Payment gateway without GST: which ones let you sign up

Just starting out, and not registered for GST yet? You can still accept online payments. This guide shows which payment gateways in India say, on their own pages, that they accept businesses without GST registration, and which also accept a savings account instead of a current account.

Can you get a payment gateway without GST?

Yes. Razorpay, Cashfree Payments, PayU and CCAvenue all say a business without GST registration can sign up. Paytm, Zoho Payments and Easebuzz accept it with conditions, and PhonePe's own pages disagree with each other. Here's what each gateway's own pages say:

Payment gateway	Without GST?	What its own page says	Bank account
Razorpay	Yes	"Submitting GST and current account details is not mandatory."	Savings account accepted
Cashfree Payments	Yes	"No, GSTIN is not mandatory."	Must be in the business owner's name; type not stated
PayU	Yes	Proprietors give "any two" government proofs; GSTIN is one of the options	Name must match the PAN; type not stated
CCAvenue	Yes	Individuals: "No additional documents required". Without a GSTIN, "Any One Self Attested Document can be uploaded"	Not stated
PhonePe	Yes, but check	Its sign-up guidelines ask proprietors for "any two" documents, with a GST certificate as one option; one of its help articles says gateways "require a GSTIN"	Not stated
Paytm	Below a turnover limit	"GST document is not required for merchants whose annual turnover is less than Rs. 20 lakhs."	Current account only
Zoho Payments	With other business proof	Individual businesses can use a GST exemption certificate or Udyam registration instead	Current account only
Easebuzz	With a declaration	Businesses that don't need GST registration "need to e-sign a declaration"	Not stated
Instamojo	Not confirmed	We couldn't confirm this on Instamojo's official pages	Not confirmed

Each answer links to its official source at the bottom of this page. Gateways update their sign-up rules, so check the page before you apply.

Can you get a payment gateway without GST and a current account?

Razorpay is the only gateway that says so outright: its FAQ says you can select "I don't have GST" and proceed with a savings account. Paytm and Zoho Payments say they accept only current accounts. Cashfree Payments, PayU, PhonePe, CCAvenue and Easebuzz don't say which type they accept, only that the account must be in the business's or owner's name, so ask them before you apply.

Can you use Razorpay without GST?

Yes. Razorpay's FAQ says "Submitting GST and current account details is not mandatory", and you can choose "I don't have GST" and continue with a savings account. Its list of business types includes "Individual/Unregistered Businesses", such as freelancers, professionals and small stores.

What documents do you need instead of GST?

Usually your PAN, a bank account in your name, and an address proof. Proprietors are often asked for business proofs too. PayU, for example, asks for any two of a list that includes "GSTIN, MSME, IEC, FSSAI, ITR, Shop establishment, trade license", so registration under another scheme can stand in for GST. Cashfree Payments accepts Form 60 (a declaration) if you don't have a PAN. Each gateway's documents page lists exactly what it needs.

Is there a limit on payments without GST?

Some gateways set one. Paytm's FAQ says a business without registration can start with its PAN and bank details, but "your monthly limit will be 50,000 and settlement will be kept on hold until you submit the business documents". Its documents page also asks for a current account. Other gateways don't publish a limit for businesses without GST, so ask before you sign up if you expect large payments.

Do you still pay GST on payment gateway fees without GST registration?

Yes. GST is charged on the gateway's fee whether or not your business is registered, and never on your customer's payment. The difference is that only a GST-registered business can claim that GST back as input tax credit, so without registration the GST on fees is a full cost. On a ₹10,000 UPI payment at published rates, that leaves you ₹9,764.00 with Razorpay, ₹9,769.90 with Cashfree Payments and ₹9,765.18 with Paytm. See GST on payment gateway fees for how it works.

Do you need GST registration to sell online?

That depends on your turnover and what you sell, which is a tax question rather than a payment-gateway one. Check the rules on the official GST portal or ask your accountant. If you register later, add your GST details to your gateway account to start claiming input tax credit on its fees.

Which payment gateway without GST costs the least?

It depends on how your customers pay. Every gateway in the table above has a page on Clarifee with its published fees and what you receive, and the cheapest payment gateway for each method ranks them all. If you sell through a store builder, see the best payment gateway for Shopify, WooCommerce or Wix.

Work it out for your own amount

Clarifee isn't affiliated with or paid by any payment company. Sign-up rules were checked on each gateway's official pages on the date above.