8 best Curlec alternatives in Malaysia (2026)

Key Takeaways

• Curlec (now Razorpay Curlec) is a strong local payment gateway for recurring billing and FPX-based transactions, but its setup fees, limited multi-currency support, and narrow cross-border capabilities push growing businesses to look elsewhere.

• The best Curlec alternative depends on your priority — whether that is lower transaction fees, better developer tools, faster settlement, or cross-border capabilities.

• For Malaysian businesses that accept international payments, manage multiple currencies, or pay overseas suppliers, Airwallex offers a full financial platform that goes well beyond what a domestic payment gateway can do.

It’s worth exploring Curlec alternatives if you need lower fees, stronger cross-border support, or a platform that does more than just payment acceptance.

This guide compares eight Curlec alternatives available in Malaysia. Each one is evaluated on fees, payment method support, settlement speed, and cross-border capabilities.

What is Curlec?

Curlec is a Malaysian payment gateway now operating as Razorpay Curlec. It was founded in 2018 as a direct debit specialist, helping businesses like gyms, tuition centres, and SaaS companies automate recurring payment collection.

In 2022, Indian fintech giant Razorpay acquired a majority stake in Curlec, marking Razorpay's first international expansion. Since then, Curlec has evolved from a pure recurring payments player into a full-stack payment gateway. It now offers payment acceptance via credit and debit cards, FPX, e-wallets (Touch 'n Go, GrabPay, Boost), payment links, payment pages, payment buttons, subscriptions, and invoices.²

Razorpay Curlec is regulated by Bank Negara Malaysia, is a member of PayNet, and is PCI DSS Level 1 compliant.³ It primarily serves Malaysian SMEs and mid-market businesses, with a growing focus on the Malaysia–India payment corridor through its UPI integration.

For an in-depth look at Curlec, read our Curlec review.

Why do businesses look for Curlec alternatives?

Curlec is a solid gateway for local e-commerce and subscription billing. But as businesses scale — especially across borders — certain limitations become hard to ignore.

Setup and transaction fees

Curlec charges an upfront setup fee. Its standard package costs RM500¹, with higher tiers available on request. For comparison, several Curlec alternatives in this list charge no setup fee at all.

On transactions, Curlec's standard gateway rates are 2.5% per domestic card transaction and 3% for international cards.¹ FPX transactions cost 1.5% or RM1, whichever is greater, and e-wallets are charged at 1.5%.¹ These rates are competitive but not the lowest in the Malaysian market.

Limited multi-currency and cross-border support

Curlec settles funds in Ringgit (RM) to your Malaysian bank account. It does not offer multi-currency holding accounts, meaning you cannot receive and hold USD, SGD, or other currencies without an immediate conversion.

Its cross-border capabilities are focused on the Malaysia–India corridor through Razorpay's UPI partnership. If your business sells to customers in Europe, the US, or broader Southeast Asia, you will likely need a separate solution for international payment acceptance and foreign currency management.

No business financial tools beyond payments

Curlec is a payment gateway. It does not offer corporate cards, multi-currency business accounts, expense management, bill pay, or global payout capabilities.

Businesses that need to pay international suppliers, manage employee spending, or hold funds in foreign currencies will need to add separate tools on top of Curlec.

Narrower platform integrations

Curlec offers plugins for Shopify and WooCommerce, along with APIs and SDKs for custom builds.² It supports Android, PHP, Python, Ruby, and Java integrations. However, it does not natively integrate with as many eCommerce platforms, accounting tools, or ERP systems as some global competitors like Stripe.

8 best Curlec alternatives in Malaysia

The right alternative depends on what your business actually needs — lower fees, cross-border reach, developer flexibility, or simplicity. Here’s a quick overview of your options:

The information in this table has been reviewed to be accurate as of 15 April 2026.

1. Stripe

Stripe is the go-to option for developer-led businesses. It supports 135+ currencies and 100+ payment methods through a single integration, with no setup fees, monthly fees, or hidden charges.⁴

For Malaysian businesses, Stripe accepts FPX, cards, and select e-wallets like GrabPay and Alipay. Its standard rate is 3% + RM1 per successful card or FPX transaction, with an additional 1% for international cards and another 2% if currency conversion is required.⁴ Those rates are higher than most local gateways.

