- Can an Indian seller join Paddle at all?
- Verification comes before the first sale
- Rupees are not on Paddle's payout list
- Monthly payouts, a minimum and the SWIFT fee
- What Paddle says about selling to Indian buyers
- A worked example: an Indian app maker selling worldwide
- Related reading
- Before you sign up
- Frequently asked questions
Paddle's supported-countries page says it works with software businesses anywhere except the countries it lists, and India isn't named on that list. But Paddle's payout currencies don't include rupees, so an Indian seller would be paid in another currency. The catch is that payouts come once a month and there's a minimum threshold.
Indian software founders and app makers ask me about Paddle because they've heard that Stripe is invite-only for Indian businesses. Paddle is a different kind of company, and it has different rules. I read its help pages to see what they say for a seller based in India.
Can an Indian seller join Paddle at all?
Paddle's supported-countries page says it works with software businesses anywhere in the world, except for a list of unsupported countries. India isn't among the countries it names. Paddle says that list rests on international sanctions rules and the policies of its banking and payments partners, and that it's subject to change.
That's not a promise of approval. Paddle also checks every seller, and the page says its team may ask for more information before processing an order. Treat the country list as step one only.
Verification comes before the first sale
Paddle's business verification page says it checks the information you gave at sign-up to verify your business and its stakeholders. Checks are often instant, and manual reviews are estimated at 2-4 business days. Individuals and sole traders don't need this particular step.
- You supply government-issued business registration documents.
- You supply an ownership breakdown showing owners with more than 25% ownership.
- Utility bills, accounting documents and tax ID documents are not accepted.
- A PDF is preferred, and a link to a public registry is sometimes accepted.
Rupees are not on Paddle's payout list
This is the point Indian sellers should read twice. Paddle lists 13 payout currencies: AUD, GBP, CAD, CNY, CZK, DKK, EUR, HUF, PLN, ZAR, SEK, CHF and the US dollar. INR isn't one of them. So money earned from Paddle sales reaches an Indian bank in a currency such as US dollars, and your bank does the conversion.
Paddle adds that if you receive a payout in a currency other than your balance currency, it reserves the right to charge a conversion margin of up to 1.5%. That's Paddle's wording. Your Indian bank will have its own exchange rate and charges on top.
| What I checked | What Paddle says |
|---|---|
| Is India on the unsupported list | Not named |
| Payout currencies | 13, including US dollars, euros and pounds but not INR |
| Payout methods | Wire transfer or Payoneer |
| Payout frequency | Once a month |
| Minimum threshold | 100 US dollars, adjustable up to 100,000 |
| Conversion margin | Up to 1.5% if the payout currency differs from the balance currency |
Monthly payouts, a minimum and the SWIFT fee
Paddle pays sellers once a month and says sellers can't withdraw their balance on demand. Payouts are sent by the 15th and can take up to 3 working days to arrive. If your balance is below your threshold, it carries over to the following month.
The minimum threshold is 100 US dollars, and you can raise it up to 100,000. Paddle's payout methods are wire transfer or Payoneer. For wires, Paddle says there's no payout fee when the currency matches your bank's country currency. International SWIFT transfers carry a 15 wire fee in the payout currency, and your bank may charge more.
For an Indian bank, the currency won't match, so I'd expect the SWIFT fee to apply. That's my reading of Paddle's rule, not a statement Paddle makes about India, so confirm it with Paddle and your bank.
What Paddle says about selling to Indian buyers
Paddle's India article says it supports UPI for one-time purchases and UPI Autopay for recurring subscriptions, with payments processed in INR. It also says you don't need an Indian bank account or UPI merchant account to get started. That's about getting paid by customers in India, not about your own payout.
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The article also says Stripe is invite-only for businesses headquartered in India. That's Paddle describing a competitor, so I've covered what Stripe itself says separately.
A worked example: an Indian app maker selling worldwide
Say you run a small software tool from Pune and your customers are in the US, UK and India. Paddle handles the checkout, and the sales build up in your Paddle balance. You can't take the money out on demand. Instead, on the first of the month the balance above your threshold turns into a payout, and Paddle sends it by the 15th.
The money arrives by wire in a currency from Paddle's list, and your Indian bank converts it to rupees. That makes the exchange rate your bank gives you part of the real cost of the sale. I'd compare it with what Payoneer shows before choosing a payout method.
Related reading
If you want the other side of the coin, I've written about how Payoneer works in India and what Wise says about Indian accounts, both of which come up in Paddle's payout options. I've also covered Stripe's invite-only rules for Indian sellers and how PayPal treats Indian users.
Before you sign up
- Check that your product counts as software or digital goods under Paddle's rules.
- Gather your business registration documents and ownership breakdown.
- Decide which payout currency suits your bank, and ask the bank what it charges.
- Plan around monthly payouts and the minimum threshold.
- Ask an Indian accountant how to report foreign income and GST.
Frequently asked questions
Is Paddle available in India?
Paddle's supported-countries page lists the countries it can't support, and India isn't named on that list. Paddle still verifies every seller.
Does Paddle pay out in rupees?
No. Paddle lists 13 payout currencies and INR isn't one of them. Money reaches you in a currency such as US dollars.
How often does Paddle pay sellers?
Paddle pays once a month, sends payouts by the 15th, and says sellers can't withdraw their balance on demand.
What is Paddle's minimum payout?
Paddle's minimum threshold is 100 US dollars, and you can raise it up to 100,000. A smaller balance carries over to the following month.
Does Paddle charge for payouts?
Paddle says wires are free when the payout currency matches your bank's country currency, and international SWIFT transfers carry a 15 wire fee.
