If you're a coach or consultant based in India, you'll quickly run into this choice: Razorpay or Stripe? Both support online payments. Both integrate with booking platforms. But they're meaningfully different in ways that matter for a coaching business.
Razorpay — built for India
Razorpay is the default payment gateway for most Indian businesses, and for good reason:
- Accepts UPI, net banking, all major Indian cards, and wallets
- Settlements in INR directly to Indian bank accounts
- Instant settlement option available (for a small fee)
- No GST complexity — you handle your own taxes
- Strong support for Indian coach-client relationships
- Standard fee: 2% per transaction
- International cards accepted but at higher rates
For coaches who primarily serve Indian clients and want clients to pay via UPI or net banking, Razorpay is the straightforward choice.
Stripe — global coverage, works in India
Stripe is used by millions of businesses globally and has full support in India. Key characteristics:
- Accepts international cards from 135+ countries
- Settlements in INR to Indian bank accounts
- Excellent for NRI clients paying in USD/GBP/EUR
- Standard fee: 2% + ₹2 per transaction for Indian cards
- International cards: 3.5% + ₹2 per transaction
- No UPI support — clients must use a card
- Stripe Checkout provides a polished payment experience
Which should you use?
The answer depends on your client base:
- Primarily Indian clients who pay in INR → Razorpay (UPI support is a major advantage)
- Mix of Indian and international clients → Both (if your platform supports it)
- Primarily NRI or international clients → Stripe
- Want to offer dual INR and USD pricing → Both
The best approach: use both
Swanky Tools™ Booking supports both Razorpay and Stripe simultaneously. You can set INR pricing (collected via Razorpay) and USD pricing (collected via Stripe) for the same service. The booking page auto-detects the client's location and shows the appropriate currency and payment method.
This dual-provider setup means you never lose an international client because you don't accept their card, and you never lose an Indian client because you don't accept UPI.
PayPal: a third option
PayPal is also supported on Swanky Tools™ for coaches who prefer it. However, PayPal's fees (typically 4–5% for cross-border transactions) make it less competitive than Stripe or Razorpay for most coaching businesses. It's useful if your clients specifically request it.
Pro tip: Start with Razorpay for Indian clients. Once you start getting international enquiries, add Stripe. Swanky supports both from day one.