But Stripe's strength is its API — if you are building a custom checkout, running a SaaS product, or operating a marketplace, its developer tools and documentation are hard to match.

Worth knowing: Stripe charges RM90 per dispute received, plus RM90 if you choose to counter it manually — though the countering fee is returned if you win.

2. Billplz

Billplz is built for businesses that process a high volume of FPX transactions and want the lowest possible cost per transfer. It’s widely used by schools, NGOs, property management companies, and B2B service providers.

Its Basic plan is free with no annual fee, charging a flat RM1.25 per FPX B2C transaction.⁵ Its Standard plan (RM999/year) brings that down to RM0.75 per transaction.⁵

Card acceptance starts at 1.8% for domestic MYR transactions on the Basic plan and 1.5% on the Standard plan.⁵ E-wallet transactions cost 1.5% across both plans.⁵ FPX payouts arrive the next business day, and card payouts settle in T+2 business days.⁵

Worth knowing: Billplz also offers DuitNow Transfer via its Payment Order feature, with the same flat-fee structure. Non-MYR card acceptance is optional, priced at 3.8% (Basic) or 3.5% (Standard).⁵

3. SenangPay

SenangPay is one of the most accessible gateways for micro-merchants, social sellers, and small businesses in Malaysia. There is no setup fee, and annual plans start at RM199 for the Starter package and RM349 for the Advance package.⁶

Transaction rates are straightforward:

• FPX costs RM1 or 1.5%, whichever is higher. 

• Domestic card transactions cost RM0.65 or 2.5%, whichever is higher.

• E-wallets cost RM0.65 or 1.5%, whichever is higher.⁶

• For Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) options, SPayLater costs 2.0%, Atome costs 5.5%, and PayLater by Grab costs 6.0%.⁶

Worth knowing: SenangPay's Starter plan offers instant approval for FPX and e-wallet payment options only. Credit and debit card acceptance and advanced features like tokenisation require the Advance plan.⁶

4. HitPay

HitPay stands out for its transparent pay-per-transaction model. There are no setup fees, no monthly fees, and no annual subscriptions.⁷ You pay only when a transaction is successfully processed.

Its domestic card rate for online payments is 1.2% + RM1 — one of the lowest in the Malaysian market.⁷ International cards cost 3% + RM1, with an additional 2% for foreign currency transactions.⁷ DuitNow costs 1.2%, FPX costs 1.8% + RM0.40, and e-wallet rates range from 1.9% (Touch 'n Go) to 2.1% (Boost and Maybank QRPAY).⁷

HitPay also offers a built-in POS system with physical terminals, making it a genuine omnichannel option for businesses with both online and in-person sales. Non-card payouts settle in T+2 business days, while card payouts settle from T+3.⁷

Worth knowing: HitPay charges an additional 0.2% when you use its business software tools — payment links, invoicing, online store, POS, and recurring billing. Shopify integration carries a 0.5% surcharge.⁷ Factor these add-ons into your total cost.

5. Paydibs

Paydibs is a locally-built gateway focused on fast onboarding and flexible deployment.

It offers both online payment solutions (Nexus and Payment Gateway Stack) and in-store options (terminals, a mobile payment app, and its all-in-one Paydibs Neo device). It’s popular with agencies, service businesses, and SMEs that need a payment terminal alongside their online gateway.

Signup is free for local merchants.⁸ The yearly maintenance fee is RM300, though this is waived if your sales exceed RM360,000 in the previous year.⁸ Paydibs accepts FPX, credit and debit cards, e-wallets, BNPL, and international payments — but specific transaction rates are not published online. You will need to contact them for a quote.

Worth knowing: Paydibs' Nexus package bundles a hosted website with an integrated payment gateway, shopping cart, and shipping integration — all included at no extra cost.⁸ This makes it a strong option if you do not already have a website.

6. iPay88 (ADAPTIS)

iPay88 is one of the longest-running payment gateways in Malaysia, originally founded in 2006. It now operates as part of ADAPTIS e-Commerce by NTT DATA Payment Services, a regional payments group.⁹

ADAPTIS e-Commerce supports card acceptance, FPX, e-wallets, instalment plans, BNPL, and cross-border payments with automatic currency switching.⁹ It is particularly strong with established SMEs, large enterprises, and government-linked entities that need deep local bank connectivity and enterprise-grade compliance.

