# NayaPay vs SadaPay: fees, limits and international payments

URL: https://which.pk/money/guides/nayapay-vs-sadapay/
Author: Hassam Imtiaz
Updated: 10 Oct 2026

## Summary

For card payments abroad, NayaPay's published fee is USD 0.25 per transaction, while SadaPay charges 6% plus tax, from their July to December 2026 fee schedules. NayaPay doesn't publish its exchange-rate cost. NayaPay's physical Visa card costs Rs 1,000 and SadaPay's Mastercard Rs 1,724. Both allow Rs 400,000 of incoming money a month after biometric verification, both receive Payoneer and Wise transfers in rupees, and both are SBP-licensed electronic money institutions.

## Key facts

- Card fee abroad: $0.25 vs 6% + tax
- Physical card: Rs 1,000 vs Rs 1,724
- Incoming limit: Rs 400,000/month
- Licence: Both SBP EMIs

On SadaPay vs NayaPay, the biggest difference is paying abroad. NayaPay's published fee for an international card payment is **USD 0.25**, while SadaPay charges **6% plus tax**, from their July to December 2026 fee schedules. NayaPay doesn't publish its exchange-rate cost, so the real gap can be smaller. Local transfers through Raast are free on both, and both allow **Rs 400,000** of incoming money a month after biometric verification.

**Fee on a USD 10 card payment abroad:** SadaPay: Rs 171.33 · NayaPay: USD 0.25 (SadaPay's own worked example at Rs 246.16 per dollar (6.96% of Rs 2,461.60). NayaPay's fee is from its July–December 2026 schedule and excludes tax and its exchange-rate cost, which it doesn't publish.)

## Which is better, SadaPay or NayaPay?

Neither is better at everything. The table puts their own fee schedules side by side, as of October 2026.

| | NayaPay | SadaPay |
|---|---|---|
| Account opening and annual fee | Free | Free |
| Virtual card | Visa, Rs 600 | Mastercard, free |
| Physical card | Visa, Rs 1,000 with delivery | Mastercard, Rs 1,724 |
| PayPak card | Rs 1,808 with delivery | Rs 1,724 |
| International card payment | USD 0.25 per transaction | 6% (Rs 55 + 6% up to Rs 800) |
| Local ATM withdrawal | Rs 35 | Rs 35 |
| ATM withdrawal abroad | Rs 200 | Rs 250 |
| Transfer to a bank by Raast | Free | Free |
| Transfer to a bank by 1LINK | Free up to Rs 25,000 a month, then 0.1% (max Rs 200) | Free (all bank transfers) |
| Incoming remittances | No fee listed | Free |
| Card dispute (chargeback) | USD 2 | USD 2 |

A short way to read it:

- **You pay for software, ads or subscriptions in dollars:** NayaPay's listed fee is far lower, but check the final rupee amount in the app, because its exchange-rate cost isn't published.
- **You only want a virtual card for local use and transfers:** SadaPay's virtual card is free; NayaPay's schedule lists Rs 600.
- **You want a physical card:** NayaPay's Visa costs Rs 1,000 and SadaPay's Mastercard Rs 1,724.

**NayaPay's fees are maximums:** NayaPay's schedule says it may charge fees "up to" the amounts listed. Its help pages still describe the virtual card as free, but its July–December 2026 schedule lists Rs 600. Check the price in the app before you order.

## What are SadaPay vs NayaPay international transaction charges?

**SadaPay** charges an international transaction fee of **6%** of the amount, plus a fixed **Rs 55** on payments up to Rs 800. Its terms and its March 2026 help page say the 6% excludes tax, and its own worked example charges **6.96%**. The same fee applies when a foreign merchant such as Netflix or Spotify bills you in rupees, because SadaPay settles it in dollars.

**NayaPay** lists an international card transaction fee of **USD 0.25**, charged on both successful and failed transactions. Its rates exclude tax unless marked otherwise. NayaPay also passes on "FX settlement costs", the cost of buying dollars from authorised dealers, but gives no percentage. We couldn't find a published rate.

SadaPay says its exchange rate comes from its partner banks and can change when the merchant settles the payment a few days later. That can push your balance below zero, and you have to repay it.

On top of either fee, FBR's **advance tax** on card payments abroad is **0.5%** if you're on the Active Taxpayer List (ATL, whether you count as a filer) and **1%** if you're not, under section 236Y as of the Finance Act 2026. See [filer vs non-filer](/business/guides/filer-vs-non-filer/) for what else changes.

## What happens if an international payment fails?

Failed payments cost money on both apps, so keep enough balance before you pay a foreign site.

