The Codex

How to get paid by international clients as a freelancer

Agree the currency, payment method, who pays fees, and due date before work starts, then compare what you actually receive, not the headline fee.

Most freelancers get paid by clients in other countries in one of three ways: an international bank wire (SWIFT), a multi-currency account such as Wise or Payoneer that gives you local bank details in the client's country, or a card or wallet payment through PayPal or Stripe. Each one costs you in two places: visible fees, and the exchange rate you get when the money is converted.

Before any work starts, agree in writing on the currency, the payment method, who pays transfer fees, and when payment is due. That one paragraph in your contract prevents most cross-border payment problems.

Disclaimer: This guide is general information for freelancers in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, not tax or legal advice. Fees were checked on each provider's official pricing page on November 4, 2026 and change often.

Codex summary

Get paid from abroad by bank wire, a multi-currency account with local receiving details (Wise, Payoneer), or card and wallet payments (PayPal, Stripe). The exchange-rate markup is often the biggest cost, so compare what you actually receive. Put the currency code, payment method, who pays fees, and due date in the contract, take a deposit, and check whether VAT or GST applies before you invoice.

Who this is for

Freelancers in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia with clients in other countries, or about to send their first international invoice.

If you only do 3 things

Write the currency code, payment method, and who pays transfer fees into your contract.
Compare the amount you'd receive on one real invoice across two payment options.
Check your country's VAT or GST rules for cross-border services before you invoice.

Ways to get paid by international clients, compared

Method	How the client pays	Costs to watch	Best for
Bank wire (SWIFT)	International transfer from their bank to yours	Sending fee, intermediary bank deductions, your receiving fee, your bank's exchange rate	Large invoices, corporate clients whose finance teams only pay by wire
Multi-currency account (Wise, Payoneer)	Domestic transfer to local receiving details you share	Receiving fees on some routes, conversion fee when you change currency	Regular clients in the US, UK, EU, Canada, or Australia
PayPal	PayPal balance or card via an invoice or checkout	Percentage fee plus fixed fee, extra international fee, currency conversion spread	Small invoices, clients who already use PayPal
Stripe (cards, bank debits)	Card or bank debit on a payment link or invoice	Card fee, extra fee for international cards, extra fee for conversion	Freelancers who want card payments on their own invoices

Freelance marketplaces have their own payout systems and fees, so if a client pays you through a platform, the platform's terms decide most of this for you. This guide covers clients who pay you directly.

Bank wire transfers (SWIFT)

An international wire moves money from the client's bank to yours through the SWIFT messaging network. If the two banks don't have a direct relationship, the payment passes through one or more intermediary (correspondent) banks, and each can take a fee from the amount in transit. That is why a $3,000 invoice sometimes arrives as a smaller, odd-looking number.

When the client sends a wire, their bank usually lets them choose who pays the charges: the sender pays all of them, the costs are shared, or the recipient pays all of them. Ask the client to choose the option where they pay, and put that in your contract. Deductions by intermediary banks can still happen, so check what actually arrived against the invoice.

What to give the client for a wire

Your full name (or business name) exactly as it appears on the bank account.
Your bank's name and address.
Your account number, or IBAN where your country uses IBANs (the UK does).
Your bank's SWIFT/BIC code.
The currency the account accepts, and whether your bank will convert it.
A payment reference, such as the invoice number.

Your own bank also matters. Many banks charge a fee to receive an international wire and convert foreign currency at their own rate, which is often where the biggest cost hides. Ask your bank for both before you give out the details.

Multi-currency accounts: Wise and Payoneer

A multi-currency account gives you local receiving details in other currencies, for example a US account and routing number for USD or a UK account number and sort code for GBP. The client pays you as if you were a local supplier, which is usually cheaper and faster for them than a wire. You hold the balance or convert it when you choose.

