Fee schedules · last updated today

150+ currencies · live mid-market

Know Exactly How Much You'll Receive

Q: What is the mid-market exchange rate?

The mid-market rate (interbank rate) is the midpoint between global buy and sell prices for a currency pair — the rate you see on Google and Xe. Payment providers add a spread (FX markup) on top, typically 1.5%–4%.

Q: Why does PayPal charge more?

PayPal bundles a 4.99% international transaction fee, a $0.49 fixed fee, and a hidden 3.5% currency conversion markup. Combined, these can reach 8–9% of your transaction. PayPal prioritizes buyer protection and consumer convenience at a higher cost to recipients.

Q: How accurate are the rates?

Live mid-market rates from open.er-api.com, refreshed hourly. Fee structures are based on publicly published schedules, reviewed monthly. Confirm with your provider before large transfers.

Q: How do I calculate my final payout?

Enter your amount, select currencies, and FlowRate shows the net amount after fees for PayPal, Wise, and Payoneer side by side — with a transparent breakdown of transaction fees, FX markup, and withdrawal costs.

Q: Which platform offers the best payout?

Wise is cheapest for invoicing and supplier payments (mid-market + 0.33%–0.65%). Payoneer wins on marketplace integrations (Amazon, Upwork). PayPal is most recognized for checkout but most expensive. Smart operators run 2–3 providers.

Q: What is FX markup?

FX markup is the hidden fee providers add on top of the real exchange rate. If the real USD→EUR rate is 0.92, PayPal may give you 0.885 — a 3.5% markup. This cost is separate from transaction fees and is often the largest expense on cross-border payments.

Compare PayPal, Wise and Payoneer fees before you get paid. See the real amount that lands in your bank account — fees, FX markup and all.

Real-time exchange rates150+ supported currenciesReverse payout calculatorFee comparison across platforms

Amount you receive

USD

≈ 1.0000 INR · mid-marketYour currency

Target currency

Try:

Wise

Most you keep

2,487USD

≈ 2,487 INR

Gross2,500 USD

Fee (0.50% + $0.5)−13 USD

$0.50 + 0.50% · Mid-market

PayPal

Highest fees

2,291.64USD

≈ 2,291.64 INR

Gross2,500 USD

Fee (4.99% + $0.49)−125.24 USD

FX markup (3.5%)−83.12 USD

4.99% + $0.49 · 3.5% FX

Payoneer

2,432.95USD

≈ 2,432.95 INR

Gross2,500 USD

Fee (1.20%)−30 USD

FX markup (1.5%)−37.05 USD

0% + 1.2% · 1.5% FX

Choosing Wise keeps 195.36 USD more in your pocket than PayPal on this transfer.

Example uses published schedules. Your rate may differ by tier and corridor.

Data sources ·PayPal cross-border scheduleWise public fee tablePayoneer marketplace payoutsopen.er-api.com FX

Why Trust FlowRate?

150+

Supported currencies across 3 payment platforms

Real-time

Exchange rates refreshed hourly from open.er-api.com

3 platforms

PayPal · Wise · Payoneer comparison side by side

Transparent

Fee calculations broken down line by line — no hidden costs

Live Comparison

Compare all three providers at once

See exactly how much you'll receive — or how much your client needs to pay. Live mid-market rates. Transparent breakdowns.

Mode

Amount to send

From

Live mid-market1 USD = 1.0000 CNY

Best Value

Wise

Mid-market rate · 0% FX markup

You receive

$994.50

≈ ¥994.50

0.55% fee$0.50 + 0.50%

Recommended — 2.1% less in fees (save $21.50)

Payoneer

Marketplace-focused · moderate fees

You receive

$973.00

≈ ¥973.00

2.7% fee0% + 1.2%

PayPal

Widely accepted · premium cost

You receive

$914.61

≈ ¥914.61

8.5% fee5.0% + $0.49

Fee schedules from each provider's published ratesMid-market rates refreshed hourlyConfigurable via FEE_CONFIG in fees.ts

Reference data

PayPal · Wise · Payoneer — by the numbers.

FlowRate uses the fee schedules each provider publishes publicly. We expose the two costs that matter most: transaction fee and FX markup.

Wise

PayPal

Payoneer

Fee on $1,000 USD

$6.50

$35.39

$15.00

FX markup

3–4%

1.2–1.5%

Total all-in cost

0.65%

8–9%

2.4–2.7%

Payout speed

Same day (major routes)

1–3 days

1–2 days

Best fit

Invoicing · supplier pay

Consumer checkout · cards

Marketplaces (Amazon, Upwork)

Local receiving accounts

USD · EUR · GBP · SGD · AUD · JPY

USD · EUR · GBP (limited)

USD · EUR · GBP · JPY

Debit card spend

Yes · multi-currency

Yes · USD only in most regions

Yes · USD/EUR/JPY

Schedules may change · use as reference only.

