Best PayPal Alternatives

Best PayPal Alternatives for Freelancers and Online Business Owners

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Updated 29/11/2023.

 

PayPal is one of the best online payment platforms in the world market, you just enter your email address and bank account to sign up, and the platform allows you to transfer money in and out internationally.

I have had a free PayPal personal account for almost seven years and I love the business model because it is easy to use and set up.

Until recently, I started to search around other PayPal competitors and found out, that there are other best merchant payment providers- alternatives to PayPal, which offer a cheaper rate and even free transfer for the first one or two times.

In this article, I am going to share with you the other best PayPal alternatives that are slightly different from PayPal in terms of money transfers and other features.

Those are especially suitable for individuals and small businesses that want to use them as an alternative to PayPal. Because offers a quick international transfer and quick response as well as may offer a cheaper rate than PayPal in terms of transfer fees.

There is a list of the best money transfer sites based on my extensive research and honest reviews, which will give you available options to choose the best one to suit your individual needs.

There are other best money transfer platforms out there in the market, if you have a good experience with them, then I strongly recommend sharing your thoughts in the comment below.

Any thoughts and opinions are all welcome to our community. Because sharing is the only way to find the best brand and product possible, it can help others save money on international money transfers.

1.Wise– Best for individuals and businesses to set up an international payment system- PayPal alternatives for freelancers.

2. Remitly– Best for expats, immigrants, and couples to send money internationally.

3. MoneyGram– Best for expats, and individuals, who prefer to send money as a remittance to friends or relatives.

4.WorldRemit– Best for individuals, who wish to send money back to their loved ones.

5. Google Pay- Relatively quick and easy to use, especially for small businesses. Individuals can also use Google Pay for online shopping- PayPal alternatives for freelancers.

6. Shopify Payment- Best for businesses that operate E-commerce stores.

7. Payoneer– Best for Individuals, Freelancers, and Businesses- PayPal alternatives for freelancers

8. TransferGo– Offer a cheaper transfer fee.

9. Binance Pay– Best for cryptocurrency payment.

10. Skrill- offers an affordable service fee and great customer service- PayPal alternatives for freelancers

11. Square– Best for professional Businesses, And Retail Businesses

12. Ria Money Transfer – Best for couples and individuals who live in another country for work.

 

 

Here are additional links that are relevant to PayPal and online payment systems for freelancers:

Guides to Request Money on PayPal Account & Create Invoice

> Payoneer vs. PayPal: Which platform is better for Freelancers?

> 3 Best Ways to Accept Payment via PayPal

 

Key Takeaways

  • Best Overall is Transferwise for individuals and businesses.
  • The best 12 alternatives to PayPal as an online payment platform.
  • Easy to use and quick transaction as well as more affordable service rate.
  • PayPal alternatives for freelancers are as follows Wise, Payoneer, Skrill, 

 

TransferWise: PayPal Alternatives for freelancers

Wisetransfer PayPal Alternative
Wisetransfer- PayPal Alternative

 

The first big name to mention is Wise, formerly called TransferWise, because it offers a great way to send money internationally at a cheaper rate compared to PayPal. And, is especially good for individuals and businesses that make frequent and high-volume transfers as you might save a lot of money for multi-time transfers with TransferWise.

The online payment solution aims to give users the best exchange rate possible without any hidden fees and is quite transparent.

Personally, based on my experience, I have saved nearly $90 in one transaction of $2,000 with TransferWise, compared to other payment platforms due to the exchange rate and the service fee.

The next advantage of this platform is that customers have the option to choose up to 45 currencies to manage their accounts as a preference.

For example, you can either choose the local currency or USD to transfer or receive money from your TransferWise account. Especially for the business, your customers are allowed to pay in their own currency as an invoice with this payment solution.

Read Next: Wise Reviews: The Complete Review of PayPal Alternative

How to use TransferWise to make an international transfer? Transferwise vs PayPal

It’s super easy, you first need to set up your transfer account ( not even 2 minutes)- fill down your name, email address, debit card number, and passport. Here you go, your account is ready to set up in 2 minutes.

Next, let’s say you want to transfer money to Singapore with SGD, first, you need to deposit money and choose the currency of your preference. your final step is just to fill down the recipient and receiver information- once you click the transfer, then the receiver will get the money within just 1 minute.

