When a US client pays you $3,000 and you live in the EU, the difference between Stripe, PayPal, and Wise is roughly $60-120 of your money — every invoice. Compounded across a year of freelance work, that's the difference between an extra plane ticket and a software subscription.
The right pick isn't always the cheapest. Speed of payout, dispute risk, and what your clients actually want to use all matter. This post lays out current 2026 fees from each provider's official pricing page, runs the math on a representative international invoice, and tells you which one wins for which freelance setup.
Quick comparison (2026 sticker fees, USD-denominated)
- Stripe — 2.9% +
$0.30per US card · +1.5% surcharge on international cards · +1% currency conversion · payout in 2 business days (stripe.com/pricing) - PayPal — 3.49% +
$0.49per US standard checkout/invoice · +1.50% international surcharge · ~3-4% FX spread · payout to bank in 1-3 business days, instant transfer for a fee (paypal.com/business/paypal-business-fees) - — mid-market FX rate + transparent ~0.35-0.5% conversion fee · 2-5 business day payout depending on currency corridor ()