Published on September 19th, 2021 | by Bibhuranjan

Top 7 International Payment Solutions for freelancers in India: Pros and Cons

Introduction

Everybody and anybody who has a skill that sells in the market can earn. That is one fact of life.

Another verifiable truth is when it comes to making a choice, you largely have two options A and B. If you want to work and earn money, full-time jobs, as well as freelancing, either can be a preference. The only difference is that freelancing gives you independence and varying income levels. So in freelancing for one month if you made Rs.1 lac, you can earn more than this amount the next month.

Trends have changed, and with it, you can see wider acceptance of freelancing as an alternative. Individuals are now comfortable working with international clients as payment is also no more a hassle. The number of content writers and graphic designers working with international clients are on the rise.

Considering the incomes, a mediocre level freelance writer can make from $25-$35 /hr as compared to an expert earning $40-$50 /hr. Though earning looks attractive, receiving the payments is a bigger concern. For that you need to concentrate on the pros and cons of international payment solutions.

Why do freelancers in India need international payment solutions?
Top 7 international payment solutions for freelancers in India.
Conclusion

Why do freelancers in India need international payment solutions?

India is a growing economy where more and more people are contributing their share as gig workers. The number is on the rise, with at present a total of 15 million freelancers in India.

They work with domestic as well as international clients. The hassle of work entails its own nature with each, following up for payment remains a matter of unease with both types. Adding to this comes the apprehension of monitoring the amount received or due, especially with the international payments.cant concern for global payments.

International payment solutions help Indian freelancers to receive money for the work done for clients from abroad. Before picking up a payment processor, a freelancer must verify these:

Currency Conversion Fees.
Transaction Fees.
Currencies Accepted.
Maintenance Fees of account, if there is any.
Process of payment.
Time is taken to credit the amount in the local Indian bank account.

Let us now look at the pros and cons of different international payment solutions enabling you to make an easy pick.

Top 7 international payment solutions for freelancers in India

Here are the top international payment solutions for freelancers in India to consider:

Stripe

Stripe is a payment platform that facilitates both domestic as well as international payments for freelancers. It supports transactions in nearly 135 currencies. But before you choose it, these are the pluses and minus of the brand:

Pros

Stripe is a comprehensive solution platform that enables you to send invoices, draft contracts, send reminders for pending payments, etc.
It is an affordable platform that comes without any hidden costs for the services you use.
Stripe keeps the information of your client and you safe.
The platform is equipped with an anti-fraud mechanism that saves you from any online theft.

Cons

The transaction fees of Stripe are higher.
Stripe isn’t user-friendly when you plan to set it up. You may need help from a professional to set it up.
The payment solution provider is unknown to many and is believed to have poor customer service responses.
Stripe takes a 2-day rolling cycle to transfer the fund into your account.
Payoneer

Payoneer is the simplest payment solution for freelancers. The company has its root of origin in the US, making payments fast and easier for freelancers in India. Here is what you should know about Payoneer:

Pros

Payoneer supports money transfers in 200 countries and 150 local currencies.
The users can withdraw the money with debit cards and receive funds in local bank accounts.
Principal currency payments that Payoneer supports include EUR, GBP, USD, CAD, AUD, JPY, and CNH.
Payoneer has a dedicated customer support system.

Cons

The transaction fees with Payoneer are higher.
Payoneer has a minimum benchmark of monthly payments up to $20,000.
This payment processor adds a currency conversion charge of 2% to 2.75% for international transactions depending on the country.
PingPong

PingPong is an international payment service provider that operates in more than 7 countries in the world. At present, nearly 600K users trust PingPong to receive international payments. It is a comparatively new brand than PayPal but has gained popularity over time.

