Quick Answer
Searching for a KartRocket alternative in India? HOD Media is a full storefront platform with your own payment gateway (Razorpay or Cashfree, money settles directly to you, no per-sale cut), native COD, GST invoicing, and built-in multi-courier shipping, versus a primarily shipping-led stack like Shiprocket 360.
KartRocket, Shiprocket 360 and where HOD Media fits
KartRocket evolved into what is now largely a shipping-and-fulfilment ecosystem, with Shiprocket 360 positioned as a broader commerce stack around it. At the time of writing, that lineage is best known for logistics: courier aggregation, RTO tools and post-order tracking. If you are hunting for a KartRocket alternative in India because you want the actual store — catalogue, checkout, payments and shipping in one place — HOD Media is built store-first, with logistics included rather than bolted on. Always check each provider's current plans before deciding, as offerings change often.
The money question: who owns your payment gateway
This is the single biggest difference for an Indian seller. On hodmedia.in, merchants connect their own Razorpay or Cashfree keys — both are live for checkout. Customer money settles directly into the seller's own gateway account, and HOD Media takes no per-sale commission. You get native COD, UPI (through Razorpay or Cashfree), and a COD partial-advance option that collects part of the amount online to cut RTO losses. PayU support is coming soon (keys can be stored, checkout not yet wired), and Stripe/PayPal are available for international, connect-your-own use.
Feature comparison
| Capability | HOD Media | KartRocket / Shiprocket 360 |
|---|---|---|
| Own payment gateway (Razorpay/Cashfree, direct settlement) | Yes, connect your own keys | Check their current plans |
| Per-sale platform commission | None | Check their current plans |
| Native COD + COD partial-advance | Yes | Varies |
| Built-in multi-courier (Shiprocket, Delhivery, Zippyy, ShippingXpress) | Yes, per store | Logistics-led strength |
| GST invoices with HSN, place-of-supply | Yes | Check their current plans |
| Storefront themes | 62 niche themes | Varies |
| Free trial | 3 months, no card | Check their current plans |
Shipping is built in, not the whole product
HOD Media is not weaker on logistics just because it does more. Each store supports multiple couriers — Shiprocket, Delhivery, Zippyy ("HOD Shipping") and ShippingXpress, plus Shipday for last-mile — with live rates, weight-based pricing, free-shipping thresholds and per-order "Ship with X" selection. You get printable 4x6 thermal or A4 labels, manual courier/AWB fill-in, a branded per-tenant order-tracking page, and automatic tracking sync via webhook. For a merchant coming from a shipping-first tool, none of that familiar workflow is lost.
GST, pin-codes and tier-2/3 realities
HOD Media handles Indian tax properly: GST-style invoices, HSN codes, place-of-supply, a charge-GST toggle and bulk invoice generation. (GST registration rules depend on your turnover and state — treat this as general framing, not legal advice.) For sellers shipping deep into tier-2 and tier-3 pin-codes, the COD partial-advance and RTO-aware flows matter more than a slightly cheaper courier rate.
Everything else that ships in the box
Beyond store and shipping, HOD Media bundles tools you would normally stitch together from separate apps:
- Discounts: percentage/flat/free-shipping, automatic code-less discounts, combo bundles ("Buy 3 for Rs X"), Buy-X-Get-Y BOGO, usage-limit and once-per-customer coupons, hidden/targeted coupons, online-payment-only offers and countdown flash-sale timers.
- Catalogue: variants with per-variant price/weight/image, bulk CSV import that auto-detects Shopify/Wix/native, product and per-variant video, shoppable reels, compare-at MRP, out-of-stock badges, a barcode inventory scanner and fuzzy search.
- Orders: manual/retail walk-in orders, order edit with notes and tags, GST invoice plus label per order, and partial fulfilment.
- B2B: catalogue mode that hides prices from the public and shows them only to approved customers store-wide, with "Price on request" and WhatsApp enquiry — wholesale and retail on one store.
- Marketing: reviews with rich-snippet stars, wishlist, customer accounts with reorder, abandoned-checkout recovery, Meta Pixel plus Conversions API, GA4 with optional server-side purchase, a Google Merchant Center feed with health pre-check, and WhatsApp order/shipping updates.
Storefront and onboarding
You get 62 niche themes, a Hindi and English storefront, responsive per-device images, your own custom domain, and standard policy pages. Plans are rupee-priced with a free 3-month trial and no card required, and there is no per-sale commission. If you have outgrown a shipping-led stack and want the whole store to live in one place, HOD Media is worth a direct trial.
Is HOD Media a real alternative to KartRocket / Shiprocket 360?
Yes. KartRocket's lineage is best known as a shipping and fulfilment stack, while HOD Media is a full storefront platform with catalogue, checkout, payments and multi-courier shipping in one place. It suits sellers who want the actual online store plus logistics, not just courier aggregation. Always compare each provider's current plans before switching.
Does HOD Media take a commission on each sale?
No. HOD Media charges no per-sale commission. You connect your own Razorpay or Cashfree keys, so customer payments settle directly into your own gateway account. You pay a rupee-priced subscription, not a cut of every order.
Which payment methods does HOD Media support in India?
Merchants connect their own Razorpay or Cashfree gateway, both live for checkout, covering UPI, cards and netbanking. Native COD is supported, along with a COD partial-advance option to collect part online and reduce RTO. PayU is coming soon, and Stripe/PayPal are available for connect-your-own international use.
Can I still use my preferred couriers on HOD Media?
Yes. HOD Media supports multiple couriers per store, including Shiprocket, Delhivery, Zippyy (HOD Shipping) and ShippingXpress, with Shipday for last-mile. You get live rates, weight-based pricing, per-order courier selection, 4x6 thermal or A4 labels, and a branded tracking page with automatic sync.
Does HOD Media handle GST invoicing for Indian sellers?
Yes. HOD Media generates GST-style invoices with HSN codes and place-of-supply, plus a charge-GST toggle and bulk invoicing. Whether you must register for GST depends on your turnover and state, so treat this as general guidance and confirm your obligations with a tax professional.