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INRAs of 6 Nov 2026, the main PayPal alternatives for freelancers paid by foreign clients are Vezmo, where receiving ACH to USD account details is free (early access) and clients can also pay card and ACH invoices; Payoneer, for platform income; Grey, for ACH payments in its listed countries; Wise, where it lets you hold money; Deel, if your client pays through it; and a direct SWIFT wire. On PayPal Mexico, $1,000 from a US client costs $44.80 plus IVA to receive.
In this article
- 01Why do freelancers look for PayPal alternatives?
- 02How did we choose and rank these options?
- 03The 6 best PayPal alternatives for freelancers
- 04How do the options compare side by side?
- 05Which options work in Mexico, the Philippines, Kenya and Vietnam?
- 06How do you choose between them?
- 07Questions
- 08Sources
Why do freelancers look for PayPal alternatives?
PayPal is easy for clients, and many of them already have an account. The cost falls on you, the person receiving, and it depends on the country of your PayPal account. Here is what PayPal's own fee pages, opened on 6 Nov 2026, list for a payment from a US client.
| Your PayPal account | Fee to receive | On $1,000 | To convert to your currency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico (page updated 13 Oct 2026) | 3.95% + 0.50% for a payment from outside Mexico + $0.30, plus IVA | $44.80 plus IVA | 3.50% above the base exchange rate |
| Philippines (page updated 28 Oct 2026) | 4.40% + $0.30 | $44.30 | 3.0% above the base exchange rate |
- Some countries can only send: PayPal's help center says members in some countries and regions can only use PayPal to send payments, not receive them.
- Holds: PayPal's merchant guide says held funds are usually held for up to 21 days.
- Withdrawals: on a Philippine account, withdrawing to a local bank is free above PHP 7,000 when no conversion is involved, and PHP 50 below that.
PayPal still makes sense when a client insists on it, or when a platform you work through pays out there. For direct clients, most of the options below publish lower fees to receive a US payment. Businesses comparing card fees can read Vezmo vs PayPal.
How did we choose and rank these options?
Vezmo wrote this list and is one of the options in it. Every fee and rule about another provider comes from that provider's own pricing or help page, opened on 6 Nov 2026, and each entry says what to watch for. We used four countries where many freelancers bill US clients: Mexico, the Philippines, Kenya and Vietnam.
- Can you open it? Whether a freelancer living in each of the four countries can use it today.
- What it costs to receive $1,000 from a US client and turn it into your own currency, on the published price list.
- How clients pay: by bank transfer, card, a platform payout or a contractor platform.
Vezmo comes first because it's ours: receiving by ACH to its USD account details is free on every plan, and invoices sit in the same account. The rest are ranked by reach first, then by cost. The best choice for you depends on how your clients pay, so read each option's Best for line before its rank.
The 6 best PayPal alternatives for freelancers
- 1
Vezmo
Early accessBest for invoicing clients who want to pay by card or ACHReceiving by ACH to Vezmo USD account details is free on every plan (early access), and the invoices and payment links clients pay by card or ACH are live. Vezmo is a financial technology company, not a bank.
- Who can open
- Businesses, including freelancers and sole traders, in Mexico, the Philippines, Kenya, Vietnam and many more countries. We check each application.
- How clients pay
- Invoices and payment links by card, ACH, Apple Pay or Google Pay, where VezmoPay serves your business; ACH or wire to USD account details (early access).
- What it costs
- A $1,000 invoice costs you $28.19 by US card (2.79% + $0.29) or $10 by ACH. Into USD details, ACH is free and a domestic wire costs $15 on Free, $10 on Grow or $5 on Pro.
Watch for: USD details and payouts are in early access, not generally available, and card rates are starting rates, confirmed when we approve your account. On Free, a $15 upkeep fee applies in a quarter when the account is quiet.
2Payoneer
Open todayBest for platform and marketplace incomeMany platforms pay out to Payoneer, and it says it covers 190+ countries and territories.
- Who can open
- Freelancers and businesses in the countries it serves.
- How clients pay
- Platform payouts, a receiving account, or a payment request paid by card (up to 3.99% + $0.49 to you) or US bank debit (1%).
- What it costs
- Free into a local-currency receiving account; 1% (min $1) into one in another currency, which is USD for most freelancers outside the US. To get local currency: 0.5% between balances, then $1.50 to withdraw in supported countries, or 1.2% to 4% to withdraw with conversion.