Pros

PingPong allows freelancers to accept payment from across the globe.
The payment processor charges up to 1% of foreign exchange.
With this payment processor, there are no hidden costs to receive money.
You can accept INR/USD/GBP/JPY/AUD/MXN/AED/SGD/CAD/EUR payments.
Top freelance marketplaces like Freelancer, Upwork, 99 designs, Udemy and Fiverr support payment through PingPong.
Receive FIRC on your registered email id without any additional charges.

Cons

The only drawback with the brand is that it is less popular than other payment solution providers like PayPal.
PayPal

PayPal is one of the oldest payment solution providers in the world. It was the pioneer after which people could think of banking transactions online. Freelancers have known the brand for the longest, but they fear using PayPal because of its high cost. So let us look at the very good and less good things about the company.

Pros

The platform is simple and easy to use.
PayPal supports 200 countries and 25 different currencies.
PayPal allows you to create and send links to the clients to make payments.
One million freelancers have committed to using PayPal, adding to its authentication.
As a freelancer, you can easily choose to receive the money in the way you want.
PayPal brings you protection for every transaction to prevent you from fraud.
PayPal allows you to receive payment with PayPal.Me using your personalized link. You can create professional invoices and send them to your clients. Apart from using the app, you can send payment links through emails also.
Top freelance marketplaces like Freelancer, Upwork, 99 designs, Udemy and Fiverr use it.

Cons

Transaction fees for PayPal differ for different countries.
PayPal charges a flat fee every month for fraud protection and recurring billing.

Razorpay

Razor pay offers a complete payment solution to freelancers. Choosing this company to accept your international payments will be a good choice. Here is why:

Pros

Razorpay allows you to accept payment through payment links, payment pages, and payment buttons.
Freelancers can create and GST compliance invoices.
You can send automatic payment reminders to your clients if you haven’t received the payment.
Razorpay security works 24X7 to help detect fraud, saves you from hacking, and verifies your identity.
The company supports about 100+ payment methods.
There are no hidden and set-up fees with Razorpay.

Cons

Freelancers get payment ids to receive payment which is created with the alphabet. These can be a bit confusing.
The payment settlement time is T+2 days.
Wise (Transferwise)

Initially, the payment processor was called Transferwise. It is a UK-based cross border payment service for freelancers. Thinking about choosing Wise for your next payment, here is what backs your decision.

Pros

Wise allows freelancers to receive the payment in the currency of their choice, the local currency.
The exchange rate of Wise is the same as Google’s, so you do not end up losing more money.
The payment processor supports 50 types of currencies. You can instantly calculate the currency conversion with the calculator on the website page.
The transaction fees in Wise depend on the location of the receiver.

Cons

Wise restricts its operations in specific countries, so freelancers must check the page before accepting the money.
Remitly

Remitly is a popular payment processing platform that allows freelancers to receive payment in India and the Philippines. This service provider lets senders in the US send money to 90 countries. You can embrace and trust the platform as:

Pros

Remitly issues exciting promotional offers every now and then.
It charges you no fees on transactions over $1000.
Remitly transfers money promptly and securely.
The fees of transferring the money depends on how fast you want the money to be received.
Personal data is always safe and fully encrypted.
Remitly can send money in India with 130+ banks across India.
Remitly is entirely digital, which saves money for you.

Cons

Though cheap, the bank transfers take 3-5 business days for delivery.
There is a capping on the limit of the amount that can be transferred through Remitly. It is $2,999 to $10,000.

You may also like: GDPR basics for International freelancers

Conclusion

These are some payment processors that freelancers can use to receive money from international clients. Each international payment processor has its cherry points as well drawbacks. Depending on the fees charged and the payment processing time, you can choose a service provider. Try to pick one that can help you save more money at your end.

Cover Image Source FreePik

Tags: payment services, payment solutions, payments, receive international payments

About the Author

Bibhuranjan Editorial Officer, technofaq.org I'm an avid tech enthusiast at heart. I like to mug up on new and exciting developments on science and tech and have a deep love for PC gaming. Other hobbies include writing blog posts, music and DIY projects.