Freelancing is rapidly gaining popularity amongst professionals as a primary source of income. As it offers a lot of flexibility & better growth option, thousands of professionals are ditching their jobs for Freelancing.
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But there are some inherent issues with Freelancing too. And the primary amongst them is timely payments. If you, too, are a freelancer, you might have observed similar issues too. As you work for clients from multiple locations, it’s better to have a reliable payment method to receive timely payments.
People often ask me what the best payment platforms for freelancers are. So I have decided to come up with a list of top-5 payment platforms for freelancers.
Let’s begin.
On this page
What are the best payment platforms for freelancers?
PayPal
This name is synonymous with online payment platforms. For more than a decade, Paypal has established itself as an undisputed leader in the market.
There are multiple reasons to use Paypal as your online payment platform.
Let’s take a look at some of them:
- It’s reliable & efficient
- It offers multiple withdrawal options
- It seamlessly integrates into the websites via plugins
- It’s best for recurring payments
Although Paypal has these many benefits, it has one limitation that might overshadow its benefits. It charges very high transaction & transfer fees, depending on your & your Client’s location.
Payoneer
If you are looking for a Paypal alternative for freelancers, Payoneer should be your choice. It’s old, & it’s reliable. Due to its simplicity & efficiency, it remains one of the most popular online payment platforms globally.
Some of the benefits of using Payoneer are as follows:
- It can be used globally
- Transactions are quick & easy
- Signup with Pioneer is absolutely free of cost
- It charges way too little compared to Paypal
But as with other platforms, it too has a downside. Payoneer charges $25 per annum to maintain your account. This might sound a bit high for beginners as they don’t get paid much.
Stripe
Stripe is comparatively a new platform in the list. But with its excellent service, & flexible charges, it is becoming freelancers’ favorite payment platform. Stripe lets you collect payments from clients without creating an online store.
Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of using Stripe over other payment platforms.
- It charges less & variable fees, depending on your location
- It’s very easy to use
- It offers Seamless integration with multiple WordPress platforms
- You can collect payments via WPforms
- It’s one of the best Paypal alternatives in the market right now
The only downside is, it has a limited reach & is not available in several countries. But the benefits far outweigh this limitation, making it my personal favorite payment platform.
Wise
If you want local bank account entries in local currency in your Bank account, I strongly recommend Wise.
Designed to ease the headache of converting foreign currencies, Wise is a great option for freelancers who work with clients from a large number of countries.
Another benefit of using Wise is their currency exchange rate, which is almost identical to what you see on the Internet.
Let’s take a look at the other benefits of using Wise:
- You get paid directly in your account in local currency
- Lower transfer charges as compared to other platforms
- No additional charges by exchange rates
- Variable transfer fees, depending on your & your client’s location
The limitation of Wise is its limited reach. They do not offer their services in many countries, which I feel they can improve.
QuickBooks
It’s one of the most popular accounting software & payment platform fused together. With QuickBooks, you can easily create invoices & share them with your clients. At the same time, you can also accept payments straight to your Bank accounts.
Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of using QuickBooks:
- Payment from the Clients end is very easy
- You can manage all your transactions via QuickBooks
- They offer to ‘pay as you grow” fee structure
The only limitation is that they charge 2.9% + 24 cents, which some freelancers might find expensive. But given the service QuickBooks offer, these charges are understandable.
Quickbooks – Simplifies the accounting process
An accounting software that helps to track transactions and manage timesheets.
2Checkout
This is also one of the best Paypal alternatives available in the market. You can set 2 Checkout as your payment platform on almost all WordPress websites via WordPress plugins.
One more feature that sets 2Checkout apart is its wider range. Using 2Checkout, you can collect.
Payments, even from the countries where Stripe & Paypal doesn’t work.
Let’s take a look at some of the benefits:
- It can be easily integrated with any WordPress site
- Offers multiple withdrawal options
- Supports multiple languages & currencies
- Best-suited for recurring payments
- You can also integrate your credit cards
The only limitation of 2Checkout is 2.9% +30 cents, which is a tad higher than other peers.
Instamojo
If you are not a fan of monthly fees charged by Online Payment platforms, Instamojo is a perfect choice for you. It allows freelancers to send & receive money hassle-free. You can create payment links & ask your clients to pay you using that links.
Some benefits of using Instamojo:
- No signup fees or monthly charges
- Simple & Easy payment solutions
- Fixed fees on transactions
I didn’t come across any particular limitation while exploring Instamojo.
Final thoughts
While working as a Freelancer, it’s very important to manage your payment efficiently. Unlike a job, if you don’t focus on your payment schedules, you will be incurring massive losses.
So I always recommend using dependable payment platforms to ensure timely payments with minimal transaction fees.
I hope this detailed guide on the Best payment systems for freelancers will help you select the best payment platforms.
You can utilize any of the above platforms, depending on your location & your goals.
Remember, it’s your hard-earned money, do not lose it to some ponzi payment platforms.
FAQs:
Is Stripe safe?
Absolutely, I have been using Stripe for quite a long time, and it’s safe.
Is Paypal costly?
Yes, as compared to its competitors, I personally find Paypal costly. You can look out for many other PayPal alternatives.
Is Instamojo completely free?
Instamojo does not charge any annual or monthly fees, but you will have to pay certain transaction fees on each transaction.