Watch for: $29.95 a year if you receive less than $6,000 in 12 months, and a minimum withdrawal fee of up to $20 in some countries.
3Grey
Open todayBest for freelancers paid by ACH in its listed countriesGrey issues US accounts to full-time employees and freelancers, in a country list that includes Mexico, the Philippines and Vietnam.
- Who can open
- Full-time employees and freelancers in the countries on its US-account list.
- How clients pay
- ACH, FedNow or Fedwire to your US account details.
- What it costs
- 0.8% per ACH or FedNow payment (min $2, max $10): $8 on $1,000. $20 per Fedwire. 1% to convert USD to most other currencies. No account or card maintenance fees.
Watch for: Kenya isn't on its US-account list as of 6 Nov 2026, and the accounts are for individuals, not companies.
4Wise
Open todayBest for low conversion, where it lets you hold moneyWise gives free account details and receives non-wire USD payments for free.
- Who can open
- People who live in a country on Wise's list of places where you can hold money, at an address that isn't on its USD-details restricted list (which includes the UAE and Nigeria). On 6 Nov 2026 the Philippines was on the first list; Mexico, Kenya and Vietnam were not.
- How clients pay
- ACH or wire to your USD account details.
- What it costs
- Account details are free on a personal account. Receiving ACH is free; each USD wire or SWIFT payment costs 6.11 USD. Converting from 0.23%, depending on the currency.
Watch for: Without your country on that list you can't hold money in a Wise account, so check it with your address before you move clients.
5Deel
Open todayBest for contractors whose client pays through DeelYour client chooses Deel, not you: the client pays Deel, and you withdraw from it.
- Who can open
- Contractors whose client pays them through Deel.
- How clients pay
- Through the client's own Deel account.
- What it costs
- A local bank transfer at no cost to the contractor; to Wise with no Deel withdrawal fee; to Payoneer for 1%, or to PayPal for 2.5% (min $0.25). By SWIFT, intermediary banks may take a fee.
Watch for: It only works if your client already pays contractors through Deel.
- 6
A direct SWIFT wire
Through your bankBest for large invoices from companiesYour client's bank sends an international wire to your own bank at home, using your bank's SWIFT code.
- Who can open
- Anyone with a bank account at home: there's nothing new to open.
- How clients pay
- An international wire, which companies that pay suppliers abroad already know how to send.
- What it costs
- The sending bank, any intermediary bank and your bank can each take a fee, and your bank sets the exchange rate.
Watch for: Fees are hard to predict, so small invoices lose the most. Ask your bank for its schedule of charges.
How do the options compare side by side?
- VezmoACH to USD account details, early access$0.00
PayPalMexico account: 3.95% + 0.50% + $0.30, plus IVA$44.80- Payoneer1% into a USD receiving account$10.00
- Grey0.8% by ACH (max $10)$8.00
- WiseMexico isn't on its list of countries to hold moneyNot available
Then add each provider's conversion: PayPal Mexico 3.50% above the base rate, Payoneer 1.2% to 4% (or 0.5% plus $1.50) and Grey 1%. On Vezmo, converting and paying out are separate options, priced on pricing. Each figure is from the provider's own page, listed under Sources.
| Option | Best for | To receive $1,000 from a US client | To convert | Clients pay by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vezmo | Card and ACH invoices | Free by ACH to USD details (early access); on an invoice, $28.19 by US card or $10 by ACH | A separate option (pricing) | Card, ACH, Apple Pay, Google Pay |
| PayPal (Mexico account) | Clients who insist on PayPal | $44.80 plus IVA | 3.50% above the base rate | PayPal balance or card |
| Payoneer | Platform income | $10 into a USD receiving account | 0.5% + $1.50, or 1.2% to 4% | Platform payout; card or ACH payment request |
| Grey | ACH in its listed countries | $8 by ACH; $20 by Fedwire | 1% | ACH, FedNow or Fedwire |
| Wise | Where it lets you hold money | Free by ACH; 6.11 USD by wire | From 0.23% | ACH or wire |
| Deel | Clients who use Deel | Paid by your client to Deel | Local bank withdrawal at no cost to you | Your client's Deel account |
| Direct SWIFT wire | Large company invoices | Set by the banks involved | Your bank's rate | International wire |
Which options work in Mexico, the Philippines, Kenya and Vietnam?
