The world of freelancing has given rise to a plethora of opportunities to make money online and add sheer ease to your life. But it wouldn’t be wrong to mention that it does come with its fair share of challenges.
From managing time to finding your next best gig online, the hurdles and obstacles to overcome are a lot. And at the end of it all, most people are just trying to get paid on a timely basis and through a reliable gateway.
But even getting your payment through a safe and secure channel can at times prove to be a struggle. This is why so many people continue to experiment with their options on a routine basis. If you happen to be in the same boat, trust us when we say that you are not alone.
Below, we’re counting down the top five payment platform options for 2024. This includes why they’re on the list and all other details like transaction fees, pros, cons, and beyond So let’s get right into it.
Payoneer
Those working on popular freelancing platforms like Upwork and Fiver would agree that
getting your income through Payoneer is an option* that’s been there for years. Not only does it deal with a plethora of currencies but you can even withdraw money to the same bank account in your region. If that’s not enough, you can make use of the card by Payoneer. This gives you the chance to send invoices through direct means. So it’s quick and convenient.
The best benefit is doing business with foreign clients situated anywhere around the globe has never been easier. Anytime you are paid in a foreign currently, you can best believe that you’d get the same amount in your local currency. Customer service is considered to be one of the best out there with raving reviews from customers for years. To get the most secure experience, go ahead and set up 2FA, which is rarely found in other payment gateways.
But with the good comes the bad. There is an added fee that might be a little complete for some to comprehend. This gets even more confusing when currency conversions are involved. Secondly, withdrawing funds does not happen immediately and could take up to a few days. So if you need cash quicker on some days than others, it’s not happening here.
Skrill
Skill has long been in use as freelancers’ favorite digital wallet option when it comes to payments. The app gives users the chance to fully utilize this via several means. For starters, it’s your digital wallet. You can store funds inside your online account and whenever you need it, just use the card to shop online or at your favorite store.
Secondly, you can use it to transfer funds to a host of other users online or even to bank accounts located around the globe. So the benefits include easy account setup that’s linked to your own personal bank account.
In the same way, the app gives users incentives like a rewards program. The feature dubbed Knect allows people to earn funds each time financial connections are made via the app. You can then exchange that to get cash rewards in return.
As a whole, it’s a platform that is simple and convenient to use. Did we mention how secure it is with regulation from the FCA so you can rely on it with options to avail like business accounts or personal accounts?
But the drawback cannot be ignored and the biggest one happens to be the fee attached. It’s a little hard and confusing for some to understand. Even international transfers have fees attached and if you don’t use it for a while, it gets tagged dormant. Customer service isn’t the best either and no features for live chats with representatives are on offer either.
PayPal
Whether you happen to be a freelancer or not,
PayPal is one platform that we’re sure you’ve heard of. The app gives users the chance to receive funds from anywhere around the globe and that’s great when dealing with foreign clients.
The biggest advantage is the each of use, which is the biggest reason for its popularity. You can begin with the simple account creation process where you choose one account type, add details, link your prospective bank account and cards, and that’s it.
After getting accepted, share the details with clients you’re working with so they can pay you through this gateway directly. Once that’s done, you can transfer that to the bank and keep it inside PayPal to carry out other online transactions.
There’s a whole bunch of currencies that you can deal with which many see as a major plus point if you’re working with clients from all over the globe. The app even gives users the chance to have a debit card that is one of a kind and is used in all those locations where the regular Mastercard can be accepted.
So imagine shopping online or in-store with your PayPal debit card - a feature not to be seen with other online apps for payments. But like the rest, there are a few downsides worth a mention.
The fees are not cheap and that is the case when clients you happen to be working with are foreign. They do charge a high percentage plus fixed fees when you’re dealing with global payments. See, the real amount is linked to the nation in question and the sort of transactions you’re dealing with.
Other than that, currency conversions across PayPal aren’t the best. It’s something you need to be mindful of when you have foreign clients on your list because some do feel they might not be getting the best rate here.
The popular app that was once called Transferwise is certainly another popular choice amongst freelancers today for payments. They work through rates for real exchanges so you can have payments done in multiple currencies that allow you to hold and even ensure conversion arises in different currencies.
To begin, users develop accounts and then link those to local banks so that Wise is in direct collaboration. You can find this on the app’s Homepage and similar to how the PayPal app works, you can benefit from a foreign debit card option. The latter is only present in a limited number of nations.
Clients and recipients are included and the requests for payments are generated. Another neat option is the addition of a QR code where you can request a payment called Wisetag which is shareable with instant payment options. But one of the most useful features on this front is the option to schedule transfers so payments are done on a timely basis without hassle and delay.
So what you get is a cheaper, quick, and reliable option than others when you’re dealing with global transfers and clients. We also adore how there are no hidden fees or charges attached as the app’s transparency is hailed for obvious reasons. There is even an option called multi-currency which is a great point for those working with global clients.
As far as the disadvantages are concerned, it’s not great when you’re dealing with local clients. There are far cheaper options to avail than this app. And while it might be cheaper than local banks, funds transfer is not free and so the fee tends to add up to be a lot when you’re transferring big amounts on a routine basis.
Escrow
Last but not least, we’ve got
Escrow on the list. It’s a platform that you cannot download directly on your device but it deserves a special mention on our list for some obvious reasons.
The platform puts security and user privacy of funds as one of its top priorities. To begin, you initiate a contract where both parties enter into an agreement of payment terms and conditions. So if the client wishes to pay, they send funds to the Escrow account instead of direct means in advance.
This gives rise to secure payments that are held in place until both parties involved are happy with the terms outlined at the start. This just gives you a sense of security and reliance that the party involved did pay and will not run away in the end when you submit the work.
The client also has the satisfaction that only work that meets its demand would be compensated for so it's a win-win situation on both ends with such security nets.
After account creation is complete, transactions are done by adding details from the contract with details from the buyer. This is shared through QR codes or a specific URL that only the client can see. After the amount gets deposited inside Escrow, you begin working on the task.
But nothing comes for free here as there’s a fee attached. And the amount is a certain percentage of what is being held. In some situations, Escrow could slow down the entire payment endeavor with funds only rolled out when all terms are met. So you can expect a slight delay for this reason than those carried out directly.
* When you sign up for these essential payment apps using our affiliate link, you'll unlock exclusive bonuses and rewards, giving your freelancing journey an extra boost.
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