Importantly, ensure all the information of the receiver is correct.

In terms of pricing, TransferWise normally charges less than $2 dollars per international transaction. It is a super good rate compared with other online payment solutions.

Final thoughts, if you are a first-time user of TransferWise, then the platform offers free transactions for the first one or two transfers.

Get Started With Wise here

Remitly

Remitly ( Business Review)- PayPal Alternative
Remitly ( Business Review)- PayPal Alternative

 

Remitly is a U.S.-based company, it’s best for couples and individuals- to transfer money overseas or send money back home.

The reason I selected Remitly among the PayPal alternatives for freelancers is the super reliable service and fast transaction.

In particular, receivers normally receive the money within 3 minutes after they click the transaction button.

The online site offers either a pick-up service or sends money directly to the receiver’s bank account.

If you decide to choose option one, which is the pickup service, then Remitly will directly organize a person to bring the money to the recipient’s home address.

This is the biggest advantage I love about Remitly.

Service fee: users don’t need to pay for the first one or two transactions because it’s completely free for new customers based on the firm policy.

Also, the service is relatively cheap as it normally charges a flat rate of less than $3.99 per international transaction.

Related reading: Remitly Review 2024: How Does Remitly Work?

Importantly, if you are not in a rush to send money overseas or have a proper plan before making any payments. Then, Remitly offers a free service fee for international transactions, but you have to wait for 1 to 3 days in order to receive money. Therefore, Saving is always the best solution for everyone.

⇒  Join now at Remitly

 

MoneyGram Best for Expats and Individuals

MoneyGram review

 

MoneyGram is another big name in the fintech sector, the online payment platform that allows users to make and receive payments almost in every major city in the world.

At the time of writing, they have approximately 200 stores worldwide to support and create so much ease for their customers.

In particular, MoneyGram (PayPal alternative) is among the top companies besides PayPal, that support sending money to remittance recipients worldwide.

There are three options, which allow the sender to make a money transfer internationally.

  1. MoneyGram App: you need to sign up and send money directly on the app to your relative bank account.
  2. In-store money transfer: Directly instruct the staff member to send money back to the destination countries.
  3. Online: create your MoneyGram account to start your first international transfer.

What do I like most about the MoneyGram payment platform?

According to MoneyGram’s statement, the company operates based on three main principles, which are fast, reliable, and convenient. Those principles are considered the reason to consider MoneyGram as your first money transfer.

In addition, MoneyGram also runs a reward program for both new and existing customers, which aims to increase the higher of customer satisfaction.

Related reading: MoneyGram Review 2024: How to Make The First International Money Transfer?

Specifically, the firm MoneyGram claims to offer 20% off for customers who would like to join the ” Plus Reward”, the 20% will be valid for a second money transfer.

For further information about the Plus reward program, you should refer to the MoneyGram website to get yourself familiar with this type of program.

What thing I don’t like about MoneyGram?

The platform is sometimes not working for some reason, this could be the server downtime or internet connection issue, this is one of the things that I don’t like about the app as it is based on my experience.

Grab a first free transfer with MoneyGram

 

WorldRemit

WorldRemit review

Our users will receive a zero $0 fee for making the first international transfer. Simply enter a coupon code3FREE” here. When you sign up.

 

WorldRemit is another big name in the digital payment sector, the company’s online platform offers a great way to send money internationally.

According to WorldRemit claims, its business core competencies are based on the three main principles, which are fast, secure, and cheaper rate.

In particular, WorldRemit says that it offers cheaper service fees and provides a better exchange rate than other financial institutions such as banks. And, this is one of the reasons it received good customer reviews on Trustpilot,  4.0/5 with an average rate of a total of 50,993 customer reviews.

What are the things I like about WorldRemit?

WorldRemit is a digital global payment services company, which operates in almost 150 countries around the world. It has more than 70 currencies available on the platform, which allows customers to select the specific currency that want to send back to their home country ( PayPal alternative)

There are several ways to receive money using WorldRemit.

  • Receive via bank account
  • Either cash pick up or home delivery 
  • Mobile money: basically use your phone to make a transfer as the mobile phone is an e-wallet, where you keep the funds in there.
  • And Airtime top-up.

