No annual fee
No annual fee
(≈₹417/mo added)
Rates shown are standard published domestic rates as of August 2026 and change over time — always confirm current pricing with the provider before committing.
The short version
All three are RBI-authorised, all three cover UPI and cards, and all three will work for a typical Indian WooCommerce store. The differences that actually matter in 2026: Razorpay has the smoothest WooCommerce plugin experience and strong UPI success rates; Cashfree undercuts on standard pricing (1.95%) and leads on payouts/settlements; PayU is strongest for international cards and EMI/BNPL — but its WordPress.org plugin was withdrawn in mid-2026 and its ₹4,999/year AMC adds a fixed cost the others don't charge.
Head to head
| Razorpay | Cashfree | PayU | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard domestic rate | ~2% | 1.95% | ~2% + ₹4,999/yr AMC |
| WooCommerce plugin | Official, actively maintained | Official, actively maintained | WP.org plugin withdrawn (June 2026) |
| UPI & AutoPay | Yes, strong success rates | Yes | Yes |
| Settlements | 1–2 business days | Fastest; same-day options | Standard |
| International cards | Available | Available | Strongest of the three |
| EMI / BNPL options | Good | Good | Broadest |
| Best for | Most Indian online stores | Cost-sensitive stores; marketplaces needing payouts | Export/international-heavy stores |
Snapshot as of August 2026 — pricing and plugin status change; verify with each provider before integrating.
What actually matters for a WooCommerce store
Payment success rate beats fee differences. The gap between 1.95% and 2% on ₹3 lakh of monthly sales is ₹150. A 2% difference in UPI success rate on the same volume is ₹6,000 of lost orders. Ask any gateway for their current success-rate numbers for your category before you pick on price.
Plugin quality is your integration cost. Razorpay and Cashfree both maintain official WooCommerce plugins, which makes setup a configuration task rather than a development project. With PayU's WordPress plugin currently unavailable, integrating it on WooCommerce means custom work — fine if you have a strong reason (international mix, specific EMI needs), otherwise friction you don't need.
Settlement speed is cash flow. If your margins are thin and inventory turns fast, Cashfree's faster settlement options are worth real money. If you're comfortable on a 1–2 day cycle, it's a non-issue.
GST on gateway fees. All providers add 18% GST on their fees — the calculator above shows base fees, so add GST when budgeting margins.
Multiple gateways: when it's worth the complexity
Some stores run two gateways — one primary, one fallback — on the logic that gateway downtime shouldn't mean store downtime. For high-volume stores that's sound engineering. For a typical small store, it doubles your reconciliation work, splits your settlement reporting, and adds a second integration to maintain, for an outage that might cost you an afternoon a year. Start with one well-chosen gateway; add a second only when the revenue at risk justifies the operational overhead.
International sales from an Indian store
If a meaningful share of your customers pay with non-Indian cards, the calculus shifts. International transaction rates run higher (typically 3%+ across providers), settlement adds currency conversion, and RBI compliance around export receivables applies. PayU's strength here is real, but Razorpay and Cashfree both handle international cards too — the deciding factor is usually approval rates for your specific corridor, which you can only learn by asking each provider with your actual numbers.
Setting it up right (the part people skip)
- Webhook verification: your store must verify payment webhooks server-side — trusting the redirect alone is how stores ship goods for failed payments.
- Refund flows: test them before launch, not during your first dispute.
- GST-compliant invoicing: wire your invoice numbering and tax fields to the order data from day one.
- Failure UX: a clear retry path on failed payments recovers a meaningful share of drop-offs.
Frequently asked questions
Which payment gateway is cheapest for WooCommerce in India?
On standard published rates, Cashfree (1.95%) edges out Razorpay (~2%), while PayU adds a ₹4,999/year AMC on top of transaction fees. At typical small-store volumes the rate difference is small — success rates and settlement speed usually matter more.
Does Razorpay work with WooCommerce?
Yes — Razorpay maintains an official WooCommerce plugin, making integration a configuration task. It's the smoothest setup of the three for most stores.
Can I use PayU with WooCommerce in 2026?
PayU's WordPress.org plugin was withdrawn in June 2026, so there's currently no supported official plugin — integrating it means custom development. Choose it only if you specifically need its international/EMI strengths.
Do these gateways support UPI AutoPay for subscriptions?
Razorpay and Cashfree both support UPI AutoPay for recurring payments — relevant if your store sells subscriptions or memberships.
Can you set up my store and gateway?
Yes — gateway integration, webhook verification, GST invoicing and refund flows are part of our WooCommerce builds. Book a free call to scope yours.