If you run an export business, a freelance practice, or an agency in India, you already know the real problem isn’t getting paid—it’s getting paid without losing time, margin, or compliance sanity.

So if you’re searching for a “Skydo alternative”, you’re usually asking one of these questions:

This guide compares 5 common alternatives in a clear, non-salesy way—so you can choose what fits your payment pattern, buyer preference, and documentation needs.

Pricing, limits, and policies can change. Wherever possible, I’ve used official product pages and help docs.

Quick TL;DR (choose based on your situation)

We’ll compare options on the parts that usually matter most to Indian exporters/freelancers:

Skydo is positioned for India-based B2B collections, especially for freelancers, agencies, exporters, and <a href="https://www.skydo.com/blog/how-to-receive-payments-from-amazon-global-selling-in-india">Amazon Global Sellers,</a> where the goal is to reduce <a href="https://www.skydo.com/blog/forex-markup-fee-explained">hidden FX loss</a>, avoid slow SWIFT chains, and keep documentation clean and audit-friendly.

In plain terms, Skydo is typically chosen when you want:

Now, here’s when looking beyond Skydo is genuinely reasonable.

When a Skydo alternative might make sense

Some finance/procurement teams have PayPal embedded into approvals. When the deal is new, reducing buyer friction can matter more than optimizing fees.

2) You want P2P + cards + spending in one ecosystem

If you want one app that blends personal wallet behavior, cards, and business collections, you may prefer a different stack (Skydo is more “collections + compliance” oriented than “wallet + spending”).

3) You handle high-volume, low-ticket payments

Flat-fee models often shine at higher ticket sizes; if you’re doing 50–80 payments/month in the $30–$200 range, percentage pricing can sometimes align better (depending on the provider).

4) You’re receiving personal remittances, not export income

Family support, one-off transfers, travel-related incoming money = different compliance expectations. Consumer remittance products are designed for that flow. <a href="https://www.westernunion.com/in/en/receive-money.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank">Western Union Money Transfer</a>

What it is: A globally recognised checkout + invoicing platform that many international clients already trust.

Use PayPal instead of Skydo when: client acceptance &gt; cost optimization, and you’re fine with PayPal’s fee/Fx structure.

What it is: A global payments platform that lets Indian businesses share receiving account details (USD/EUR/GBP, etc.) and then converts + pays out to INR. It is known for offering midmarket exchange rates without any markup

Use Wise instead of Skydo when: your invoices fall within Wise’s receiving limits, and you’re comfortable with the payout + eFIRC workflow.

What it is: A platform popular with marketplace sellers and freelancers, offering receiving accounts and multiple ways to get paid (including card/ACH via “Request a Payment”).

<a href="https://www.skydo.com/blog/payoneer-payment-gateway-features-fees">Payoneer’s</a> pricing page lists:

Use Payoneer instead of Skydo when you’re deeply tied to marketplaces or need Payoneer’s network/payment-request flexibility more than a purpose-built exporter collection flow.

Skydo alternative #4: Infinity (and similar “low-ticket” specialists)

What it is: An India-focused cross-border payments product often positioned for smaller, frequent payments.

Infinity advertises a 0.5% transaction fee (GST inclusive).&nbsp;

Percentage fees scale with invoice size. A flat-fee model can become cheaper when ticket sizes grow—so this depends on your monthly mix.

Use Infinity-style options instead of Skydo when: your average invoice size is small and frequency is high, and you’re less focused on advanced exporter workflows like eBRC.

Skydo alternative #5: Revolut / Western Union / Xoom etc. (personal remittances)

What they are: Consumer-first products built for P2P transfers, travel money, family support, or cash pickup.

These tools generally aren’t designed around exporter compliance workflows (invoicing + purpose codes + export docs), and you usually don’t choose them for regular B2B export receipts.

Use these instead of Skydo when the transfer is personal, not business income.

Skydo tends to be the best fit when you want:

If you’re an Amazon Global Seller, the “documentation question” becomes even more important because:

Here's a quick comparison table to show how Skydo compares to other alternatives

So, when is Skydo still your best option?