Pricing is not disclosed online. You will need to contact NTT DATA Payment Services directly to get a quote.

Worth knowing: iPay88 and eGHL (listed separately below) are now both under the ADAPTIS e-Commerce brand.⁹ If you are evaluating both, you are essentially comparing packages from the same provider.

7. Fiuu (formerly Razer Merchant Services)

Fiuu — previously known as Razer Merchant Services or MOLPay — offers one of the widest payment method networks in Southeast Asia. It supports over 110 payment methods across the region, including FPX, DuitNow, cards, e-wallets, BNPL, Alipay+, crypto, and even cash payments at 7-Eleven and Speedmart outlets.¹⁰

Fiuu processes over 650 million transactions annually and has been in the payments industry since 2005.¹⁰ It also offers features like tokenisation, recurring payments, marketplace payments, and a Virtual Terminal mobile app for in-person collection.

Pricing is not publicly available. Fiuu's pricing page currently returns a 404 error, and rates are not listed elsewhere on its site. You will need to contact them to get a quote.

Worth knowing: Fiuu's cash payment option (Fiuu Cash) is unique in the Malaysian market. It lets unbanked or cash-preferred customers pay for online purchases at physical retail outlets — a feature no other gateway on this list offers.¹⁰

8. eGHL (ADAPTIS)

eGHL is a well-established gateway focused on the Malaysian and Southeast Asian market. Like iPay88, it now operates under the ADAPTIS e-Commerce brand by NTT DATA Payment Services.⁹

eGHL has historically been strong in omnichannel payment acceptance, credit card instalment plans, and cross-border QR payments via DuitNow. It serves enterprise clients in hospitality, travel, and high-ticket retail, where installment payment options are a priority.

Pricing is not disclosed online. Contact them directly for a quote.

How to choose the right Curlec alternative

Switching payment gateways is not a decision you make on fees alone. Here are the factors that matter most for Malaysian businesses.

Payment method coverage

At a minimum, your gateway must support FPX, credit and debit cards (Visa and Mastercard), and at least one major e-wallet (Touch 'n Go, GrabPay, or Boost). DuitNow QR support is becoming equally important as more consumers and businesses adopt it for everyday payments.

If you sell physical products, check whether the gateway supports BNPL options like Atome or SPayLater — these can increase average order values for higher-ticket items.

Fees and total cost

Do not compare card rates in isolation. Factor in:

• Setup fees — some providers charge RM500 or more upfront; others are free

• Annual or monthly fees — recurring costs that add up regardless of transaction volume

• FPX rates — the most-used online payment method in Malaysia; even small differences compound at volume

• Add-on charges — some gateways charge extra for payment links, invoicing, or plugin integrations

• Dispute fees — these vary significantly between providers

Settlement speed

How quickly you access your funds affects your cash flow directly. FPX payouts range from next-day (Billplz) to T+2 (most gateways). Card payouts typically settle in T+2 to T+3 business days, though some global providers hold funds for up to seven days.

If cash flow is tight, prioritise gateways that offer faster settlement — particularly for FPX, where the variation between providers is widest.

Cross-border and multi-currency support

This is where most domestic gateways fall short. If your business accepts payments from international customers, pays overseas suppliers, or operates in multiple currencies, you need more than a gateway that converts everything to RM at checkout.

Look for providers that let you hold, convert, and pay out in foreign currencies — or consider a financial platform like Airwallex that combines payment acceptance with multi-currency accounts and global transfers.

Platform integrations

Check whether the gateway has a native plugin for your e-commerce platform (Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, or others). Also consider accounting software integrations (Xero, QuickBooks) — these save hours of manual reconciliation each month.

Regulatory compliance

Every payment gateway operating in Malaysia should be regulated by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) and be PCI DSS compliant. Verify this before signing up, especially with newer or smaller providers. A gateway that is not properly regulated puts your funds and your customers' data at risk.

Why Malaysia businesses choose Airwallex over a domestic payment gateway

The gateways listed above are built for one thing: accepting payments in Malaysia. But most Malaysian businesses do not just accept payments. They pay overseas suppliers, manage subscriptions in US dollars, sell to international customers, or operate across borders.

Airwallex handles all of it. It is a global financial platform that combines payment acceptance with multi-currency accounts, international transfers, and corporate cards.

