Wise vs PayPal for freelancers in the EU
From 1,000.00 USD in October 2026, Wise lands 887.65 EUR and PayPal lands 820.53 EUR. Both publish every fee. PayPal's figure uses its price list for Germany; other EU countries have their own.
| Part | Wise | PayPal |
|---|---|---|
| How | USD account details, then your local bank | Business payment, then your bank in euros |
| Platform fee | 0.00 USDFree to receive a US domestic (ACH) payment. A wire costs USD 6.11. | 50.29 USDGermany: 2.99% + 1.99% for a client outside Europe, + USD 0.49. |
| Withdrawal fee | 3.42 USD0.29% of what is converted plus USD 0.53, to a bank in euros by SEPA. | 0.00 USDGermany: free to a local bank when no conversion is involved. |
| Currency markup | 0.00 USDNone. Wise converts at the mid-market rate and shows its fee separately. | 28.49 USDGermany: 3% above the base rate when PayPal converts. |
| Total fees | 3.42 USD0.34% | 78.78 USD7.88% |
| You get | 887.65 EUR | 820.53 EUR |
| Sources | Wise: receive fees, Wise: send fees, Wise: where you can hold money | PayPal Georgia: fees, PayPal Kazakhstan: fees, PayPal Armenia: fees, PayPal Germany: fees |
At other amounts
Fixed fees weigh more on small payments.
| Client pays | Wise | PayPal |
|---|---|---|
| 300.00 USD | 265.97 | 245.86 |
| 1,000.00 USD | 887.65 | 820.53 |
| 3,000.00 USD | 2,663.90 | 2,462.44 |
| 10,000.00 USD | 8,880.77 | 8,209.11 |
In EUR, at the same fees and rate.
Where each one is better
Wise
- Converts at the mid-market rate and shows its fee before you send.
- Sends euros to your bank by SEPA.
PayPal
- A client who only pays by card or PayPal balance can still pay you.
- Free to withdraw to a local bank when no conversion is involved.
- A personal "friends and family" payment is not for paid work.
Questions
Is Wise or PayPal cheaper for a freelancer in the EU?
On a USD 1,000 payment converted to euros, Wise keeps more: PayPal charges a fee to receive a payment from outside Europe and 3% above the base rate to convert. Both figures, with their sources, are in the table.
When is PayPal worth it?
When the client can only pay by card or PayPal, or pays in euros so nothing is converted.
Read next
Payout cost indexEvery route into every currency, once a monthPayout fees calculatorCount your own amount and Upwork feeUSD to EUR rateThe official rate for each day, with 90 days of historyWise vs Payoneer in GeorgiaWhat lands in lari from a USD 1,000 client payment through Wise or Payoneer, fee by fee, with sources and the date checked.Payoneer alternatives in KazakhstanPayoneer, Deel, PayPal, USDC and Wise for a USD 1,000 client payment received in tenge: what lands, fee by fee, with sources and the date checked.
Invoice the client directly
Navorina is not a payout route. It puts your bank details or a USDC address on the invoice and shows what arrived; the money goes straight to you. We open by invitation.