Wise (as checked November 4, 2026, US pricing pages)

Holding money in the account is listed as free, and receiving domestic (non-Swift, non-wire) payments in currencies including USD, GBP, EUR, CAD, and AUD is listed as free. ^[1] ^[2]
Receiving a USD wire or Swift payment has a fixed fee of 6.11 USD; GBP Swift payments cost 2.16 GBP and EUR Swift payments cost 2.39 EUR. ^[2]
Converting money has a fee that varies by currency, listed as starting from 0.23%, and Wise says it uses the mid-market rate. ^[1]

Payoneer (as checked November 4, 2026, global pricing page)

Receiving through a receiving account in your local currency is listed as free; through a receiving account in a currency that isn't your local currency, the fee is 1% (minimum 1.00 USD or equivalent). ^[3]
If the client pays by credit card, the fee is up to 3.99% + 0.49 USD or equivalent. ^[3]
An annual account fee of 29.95 USD applies only if the account receives less than 6,000 USD (or equivalent) in 12 consecutive months. ^[3]
Payoneer notes that fees can vary by territory and account type and that your actual fees appear in the account's fees section. ^[3]

Provider pricing pages differ by country of account, so check the page for your own region before you choose. Then compare the total you would receive on one realistic invoice, not the headline fee.

PayPal and Stripe cross-border fees

PayPal (US merchant fees page, as checked November 4, 2026)

PayPal Checkout payments, including on invoices, are 3.49% plus a fixed fee; standard card payments on invoices are 2.99% plus a fixed fee. ^[4]
An additional 1.50% applies to international commercial transactions. ^[4]
The fixed fee depends on the currency received: 0.49 USD, 0.39 GBP, 0.59 CAD, 0.59 AUD, or 0.39 EUR. ^[4]
When PayPal converts currency, the page lists a 3.00% spread for most conversions (4.00% for certain payment types). ^[4]

Stripe (US pricing page, as checked November 4, 2026)

Domestic cards are 2.9% + 30 cents per successful transaction. ^[5]
International cards add 1.5%, and currency conversion adds 1% when required. ^[5]
ACH Direct Debit is 0.8%, capped at $5.00. ^[5]

Worked example: one $2,000 invoice (hypothetical)

A US freelancer bills a Canadian client $2,000 in USD. These figures use the US pricing pages above and assume no other fees apply.

Paid by PayPal Checkout

3.49% of $2,000 = $69.80
International fee: 1.50% of $2,000 = $30.00
Fixed fee: $0.49
Total fees: $100.29; you receive $1,899.71

Paid by an international card through Stripe

2.9% of $2,000 = $58.00, plus $0.30
International card: 1.5% of $2,000 = $30.00
Total fees: $88.30; you receive $1,911.70
If conversion is also required, add 1% ($20.00): $108.30 in fees

Card and wallet payments are convenient, but on large invoices the percentage adds up. A common approach is to accept them for small invoices and ask for a bank transfer above a set amount. Card payments can also be disputed later, so keep your scope, approvals, and delivery records.

How exchange-rate markups work

The mid-market rate is the midpoint between the buy and sell prices for a currency on the wholesale market. Many banks and payment services convert at a less favorable rate and keep the difference. That markup is a fee, even when the provider advertises "no fee."

Markup % = (mid-market rate - rate you got) / mid-market rate x 100

Worked example: a UK freelancer paid $5,000 (hypothetical rates)

The rates below are invented for the arithmetic. They are not today's exchange rate.

Invoice: $5,000. Hypothetical mid-market rate: 1 USD = 0.7800 GBP.
At the mid-market rate: $5,000 x 0.7800 = £3,900.00.
Option A, bank conversion: the bank converts at 0.7605 and charges a £10 receiving fee. $5,000 x 0.7605 = £3,802.50, minus £10 = £3,792.50. Markup: (0.7800 - 0.7605) / 0.7800 = 2.5%.
Option B, provider with a stated fee: converts at the mid-market rate and charges 0.5% of the amount. £3,900.00 x 0.5% = £19.50, so you receive £3,880.50.
Difference on one invoice: £3,880.50 - £3,792.50 = £88.00.

To check your own provider, note the rate you received and compare it with the mid-market rate at the same time. Over a year of monthly invoices, a small markup becomes real money.

Which currency to invoice in

Invoice in your currency when

you want predictable income for budgeting and taxes
the client is large enough to handle foreign payments easily
you don't have local receiving details in their currency

Invoice in the client's currency when

it helps win or keep the client (no conversion on their side)
you have local receiving details, so receiving is cheap
you can absorb exchange-rate swings, or you price a buffer in

Whatever you choose, always write the three-letter currency code (USD, CAD, AUD, GBP, EUR). A plain "$" is ambiguous between the US, Canada, and Australia. Your records also need the amount in your home currency for tax, so note the rate used for each payment as part of your weekly tax tracking.

