Compare what PayPal, Wise, and a traditional bank wire actually cost you on an international client payment.
| Method | Fee | You Receive |
|---|
Freelancers getting paid by international clients typically choose between PayPal, a transfer service like Wise, or a traditional bank wire. Each has a very different cost structure: PayPal charges a percentage plus currency conversion markup, Wise charges a small percentage close to the real exchange rate, and traditional bank wires charge a flat fee plus a hidden markup on the exchange rate itself.
Traditional bank wires often advertise a low flat fee ($25-$45) but quietly build a 3-5% markup into the exchange rate they give you — the fee you're told about is often the smallest part of what a bank wire actually costs you.
On a $2,000 payment: PayPal costs roughly $170 in fees, a bank wire costs roughly $115 (flat fee + hidden FX markup), and Wise costs roughly $16. Over a year of monthly $2,000 payments, that's the difference between losing about $190 total and losing over $2,000 total.
Why is Wise usually the cheapest? Wise is built specifically around using the real, mid-market exchange rate with a small transparent fee, instead of building a hidden markup into the rate like banks and many payment processors do.
Is a bank wire ever the right choice? For very large one-time payments, some banks offer negotiated rates that can compete with Wise — but for regular freelance income, the flat fee plus FX markup usually makes wires the most expensive option.
Does my client's platform matter here? Yes — if your client pays through a specific platform (Upwork, Fiverr, etc.), that platform's own withdrawal fees apply on top of or instead of these options. This tool is for direct client payments outside of marketplace platforms.