How to Get Paid Internationally with Wise as a Remote Worker

Getting paid by international clients used to be a headache.

Between high bank fees, slow transfers, and confusing exchange rates, remote workers often lost a chunk of their income before it even hit their account.

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PayPal was the default for years, but the fees added up fast. Bank wires could take days and came with hidden markups.

Then Wise came along and changed the game.

Wise lets you receive payments from clients anywhere in the world—quickly, cheaply, and without the nonsense.

You get local bank details in multiple currencies, your clients pay like they’re sending a domestic transfer, and you convert your money at the real exchange rate with no sneaky markups.

Here’s exactly how it works and how you can set it up today.

What Makes Wise Different for International Payments

Most banks and payment platforms make money by marking up the exchange rate. They show you one rate but give you a worse one, pocketing the difference. 

Wise doesn’t do that. You get the mid-market rate—the same one you see on Google—with a small, transparent fee on top.

That alone can save you 3% to 5% on every international payment you receive.

But the real magic is how Wise handles receiving money. Instead of forcing your client to send an expensive international wire, Wise gives you local account details in multiple currencies.

Your client sends a domestic transfer in their own currency, and the money lands in your Wise account like a local payment.

Faster. Cheaper. Simpler.

1. Open a Wise Account

If you’re a freelancer, sole trader, or running any kind of business, you’ll need a Wise Business account for receiving client payments. Using a Personal account for business activities goes against Wise’s terms of use.

The sign-up process is straightforward:

1. Go to the Wise website and choose the Business account option.
2. Enter your email and create a password.
3. Provide your business details (even if you’re a sole trader).
4. Verify your identity with a government-issued ID.
5. Pay a one-time setup fee to unlock receiving account details.

The one-time fee varies by region. In Europe, it’s around €50. In Canada, it’s about CA$55. In the UK, it’s £45. After that, there are no monthly fees.

Once you’ve paid the fee, you can generate local account details in multiple currencies. Wise currently offers receiving account details in over 20 currencies, including USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, and CAD.

2. Get Your Local Account Details

This is the most important step.

In your Wise Business account, go to the currency you want to receive payments in—say, USD. 

Wise will generate a set of local account details for you: an account number, routing number, and everything else a US client needs to send a domestic transfer.

Your client doesn’t need to know anything about Wise. They just send money to that account like they’re paying a local vendor. No international wire fees. No SWIFT codes. No delays.

You can do this for multiple currencies. If you have clients in Europe, get EUR account details. If you have clients in the UK, get GBP details. Each currency gives you a unique set of local account numbers.

3. Share Your Details with Clients

Once you have your account details, you need to get them to your clients.

The simplest way is to include them on your invoices. Wise has a built-in invoicing tool that lets you create professional invoices with your account details already populated. You can send these directly from Wise.

You can also create payment links and share them with clients. Click the link, enter the amount, pay by card or bank transfer, and the money goes straight into your Wise account. No back-and-forth about bank details.

If you sell on platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, or Amazon, you can add your Wise account details as your payment method in those platforms’ settings. Upwork recently partnered with Wise to make this even smoother.

4. Receive and Manage Your Money

When a client sends a payment, you’ll get a notification. The money appears in your Wise account in the currency it was sent in.

From there, you have options:

• Keep it in that currency. If you expect to spend in USD or EUR later, just leave it there.
• Convert it to your local currency. Convert at the mid-market rate with a small fee.
• Send it to your local bank account. Transfer the money out to your regular bank when you need it.

Receiving local transfers is free in most currencies, including USD (non-wire), EUR, GBP, AUD, and CAD. The only exception is SWIFT wires—those come with a fixed fee, but you can avoid them entirely by using the local account details.

The key advantage here is control. You decide when to convert your money. If the exchange rate is bad today, wait a week. You’re not forced to convert at the moment of payment.

What It Costs: A Realistic Breakdown

Let’s talk money. Wise is transparent about fees, but here’s what you actually pay:

• One-time setup fee: Varies by region (around €50, CA$55, or £45)
• Monthly fee: $0
• Receiving local transfers: Free for most major currencies
• Receiving SWIFT wires: Fixed fee per transaction (e.g., $6.11 USD, £2.16 GBP)
• Converting currencies: From around 0.48%, depending on the currency pair
• Sending money to your bank: Varies by currency and method

Compared to PayPal’s fees (often 3% to 5% plus currency conversion markups), Wise saves you real money on every payment.

Wise Business Features That Help Remote Workers

Beyond just receiving payments, Wise Business gives you tools that make running a remote business easier:

• Invoicing: Create and send professional invoices with payment links
• Batch payments: Pay up to 1,000 people at once by uploading a file
• Accounting integrations: Connect to QuickBooks and Xero
• Team access: Add team members with custom permissions
• Business debit card: Spend in multiple currencies with no foreign transaction fees

These features matter when you’re scaling. The invoicing alone saves hours of admin work each month.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using a Personal account for business. 

Wise can freeze or close your account if they detect business activity on a Personal account. Just open a Business account from the start.

Not getting account details before sending invoices. 

You need to pay the one-time setup fee first. Do this before you start invoicing clients.

Forgetting to check which currencies you can receive. 

Not every currency offers local account details. Check Wise’s list before promising a client you can receive in their currency.

Converting money immediately. 

You don’t have to convert as soon as you get paid. Watch the exchange rate and convert when it’s favorable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I receive payments in my local currency?

Yes, if Wise offers account details for that currency. Most major currencies are supported.

How long does it take for payments to arrive?

Local transfers usually arrive within 1-2 business days. Sometimes same day.

Do I need a business registration to open Wise Business?

Yes. You can create payment links that accept card payments.

What happens if a client sends a SWIFT wire instead of using local details?

You’ll receive it, but you’ll pay a fixed fee. It’s better to give clients your local account details to avoid this.

Is Wise safe?

Wise is regulated and holds customer money in low-risk financial institutions like Barclays and Wells Fargo. Over 13 million people use it.

Final Thoughts

Getting paid internationally doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Wise gives you local bank details in multiple currencies, lets you receive payments for free, and lets you convert at the real exchange rate whenever you choose.

The one-time setup fee is small compared to what you’ll save in bank fees and currency markups over time.

And the business features—invoicing, batch payments, accounting integrations—make it more than just a receiving account. It’s a tool that helps you run your remote business better.

Set it up once. Share your details with clients. And stop losing money to hidden fees.

What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced getting paid by international clients? Have you tried Wise yet, or are you still using something else?

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