- **NayaPay** gives every user **5 failed international transactions**. After that, you pay a charge from its schedule to restore the card, and further failures can get the card blocked. Failures from low balance or a frozen card count. A failed international card transaction is also charged the USD 0.25 fee.
- **SadaPay's** terms say it may pass network fees for declined payments on to you. Repeated declines can switch off online payments on your card or, in extreme cases, suspend the account.

## What are the NayaPay and SadaPay limits?

Both apps start you on low limits and raise them after biometric verification. SadaPay's in-app check is free. NayaPay charges Rs 60 for its in-app check, or you can verify at any Meezan Bank ATM without a card.

| Limit | NayaPay (upgraded) | SadaPay (verified) |
|---|---|---|
| Incoming money | Rs 400,000 a month | Rs 400,000 a month |
| Foreign remittances | Up to Rs 1,500,000 a month | Not stated separately |
| Cash withdrawal | Up to Rs 50,000 a day | Rs 50,000 a day, Rs 1,500,000 a month |
| Transfers to banks | Rs 200,000 a day | Rs 400,000 a day, Rs 500,000 a month |
| Card payments | Rs 400,000 a day in store | Rs 500,000 a month in Pakistan, Rs 500,000 a month abroad |
| Maximum balance | Not stated | Rs 2,500,000 |

NayaPay's table is from its help page last updated in June 2025. SadaPay's is from a help page last updated in October 2023, the newest it publishes; its July 2026 page confirms the Rs 400,000 monthly limit. Before verification, NayaPay allows Rs 50,000 a month in and Rs 10,000 a day in cash; SadaPay allows Rs 10,000 a day in cash.

**USD 30,000 a year across all your cards:** SBP limits card payments abroad to USD 30,000 a year per person, counting every debit, credit and virtual card you hold at any bank or app. The year starts on 1 November. Personal cards may not be used for business payments abroad.

## Can freelancers receive money from abroad in SadaPay or NayaPay?

Yes, in rupees. Neither app gives you a dollar balance. Both list **Payoneer, Wise, Remitly and ACE** as remittance partners; NayaPay also lists Western Union, and SadaPay lists Xoom. You give the sender or platform the 24-digit IBAN shown in the app.

SadaPay says it charges no fee to receive remittances and converts them to rupees on arrival. NayaPay's schedule lists no fee for incoming remittances. On an upgraded NayaPay wallet, foreign remittances can reach Rs 1.5 million a month.

SadaPay doesn't let you send money abroad: it says it is waiting for SBP to confirm how electronic money institutions may handle outward remittances. For the wider choice of payout routes, see [freelancer payment methods in Pakistan](/business/guides/freelancer-payment-methods-pakistan/) and [using Wise in Pakistan](/money/guides/wise-in-pakistan/). For tax on that income, see [freelancer tax in Pakistan](/business/guides/freelancer-tax-pakistan/).

## Who holds the licence for NayaPay and SadaPay?

Both are **electronic money institutions (EMIs)** licensed by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). SBP's list, updated 2 September 2026, lists NayaPay (approved **30 August 2021**) and SadaPay (approved **18 April 2022**) under commercial operations. SBP adds that its list is not an endorsement of any EMI's finances or soundness.

An EMI account is not a bank deposit. NayaPay's terms say your balance earns no profit, the Banking Companies Ordinance doesn't apply, and the money is held in a separate trust account run by a trustee under SBP's EMI rules.

SadaPay is owned by SadaPay Technologies Ltd., registered in the Dubai International Financial Centre, and was bought by the Turkish fintech Papara. In May 2025, Arab News reported that Turkey detained 13 people, reportedly including Papara's founder, in a money-laundering and illegal-betting probe, and a court put Papara under a state trustee. We found no SBP statement about SadaPay in connection with that case.

## Which cards do you get?

- **NayaPay:** a Visa virtual card, a Visa physical card and a PayPak card. The PayPak card works only in shops and ATMs in Pakistan.
- **SadaPay:** a Mastercard virtual card issued as soon as you open the account, a Mastercard physical card and a PayPak card.

You must be 18 or older to open a NayaPay account, and NayaPay's account is in rupees only.

More guides: [Banking & Payments](/money/banking/), [credit cards compared](/money/guides/credit-cards-pakistan-compared/), [how to become a filer](/business/guides/how-to-become-filer/), [Money](/money/).

## Questions people ask

### Which is better, SadaPay or NayaPay?

On published fees for card payments abroad, NayaPay is cheaper: USD 0.25 per transaction against SadaPay's 6% plus tax, as of their July to December 2026 schedules. NayaPay doesn't publish its exchange-rate cost, so compare the final amount each app shows you.

### Do SadaPay and NayaPay deduct tax on international payments?

Yes. FBR's advance tax on card payments abroad is 0.5% if you're on the Active Taxpayer List and 1% if you're not, as of the Finance Act 2026 rate card. This is on top of the app's own fee.