Where you live decides more than price does. Two of the options with the lowest published fees to receive USD depend on your address.
| Option |  Mexico |  Philippines |  Kenya |  Vietnam |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vezmo | Can apply | Can apply | Can apply | Can apply |
| Wise | No | Yes | No | No |
| Grey | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Deel | Through your client | Through your client | Through your client | Through your client |
| SWIFT wire | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Wise: its list of countries where you can hold money. Grey: its US account country list. Payoneer says it covers 190+ countries and territories but doesn't list them on its pricing page. Vezmo's USD account details are in early access, and we check each application.
How do you choose between them?
- 1Start with how your clients payPlatform payouts point to Payoneer or whatever the platform supports. Clients paying from a US bank point to USD account details. Clients who want to pay by card need an invoice or payment link that takes cards.
- 2Check your countryWise and Grey depend on where you live. Use the table above, then check the provider's own list with your address.
- 3Add up the whole pathOn $1,000 from a US client by ACH: Grey charges $8 and then 1% to convert; Payoneer $10 and then up to 4% to withdraw with conversion; Vezmo's USD details nothing to receive by ACH, with converting and paying out as separate options you choose. On PayPal Mexico, a payment costs $44.80 plus IVA, then 3.50% to convert.
- 4Keep PayPal for the clients who need itYou don't have to close it. Keep PayPal for clients and platforms that only pay there, and give everyone else your new details.
- 5Ask your bank about foreign incomeYour bank can tell you which documents it needs for income from abroad, which rate and charges it applies, and what your central bank's rules require.
For the steps to set up payments from US clients, see how to get paid by US clients from abroad. Paid mostly through Payoneer? See Payoneer alternatives.
Questions
Which PayPal alternative costs the least for freelancers?
It depends on your country and how clients pay. On published fees for $1,000 from a US client by ACH, Vezmo's USD account details (early access) and Wise charge nothing to receive, Grey charges $8 and Payoneer $10, against $44.80 plus IVA on a PayPal Mexico account. Then add the cost to convert and withdraw, and check that you can open the account where you live.
Can I use Wise instead of PayPal in Mexico?
Not to hold money. As of 6 Nov 2026, Mexico isn't on Wise's list of countries where you can hold money in your account, and neither are Kenya and Vietnam. The Philippines is.
Do my clients need an account to pay me?
Not for bank transfers or card invoices. With USD account details, clients pay by ACH or wire from their own bank. With a Vezmo invoice, they pay by card, ACH, Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Is Payoneer better than PayPal for freelancers?
On the fee to receive, usually: Payoneer charges 1% (min $1) into a USD receiving account, against 4.45% + $0.30 plus IVA on a PayPal Mexico account. Withdrawing with conversion costs 1.2% to 4% at Payoneer, so compare the amount that actually reaches your bank.
Can I keep PayPal and use another option too?
Yes. Many freelancers keep PayPal for clients or platforms that only pay there, and use bank details or card invoices for everyone else.
Is Vezmo available today?
VezmoPay invoices and payment links that clients pay by card, ACH, Apple Pay or Google Pay are live. USD account details and payouts are in early access, and what your business can use is confirmed when you apply.
Is Vezmo a bank?
No. Vezmo is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking, stablecoin and card services are provided by regulated partners & Banks.
Sources
Each one is the organization’s own page, checked 6 Nov 2026. Rules and fees change, so check them before you act.
- PayPal Mexico: Merchant fees (updated 13 Oct 2026)
- PayPal Philippines: Merchant fees (updated 28 Oct 2026)
- PayPal help: Why does my account have only send capabilities?
- PayPal: Why is your money on hold (merchant guide)
- Payoneer: Pricing (updated 1 Jan 2026)
- Grey help: Why can't I request a US account?
- Grey help: Deposit fees (USD)
- Grey help: Conversion fees
- Grey: Pricing
- Wise help: Where do I need to live to hold money with Wise?
- Wise: Pricing (US)
- Wise: Receive money pricing (US)
- Deel: Contractor payment withdrawal options (updated 22 Jul 2026)
- Vezmo: VezmoPay pricing
- Vezmo: Pricing
Vezmo is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking, stablecoin and card services are provided by regulated partners & Banks. Last reviewed 7 Nov 2026.