What thing I don’t like about WorldRemit?

  • Can only transfer up to $5000 per online money transaction.

Get the first 3 transfer free with WorldRemit

 

Google Pay– PayPal Alternative

Google Pay

The next popular online payment site is Google Pay– it is one of the sites of Google operations. Definitely, users will have 100% trust in Google Pay because Google’s name reflects the reputation and business quality in the global payment market.

So why do I rank Google Pay on the top list? This is because it offers a super quality, fast, and reliable service to individuals and businesses, where you use blogs or websites to make or receive payment.

The process for setting up payment is very simple- almost everyone has a Google account I guess. The next step is you just need to add your debit or credit card to your Google account, then you are free to make payments on your Google Pay, in-app, or in-store whenever you want.

As mentioned before, Google Pay is a good option for websites, blogs, e-commerce stores, apps, etc to integrate and make transactions on its platform. In particular, users who own websites or other services such as Shopify, WooCommerce, Stripe, and Square can use Google Pay as their payment platform solution for the following benefits:

  • There is a 0% service fee for using debit cards and bank transfers.
  • Small fees apply to those who use a credit card to make payments- roughly less than 2.9%.
  • Withdrawal time from the Google Pay platform: normally 1-3 days.

Overall, Google Pay is a great option for PayPal alternative international, and especially, if you plan to use it as your business online payment solution, then I strongly recommend Google Pay as the ideal choice.

Free sign-up with Google Pay

 

Shopify Payment- PayPal Alternative

Shopify Payment.

Shopify is another best solution for e-commerce stores. The platform provides payment solutions by accepting debit, and credit cards to their Shopify store. Business owners don’t need a third-party agency to assist with this payment site.

The limitation of Shopify is its payment system’s only compatibility with the Shopify store- and the payment solution is only good for those who use Shopify for their eCommerce as the main payment system. And, it is super fast and easy to make a payment with Shopify, if you have an e-commerce site.

In terms of functions, Shopify accepts almost any type of payment such as debit, credit card, and bank account payments. It’s extremely convenient to sign up with Shopify and make your first transaction with the platform.

Shopify users are allowed to use the platform to make payments on Amazon, Facebook shops, Pinterest, Alibaba, eBay, and to name a few.

Read Next: Plan to start a blog for passive income, our users can refer to this link. How to Start a Blog That Generates a Real Income.

With advanced technology, you can make transactions within minutes and you don’t need to worry at all if there is a dispute between sellers and buyers. The Shopify team is available at any time to support your needs.

The important thing for eCommerce store owners is they will need to pay a small fee- around $28 a month to set up a basic Shopify account, then the platform will do its job by managing your payment and keeping your account safe and secured.

Create an account with Shopify

 

Payoneer– Best for Individuals, Freelancers, and Businesses

Payoneer review

 

Payoneer is another super good choice as a PayPal Alternative due to the reliable service, and fast and efficient platform- based on the customer review on ” Trustpilot“.

Payoneer is a US-based company with a market present almost in every corner of the world. Based on the review score, reflects the business quality and reputation- where you can see there are almost 27,561 customers who voted the business operation that is excellent.

Payoneer operates a business model different from the PayPal platform, which will give users a choice to send and receive money internationally without any worries of delay or paying hidden fees.

What do I like most about the Payoneer payment app as PayPal Alternative?

Unlike other merchant service providers, Payoneer won’t charge its customers any fee related to servicing fees, maintaining a merchant account, or any hidden fee after you sign up with them.

The way the company does business is quite transparent and integrity, which creates the core value for its users from all over the world.

As mentioned before, it’s a great choice for individuals or freelancers as a merchant service provider because it doesn’t accept credit card payments.

In this case, Freelancers mostly from Fiverr would prefer to receive payment constantly in order to cover other costs and fees associated with their living and business.

Related reading: Payoneer: A Complete review of PayPal Alternative in 2024

In terms of Pricing?

The flat rate for bank transfer and e-check would be around 1%, notes if you transfer between Payoneer customers, then you don’t need to pay a single cent for it because they offer this loyalty scheme to satisfy their customers.

However, you will be charged around a 2% flat rate if transfer money back to your local bank account with a different currency than your Payoneer.

What I don’t like about Payoneer?

