PlaytoDodo Payments alternative · Malawi · 2026
Dodo Payments alternative in Malawi: keep $9,749 of $10,000
The cheapest way in the world to get paid internationally.
On a $10,000 card payment from a client in the United States to a business in Malawi, Dodo Payments takes at least $400.40 in fees. Some of its fees are not published. Playto takes $250.30 and adds zero markup, so you keep $9,749.70. The table below also shows Paddle, 2Checkout and PayChangu.
No monthly fees. No setup fees. Lowest price guarantee.
Fees on $10,000 by card
- Dodo PaymentsYou receive $9,599.60 at most≥ $400.40
- PlaytoYou receive $9,749.70$250.30
The numbers
What lands in your bank
Example payments from a client in the United States to a business in Malawi. All fees included. Taxes not included.
- Difference on $10,000
- ≥ $150.10
- By card, what reaches you with Playto compared with Dodo Payments (not all its fees are published, so at least this).
- Dodo Payments all in
- 4.0%+
- Of a $10,000 card payment.
- Playto all in
- 2.5%
- Of a $10,000 card payment.
- Ways to pay
- 30+
- From 170+ countries.
- 1.Dodo Payments: Card or wallet fee; Dodo Payments: ACH Direct Debit fee (charged instead of the card fee). dodopayments.com/pricing, checked 17 Oct 2026.
- 2.Paddle: Paddle Checkout fee. www.paddle.com/pricing, checked 17 Oct 2026.
- 3.Paddle: SWIFT transfer fee for USD to your bank (one a month). www.paddle.com/help/manage/get-paid/is-there-a-fee-taken-for-payouts, checked 17 Oct 2026.
- 4.Paddle: Fee on a Paddle invoice paid by bank transfer. www.paddle.com/legal/terms, checked 17 Oct 2026.
- 5.2Checkout: 2Sell fee per sale. www.2checkout.com/pricing/, checked 17 Oct 2026.
- 6.2Checkout: Cross-border fee (Malawi is not exempt). docs.2checkout.com/product-catalog/product-catalog/pricing-and-charge-scenarios/cross-border-payments-fee-charges, checked 17 Oct 2026.
- 7.2Checkout: Wire transfer fee for USD to your bank (one a month). docs.2checkout.com/get-started/getting-started/payouts, checked 17 Oct 2026.
- 8.2Checkout: 2Sell fee per sale (also on wire-paid orders). docs.2checkout.com/payments/payments/payment-methods, checked 17 Oct 2026.
- 9.PayChangu: Card payment fee (local and international cards); PayChangu: Bank transfer fee, applied to a USD transfer into your PayChangu US virtual bank account. paychangu.com/pricing, checked 18 Oct 2026.
- 10.PayChangu: Converting your USD balance to Malawi kwacha (not published). support.paychangu.com/hc/articles/7/8/20/how-paychangu-processes-transactions-in-usd, checked 18 Oct 2026.
Where the money goes
$10,000 by card, line by line
Dodo Payments
- Card or wallet fee1$400.40
- Total (at least)$400.40
- You receive (at most)$9,599.60
Some fees on this route aren't published, so this is the least it can cost.
Playto
- Card fee$250.30
- Total$250.30
- You receive$9,749.70
Prices from playto.so/pricing. Playto adds zero markup.
Getting paid in Malawi
The basics, with sources
Public facts from official sources, each with its date. Not advice: check with your bank.
Local bank payments
Payments between banks go through the Malawi Interbank Transfer and Settlement System (MITASS). The National Switch clears ATM, card, mobile money and instant transfers, including between bank accounts and mobile wallets.
Source: www.rbm.mw, checked 17 Oct 2026.
Money rules
The Reserve Bank of Malawi's 2025 export rules say a business that exports goods or services must bring the money into Malawi, and receive it in its own registered name.
Source: www.rbm.mw, checked 17 Oct 2026.
Time limit
Since a July 2026 change to these rules, the time limit to bring export money home is ninety days from the export, down from 120 days.
Source: www.rbm.mw, checked 17 Oct 2026.
Paperwork
Your bank must tell you within 24 hours when export money arrives. Within two working days, you must tell the bank and name the customs declaration forms the money is for.
Source: www.rbm.mw, checked 17 Oct 2026.
Exchange rate, for scale
1 USD = 1,751 MWK (US Treasury reference rate, 30 Sept 2026). The rate on the day of a payment will differ.
Source: fiscaldata.treasury.gov.
Calculator
Try your own amount
From $1,000 to $50,000, by card or bank transfer, for a client in the United States paying a business in Malawi.
Fees charged
- Dodo PaymentsYou receive $9,599.60 at most≥ $400.40
- PlaytoYou receive $9,749.70$250.30
Side by side
Dodo Payments and Playto, in plain numbers
What adds to the cost with Dodo Payments
- All in, Dodo Payments takes $400.40 or more (4.0%) of a $10,000 card payment. Playto takes $250.30.
- Some Dodo Payments fees for card payments are not published, so the real cost can be higher.
- All in, Dodo Payments takes $15.00 or more (0.2%) of a $10,000 bank transfer payment. Playto takes $5.00.
- Some Dodo Payments fees for bank transfer payments are not published, so the real cost can be higher.
When Dodo Payments is still the right choice
- Your clients pay you inside your own country. A local payment method can cost less there. Playto is built for clients abroad.
Switching
Move from Dodo Payments in three steps
- 1
Request an invite
Tell us about your business. Playto checks every business before it gets in.
- 2
Send a payment link
Share a link or an invoice. Your client can pay 30+ ways, from 170+ countries.
- 3
Get paid
Cards cost 2.5% + $0.30. Bank transfers are never more than $5. Playto adds zero markup.
FAQ
Dodo Payments alternative in Malawi: questions
Is Playto cheaper than Dodo Payments in Malawi?
What are the alternatives to Dodo Payments for a business in Malawi?
How does a business in Malawi get paid from abroad?
Does Dodo Payments work in Malawi?
How much does Dodo Payments charge on a $10,000 payment from the United States?
How much does Playto cost?
How do I move from Dodo Payments to Playto?
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Get paid by global clients
Get paid by clients abroad with zero markup
Cards cost 2.5% + $0.30. Bank transfers are never more than $5. Your client can pay 30+ ways, from 170+ countries.
No monthly fees. No setup fees. Lowest price guarantee.