Skydo is usually the best fit when you’re receiving B2B export payments into India and you want three things: lower total cost on meaningful invoice sizes, faster settlement, and zero chasing for compliance docs.

Choose Skydo if most of this describes you:

If your reality is: “I’m exporting services/goods, I invoice overseas clients every month, and I want money + documents to land cleanly without manual chasing,” Skydo is built specifically for that.

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Skydo alternatives

Freelance payment isn’t “pick PayPal vs bank transfer.” It’s a system: pricing + contract terms + invoice structure + payment rail + documentation. If one part is weak, you lose money or lose time (or both).

This guide helps Indian freelancers choose the best payment method for freelancers based on the only metric that matters:

How much lands in your account after fees + FX + paperwork effort.

Pricing: quote so you don’t lose money later

1) Set your floor rate (the “can’t-go-below” number)

Invoice in USD/EUR/GBP and protect margin with a visible buffer line item or slightly higher quote.

4) Put fees in writing (this avoids the “why is it short-paid?” mess)

The OUR/SHA/BEN setting is literally what decides who eats SWIFT charges. <a href="https://help.flywire.com/hc/en-us/articles/360019759293-What-do-OUR-DEBT-BEN-CRED-and-SHA-SHAR-mean-in-the-fees-section" target="_blank"></a>

Best payment method for freelancers (by scenario)

What does an “international wire transfer fee” really look like?

An international wire often has three separate cuts:

Even for banks, outgoing wires can range widely (roughly $5–$75), and intermediary fees are common. &nbsp;Also, the “short payment” problem often happens because the fee type is set to SHA or BEN.

PayPal international transfer fee (what’s actually charged)

For India accounts receiving international commercial payments, PayPal lists:

PayPal is usually the easiest “yes” for clients, but the total cost can be meaningfully higher once you include transaction fees and currency conversion spread.&nbsp;

Payoneer alternatives for freelancers (and when Payoneer still makes sense)

Payoneer is strong when your income is marketplace-led, and the integration reduces ops.

Wise (as a PayPal alternative): clear pricing, but account for eFIRC

Wise Business explicitly positions receiving fees as:

What to look for in PayPal alternatives for freelancers (decision checklist)

This lets you choose based on workflow, not brand.

How to stop bleeding money (practical fixes)

“Client bears all transfer fees (OUR). Any short payment will be recovered.”&nbsp;

Instead of 5×$200, invoice $1,000 once (less fixed-fee drag).

US: ACH, EU: SEPA, UK: FPS — often faster + cheaper than SWIFT.

Effective rate = INR received ÷ USD invoiced. Compare to mid-market to spot hidden FX loss.

Compliance &amp; documentation (don’t use sketchy hacks)

If you’re receiving export income, your paper trail matters. Keep:

Using “friends &amp; family” style workarounds may save fees short-term, but it can create documentation gaps when your CA asks for proof of foreign remittance.

Where Skydo fits (and why it’s built for this exact problem)

Once you’re doing repeat B2B international invoices, the goal is simple: reduce fee leakage without breaking compliance.

A clean “stack” that most freelancers end up with

If you’re doing international freelancing seriously, the “best” payment method isn’t the most popular one—it’s the one that gives you (1) predictable fees, (2) real exchange rates, and (3) clean documentation every single time. That’s exactly the gap Skydo is built to fill for Indian freelancers who invoice overseas clients regularly: local-rail collections instead of SWIFT chaos, live FX instead of hidden spreads, and instant FIRA instead of chasing paperwork.

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Freelance payment method

Picture this: You’re launching a project, the work begins, and then payments start getting delayed, or worse, scope creeps up while billing stays the same. That’s exactly what a milestone payment system is designed to prevent.

This guide breaks down milestone payment meaning, when to use milestone payments, and how to design a milestone payment schedule that protects both the client and the service provider.

Milestone payments are payments made in increments at specific stages of a project. Each stage is tied to the completion of a deliverable (or objective), not the number of hours spent.

