If you want to be a freelancer or blogger, you need to deal with overseas clients and accept multiple currencies for your business.
Today’s post looks at the top payment solutions for bloggers and freelancers that will make getting paid a whole lot easier.
This post is a compilation based on in-depth research and the recommendation of some top freelancers who have already tried and tested these platforms. Keep the list short but descriptive; I’m going to talk about some of the payment platforms that you should consider.
So let’s start.
PayPal and its functions
As many of you may already know, PayPal is an online payment service that allows you to accept payments and get paid with total efficiency, quickly and easily. With over 430 million users and merchants in 200 countries and transactions in 25 currencies, PayPal is the world’s most widely used payment processing system that is extremely easy to use.
All you have to do is create your account with PayPal and then connect it to your credit/debit card. Your account should then be verified within 48 hours. You can then accept money from anywhere and send it to people in different parts of the world.
Below are the features PayPal is popular for:
- The next generation digital wallet that supports PayPal balance, credit cards, debit cards, Amex Send cards and cryptocurrencies
- Buy things for free in online and physical stores
- PayPal checkout for businesses and merchants
- You can request payments from customers using a custom link
- Free invoicing tool
- Business tools for small, medium, freelancer and startup companies like PayPal Buttons, PayPal.Me, API Credentials, Tas Calculator, WooCommerce, Magento, Wix, etc.
- Download center for tax documents
Reasons to look for PayPal alternatives
Although PayPal seems to be the best option to accept payments from global customers who are freelancers or small business owners, it also has some shortcomings. Find some obstacles that might prevent you from choosing PayPal as your preferred business payment sending or receiving platform:
# 1.Account setup complications
Setting up an account with PayPal is quite complicated. You must have many things in physical form to validate your PayPal payment sending and receiving account. For example, you may need a mobile phone number, a debit card from a bank account, a bank account to receive payment, an original proof of identity, a receipt from an ATM, or transaction details from an internet banking account.
After you’ve provided all of this, you’ll have to wait up to 48 hours, and sometimes it’s longer than that. Even after you’ve set up the account and received your first payment, PayPal will continue to send you various tax return and compliance forms to which you need to react quickly.
#2.Complicated fee structure
PayPal’s fee structure is the most complicated among all other international online payment apps. It deducts a fixed fee for most transactions sent and received outside of the US. A fixed fee is also charged in the US, but at a reduced percentage of the actual payment sent or received.
For overseas transactions, which the freelancers mostly need, there are PayPal commissions on the money received, rebates on the foreign exchange, etc. You can use any of these PayPal Fee Calculator to estimate your income from a foreign client.
#3.Hidden Fees
PayPal offers some of the lowest exchange rates you can get with other freelance payment service platforms. This is PayPal’s hidden fee. It won’t tell you that. You have to get it out of your experience. If the USD mid-rate or Google search rate is X against your local currency, PayPal will discount the rate by up to 6% and show you a X-6% rate for USD.
#4.Payment Processing Delays
PayPal does not process payments after Friday evening through MondayS afternoon. Although it says it doesn’t run on Saturdays and Sundays, it’s actually three days. Also, PayPal takes up to 5 business days to transfer the converted funds to your local bank account.
#5.Unresponsive user interface
Its online interface is not convenient at all. It takes a while to navigate between pages on the PayPal dashboard page.
#6.Transaction activity is opaque
It shows a consolidated transaction activity on the activity page. If you can’t immediately verify a transaction, you probably don’t know what fees will be deducted from that transaction. Only the incoming and outgoing funds are shown.
Now that you know the downsides of PayPal and are wondering which small business or freelance payment platform is right for you, I’ve got you covered. Check out the following PayPal alternatives and make your choice:
Wise
Weise is an international transfer service that is comparatively new on the market. What is unique about Wise is competitive exchange rates and an awareness of upfront payments.
The time it takes Wise to process a payment is a variable factor depending on currencies, countries, payment methods and amounts.
As soon as you log into their website, you have access to a built-in price converter where you can select the currency for both the sender and receiver and enter the amount. The live exchange rate calculator will convert the amount appropriate for the recipient’s country and currency, apply the fees and give you an approximate date for completing the transaction.
So you see, you know everything in advance, and if you’re happy, you can proceed.
As a freelancer, you can choose whether you want to open a personal or business account; It’s your choice. But whatever you choose, it’s FREE! You can send or receive payments from all major countries including USA, India, China, UK etc. If you are based in India, getting a USD and getting paid in INR would be a great option at the best exchange rate .
By the way, Wise seems to be 19 times cheaper than PayPal .
Payoneer
If you are looking for an alternative to PayPal, Payoneer can be an excellent option for you. What makes Payoneer stand out is that with just a few clicks, users can receive and make online payments, track their account balance and even entire transaction history.
Payoneer takes 3-5 business days to process payments and it supports the following currencies.
