9 Best Online Payment Platforms For Freelancers

With more than 50% of the U.S. workforce predicted to be in a freelance position by 2027, the need for safe and secure payment platforms has never been greater. 

As a freelancer, you are in control of your own time and destiny. But, with that power comes great responsibility – finding the best payment platform to ensure you get paid on time, every time. There are many different payment platforms out there, so how do you know which one is right for you? 

We’ve shortlisted 9 of the best payment platforms for freelancers, so you can make an informed decision about which one to use.

1. Stripe

Stripe is a popular payment platform designed specifically for businesses of all sizes. However, it also offers several features that make it ideal for freelancers.

The platform offers a fully integrated suite of everything required to build apps and websites that send and receive payments globally. Moving money is made seamless, with 135+ currencies and payment methods supported.

Benefits and Features

When you use Stripe, you can:

• Work with no-code payments
• Invoice your clients and get paid directly into your bank account
• Set up recurring payments so that you get paid automatically and regularly
• Use Radar to detect and block fraud
• Get financing
• Manage business spend

Pros and Cons of Stripe

Stripe Fee and Pricing

There are no setup fees or monthly charges with Stripe. However, there is a fee of 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction with cards and wallets and 0.8% with a $5.00 cap for bank debits and transfers.

Why Stripe for Freelancers?

There’s no question that Stripe is one of the most popular payment platforms available today, and for good reason. For freelancers, the ability to get paid directly into your bank account, set up recurring payments, and access financing are all important features we noted down.

2. Bloom

Branding themselves as a “Small Business In a Box”, Bloom is a comprehensive solution that focuses on small businesses. 

Their invoicing and client management solution features a payment platform with everything you need to get set up and take payments online or in person, with support for over 200 countries.

Benefits and Features

Bloom comes with a host of features and benefits, including:

• Automate your invoicing and payments
• Send pro invoices via Square, PayPal, Zelle, Stripe, and more
• Create proposals and quotes
• Manage project workflows through a task-tracking system
• Contract signing
• Integrate with accounting software

Pros and Cons of Bloom

Bloom Fee and Pricing

Bloom offers two payment processing plans, one for online payments and one for in-person payments. The Online Payment Processing Plan has a 1.75% per transaction fee, while the In-Person Payment Processing Plan has a 2.65% + $0.10 per transaction fee.

Why Bloom for Freelancers?

Bloom is an excellent option for freelancers who want an all-in-one solution for their business. We thought the robust portfolio integration, project management, booking, workflows, and more were impressive.

3. PayPal

PayPal is one of the most prominent payment platforms available today. With over 429 million users globally in 2022, PayPal makes it easy to send and receive payments from anywhere in the world. 

It’s also a fuss-free option that will suit some better than others. For example, some freelancers may not want all the bells and whistles that a platform such as Bloom offers. That’s the kind of powerful role that PayPal can play.

Benefits and Features

Some of the benefits and features of using PayPal include: 

• No setup fees or monthly charges 
• Can be used for online or in-person payments 
• Supports over 25 currencies 
• Integrates with a variety of software platforms 
• Offers buyer protection
• Add a payment button to your website

Pros and Cons of PayPal

PayPal Fee and Pricing

For domestic transactions, there is a 2.9% + fixed fee (based on currency) per transaction fee for online payments using cards, and a 5.00% fee for international transactions with a minimum international fee of $0.99 and a maximum of $4.99.

Why PayPal for Freelancers?

We’d recommend PayPal as an excellent option for freelancers who want a straightforward way to take payments online or in person. Overall, it’s a trusted and reliable platform dedicated to making sure you get paid.

4. Square

You may have seen Square before – they’re the company that makes those little white credit card readers that plug into your phone. They essentially shaped the mobile payments industry as we know it today. 

But, Square is much more than just a way to take credit card payments. They offer a complete point-of-sale system, including inventory management, digital receipts, and more – to help every size of business get ahead.

Benefits and Features

With Square, you can: 

• Take in-person and online payments: card payments (tap and insert), online payments, keyed-in payments, invoices, and appointments
• Manage inventory
• Create digital receipts 
• Track sales and customers 
• Intuitive Dashboard to analyze business data
• Take advantage of affordable card processing rates if you generate less than $10,000/month

Pros and Cons of Square

Square Fee and Pricing

Square has a 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction fee for online payments, a 2.65% + $0.10 per transaction fee for card payments, and a 3.4% per transaction fee for manual and on-file card and virtual terminal transactions. You can count on no hidden fees – no statement fees, monthly fees, or terminal fees – whatsoever.

Why Square for Freelancers?

Square is an excellent option for freelancers who want a well-known and widely accepted payment platform. We also thought the interface was very user-friendly and easy to navigate.

5. Google Pay

Looking for something with similar reliability to PayPal? Google Pay might be the answer – a payment platform allowing users to make in-app, online, and in-store purchases with their phones. You can use Google Pay to pay individual invoices from select clients and recurring payments for things like subscriptions or memberships. It is considered a great payment option for freelancers due to its convenience.