Payment clause you can adapt

"All fees are in US dollars (USD). Invoices are due within 14 days of the invoice date. Payment is by bank transfer to the account on the invoice. The client pays all bank, transfer, and currency conversion charges on their side, so the full invoiced amount arrives in our account."

Put this in your statement of work and repeat the payment details on every invoice.

Tax forms clients may ask for

Form W-8BEN (non-US individuals paid by US clients)

If you live in the UK, Canada, Australia, or elsewhere outside the US and a US client pays you, they may ask for Form W-8BEN. It certifies your foreign status to the US payer. The IRS says to submit it when the withholding agent or payer asks, and to give it to the person requesting it, not to the IRS. ^[6] ^[7]

It generally stays in effect until the last day of the third calendar year after the year you sign it, unless your circumstances change. ^[7]
If you contract through your own company, the entity version is Form W-8BEN-E. ^[7]
The IRS says the place where personal services are performed generally determines the source of the income, regardless of where the payer is. Work you do outside the US is generally foreign-source income. ^[9]
Different forms apply in other cases, for example work performed in the US. Check the W-8BEN instructions or an adviser if any of your work happens there. ^[7]

Form W-9 (US persons)

US citizens and resident aliens use Form W-9, not W-8BEN, even when they live abroad. ^[7] It gives your correct taxpayer identification number to a payer that has to file an information return with the IRS. ^[8] A foreign client may not ask for any form at all, but if you are a US citizen or resident, your worldwide income is still taxable in the US, including what foreign clients pay you. ^[10] For how US payers report freelance income, see the 1099-K and 1099-NEC briefing.

Only send tax forms to clients you have verified, and only once a contract exists. Requests for identity documents or bank details before any contract are a red flag in fake client scams.

VAT and GST on cross-border services: the basics

Sales taxes on services follow "place of supply" rules: which country's tax applies depends on where the service is treated as supplied. These are the starting points; the details depend on the type of service and whether your client is a business or a consumer.

United Kingdom

For business-to-business services under the general rule, the supply is made where the customer belongs. If that is outside the UK, a UK supplier should not charge UK VAT, and should keep evidence that the customer is a business outside the UK. ^[11]
The reverse charge works the other way: when a UK business buys such services from an overseas supplier, the UK customer accounts for the VAT itself. ^[11]
For consumers, the general rule is that the supply is made where the supplier belongs, but certain services (including consultancy, legal, accountancy, and advertising) supplied to non-business customers outside the UK are treated as supplied where the customer belongs. ^[11]
You must register for VAT if your taxable turnover for the last 12 months goes over £90,000, or you expect it to in the next 30 days. ^[12]

Australia

Services supplied to a non-resident who is not in Australia when the service is supplied can be GST-free as exports, with exceptions, including where the service is provided to someone in Australia. ^[13]
You must register for GST when your GST turnover reaches $75,000 (or is projected to). ^[14]

Canada

Many services supplied to non-residents are zero-rated (taxed at 0%), but the general rule has exclusions, for example services rendered to an individual while they are in Canada and services connected with real property in Canada. Advisory, consulting, and professional services follow separate zero-rating rules. ^[15]
Keep evidence that the customer is a non-resident; the CRA expects suppliers to keep satisfactory evidence of status. ^[15]
The small supplier threshold is $30,000, and zero-rated supplies count toward it. ^[16]

United States

There is no national VAT or GST. Sales tax on services is set by each state, and the rules for services vary widely, so check your state's rules. For federal income tax, payments from foreign clients are reported like any other freelance income.

These rules have more exceptions than this page can cover. If a large share of your income comes from abroad, a one-off session with an accountant who handles cross-border services is usually worth it.

Payment terms and protecting against non-payment across borders

Collecting an unpaid invoice from another country is slow, and court action abroad is rarely worth it for a freelance-sized debt. Prevention is the whole strategy. The core system in getting paid on time still applies; add these cross-border steps.