The simplest way to understand milestone payment meaning is through house construction: you pay only when the contractor hits milestones such as foundation laid, framing completed, or finishing done.

Now let’s get into when milestone payments make sense — and how to structure them.

A milestone payment system works best when:

Custom software delivery happens in phases, which makes it perfect for milestone payments. Example milestone schedule:

For large deployments (like fintech integrations), milestone payments ensure funds are released only when critical steps are done.

3) Marketing Campaigns and Performance Retainers

Marketing takes time, so milestone payments keep projects moving while ensuring the agency is paid on time.

Milestone payments help manage cash flow and scope.

Helps clients pay for verified progress without taking full risk upfront.

How to design milestone payments (5 simple rules)

If you’re setting up milestone payments for the first time, use these rules to keep the system clean, fair, and enforceable.

1) Tie each milestone to a clear deliverable

Each milestone must be measurable and verifiable:
“UX approved,” “MVP deployed,” “Campaign live,” “UAT sign-off.”

Clarity reduces disputes and makes it obvious when payment is due.

An upfront amount (typically 30–50%) covers discovery, setup, and initial work. It protects the service provider from early drop-offs and gives the project momentum.

3) Keep milestones short (≤ 2–3 weeks of work)

Short milestones make delivery predictable, cash flow steady, and feedback loops tight. Both sides stay aligned and fix issues early.

4) Attach evidence to every milestone invoice

Every milestone payment should be backed by evidence: demo links, test environments, reports, design files, tracking sheets, etc. Proof builds trust and reduces delays.

Add a clear review window in the contract (commonly 5 business days). Within that window, the client accepts or raises issues. If there’s no response, the milestone is treated as accepted.

Plug-and-play milestone schedules (templates)

After you design the rules, you need the actual milestone payment schedule. Here are three templates you can copy-paste.

Template 2: Marketing / Performance (Quarter)

Contract &amp; invoice essentials (so milestones actually get paid)

Milestone payments fail when contracts and invoices are vague. These six essentials fix that:

1) Define acceptance criteria + required evidence

Spell out what “done” means and what proof needs to be shared.

2) Establish review, approval, and cure window

Set a clear process and timeline for revisions so payments don’t drag.

3) Specify payment terms + the “pause-work” right

Include amount, due date, currency, method, and who pays transaction fees.
Add a clause allowing you to pause work if payments are overdue.

4) Detail scope of work + add a change-order clause

Your SOW should include milestones + timelines. Any new request should trigger a change order with revised cost/time.

If the project is cancelled midway without cause, define what percentage becomes payable.

Auto-generate milestone invoices, due dates, and reminders. Less manual mess, fewer missed follow-ups.

Collections playbook (especially for cross-border clients)

Milestone payments work best when collections are disciplined:

If you work with US clients, tools like Skydo can help you accept payment methods like ACH (and cards via a payment link using InstaLinks), so clients pay the way they’re used to — while you maintain clean records.

Where Skydo fits (for cross-border milestone payments)

Skydo is an India-based payments platform that helps freelancers and exporters receive milestone payments from international clients through local payment methods like ACH/SEPA.

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Picture this: you're selling successfully on Amazon India, maybe you've even started exploring the US marketplace, but recent tariff changes have you worried about putting all your eggs in one basket.

More and more Indian sellers are now looking at Amazon UAE (Amazon.ae, often called “Amazon Dubai”) as their next move, and for good reason.

Dubai’s market offers something unique: a growing customer base that actually spends money, shorter shipping distances from India, and English-language listings that avoid translation headaches. For an Indian Amazon seller, the UAE can be a natural extension of what you already do in India and the US.

If you've been wondering whether selling on Amazon UAE is a good fit for your business in 2025, let's walk through what you need to know.

Why Amazon UAE now (post-US tariff hedge)

You’ve built a decent Amazon US business, but every time there’s trade policy noise or tariff talk, you’re refreshing news sites, wondering if your margins just disappeared. That anxiety isn’t sustainable.