PayPal vs WiseFees, rates & speed compared PayPal vs PayoneerMarketplace payouts compared Wise vs PayoneerPayouts, fees & FX compared

Worked examples

Four ways people move money across borders.

Amazon sellers

USD 12,800 payout from Amazon.com → Indian bank account

Payoneer gives direct ACH from Amazon KDP/US marketplace.
Wise converts at mid-market; use it to sweep USD → INR locally.
PayPal applies 4.99% + $0.49 plus a 3–4% FX spread — expensive here.

Amount

12,800 USD

Corridor

USD → INR

Pick

Wise

Estimated saving: Keeps ~$240 more vs PayPal

Shopify sellers

GBP 8,400 monthly DTC card revenue → USD supplier

Shopify Payments defaults to PayPal Express in many regions.
Wise Business gives a GBP receiving account for local settlement.
Switching the final conversion step to Wise saves ~1.8% on FX.

Amount

8,400 GBP

Corridor

GBP → USD

Pick

Wise

Estimated saving: ~£150 / month less than PayPal FX

Freelancers & agencies

EUR 5,200 client invoice (Upwork / Stripe) → withdraw to EUR bank

Stripe → Wise Business: 0.5% ACH + same-mid-market-convert.
Upwork → Payoneer: ~2% withdrawal plus FX spread.
Upwork → PayPal: 4.99% + $0.49 plus FX markup; only pick for consumer clients.

Amount

5,200 EUR

Corridor

EUR → USD

Pick

Wise (from Stripe) · Payoneer (from Upwork)

Estimated saving: ≈ €110 per invoice

Export businesses

CNY 18,500 supplier payment, Shanghai factory, container freight

Wise Business transfers CNY via UnionPay-like rails — fast, transparent.
PayPal cross-border: 4.99% + CNY FX spread; avoid for commercial invoices.
Payoneer mass payout for multi-supplier batches — volume pricing negotiable.

Amount

18,500 CNY

Corridor

CNY → USD

Pick

Wise single payment · Payoneer mass pay

Estimated saving: Sub-$200 vs PayPal FX

Currency corridors

The currency routes our users convert along.

Tap a pair to open its dedicated live converter and provider comparison.

Everything you need to know before you transfer.

What is the mid-market exchange rate?+

The mid-market rate (also called the interbank rate) is the midpoint between global buy and sell prices for a currency pair. It's the rate you see on Google, Xe, and Reuters — with zero markup. Payment providers almost never pass this rate through directly; they add a spread (FX markup) on top, typically 1.5%–4% depending on the provider and corridor.

Why does PayPal charge more?+

PayPal bundles several costs into a single transaction: a percentage fee (4.99% for international goods), a fixed fee ($0.49), and a hidden 3.5% currency conversion markup on the exchange rate. Together these can add up to 8–9% of your transaction. PayPal prioritizes consumer convenience and buyer protection, which comes at a higher cost to sellers and payment recipients.

How accurate are the rates?+

We pull live mid-market rates from open.er-api.com and refresh every hour. The fee structures are based on each provider's publicly published schedules, reviewed monthly. Actual rates may differ by account tier, volume, corridor, and real-time market conditions. Always confirm with your provider before making large transfers.

How do I calculate my final payout?+

Enter the amount you expect to receive, select your source currency and target currency, and FlowRate's calculator shows the net amount after fees for PayPal, Wise, and Payoneer side by side. Each provider's result includes a transparent breakdown of transaction fees, FX markup, and withdrawal costs — so you know exactly what lands in your bank account.

Which platform offers the best payout?+

It depends on your use case. For invoicing and supplier payments, Wise is typically cheapest (mid-market rate + 0.41%–0.65%). For marketplace payouts (Amazon, Upwork, Fiverr), Payoneer often wins on integration and volume pricing. For consumer checkout where brand trust matters, PayPal is the most recognized — but the most expensive. Many sellers run 2–3 providers in parallel.

What is FX markup?+

FX markup (also called currency conversion spread or exchange rate margin) is the hidden fee providers add on top of the mid-market exchange rate. For example, if the real USD→EUR rate is 0.92, PayPal may give you 0.885 — a 3.5% markup. This cost is separate from the transaction fee and is often the largest single expense on cross-border payments. Wise is the only major provider that promises 0% FX markup.