Receiving USD in India is easy. Receiving it without losing 6-8% to fees and bad rates takes 10 minutes of setup. Here's the playbook.
Step 1: Pick the right rail
For most freelancers: **Wise Business** (0.5% transparent fee, mid-market FX). Compare alternatives in our [Wise vs Payoneer guide](/blog/wise-vs-payoneer-for-indian-freelancers).
Step 2: Hand the client your USD account details
Wise gives you a real US routing & account number. The client pays in USD via ACH — zero international wire fee on their side.
Step 3: Convert at mid-market
In the Wise dashboard, convert USD→INR at the live interbank rate. You'll see the rate before you confirm.
Step 4: Withdraw to your Indian bank
IMPS or NEFT directly to your savings/current account. Usually < 1 hour.
Tax gotchas
- **TDS 1% under Section 194-O** applies on aggregator-mediated payments (Upwork, Fiverr).
- **GST 18% on export of services** — but if you file an **LUT**, GST is zero. Most freelancers should file an LUT yearly.
- Keep the Foreign Inward Remittance Advice (FIRA/FIRC) for ITR — Wise and Payoneer both issue them.
Pro tip
Before quoting any new client, run their amount through the [calculator](/) and quote them the gross amount that nets your target. Stop letting fees eat your billing.
