Getting Paid Across Borders: The Best Cross-Border Payment Tools for Small Businesses (2026)

Selling abroad or paying overseas suppliers means dealing with two costs your bank rarely spells out: the transfer fee and the markup hidden in the exchange rate. The five services below are built for businesses that move money across borders. For each one we give the published fees for US business accounts.

How we compiled this guide: fees and plan prices were checked September 26, 2026 on each vendor's own pricing page. We haven't hands-on tested every product, so we give no ratings or scores. Fees vary by currency, country and account type, and they change often, so always confirm the rate shown to you before you send.

1. Multi-currency business accounts

Wise Business

Wise's model is simple: it converts at the mid-market exchange rate and charges a visible fee on top. Its US business pricing page lists:

• Account setup: 31 USD one-time for account details to receive money in 22 currencies. Registering is free.
• Sending and converting: fees vary by currency, from 0.23%. Businesses that convert more than 25,000 USD (or equivalent) get a volume discount.
• Receiving: domestic (non-wire) payments in AUD, CAD, EUR, GBP, HUF, NZD, PHP, SGD and USD are free. Incoming USD wires and Swift payments cost 6.11 USD each.
• Holding money: free.
• Card: spending in a currency you hold is free. ATM withdrawals are free up to 250 USD a month, then 1.95 USD + 1.95%.

Best for: businesses that pay suppliers or contractors abroad and want to see the exchange-rate cost up front.

Airwallex

Airwallex combines a multi-currency account with corporate cards, bill pay and payment acceptance. Its US pricing page lists:

• Plans: Explore is free ($0 per user per month, with up to 10 free spend users). Grow is $12 per user per month plus a platform fee. Accelerate is custom-priced.
• FX: 0.5% above interbank rates for major currencies and 1% for all others.
• Transfers: domestic USD and CAD transfers are free, with local transfers to 120+ countries. SWIFT transfers cost $15 to $25 each.
• Accounts: collect and hold money in 20+ currencies.
• Accepting cards: 2.8% + $0.30 for domestic cards and 4.30% + $0.30 for international cards.

Best for: growing teams that want cross-border accounts, cards and expense management in one place.

Revolut Business

Revolut Business sells monthly plans. Each plan includes an allowance of currency exchange at the interbank rate. Its US plans page lists:

• Plans: Basic from $10 a month, Grow from $40, Scale from $140, and Enterprise at custom pricing.
• Interbank-rate exchange allowance: $1,000 a month on Basic, $20,000 on Grow and $80,000 on Scale. Above the allowance, a 0.6% fee applies. Exchanges outside market hours carry a 1% fee.
• International transfers: none included on Basic, 5 on Grow and 25 on Scale. Beyond the allowance, each costs $5 (SWIFT OUR transfers carry other fees).
• Currencies: send and receive in 25+ currencies.

Best for: businesses with steady monthly FX volume that fits one plan's allowance.

2. Getting paid by overseas clients and marketplaces

Payoneer

Payoneer is widely used by sellers and freelancers who get paid by marketplaces and international clients. Its pricing page (last updated January 1, 2026) lists:

• Receiving: payments from another Payoneer customer are free. So are payments into a receiving account in your local currency. A receiving account in a non-local currency costs 1% (minimum 1.00 USD). Marketplace payouts vary by marketplace.
• Client payments: clients paying by credit card cost up to 3.99% + 0.49 USD. US ACH bank debit costs 1%.
• Withdrawals: 1.50 USD to a US bank account in USD. Withdrawals in another currency or country cost 1.2% to 4%.
• Currency conversion between balances: 0.50%.
• Account fee: 29.95 USD a year, charged only if the account receives less than 6,000 USD in any 12 consecutive months.

Best for: e-commerce sellers and service businesses collecting from marketplaces or from clients in many countries.

PayPal

Most overseas buyers already have PayPal, which makes it easy to get paid. It's also one of the more expensive ways to receive money internationally. Its US merchant fee page (last updated September 1, 2026) lists:

• International commercial transactions: an extra 1.50% on top of the domestic rate, plus a fixed fee based on the currency received.
• Currency conversion: PayPal builds a spread into its exchange rate: 4.00% on payments for goods or services in another currency and on Payouts, and 3.00% on other transactions.

Best for: accepting payments from international customers who prefer to check out with PayPal. It's less suited to moving large balances.

For domestic card processing and invoicing, see our payments and invoicing guide.

What to watch

• The exchange rate is usually the biggest fee. A "free" transfer with a 3% to 4% markup costs more than a paid transfer at the mid-market rate. Compare what the recipient ends up with, not the headline fee.
• SWIFT fees stack up. Intermediary and receiving banks can take their own cut, especially on wires. Local-rail transfers usually avoid that.
• Inactivity and plan fees. Look for minimum-volume rules, such as Payoneer's annual fee under 6,000 USD, and monthly plan costs.
• Availability varies. Features and fees depend on your country, your recipient's country and the account type.

How to choose

1. Mostly paying suppliers abroad: start with Wise Business or Airwallex and compare the total cost on your real currency pairs.
2. Mostly getting paid by marketplaces or overseas clients: look at Payoneer.
3. Regular FX volume every month: check whether a Revolut Business plan allowance covers it.
4. Customers who expect PayPal: keep it as a checkout option, but move large balances out through a cheaper route.
5. Run a test transfer in your most-used currency pair before committing.

FAQ

What is the mid-market exchange rate? It's the midpoint between the buy and sell rates banks use to trade with each other. Wise says it converts at this rate and charges a separate fee. Airwallex and Revolut Business publish their markup or allowance relative to the interbank rate.

Do I need a separate account for each currency? Not usually. All five services let a business hold or receive several currencies in one account, but the number of currencies and the account details offered vary by service.

Are these the same as a bank account? Not necessarily. Several are licensed money transmitters or e-money institutions rather than banks, and some partner with banks for certain services. Check each provider's disclosures on how your funds are held and protected.

Sources: Wise Business pricing (wise.com/us/pricing/business), Payoneer pricing (payoneer.com/pricing), Airwallex US pricing (airwallex.com/us/pricing), Revolut Business US plans (revolut.com/en-US/business/business-account-plans), PayPal merchant fees (paypal.com/us/business/paypal-business-fees). All checked September 26, 2026.