Here’s what you get with Airwallex:

Accept payments locally and globally

Airwallex accepts payments in 180+ countries and supports 160+ payment methods — including cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex), digital wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay, GrabPay, WeChat Pay), and BNPL.

You can integrate via a pre-built checkout, payment links, plugins for Shopify, WooCommerce, and Magento, or a fully custom Payments API. Airwallex also acts as both payment processor and acquirer, with local acquiring in 35+ markets to reduce cross-border decline rates.

Hold, convert, and pay out in multiple currencies

With Global Accounts, you can open local currency accounts in 20+ countries and collect funds in 70+ countries without setting up foreign entities. There are no account opening fees, no monthly maintenance charges, and no minimum transaction requirements.

Funds settle into your Airwallex Wallet in the same currency your customer paid in. This is called like-for-like settlement, and it eliminates the forced RM conversion that most domestic gateways apply at checkout. You choose when and whether to convert — and when you do, you get access to interbank FX rates.

Send international transfers at lower cost

With Airwallex, you can send payments to over 200 countries, with 94% of transfers routed via local payment rails for free. 93% of payments arrive within the same working day, and batch transfers of up to 1,000 recipients can be processed in a single upload.

For Malaysian businesses paying suppliers in China, the US, Europe, or elsewhere in Southeast Asia, this replaces the bank telegraphic transfer (TT) — which typically costs RM20–50 per transaction plus unfavourable FX margins.

Control team spending with corporate cards

Airwallex Corporate Cards are multi-currency Visa cards that your team can use anywhere Visa is accepted. They are free to create, carry no international transaction fees, and pay directly from held currency balances in your Airwallex Wallet.

You can issue company cards for shared expenses (software subscriptions, ad spend) and employee cards for individual spending (travel, offsites). Set per-transaction, daily, or monthly limits, create approval workflows, and track all activity in real time from one dashboard.

Regulated in Malaysia

Airwallex (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd. is a licensed remittance business under the Money Services Business Act 2011, regulated by Bank Negara Malaysia (licence number 00743). It is also a registered merchant acquirer under the Financial Services Act 2013.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

What is Curlec and who owns it?

Curlec is a Malaysian payment gateway that specialises in online payment acceptance and recurring billing. It was acquired by Indian fintech company Razorpay in 2022 and now operates as Razorpay Curlec. It is regulated by Bank Negara Malaysia and is PCI DSS Level 1 compliant.

Does Curlec charge a setup fee?

Yes. Curlec charges a one-time setup fee of RM500 for its standard payment gateway package¹, with higher tiers available on request. Several Curlec alternatives on this list — including Stripe, Billplz, SenangPay, and HitPay — charge no setup fee at all.

Can Curlec accept international payments?

Curlec can accept international credit and debit cards at a rate of 3% per transaction.¹ However, it settles all funds in RM only and does not offer multi-currency holding accounts. Its cross-border capabilities are primarily focused on the Malaysia–India corridor through Razorpay's UPI integration, which limits its usefulness for businesses selling to customers in other regions.

Is Curlec safe to use?

Yes. Curlec is PCI DSS Level 1 compliant, a member of PayNet, and regulated by Bank Negara Malaysia.³ These are the key trust signals to look for in any Malaysian payment gateway.

Which Curlec alternative is best for businesses selling internationally?

If you sell to customers outside Malaysia or pay suppliers in foreign currencies, you need more than a domestic gateway. Airwallex is built for this — it combines payment acceptance with multi-currency accounts, interbank FX rates, and global transfers to 200+ countries, all from a single platform.

Sources:

1.  https://curlec.com/payment-gateway/

2.  https://curlec.com

3.  https://stripe.com/my/pricing

4.  https://www.billplz.com/pricing

5.  https://senangpay.com/pricing/

6.  https://hitpayapp.com/pricing/global

7.  https://www.paydibs.com/pricing

8.  https://my.nttdatapay.com/e-commerce

9.  https://fiuu.com

This publication does not constitute legal, tax, or professional advice from Airwallex nor substitute seeking such advice, and makes no express or implied representations / warranties / guarantees regarding content accuracy, completeness, or currency. If you would like to request an update, feel free to contact us at [email protected]. Airwallex (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd is licensed in Malaysia as a MSB Class B (remittance business only) licensee and is regulated by Bank Negara Malaysia (licence number 00318).