Best payment gateway with no setup fee India 2026

If your priority is **no setup fee** and **good value for a startup or small business in India (2026)**, these are the strongest options: | Payment Gateway | Setup Fee | Annual Fee | Best For | |---|---:|---:|---| | Razorpay | ₹0 | ₹0 | Startups, SaaS, e-commerce, subscriptions | | Cashfree Payments | ₹0 | Standard plan: ₹0 | High-volume businesses, fast settlements | | PhonePe Payment Gateway | ₹0 | ₹0 (standard plan) | UPI-heavy businesses | | PayU | ₹0 | ₹0 | Established merchants, broad payment options | | Instamojo | ₹0 | Free tier available | Creators, freelancers, small businesses | ### My recommendations by use case - **Best overall:** Razorpay - ₹0 setup fee - No annual maintenance on the standard plan - Supports UPI, cards, wallets, net banking, subscriptions, payment links, and APIs - Excellent developer tools and integrations. - **Best for lower transaction costs and fast settlements:** Cashfree Payments - ₹0 setup fee - Promotional pricing is available for eligible new merchants - Strong payout and instant settlement features. - **Best if most customers pay via UPI:** PhonePe Payment Gateway - Free onboarding - No setup or annual fee on the standard plan - Good choice for businesses with predominantly UPI transactions. ### Typical transaction charges (standard plans) - **Razorpay:** Around **2% + GST** per successful domestic transaction. - **Cashfree Payments:** Around **1.95%**, with promotional rates available for eligible merchants. - **PhonePe Payment Gateway:** Around **1.95%** (varies by payment method and merchant profile). - **PayU:** Around **2%** (custom pricing available for larger businesses). ### Which one should you choose? - **New startup or online store:** Razorpay - **High monthly payment volume:** Cashfree Payments - **UPI-first business:** PhonePe Payment Gateway - **Need extensive EMI/payment options:** PayU - **Freelancer or creator:** Instamojo If you tell me: - your business type (e-commerce, SaaS, coaching, digital products, etc.), - your expected monthly payment volume, and - whether you use Shopify, WooCommerce, or a custom website, I can recommend the most cost-effective gateway for your specific situation.

In 2026, the major payment gateways in India have shifted to a **"pay-as-you-go"** revenue model for standard or entry-level plans. This means that for most of the top providers, the **setup fee is entirely ₹0**, and you are only charged a percentage per successful transaction (known as the Transaction Discount Rate or TDR / Merchant Discount Rate or MDR). When choosing a gateway, it's also important to watch out for **Annual Maintenance Charges (AMC)**, which some "free setup" gateways still charge. The top payment gateways in India with **₹0 Setup Fees** and **₹0 Annual Maintenance Charges (AMC)** on their standard plans include: --- ### 1. Razorpay (Best Overall) Razorpay is the market leader for startups and small-to-medium enterprises due to its incredibly seamless developer APIs, fast onboarding, and high transaction success rates. * **Setup Fee:** ₹0 * **Annual Maintenance (AMC):** ₹0 * **Transaction Fees:** Standard 2% + 18% GST per successful transaction across UPI, debit cards, net banking, and wallets. International cards generally cost around 3%. * **Best For:** Most standard e-commerce sites, mobile apps, and startups looking for easy integration. ### 2. PhonePe Payment Gateway (Best for UPI Volumes) PhonePe has leveraged its massive consumer app ecosystem to provide an excellent merchant gateway, heavily optimized for high-volume mobile and UPI checkouts. * **Setup Fee:** ₹0 * **Annual Maintenance (AMC):** ₹0 * **Transaction Fees:** Standard 2% + GST (They frequently run promotions offering lower rates or 0% MDR on basic UPI transactions). * **Best For:** Mobile-first businesses with heavy reliance on UPI transactions. ### 3. PayU India (Best for International Scaling) PayU is an enterprise-grade platform that handles massive volumes smoothly and offers incredible security features and smart routing. * **Setup Fee:** ₹0 * **Annual Maintenance (AMC):** ₹0 (on standard entry plans) * **Transaction Fees:** Varies between 1.99% and 2.5% + GST depending on the payment mode. * **Best For:** Businesses targeting a mix of domestic and international credit card customers. ### 4. Instamojo (Best for Beginners & Solopreneurs) If you don't want to build a fully coded website or handle complex API integrations, Instamojo lets you set up simple payment links or a basic online storefront. * **Setup Fee:** ₹0 * **Annual Maintenance (AMC):** ₹0 for the basic "Lite" plan. * **Transaction Fees:** Tends to be slightly higher, ranging between 2% to 3% + GST per transaction. * **Best For:** Freelancers, solopreneurs, and micro-merchants who just need payment links or instant digital store setups. --- ### ⚠️ Important Alternative: Cashfree Payments * **Setup Fee:** ₹0 * **Transaction Fees:** Highly competitive (often around 1.75% to 1.85%), making them one of the cheapest on a per-transaction basis. * **The Catch:** While the setup fee is ₹0, they traditionally charge a **yearly AMC of around ₹4,999**. It is ideal if you have high sales volumes (e.g., over ₹5 Lakhs/month) where the lower transaction fee offsets the annual cost, but may not be optimal for absolute beginners.

Based on the latest data for 2026, several payment gateways in India offer **zero setup fees** and **zero annual maintenance charges (AMC)**, operating on a pay-as-you-go model. Here are the best payment gateways with no setup fees in India for 2026: 1. Razorpay - **Setup/Annual Fee:** Zero. - **Transaction Fee:** Standard industry rates (usually ~2% per successful transaction). - **Best for:** Startups, e-commerce, and businesses requiring robust developer tools and multiple payment methods (UPI, cards, wallets). 2. - **Setup/Annual Fee:** Zero setup fee and no annual maintenance fees, offering a free onboarding experience. - **Transaction Fee:** Roughly 1.95% per transaction after initial promotional periods, though early 2026 data shows zero setup fee. - **Best for:** Businesses looking for high success rates with UPI and the extensive user base of the PhonePe app. 3. - **Setup/Annual Fee:** Zero setup, onboarding, or annual fees. - **Transaction Fee:** Pay-as-you-go model. - **Best for:** Both small merchants and large enterprises requiring a reliable, localized payment solution. 4. Easebuzz - **Setup/Annual Fee:** Zero setup and joining fees. - **Transaction Fee:** Offers flat pricing on transactions. - **Best for:** Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) needing customized payment link or webstore solutions. 5. PayKun - **Setup/Annual Fee:** No setup or annual maintenance fees. - **Transaction Fee:** Generally competitive, offering a secure, user-friendly interface. - **Best for:** Easy integration and secure transactions for businesses of all sizes. Summary of Key Features 2026 - **Zero Setup Fees:** All listed providers eliminate upfront costs. - **UPI Dominance:** PhonePe leads in UPI volume (47-48% market share as of early 2026), making it a top choice for mobile-centric commerce. - **Fast Onboarding:** Easebuzz and Razorpay are recognized for fast, largely automated KYC processes. To provide a more tailored recommendation, are you looking for a solution that supports: - **International payments?** - **Subscription billing?** - **Specifically for a WooCommerce or Shopify store?**