UAE shoppers spend significantly more per order than many other markets, with the average order value reaching around $102 in 2024, compared to the global ecommerce average of $116.

While the UAE’s AOV is close to the global benchmark, it’s notably higher than the broader MENA region average of $35.60, reflecting strong purchasing power in the Middle East market — a good sign if you want to sell on Amazon UAE with mid-ticket products.

Shipping from Mumbai or Delhi to Dubai takes 3–5 days, not 2–3 weeks. Returns don’t eat into margins as much as US returns do. When a customer changes their mind, you’re not staring at a $40 return shipping bill for a $25 product.

If you’re heavily US-focused right now, one tariff announcement or policy shift can tank your month. Adding Amazon UAE / Amazon Dubai gives you steadier cash flow: when one market dips, the other might hold.

It’s not about abandoning the US; it’s about not being completely dependent on it when trade winds shift.

What sells on Amazon UAE (and Amazon Dubai)

You’re not guessing what might work — you’re filtering for what’s already working on Amazon UAE, then finding your entry point.

For any product you’re evaluating on Amazon.ae:

If a product passes all four, it’s worth deeper digging for Amazon UAE.

This is where you’re not fighting entrenched giants, margins survive shipping costs, and you can actually win on page one without burning cash on ads,&nbsp; whether you’re on Amazon India, US or Amazon UAE.

Categories that work well for Indian sellers on Amazon.ae:

If you Google “Amazon seller UAE”, these are often the types of products you’ll see dominating.

Electricals are where many new Amazon UAE sellers get burnt.

If you’re selling electronics or appliances on Amazon.ae:

Listing a product that doesn’t meet UAE standards without disclosing this upfront leads to returns and negative reviews — and makes it harder to scale when you sell on Amazon UAE long term.

How to sell on Amazon UAE from India: setup checklist

You’ve decided the UAE makes sense. Here’s what actually needs to happen before your first order lands.

If you have Brand Registry on other marketplaces, apply for Amazon UAE too — it unlocks A+ Content and better protection against hijackers.

Whether you need to register depends on your fulfillment model and expected volume.

This isn’t optional bureaucracy. The UAE takes VAT compliance seriously, and missing documentation can freeze your payouts — which hurts more when those payouts come from a newer market like Amazon Dubai.

Keep English primary, but layer in Arabic the smart way.

Copy what’s already working in your category — UAE buyers search using these established terms whether they’re on mobile or desktop.

You don’t have to pick one forever. Most smart Amazon UAE sellers use both, just for different SKUs.

You get the Prime badge, which matters — UAE customers expect fast delivery and trust Prime.

Watch out: if something sits for 90+ days, you’re paying storage fees that quickly eat into margins.

Your winners get Prime eligibility; your experiments stay lean. When that seasonal spike hits — Diwali gifting, Ramadan demand — you can flex back to MFN to avoid long-term storage costs on inventory that won’t move again for six months.

Shipping and landed cost math for Amazon UAE

Before listing a product at AED 99 and hoping it works out, run the actual numbers. Surprises after your first sale are expensive.

What’s left is your real margin, not the fantasy number you calculated by only looking at COGS and selling price.

You want a minimum 25–30% margin after all fees to cover:

At 15% margin, it’s tempting to think more sales will make up for it. In reality, thin margins mean you’re losing money faster. Fix the pricing or fulfillment model now instead of letting the problem scale across Amazon UAE.

A rejected shipment sitting at customs because of missing Arabic compliance labels costs more than just printing the right sticker upfront.

Pricing isn’t just converting your India price to AED and calling it done. The math needs room for reality.

If you price at exact cost plus 20% and the rupee weakens, you’re suddenly underwater.

Build a 5–8% FX buffer into your base price so you’re not repricing every month when exchange rates move.

UAE buying patterns differ from India and the US:

Running a 10–15% coupon during these windows isn’t generosity — it’s table stakes where customers are already shopping heavily on Amazon UAE / Amazon Dubai.

Outside these peaks, your regular price needs to hold without constant discounting.

