Getting Paid by International Clients: What to Compare Before You Choose
Scope. Cross-border payment costs vary by currency pair, amount and method, and they change often. We checked Wise's published receiving fees on 2026-10-06 and could not retrieve PayPal's fee page, so we do not quote PayPal figures. We have not used either service. This page is a framework, not a ranking.
The costs that add up
- Fee to receive: some methods are free, others charge a fixed amount per incoming payment.
- Currency conversion: the exchange rate you get versus the mid-market rate is often the biggest cost. A "no fee" offer with a poor rate can cost more than a visible fee.
- Sender's fees: your client's bank may charge to send an international wire.
- Withdrawal or payout fees: moving money from the service to your bank.
- Speed: slow settlement costs you cash flow.
What Wise publishes for receiving (US page, checked 2026-10-06)
| Method | Published fee |
|---|---|
| Getting account details for receiving in 22 currencies | Free |
| Receiving domestic payments (non-Swift, non-wire) in AUD, CAD, EUR, GBP, NZD, PHP, SGD, USD (the page lists one more currency we could not read clearly) | Free |
| Receiving USD wire and Swift payments | $6.11 per payment |
| Receiving GBP Swift payments | £2.16 per payment |
| Receiving EUR Swift payments | €2.39 per payment |
Source: Wise receiving fees. The page does not show the conversion cost if you convert funds; check the current rate and fee for your amount and currency before deciding.
A worked comparison method
For a $2,000 invoice from a UK client you want in US dollars, get a quote from each option for the same amount, then total:
| Cost | Option A | Option B |
|---|---|---|
| Fee to receive | ||
| Conversion cost (difference from mid-market rate × amount) | ||
| Sender's fee, if any | ||
| Payout fee to your bank | ||
| Total cost |
Fill it in from live quotes. Small differences in conversion margin matter more than a flat fee on larger invoices.
Practical tips
- Ask the client which payment method is cheapest for them. A local bank transfer into a local currency account often costs less than a wire.
- Invoice in the currency the client uses if you can open an account for it, and decide when to convert.
- Put the payment method and any fee split in your contract; see the contract checklist.
- Remember that foreign income is still income for US taxes; see our tax guide. This site does not cover foreign tax rules.
Track fees as expenses
Payment fees are generally a business expense; see the expenses overview. Invoicing tools such as FreshBooks and QuickBooks Online record payments and let you reconcile them; see the comparison.