Cashfree
Cashfree is an Indian fintech brand established in 2016, providing a next generation payment gateway, payouts solution and a banking solution stack. Supports UPI, cards, net banking and wallets and allows for instant payouts with Cashfree Payouts & Payout Links.
Cashfree is popular in India for it’s quick onboarding, clear pricing and robust enterprise features. The company focuses on startups, marketplaces and enterprise customers requiring massive disbursements.
While reviews point to speed and reliability, there have been comments found on sites like Glassdoor and others about concerns regarding layoffs, internal structure and the odd delay in customer support. But still, the company continues to roll out new features — like QR payments, escrow and subscription billing — and invests in compliance and anti-fraud measures.
| Characteristic | Details |
|---|---|
| Regions | India |
| Getting started | Online KYC, approval in 2–4 days |
| Setup Fee | ₹0 |
| Annual fee | ₹0 |
| Commission per transaction | 1.2%–2.4% + GST |
| Payment methods accepted | UPI, Cards, Netbanking, Wallets |
| Fraud & Risk management | AI-based fraud detection, 3D Secure, transaction rules |
| Accepted Currencies | INR + 80+ global |
| Set up type | API, plugins, hosted checkout |
| Onboarding & Approvals time | 2–4 business days |
| Recurring Billing | Yes |
| Charges on Refunds | Yes — fees retained |
| SDK Stacks | Java, Python, Node.js, Android, iOS |
| Settlement time | T+1 standard; instant with fee |
| Payouts support | Yes — Automatic, Scheduled, Bulk disbursements |
| Split payments | Supported via Marketplace solutions |
| RegionsIndia | |
| Getting startedOnline KYC, approval in 2–4 days | |
| Setup Fee₹0 | |
| Annual fee₹0 | |
| Commission per transaction1.2%–2.4% + GST | |
| Payment methods acceptedUPI, Cards, Netbanking, Wallets | |
| Fraud & Risk managementAI-based fraud detection, 3D Secure, transaction rules | |
| Accepted CurrenciesINR + 80+ global | |
| Set up typeAPI, plugins, hosted checkout | |
| Onboarding & Approvals time2–4 business days | |
| Recurring BillingYes | |
| Charges on RefundsYes — fees retained | |
| SDK StacksJava, Python, Node.js, Android, iOS | |
| Settlement timeT+1 standard; instant with fee | |
| Payouts supportYes — Automatic, Scheduled, Bulk disbursements | |
| Split paymentsSupported via Marketplace solutions |
Pros
- Fast onboarding and easy integration
- Competitive pricing with transparent fee structure
- Supports payout use cases (marketplaces, payroll)
- Enterprise-grade fraud detection
- Subscription and QR-based payment features
Cons
- Limited to India only
- Occasional dispute delays reported
- Some users cite slower customer support
- Retains fees on refunds
- Reports of internal layoffs affecting morale
Why Businesses Choose Cashfree
Cashfree is the easy way to collect and disburse payments in India using UPI, wallets, cards and bank transfers. Its payouts stack—Cashfree Payouts and Payout Links—enable businesses to pay clients, vendors and employees and distribute refunds with ease.
How Cashfree Works in Real Scenarios
The Cashfree payment gateway is built to support both online and offline businesses through easy integration and broad API access. Once your account is verified, you can begin accepting payments via UPI, cards, net banking, and even BNPL (Buy Now Pay Later) methods. Developers can use Cashfree’s SDKs for Android, iOS, and web platforms to integrate payments smoothly across customer touchpoints.
Its intuitive dashboard helps businesses manage transactions, view analytics, issue refunds, and configure payout workflows without writing extra code. Whether you run an eCommerce store or a subscription-based service, the flexibility of Cashfree makes it suitable for multiple real-world use cases.
Cashfree: What Users and Experts Are Saying
Reviews for the Cashfree payment gateway are largely positive, especially among startups and growing eCommerce brands. Users appreciate the seamless API documentation, responsive support, and the platform’s ability to handle high volumes without glitches.
On platforms like Glassdoor, the company is also recognized for its fast-paced environment and product innovation, though some mention challenges during scaling. Overall, Cashfree maintains a reputation for reliability and competitive pricing in the Indian payment space.
Safety
Cashfree is PCI-DSS compliant and encrypted with AWS infrastructure. In 2019, an internal misconfiguration led logs from 75,000 transactions to be exposed. The company reacted with 2FA, security audits and access limits.
What Does Cashfree Charge for Account Usage?
Cashfree does not impose any setup or annual maintenance fees for most standard accounts, making it appealing for startups and small businesses. However, each transaction incurs a fee based on the payment method used — typically between 1.2% and 2.4% for domestic payments.
Refunds do not reverse the original transaction fee, which is an important consideration when calculating net revenue. For high-volume merchants, customized pricing or volume discounts may be available upon request.
How Cashfree Supports Growing Businesses
Cashfree’s platform is designed for SaaS, marketplaces, payroll providers and businesses with a subscription-based model.
Which Type of Business
Indian startups, fintech companies and ed-techs are the right fits for Cashfree. There may be demand from global businesses as well.
Can Brick-and-Mortar Stores Use Cashfree?
I will make you a hustler Free Apps Though it’s digital-first, Cashfree offers QR for contactless payments and POS system integration for retail.
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FAQ
Is Cashfree safe to use for my business?
Yes, Cashfree is safe for Indian businesses to use. It follows PCI-DSS standards, offers end-to-end encryption, and is hosted on AWS. In 2019, they had another security glitch, which was about log file exposure of about 75,000 transactions. But Cashfree responde — bolstering access controls, making two-factor authentication (2FA) mandatory as well as regular third-party security audits. There have been no major incidents since, and user confidence has improved since.
What are Cashfree’s typical transaction fees?
Cashfree has straightforward pricing. Fees for domestic transactions are between 1.2% and 2.4% + GST depending on the method of payment. Most accounts don’t have setup costs nor charge annual maintenance fees, making it especially cost effective for startups. Refunds do not undo the original transaction fee and that is something businesses should consider in their product margins. Pricing Information is also extensively presented on their official website and volume discounts may be available.
Can I use Cashfree for payouts or payroll?
Absolutely. Cashfree excels in bulk payout infrastructure as well. Through its own product “Cashfree Payouts,” businesses can also send salaries, vendor payments and customer refunds via bank transfer, UPI, wallets and cards. The product supports scheduled payouts, API-triggered disbursements and instant processing, and is equipped for platforms that manage high-frequency transactions, such as gig economy apps or edtech platforms.
Does Cashfree support subscription billing?
The answer is yes – you can manage subscription mode payments using Cashfree out of the box. Companies can use APIs to automate subscription billing or plug popular platforms in via plugins. Automatic retries of unsuccessful payments and billing cycle customizations are supported by the system. This makes it well-suited for businesses that receive recurring revenue such as SaaS companies and media platforms.
How long does onboarding take and is there support?
KYC onboarding typically takes 2-4 business days if all relevant documentation is received. The company provides dedicated onboarding support for larger merchants. Support is delivered through email, and in-dashboard chat. While some smaller users claim to face delays at peak moments, enterprise clients receive priority 24/7 technical support, and don’t have to pay additional monthly for it, including an account manager (depending on scale and usage).