- USD
- EUR
- GBP
- CAD
- Aud
- JPY
- CHN
- CZK
- PLN
- RUB
- VND
You can send or receive payments from another Payoneer account or a traditional bank account. Fees vary, and you can check the details on their fees page .
Revolut
Revolut already has over 6 million loyal users simply because money transactions are simpler, hassle-free and at your fingertips. To get started with Revolut, download the app from the iStore or Google Play Store, register and create an account.
As a freelancer, it’s important to keep track of where your money is coming from and where it’s going personally and professionally.
The Revolut mobile application is neat, fast and offers almost everything you can do within the app. It’s one of the best I’ve ever seen.
Revolut business account helps you get rid of unwanted exchange rate name changes, cross-border transfers and other types of fees that none of us remember and still lose some of our money in the long run.
Revolut also plays the role of your accountant, managing your account, giving you more time to be productive and do what you do best. Up to 29 currencies are skilfully processed.
Stripe
Stripe is the payment processing choice for businesses that rely on the internet for their sales and profits. The features that Stripe offers you are a smart payment page, customized UI toolkit, billing , payment options via cards, wallets, currencies, bank transfers and more.
You can also use the mobile interfaces, authorization for revenue optimization option, Stripe radar, 3D security, dispute resolution to include any type of fraudulent situation, financial reporting, consolidated reporting and accounting support, among many other modern features.
The standard time it takes Stripe to process payments is 5-10 business days. Stripe operates in more than 20 countries and trades in more than 135 currencies.
Venmo
Today many high street cafes, dog walkers and everything in between, many small businesses and freelancers use Venmo . It offers individuals and businesses the following online payment options:
- Send and receive money from Venmo friends with unique notes and stickers
- Split payment by many payees
- Send cash as a gift through Venmo in style
- Lots of money back
- cryptocurrencies
- Use Venmo Money in stores and online stores
- Purchase Protection
Currently, you can only use Venmo in the US. Its services are not yet available for small global businesses and freelancers.
Airwallex US
Airwallex USA allows you to open an online banking account that can hold up to 11 foreign currencies in one account. This allows your global customers to pay in their preferred currency, not just US dollars.
You can accumulate different foreign currencies and then convert them all into your local currency. The payment provider offers a competitive conversion rate that is better than PayPal’s exchange rates. Its other characteristics are:
- Integrations for Shopify , eBay, PayPal, Afterpay, etc.
- You will not be charged any monthly fees
- Most business and personal transactions in the US are free
- Various free cards such as employee cards, international cards, company cards, etc.
Aspire
If you’re a new small, medium or freelance business owner and looking for lucrative deals in a multi-currency business bank account, don’t forget to check out Aspire . It currently offers free business accounts when you start a new business. Its notable features are as follows:
- Affordable accounts for USD, SGD and IDR
- 1% unlimited cashback on selected transactions with your corporate card
- Transparent representation of the true cost of sending and receiving foreign currency
- Competitive exchange rates compared to PayPal
- In a few hours you can set up a business account in a 100% online process
Skrill
Skrill offers fast, secure and instant payments for businesses and freelancers. Its streamlined payment solutions are suitable for all types of private, small, medium and startup businesses, including side hustles, gig workers and overseas freelancers.
Its single and easy integration allows you to accept payments in 100+ local payment systems including credit cards, debit cards, digital wallets , wire transfers and more. For cross-border transactions, you can manage up to 40 foreign currencies. Notable features on this payment platform include:
- digital wallet
- Fast checkout
- Shopping venture
- Fast transfers to local and foreign bank accounts
Zelle
Cell is suitable for small payments between known acquaintances within the USA. Both parties must have the following before they can use cell:
- A US cell phone number or email account
- Bank or credit union accounts with a supported U.S. financial institution
- Access US Google Play or App Store to download Mobile Banking and cell apps
Sending money to cell supported or unsupported bank accounts is free. Please note that transfers are only made between bank accounts. Cell does not hold the funds in a wallet app like Apple Wallet, Google Pay, etc.
OFX Global Currency Account
If you want to save more on tax payments, supplier payments, etc., you must try OFX Global Currency Account . This allows you to open various foreign currency accounts directly on foreign soil. Example: You are based in Australia but accept payments and do business with US customers and suppliers.
Then you can use OFX to open an account in the US for USD management without having to visit the US. Currently, you can open such accounts in currencies such as AUD, CAD, EUR, GBP, HKD, USD and SGD. So if you are a tax resident in the US, you can pay directly in USD and save on AUD to USD conversion fees.
Conclusion
These are some of the most popular payment services that you can opt for. Of course, there are other payment options you can look at, such as B. Cash App, Quickbooks Online , Skrill, Venmo, Dwolla, Xero , Escrow, Western Union, Moneygram, Paymo etc.
So there is no shortage of payment processing tools on the market. However, beware of scammers visiting these platforms. I hope this article helps you find your favorite payment processing system and get started on your freelance career .
Want an introduction to freelancing? Visit Beginner’s Guide to Starting a Freelance Career