Benefits and Features

Google Pay boasts the following features:

• Can be used for online, in-app, and in-person payments 
• Security features like tokenization and biometric authentication 
• Send and receive payments with Google email
• Easy-to-use privacy controls
• Customers can make payments using a QR code

Pros and Cons of Google Pay

Google Pay Charges and Pricing

Google Pay charges a 2.9% per transaction fee for online and in-app purchases, and there is no fee for in-person transactions.

Why Google Pay for Freelancers?

Overall, we’re satisfied with what Google Pay has to offer freelancers. It’s a versatile payment platform that does the job well.

6. GoCardless

GoCardless is a UK-based direct debit payment platform that’s become increasingly popular in recent years. With GoCardless, you can set up one-off or recurring payments, and the money will be taken directly from your customer’s bank account. 

Benefits and Features

GoCardless offers:

• Online and mobile invoicing
• Take thousands of payments at once with a CSV
• Automatic reminders 
• Detailed reporting 
• Collect payments from 30+ countries
• Integrates with software like Xero, Microsoft, Salesforce, and more

Pros and Cons of GoCardless

GoCardless Charges and Pricing

GoCardless charges a 1% transaction fee on top of the standard bank transfer fees, which vary depending on your country. There are no other hidden fees or monthly charges.

Why GoCardless for Freelancers?

GoCardless is a great option for freelancers who want to take advantage of direct debit payments. It’s especially useful for those with clients that prefer paying directly from their bank account.

7. Skrill

Skrill is an online payment platform that provides an easy way to perform international money transfers. Thanks to the email-first payment method, global transactions are made simple and safe.

Benefits and Features

With Skrill, you can: 

• Transfer money to anyone with an email address 
• Access your account via the mobile app 
• Receive payments from clients/customers worldwide 
• Enjoy low transaction fees starting at 1% 
• Get a free Mastercard to use anywhere that accepts Mastercard payments

Pros and Cons of Skrill

Skrill Fee and Pricing

Skrill charges 9% of the sent amount (no more than €20 or the equivalent) and a 3.99% fee for international transactions. There are also fees associated with certain types of withdrawals, such as ATM withdrawals and bank transfers.

Why Skrill for Freelancers?

We think Skrill is an excellent choice for freelancers who need an affordable way to send and receive payments. For those with eCommerce sites, you can integrate it with mutiple platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce.

8. Payoneer

Payoneer is a global payment platform that allows you to receive payments from companies and marketplaces around the world and make online payments to freelancers and businesses.

Benefits and Features

• Receive payments in over 150 currencies at Official Exchange Rates
• Receive payments from global companies and marketplaces
• Send or request payments from other businesses and freelancers around the world
• Get access to working capital

Pros and Cons of Payoneer

Payoneer Fee and Pricing

There are varied receiving or withdrawal fees when you receive payments from companies or marketplaces while receiving payments directly from your clients incurs a 3% credit card fee or a 1% ACH bank debit fee.

Why Payoneer for Freelancers?

We think Payoneer is a great option for freelancers who frequently work with international clients, as you can get paid in your local currency and there are no receiving or withdrawal fees.

9. Escrow.com

Escrow.com is a little different than your typical payment platform – it’s designed specifically for large transactions, like when you’re selling a house or a car. But, we included it on our list because it can be handy for freelancers who often work with clients they don’t know well or who are working on long-term projects with multiple milestones.

Benefits and Features

• Break up your project into multiple milestones, so you can get paid as each one is completed
• Once the client has reviewed your work and approved it, they can release the payment to you.
• If the buyer decides not to release the payment, Escrow will hold onto the funds until the situation is resolved
• Financial details are encrypted
• Ideal for those selling high-cost items

Escrow Pros and Cons Escrow

Escrow Fee and Pricing

Escrow.com has a standard 3.25 transaction fee for merchandise $0 – $5,000, $162.5 + 0.26% for amounts over $5000, and 0.89% fee for amounts over $25,000.01.

Why Escrow for Freelancers?

Escrow.com is a great option for freelancers working on long-term projects or who often work with new clients. However, we admit it’s just not as attractive as others on this list.

How to Choose the Best Payment Platform

Now that we’ve provided a few top payment platforms for freelancers, it’s time to start thinking about which one is right for you. Here are a few factors to keep in mind as you decide: 

• What type of payments will you take? In-person, online, or both? 
• Do you need additional features like invoicing or inventory management? 
• Are you processing a lot of transactions? If so, competitive rates may be a priority. 
• Do you need a platform that integrates with other business technologies? 
• What is your budget for a payment solution? 

Answering these questions will help you zero in on the right platform for your freelance business.

Key Takeaway

Receiving payments efficiently is critical for freelancers – after all, that's how you get paid. The good news is there are plenty of options available to help you streamline the process. 

By using a platform from our list, you can be on your way to getting paid faster and with less hassle.

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