Question 1

What is the best payment method for invoices?

Accepted Answer

For most freelancers, Stripe is the best default for online invoices and subscriptions because of lower fees and strong recurring billing. For international clients, Wise is usually cheapest because it uses local bank transfers and mid-market conversion rates. For clients who are hesitant to pay online, PayPal's brand recognition can improve completion rates even though its fees are higher.

Question 2

Is Stripe cheaper than PayPal for invoices?

Accepted Answer

For standard US card payments, Stripe is roughly 2.9% + $0.30 while PayPal invoicing is typically 3.49% + $0.49 (PayPal/Venmo/Guest Checkout) or 2.99% + $0.49 when paid by a standard credit/debit card. The difference is larger on international payments because PayPal's currency conversion margin is often higher. For small US domestic invoices, Venmo can be cheaper than both.

Question 3

How do fees compare for international invoices?

Accepted Answer

Wise is typically the cheapest for international bank transfers, with conversion fees around 0.6% plus a small fixed fee. Stripe charges 2.9% + $0.30 for the base rate, plus a 1.5% international-card surcharge and a 1% currency-conversion fee if settlement requires conversion. PayPal international payments can reach 4.99% + $0.49 plus a 3% currency conversion margin.

Question 4

Which provider pays out fastest?

Accepted Answer

Wise and Venmo settle fastest: Wise transfers often arrive within hours, and Venmo payments are instant to a Venmo balance. PayPal is instant to a PayPal balance but takes 1–3 days to reach a bank. Stripe typically pays out in two business days, and Square in 1–2 business days.

Question 5

Can I use Wise for invoice payments?

Accepted Answer

Yes. With a Wise Business account, you can create payment requests or share local bank details with your client. The client pays by local bank transfer in their own currency, and Wise converts it at a mid-market rate. There is no card checkout, so it works best for B2B clients comfortable with bank transfers.

Question 6

Which payment gateway is easiest to set up?

Accepted Answer

PayPal, Venmo, and Wise are the easiest: you can create a shareable link or payment request in minutes without writing code. Stripe and Square offer low-code options too, but their advanced features require more setup.

Question 7

Are the fees in this tool exact?

Accepted Answer

No. They are approximate 2026 rates based on publicly available rate cards. Actual fees depend on your country, the client's card type, your monthly volume, and the currencies involved. Use the estimates to compare providers, not for accounting.

Provider	Domestic fee	International fee	Currencies	Payout speed	Integration	Best for
Stripe	2.9% + $0.30	4.4% + $0.30 + 1% FX	135+	2 business days	Medium	Recurring invoices, card checkouts, SaaS
PayPal	3.49% + $0.49	4.99% + $0.49 + 3% FX	100+	Instant to balance; 1–3 days to bank	Low	Clients who already have PayPal
Wise	Free local bank transfer	~0.6% FX + small fixed fee	50+	Hours to 1 day	Low	International bank transfers
Square	3.3% + $0.30	Not supported	8+	1–2 business days	Low	US/Canada invoices + in-person
Venmo	1.9% + $0.10	Not supported	USD only	Instant to Venmo; 1–3 days to bank	Very low	Small US domestic invoices

Payment Gateway Comparison Tool

Wise

Venmo

Side-by-side comparison