### Can I receive Payoneer or Wise payments in SadaPay or NayaPay?

Yes. Both list Payoneer, Wise, Remitly and ACE as remittance partners, and you give the sender your IBAN from the app. SadaPay says the money arrives in rupees and can't be held in dollars.

### What is the monthly limit on NayaPay and SadaPay?

After biometric verification, both allow Rs 400,000 of incoming money a month. On an upgraded NayaPay wallet, foreign remittances can go up to Rs 1.5 million a month.

### Are SadaPay and NayaPay licensed?

Yes. Both are on SBP's list of electronic money institutions in commercial operation, updated 2 September 2026: NayaPay approved on 30 August 2021 and SadaPay on 18 April 2022.

## Sources

- [List of Licensed Electronic Money Institutions (EMIs), updated 2 September 2026](https://www.sbp.org.pk/assets/document/List-of-EMIs.pdf), State Bank of Pakistan (accessed 10 Oct 2026)
- [FE Circular No. 07 of 2022: Cross-border transactions through debit/credit cards](https://web.archive.org/web/20250217011346/https://www.sbp.org.pk/epd/2022/FEC7.htm), State Bank of Pakistan (accessed 10 Oct 2026)
- [Withholding Income Tax Rate Card (Finance Act 2026)](https://download1.fbr.gov.pk/Docs/202681113864992WithholdingTaxRatesCard2027.pdf), FBR (accessed 10 Oct 2026)
- [Schedule of Charges, July–December 2026](https://www.nayapay.com/soc), NayaPay (accessed 10 Oct 2026)
- [Are there any account limits?](https://help.nayapay.com/article/68-are-there-any-account-limits), NayaPay (accessed 10 Oct 2026)
- [What are failed transaction charges?](https://help.nayapay.com/article/249-what-are-failed-transaction-charges), NayaPay (accessed 10 Oct 2026)
- [What are FX Settlement Costs?](https://help.nayapay.com/article/236-what-are-fx-settlement-costs), NayaPay (accessed 10 Oct 2026)
- [From which countries can I receive remittance from?](https://help.nayapay.com/article/250-from-which-countries-can-i-receive-remittance-from), NayaPay (accessed 10 Oct 2026)
- [How can I transfer money from Payoneer to my NayaPay account?](https://help.nayapay.com/article/241-how-can-i-transfer-money-from-payoneer-to-my-nayapay-account), NayaPay (accessed 10 Oct 2026)
- [Can I use my PayPak debit card for international payments?](https://help.nayapay.com/article/105-can-i-use-my-paypak-debit-card-for-international-payments), NayaPay (accessed 10 Oct 2026)
- [Terms of Use](https://www.nayapay.com/legal-info), NayaPay (accessed 10 Oct 2026)
- [Schedule of Charges, July–December 2026](https://sadapay.pk/soc), SadaPay (accessed 10 Oct 2026)
- [Terms and Conditions](https://sadapay.pk/terms-conditions), SadaPay (accessed 10 Oct 2026)
- [How much does SadaPay charge for non-PKR international transactions?](https://help.sadapay.pk/en/articles/7899433-how-much-does-sadapay-charge-for-non-pkr-international-transactions), SadaPay (accessed 10 Oct 2026)
- [How much does SadaPay charge for PKR transactions to international merchants?](https://help.sadapay.pk/en/articles/7899438-how-much-does-sadapay-charge-for-pkr-transactions-to-international-merchants), SadaPay (accessed 10 Oct 2026)
- [What are my personal account limits?](https://help.sadapay.pk/en/articles/7185807-what-are-my-personal-account-limits), SadaPay (accessed 10 Oct 2026)
- [How do I increase my SadaPay wallet limit via in-app BVS?](https://help.sadapay.pk/en/articles/6404720-how-do-i-increase-my-sadapay-wallet-limit-via-in-app-bvs), SadaPay (accessed 10 Oct 2026)
- [How can I receive remittances with SadaPay account?](https://help.sadapay.pk/en/articles/7120961-how-can-i-receive-remittances-with-sadapay-account), SadaPay (accessed 10 Oct 2026)
- [SadaPay Set for Major Expansion Following Papara Acquisition](https://sadapay.pk/blogs/sadapayxpapara), SadaPay (accessed 10 Oct 2026)
- [Turkiye detains 13 people in probe of fintech Papara, which acquired Pakistan's SadaPay](https://www.arabnews.pk/pakistan/turkiye-detains-13-people-in-probe-of-fintech-papara-which-acquired-pakistans-sadapay-2602384), Arab News (accessed 10 Oct 2026)