Cashfree Payment Gateway

Cashfree Payment Gateway is a business payment-acceptance service covering hosted checkout, APIs, mobile SDKs, plugins, links and forms. It suits Indian-focused merchants that need UPI and many local methods, while also supporting international currencies. The main trade-off is that its promotional pricing is conditional, and the regular per-transaction fee applies once the offer ends.

Overview

Founded in 2015 and headquartered in Bengaluru, Cashfree is built for businesses rather than personal transfers. It handles one-time payments as well as recurring billing and marketplace payments. Teams can choose a hosted payment page, embed merchant-hosted web elements, integrate directly through APIs, or use payment links and forms when a full checkout build is unnecessary.

Cashfree says its gateway covers more than 180 payment modes, including UPI, cards, net banking, wallets, EMI, BNPL and Pay Later. International acceptance extends to 140 currencies and includes international cards and PayPal among the stated methods. That breadth is useful for merchants serving varied customer preferences, but cross-border products are aimed at businesses and individual eligibility still matters.

Key features

Checkout and integrations

Hosted checkout is the quickest route to a payment flow managed outside a merchant's own interface. Web elements support a more integrated merchant-hosted experience for teams that need greater control over presentation. Android, iOS, React Native and Flutter integrations cover common mobile builds, while API, SDK and plugin support gives developers a path to bespoke workflows.

Shopify and WooCommerce plugins reduce the work for store operators, with a wider plugin catalogue also referenced. Payment links and forms extend acceptance to businesses that do not need a conventional storefront.

Payment routing and settlement

The UPI gateway connects to more than eight banks and dynamically routes transactions between them. That routing is intended to improve the chances of a successful UPI transaction, although it does not guarantee approval. Default UPI settlement is T+2 days; instant settlement is available to eligible businesses, so merchants requiring immediate access to funds must confirm eligibility rather than assume it.

Security, onboarding and support

Cashfree identifies itself as an RBI-authorised Payment Aggregator and lists PCI DSS, ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certifications. Merchant onboarding is described as paperless, with a payment expert contacting new sign-ups within 24 working hours. Enterprise accounts can receive a dedicated account manager and WhatsApp support, making the service more suitable for larger operations than for merchants expecting the same service level on every account.

Pricing

Festive offer

Eligible new merchants pay free during the campaign: no payment gateway fees on the first ₹20L of GMV for eligible new merchants. GST still applies. The offer covers domestic transactions, excludes American Express, Diners Club, corporate cards, EMI, prepaid cards and Pay Later, and standard fees apply after it ends. It is attractive for qualifying early volume, but merchants whose customers rely on excluded methods will not receive the full benefit.

Standard platform fee

The standard price is ₹1.95 per contact, billed per transaction. Fees are deducted from successful transactions before settlement. Custom pricing may be available for businesses with high average order values or micro-transactions, so high-volume merchants should ask for a quote rather than assume the listed rate is final.

Platforms

Cashfree supports Android, iOS, web and API deployments. Mobile SDK coverage includes Android, iOS, React Native and Flutter; web businesses can use hosted checkout, web elements, Shopify or WooCommerce plugins, APIs, links and forms.

Who it's for

Choose Cashfree when your business is India-led, needs UPI alongside cards and other local methods, or wants several integration depths from plugins to APIs. It is also relevant for merchants needing recurring or marketplace payments and international collection in multiple currencies. It is less suitable when your volume depends heavily on excluded promotional methods, when instant settlement is essential but eligibility is uncertain, or when you need a consumer-focused payment wallet rather than a merchant gateway.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Broad acceptance: More than 180 payment modes and 140 currencies cover local and cross-border preferences.
• Integration choice: Hosted checkout, web elements, mobile SDKs, APIs, plugins, links and forms fit both technical and low-code teams.
• UPI routing: Connections to 8+ banks and dynamic routing can help manage bank-specific transaction paths.
• Business capabilities: Recurring and marketplace payments extend beyond basic one-off checkout.
• Enterprise assistance: Eligible enterprise accounts can receive an account manager and WhatsApp support.

Cons

• Offer restrictions: The first ₹20L promotion is limited to eligible new merchants and excludes several payment types.
• Settlement qualification: Instant settlement is not universal; default UPI settlement is T+2 days.
• Ongoing cost: The standard ₹1.95 per transaction is deducted before settlement, with custom terms requiring a separate discussion.

Alternatives

Pick Mollie instead if you want pay-as-you-go pricing with no contract and published European card rates, including a free plan.

PayPal Invoicing is better for creating and sending invoices without setup or subscription fees, though transaction fees apply when customers pay.

Choose DOKU for Indonesia-oriented plugin and payment-link options, including Shopify, WooCommerce and Magento support.

Google Pay fits businesses seeking a free online checkout, in-store tap-to-pay and Google Pay API rather than a broad gateway catalogue.

Choose Instamojo when payment links are the priority, with a free Quick plan and a paid Smart plan.

Checkout.com is an alternative for businesses wanting tailored pricing, with free processing offered to registered charities where it operates.

Choose Midtrans for pay-per-successful-transaction processing without subscription or integration fees.

NOWPayments is the specialist alternative for cryptocurrency payments, with network fees excluded and enterprise pricing available on request.

Browse the Payment Gateways category for more options.

Verdict

Cashfree is a strong choice for Indian businesses that want UPI depth, extensive payment coverage and flexible checkout integrations, with recurring and marketplace support included. Look elsewhere if the promotional exclusions affect your core methods, if you require guaranteed instant settlement, or if a simpler invoice, wallet or cryptocurrency product better matches your operation.