Best payment gateway with no setup fee India 2026

If your priority is **₹0 setup fee** and you're choosing a payment gateway in India in 2026, these are among the strongest options: | Payment Gateway | Setup Fee | Annual Fee | Best For | Typical Pricing* | |---|---:|---:|---|---:| | **Razorpay** | ₹0 | ₹0 | Startups, SaaS, e-commerce | Around 2% per successful domestic transaction | | **Cashfree Payments** | ₹0 | ₹0 | High-volume businesses, marketplaces | Standard 1.95%; promotional offers may go as low as 1.6% for eligible new merchants. | | **PayU** | ₹0 | ₹0 | Small businesses, international payments | Around 2% for domestic transactions. | | **Paytm Payment Gateway** | ₹0 | ₹0 | Businesses already using the Paytm ecosystem | No setup or annual maintenance fee; transaction charges vary by payment method. | | **PayKun** | ₹0 | ₹0 | Businesses looking for lower MDR | Standard plans start around 1.75% in many cases. | \*Actual pricing depends on your business category, transaction volume, and negotiated rates. ### Which one should you choose? - **For most startups and online stores:** Razorpay offers excellent developer tools, plugins, subscriptions, and broad payment support with no setup cost. - **For lower transaction fees:** Cashfree Payments can be attractive, especially if you're eligible for current promotional pricing or process high volumes. - **For international payments:** PayU and Cashfree both provide strong cross-border capabilities. - **For simple onboarding:** Paytm Payment Gateway is easy to get started with and has no setup or annual maintenance fee. ### Recommendation by business type - **Shopify/WooCommerce store:** Razorpay or Cashfree - **Custom website or mobile app:** Razorpay - **Marketplace (multi-vendor):** Cashfree - **Freelancer or small business:** Paytm or PayU - **SaaS with recurring subscriptions:** Razorpay If you tell me: 1. your monthly payment volume (e.g. ₹1 lakh, ₹10 lakh), and 2. whether you're using **Shopify, WooCommerce, WordPress, or a custom website**, I can recommend the most cost-effective gateway for your specific business.

Fortunately, the Indian fintech market has largely made **zero setup fees** and **zero Annual Maintenance Charges (AMC)** the baseline industry standard. You only pay a percentage per successful transaction (Merchant Discount Rate or MDR). The best payment gateways in India with zero setup fees, compared by features and actual transaction costs, include the following: --- ### 1. Razorpay The undisputed market leader and the "Stripe of India." It is highly recommended if you want the best checkout conversion rates and a highly developer-friendly platform. * **Setup Fee:** ₹0 * **Annual Maintenance Fee (AMC):** ₹0 * **Transaction Fees (MDR):** * * Standard Domestic (UPI, Debit/Credit Cards, Net Banking, Wallets): **2% + 18% GST** * International Cards / Amex: **3% to 3.5% + 18% GST** * **Best For:** E-commerce stores, startups, and SaaS businesses that need high payment success rates, subscription capabilities, and native plug-and-play integrations (Shopify, WooCommerce, etc.). ### 2. PhonePe Payment Gateway PhonePe has been aggressively expanding its merchant ecosystem, leveraging its massive UPI consumer base to offer highly competitive pricing. * **Setup Fee:** ₹0 * **Annual Maintenance Fee (AMC):** ₹0 * **Transaction Fees (MDR):** * * Standard Plan: Frequently runs promotional **0% platform fee** entry windows for UPI, otherwise scales structurally around **1.99% + 18% GST** for standard instruments. * **Best For:** Small to medium businesses looking for frictionless mobile checkout and deep integration with the PhonePe consumer app. ### 3. Cashfree Payments Cashfree is incredibly popular for businesses that handle high volumes of payouts (like vendor payments or instant refunds) alongside standard payment collections. * **Setup Fee:** ₹0 * **Annual Maintenance Fee (AMC):** ₹0 (Standard tier) * **Transaction Fees (MDR):** * * Domestic Cards, UPI, Net Banking: Starts at **1.95% + 18% GST** * UPI on Credit Cards: **2.15% + 18% GST** * International Cards: **2.99% + 18% GST** * **Best For:** E-commerce businesses needing swift automated refunds and platforms handling marketplace split-payments. ### 4. PayU India One of the oldest and most reliable heavyweights in the Indian ecosystem, known for custom enterprise support and deep bank integrations. * **Setup Fee:** ₹0 * **Annual Maintenance Fee (AMC):** ₹0 * **Transaction Fees (MDR):** * * Domestic (Visa, Mastercard, Net Banking, Wallets): **2% + 18% GST** * International / Amex / EMI: **3% + 18% GST** * **Best For:** Businesses requiring highly secure enterprise infrastructure and robust multi-currency support. ### 5. Instamojo If you don't even have a website yet, Instamojo lets you set up an online "Smart Page" or basic digital store link instantly without writing code. * **Setup Fee:** ₹0 * **Annual Maintenance Fee (AMC):** ₹0 (On their basic "Lite" tier) * **Transaction Fees (MDR):** * * Payment Links / Standard: **2% + ₹3 per transaction (+ 18% GST)** * **Best For:** Independent creators, freelancers, and small social-media sellers who just need to drop a payment link on WhatsApp or Instagram. --- ### Quick Comparison Matrix | Payment Gateway | Setup Fee | Annual Maintenance (AMC) | Standard Domestic Fee | Key Strength | |:--- |:--- |:--- |:--- |:--- | | **Razorpay** | Free | Free | 2.00% + GST | Best UI & High Success Rates | | **PhonePe PG** | Free | Free | ~1.99% + GST | UPI Ecosystem Dominance | | **Cashfree** | Free | Free | 1.95% + GST | Instant Refunds & Payouts | | **PayU** | Free | Free | 2.00% + GST | Enterprise Scalability | | **Instamojo** | Free | Free | 2.00% + ₹3 + GST | No-code Payment Links | > 💡 **A Quick Reality Check on "0% UPI Fees":** Under government mandates, standard bank-to-bank UPI has a 0% MDR. However, payment gateways usually still charge their standard platform fee (like Razorpay's 2%) on the total checkout to cover the costs of their APIs, dashboards, and security infrastructure, unless you use a direct bank UPI collection mechanism. What specific type of platform or website (e.g., Shopify, custom code, or no website at all) are you looking to integrate this gateway with?

