How to Get Paid by International Clients

The four most common ways to get paid by international clients are PayPal, Wise, Payoneer and a regular international bank transfer. For most freelancers, the cheapest option is having local account details in the client's currency (US dollars, euros or pounds) through a service like Wise or Payoneer, so the client pays you as if you were local. The most expensive is usually PayPal, once currency conversion is added. And if you sell a digital product or software instead of a service, many indie hackers use Lemon Squeezy.

Note: I'm not affiliated with any of the companies in this post, and I don't earn anything if you use them.

Fees change often and depend on your country, so check each provider's pricing page before you choose. The numbers below were checked in 2026.

What are the main ways to get paid by international clients?

Option	Cost to receive	Cost to convert to your currency	Best for
PayPal	About 4.5% + a fixed fee on international business payments	3% to 4% above the real exchange rate	Clients who only want to pay with PayPal or a card
Wise	Free if the client pays by local transfer; about $6 for a USD wire	About 0.4% to 0.75% on major currencies, more on others	Direct clients in the US, Europe or the UK
Payoneer	Free from other Payoneer users; 1% for US bank payments; up to 3.99% by card	Up to 2% when you withdraw to your local currency	Marketplaces like Fiverr or Upwork
Lemon Squeezy	5% + $0.50 per sale, plus 1.5% for international cards and 1.5% for PayPal	It handles sales tax and VAT in every country for you	Selling digital products or software, not services
Bank wire	About $15 to receive, plus $10 to $50 that banks in the middle can take	Usually 1% to 3% above the real exchange rate	Large one-off payments, or clients who can only pay by wire

One thing to understand before comparing: most of the cost is often not the fee you see, but the exchange rate. If a service converts your dollars at a worse rate than the real one (the one you see on Google), the difference is a fee too. It's just hidden.

How much does a $1,000 payment cost you with each option?

Here's an estimate for a $1,000 payment from a US client that you convert to your local currency:

Option	Estimated cost	You keep
Wise (client pays by local transfer)	About $6	About $994
Payoneer (client pays from a US bank)	About $30	About $970
Bank wire	About $54	About $946
PayPal (business payment)	About $79	About $921

How these were calculated: Wise with a 0.6% conversion fee; Payoneer with 1% to receive plus 2% to withdraw in another currency; the bank wire with $15 to receive, $20 in fees from banks in the middle and a 2% exchange rate markup; PayPal with 4.49% plus $0.49 for an international payment, plus 3.5% to convert. Your real numbers can be higher or lower depending on your country and currency.

Bar chart of the estimated cost of receiving a $1,000 international payment: about $6 with Wise, $30 with Payoneer, $54 with a bank wire and $79 with PayPal.

How do you choose the right option?

If you work through a marketplace, use the payment method it supports. Payoneer is usually built in. If you're still deciding whether marketplaces are worth it, read Is Fiverr Worth It in 2026?
If you have direct clients in the US, Europe or the UK, give them local account details from Wise or Payoneer. They pay you like a normal local transfer, which is cheaper and easier for them too.
If a client insists on PayPal or a card, accept it, but include the cost in your price so the fee doesn't come out of your pocket.
If you sell a digital product or software, like an ebook, a template or an app subscription, look at Lemon Squeezy. It's very popular with indie hackers because it acts as the legal seller of your product: it collects the payment and handles the taxes in each buyer's country, which you would otherwise have to figure out yourself. It costs more per sale than the other options, but it saves you a big headache. Stripe bought it in 2024.
Check that it works in your country. Not every service is available everywhere, and the rules change. In 2026, for example, Wise stopped letting personal accounts in India receive incoming payments.

How can you lose less money on every payment?

Invoice in the client's currency. Charge in dollars or euros and convert when it suits you, not automatically.
Convert less often, in bigger amounts. Many services add a fixed fee to each conversion, so fewer conversions means less paid.
Ask for local transfers instead of cards or wires. They're almost always the cheapest way for both of you.
Compare against the real exchange rate. Search the currency pair on Google and compare it with the rate you're offered. The gap is the hidden fee.
Keep a second option ready. Payment services sometimes hold or review funds. Having a backup means you're never stuck waiting to get paid.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest way to get paid by international clients?

For most freelancers, it's local account details in the client's currency, from a service like Wise. The client pays you by local transfer, receiving is usually free and you only pay a small fee when you convert.

Is PayPal good for getting paid internationally?

It's convenient and many clients trust it, but it's usually the most expensive option once you add the international fee and currency conversion. On a $1,000 payment you can lose close to $80.

Do I need a US bank account to get paid in dollars?

No. Services like Wise and Payoneer give you US account details without living in the US, so a US client can pay you with a normal local transfer.

What is the real exchange rate?

It's the real exchange rate between two currencies, the one you see on Google. Many services convert at a worse rate and keep the difference, which works like a hidden fee.