Amazon UAE for Indian Sellers (2025): Start, Scale & Get Paid

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Picture this: You're running a small business in Mumbai, crafting beautiful handmade jewellery that your local customers love. But you keep wondering, could these same products find buyers worldwide? Specifically, in the massive US market where millions of customers browse Amazon daily?
You're not alone in this thought. Thousands of Indian entrepreneurs are discovering that selling on Amazon USA from India isn't just possible, it’s become one of the most viable paths to international expansion.
The numbers tell the story.

 Amazon's US marketplace processes over $469 billion in sales annually, making it the largest e-commerce platform globally. For Indian sellers, this represents an enormous opportunity that's surprisingly accessible.

Why the US market makes sense for Indian sellers

Before we dive into the mechanics of how to sell on Amazon from India to the USA, let's understand why this particular market works so well for Indian entrepreneurs.

Getting your documents ready to sell on Amazon USA

Starting your Amazon Seller Central USA journey requires gathering the proper paperwork, but it's more straightforward than most people expect.
You'll need an 

Setting up your Amazon Seller Central USA account

Smart product selection happens before you manufacture anything. Too many Indian sellers choose products they love, only to wonder why US customers ignore them.
Use this four-signal filter for any product you're considering. 

Your pricing strategy determines whether you're building a business or subsidising American customers. 

FBA versus merchant fulfillment: choosing your approach

Your fulfilment choice directly impacts customer experience and your operational complexity. Most successful Indian sellers employ a strategic mix rather than relying on a single method.


Shipping products from India to Amazon's fulfilment centres requires understanding both Amazon's requirements and the realities of international shipping.


Handling taxes, duties, and returns like a pro

The tax landscape for international Amazon sellers has become significantly simplified thanks to marketplace facilitator laws; however, it is still essential to understand your obligations to avoid costly mistakes.


As an individual seller from India, you'll fill out Form<a href="https://www.skydo.com/blog/filing-w-8ben-and-w-8ben-e-a-guide-for-indian-freelancers-and-businesses"> W-8BEN</a> during Amazon's tax interview process. If you're selling through a registered Indian business entity, you'll need Form <a href="https://www.skydo.com/blog/filing-w-8ben-and-w-8ben-e-a-guide-for-indian-freelancers-and-businesses">W-8BEN-E</a> instead. This form establishes your foreign tax status and helps you claim benefits under the India-US tax treaty, potentially reducing withholding from the standard 30% to 0% for many types of income.
Amazon now handles sales tax collection and remittance in almost every US state under marketplace facilitator legislation. This means Amazon automatically calculates, collects, and remits state sales tax to the appropriate authorities on your behalf. While this relieves you of most sales tax collection duties, you may still need to register for sales tax permits in states where you have nexus, and some states require filing zero-dollar returns even when Amazon collects all the tax.

You'll need a US return address for customer returns. You can use your business address initially, though many successful sellers eventually work with US-based return processing services for faster handling. FBA automatically handles returns for you, but merchant-fulfilled orders require you to manage the return process directly.
Keep detailed records of all commercial invoices, packing lists, and material safety data sheets where required. These documents prove crucial for customs clearance and potential audits.

Creating listings that rank and convert for US customers

Launch strategy and advertising that works

Your first few weeks determine whether your product gains traction or gets buried in search results. Follow this proven launch sequence for the best results.

Smart payment processing can save significant money on foreign exchange and compliance costs while ensuring you meet all regulatory requirements.
Amazon's standard payout system is compatible with most Indian bank accounts; however, the foreign exchange spreads and intermediary fees can quickly add up. 

Consider using specialised services like Skydo that offer virtual USD receiving accounts for Amazon payouts. This allows you to convert at live forex rates with transparent pricing, rather than accepting the exchange rate your bank offers. While Amazon's Currency Converter for Sellers (ACCS) and platforms like Payoneer or PingPong typically charge 1–2% in fees plus hidden forex markups, Skydo offers rates as low as 0.3% with zero forex markup—potentially saving you a significant amount on payout fees.

Growing Global

Understanding Global Payments blogs