Based on the current landscape for 2026, several Indian payment gateways offer zero setup fees and zero annual maintenance charges (AMC), operating on a pay-as-you-go model. Here are the best, no-setup-fee payment gateways in India for 2026: 1. Razorpay As of 2026, Razorpay remains a dominant, highly reliable choice for Indian businesses. - **Setup Fee:** Zero. - **AMC:** Zero. - **Key Features:** Offers a very high payment success rate via smart routing, supports numerous payment methods, and is ideal for startups and established businesses alike. - **Best For:** All types of businesses looking for a seamless, all-in-one platform. 2. PayU is a popular choice due to its localized, user-friendly interface. - **Setup Fee:** Zero. - **AMC:** Zero. - **Transaction Fees:** Approx. 2% for domestic transactions and 3% for international/EMI payments, making it competitive for small businesses. - **Best For:** Small to large businesses requiring a flexible solution with international payment support. 3. Paytm Payment Gateway Leveraging the massive user base of the Paytm app, this is excellent for targeting Indian consumers. - **Setup Fee:** Zero. - **AMC:** Zero. - **Key Features:** Straightforward pricing with no hidden costs. - **Best For:** Businesses targeting users who prefer using Paytm Wallet/UPI. 4. Cashfree Payments (Note: *Implied high-volume option*) - **Setup Fee:** Often zero. - **Key Features:** Highly popular in 2026 for its instant refunds and versatile payout solutions. 5. Instamojo An easy-to-set-up solution that also provides an online store builder. - **Setup Fee:** Zero. - **Best For:** Freelancers, creators, and small, new e-commerce websites. 6. PayKun - **Setup Fee:** Zero. - **Key Features:** Known for easy integration, strong security, and low transaction rates. - **Best For:** Small to medium businesses (SMBs). Summary of Key Considerations for 2026 - **Standard Rates:** Most platforms, like PayU and Razorpay, charge a standard fee of around **2% per successful transaction** for domestic debit/credit cards, UPI, and net banking. - **International Fees:** Rates are generally higher (3% or more) for international or EMI payments. - **No Hidden Fees:** The key advantage in 2026 is that none of the above charge upfront onboarding or annual fees, allowing you to pay only when you make a sale. Would you like me to compare: - **Specific transaction fees** (MDR) for a particular volume? - **Integration ease** with WooCommerce, Shopify, or custom websites? - **Settlement speed** (e.g., instant settlements)? Tell me what's **most important** for your business in 2026.