Verify the client. Check the company in its official business register (for example Companies House in the UK or ABN Lookup in Australia), confirm the person works there, and be wary of clients who only use free email addresses.
Take a deposit. Ask for part of the fee before work starts, especially for new clients.
Bill in milestones. Keep the amount at risk small at any point in the project.
Allow for transfer time. Set due dates that account for international processing, and send the invoice the day a milestone is approved.
Tie final delivery to payment. Release final files, or transfer ownership of the work, when the final invoice is paid. Your contract clauses should say this and name the governing law.
Confirm bank-detail changes by another channel. If anyone emails new payment details, yours or theirs, call or message to confirm before money moves.
Refuse overpayment refunds. A client who "accidentally" overpays and asks you to send the difference back is a classic scam pattern.
Pause work on overdue invoices. Follow up on a fixed schedule; the invoice template and late payment sequence has the wording.

Checklist before your first international invoice

Currency code agreed and written in the contract.
Payment method agreed, with complete details on the invoice.
Who pays transfer and conversion charges is in writing.
Due date allows for international processing.
Deposit or first milestone invoiced before work starts.
Tax form requests (W-8BEN or W-9) handled for verified clients only.
VAT, GST, or GST/HST treatment checked and noted on the invoice where required.
The home-currency amount and exchange rate recorded when the money arrives.

Common mistakes

Comparing headline fees only. The exchange-rate markup is often bigger than the fee.
Writing "$" without a currency code. USD, CAD, and AUD are different amounts.
Letting the client choose the wire charge option. Shared or recipient-pays charges come out of your invoice.
Charging VAT or GST by habit. Cross-border services often follow different rules from domestic sales.
Starting work without a deposit. With a new overseas client, your leverage is highest before you begin.

FAQ

What is the cheapest way to get paid by an international client?

Often it is a multi-currency account that gives you local bank details in the client's country, so the client makes a domestic transfer instead of an international wire. The real cost depends on the currency, the fixed fee, and the conversion fee, so compare the total you receive for one realistic invoice rather than the headline fee.

Should I invoice in my currency or the client's currency?

Invoicing in your own currency moves exchange-rate risk to the client and makes your income predictable. Invoicing in the client's currency can win work and is cheap to receive if you have local receiving details, but you carry the exchange-rate risk until you convert. Whichever you choose, write the currency code on the quote, contract, and invoice.

A US client asked me to fill in Form W-8BEN. Do I have to?

If you are a non-US individual, Form W-8BEN is how you document your foreign status to a US payer, and the IRS says to provide it when the payer asks. You give it to the client, not to the IRS. If you work through your own company, the entity version is Form W-8BEN-E. If you are a US citizen or resident, you use Form W-9 instead.

Do I charge VAT or GST to a client in another country?

Often not, but it depends on your country, the type of service, and whether the client is a business. In the UK, business-to-business services generally fall where the customer belongs, so a UK supplier usually does not charge UK VAT to an overseas business. Australia and Canada have their own export rules with exceptions, so check the official guidance or an adviser.

How do I protect myself from non-payment by a client abroad?

Assume that chasing a debt across borders will be slow and expensive, and prevent it instead. Take a deposit before work starts, bill in milestones, release final files or rights on full payment, verify the client's business before you begin, and pause work when an invoice is overdue.

Sources

Official sources referenced above (checked November 4, 2026)

Tools and templates

Invoice Template + Late Payment Sequence

A copy-ready freelance invoice template with four payment reminder emails, from a due-date nudge to a final notice, plus what to log for each invoice.

Open Invoice Template + Late Payment Sequence

Late Payment Checklist

A checklist for collecting overdue invoices: prevention, follow-ups, work pause, and escalation without making it personal.

Open Late Payment Checklist

Statement of Work (SOW) Template

Copy a freelance statement of work template with deliverables, exclusions, acceptance criteria, payment terms, and a change request process.

Open Statement of Work (SOW) Template

Client Screening Checklist for Freelancers

Qualify a freelance lead before you write a proposal: check fit, decision path, urgency, and behavior, then pick a proposal, a paid first phase, or a no.

Open Client Screening Checklist for Freelancers

Tax Set-Aside Calculator

Work out how much of each month's freelance income to move into a tax reserve at a percentage you choose, and how to pick it from your records.

Open Tax Set-Aside Calculator

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Status

Last reviewed: Nov 04, 2026

Change log

Nov 04, 2026: Published a guide to getting paid by international clients, with provider fees checked on official pricing pages on November 4, 2026, worked fee and exchange-rate examples, tax form basics, and VAT/GST notes for the UK, Australia, and Canada.