effectively becomes 2.36%). If you are GST-registered, you can claim this back as Input Tax Credit (ITC).* --- ### ⚠️ A Warning on "Hidden Costs" When comparing options, look beyond the headline transaction fee. A gateway offering a lower 1.5% transaction rate might seem cheaper than Razorpay's 2%, but if its platform suffers from poor routing and a lower **Payment Success Rate (SR)**, you stand to lose significantly more money to failed checkouts than you would save on transaction fees. What type of business are you setting this up for, and what platform (like Shopify, custom code, etc.) are you planning to use?

The best payment gateways in India with **zero setup fees and zero annual maintenance charges (AMC)** are **,, and Cashfree**. These providers operate on a strict pay-as-you-go model, charging only a percentage per successful transaction. Top Zero Setup Fee Payment Gateways - **Razorpay**: Best overall for startups and tech platforms. - **Setup/AMC Fee**: ₹0. - **Standard Transaction Fee**: 2% + 18% GST for standard domestic cards, UPI, and net banking. - **Key Highlights**: Features a highly intuitive developer dashboard, instant activation, automated refunds, and native checkout flows to boost conversions. - **PhonePe Payment Gateway**: Best for businesses prioritizing UPI success rates. - **Setup/AMC Fee**: ₹0. - **Standard Transaction Fee**: 1.95% + GST on standard cards, with highly competitive structures for UPI. - **Key Highlights**: Leverages PhonePe's massive consumer base, features instrument health tracking to avoid failed payments, and provides simple integration plug-ins. - **Cashfree**: Best for high-scale D2C brands and automated payouts. - **Setup/AMC Fee**: ₹0. - **Standard Transaction Fee**: 1.9% to 2% + GST per successful transaction. - **Key Highlights**: Powered by an in-house UPI switch that handles 12,000+ transactions per second, making it incredibly stable for rapid growth. Direct Comparison Overview | Provider | Standard Transaction Fee | Best Suited For | Key Tech Features | |---|---|---|---| | **Razorpay** | 2% + GST | Startups, SaaS, and App Developers | Advanced analytics, instant activation, subscription billing | | **PhonePe PG** | 1.95% + GST | Local E-commerce and Retail Brands | Proactive health tracking for payment networks | | **Cashfree** | ~2% + GST | D2C Brands and High-Volume Scale | 12K+ TPS UPI switch, automated instant splits | | **** | ~2% + GST | Enterprise and Global Scale Merchants | Over 150 local and multi-currency payment methods | Alternative Domestic Options - ****: Perfect for individual creators and small vendors. It charges ₹0 upfront and includes built-in payment links and basic digital storefront templates so you do not even need to build a website. - **Zaakpay**: MobiKwik’s payment aggregator engine features an attractive promotional waiver of 0% MDR on your first ₹5 Lakh of Gross Merchandise Value (GMV). What to Look Out For While setup is free across these options, remember that **international cards (like Amex) always incur a higher transaction fee** (usually between 3% to 4.99%) across almost all Indian aggregators. Always verify that your business structure (Proprietorship, LLP, or Pvt Ltd) has active registration documents ready, as the RBI compliance guidelines require complete KYC verification before the gateway can be set live. If you would like to pinpoint the absolute best choice for your platform, let me know: - What **e-commerce platform or stack** are you building on (e.g.,, WooCommerce, custom React app)? - Do you need to accept **international payments** or strictly domestic Indian orders? - Are you dealing with **one-time purchases** or recurring **monthly subscriptions**?