The payment platform is lacking features such as credit card payment and a POS payment system. Even though it is not essential to have this kind of POS system other payment platforms do offer that kind of payment, which creates the most convenience for customers.

Join now at Payoneer

 

TransferGo- PayPal alternatives for minors

Transfergo review-best paypal alternatives

 

Transfergo deserves to stay on the list because digital payment is considered one of the ideal solutions for sending money across the border within 30 minutes, according to the firm.

In addition, the firm has three main money delivery services that indicate the price will be different, depending on how you choose.

  • Fastest service: normally reach the final destination within 30 minutes.
  • Standard transfer: customers expect to receive the money within 24-48 hours.
  • Cheapest transfer: normally takes up to 72 hours for the money to arrive.

What things do I like about Transfergo?

Based on the review on Trustpilot, Transfergo so far has delivered excellent customer service based on 23,202 customer reviews. In particular, most of them agree to give 4.8 out of 5, equal to a 91% 5-star rating.

The Transfergo team can speak multiple languages and can answer any customer inquiries. They have team members who are based in different countries and locations. Thus, it is one of the benefits of using Transfergo.

Here are the Pros and Cons of Transfergo

Pros

  • The customer support team can speak different languages.
  • Offer a super quick transfer option, normally around 30 minutes.
  • Provide an affordable transfer fee.
  • Can send money almost to every continent.

Cons

  • It can take up to 72 hours if you select the cheapest option.

Get started with Transfergo here

 

Binance Pay– PayPal Alternative for cryptocurrency payment

Binance pay review

 

If your online businesses or eCommerce stores plan to accept Cryptocurrency as one of the main payments. Then you must think about how to integrate Binance Pay on your site.

This is because Binance Pay is one of the leading crypto alternatives to PayPal, which allows users to make and receive payments based on using over 25 cryptocurrency assets such as stablecoins and BTC.

It is so easy to integrate with your site- just one click away, then your site is completely connected to Binance Pay. In other words, your eCommerce store’s ability to accept cryptocurrencies as the main transaction payment.

Before connecting to your site, you would need to create an account with Binance. Especially for U.S users, you need to set up in a different way than others do as this is a requirement by the US law and regulations.

Once your account is ready, you can make transactions or P2P payments like Paypal on a mobile app or directly from a website or laptop, either way, is convenient for you.

Get Started with Binance here

 

Skrill

Skrill

 

The next one of the best PayPal alternatives is Skrill– it is slightly similar to PayPal in terms of features and functionalities, but customers will have other features on the Skrill Dashboard like buying & selling crypto, sending money online, and using the platform to purchase online.

The service is extremely easy to set up and friendly to use, importantly you can send or receive money by adding debits or credit cards.

It will automatically save for the next payment as you will save a lot of time. This is because with just an email sign-up you can make a transaction whenever you want.

The good thing about Skrill is the withdrawal time normally takes less than 2 hours to return money back to your bank account.

Like many other online payment platforms, Skrill allows users to send or receive money around the world by credit, debit card, or bank account payment.

In terms of fees, it is a relatively cheap rate for users to make payments. They normally charge less than $1.5 per transaction.

Keep in mind, that it strictly follows the regulation and international guidelines, if the platform detects or is suspicious about fraudulent transaction activities then it will freeze the account without any notice.

Sign up here

 

Square

Square ( Business Review)- Alternative to PayPal
Square ( Business Review)- Alternative to PayPal

 

What makes Square so different in the merchant payment providers market? this is because it has a strong payment platform in terms of mobile-friendly, more features, and easy-to-understand fees.

Why Square? PayPal Alternative

It is particularly a great choice for new business owners in the retail sector and professional services because it offers a POS system, which is a cloud-based point of sale system as it’s especially suitable for those business sectors to operate.

Square is a financial service firm based in the US, where it has more than 2 million active users from all over the world.

What do I like most about the Square payment platform?

Square offers multiple ways to make the business transaction anywhere if it’s possible such as you can make payments on your website, registering at a store, or at a food truck.

Moreover, the Customer uses Square Platform to transfer funds back to their bank account, which is normally within 24 hours or if you pay a 1.5% fee then you will receive money right away.

Related reading: Square Review: Features, Pros, and Cons of PayPal Alternative

In terms of Pricing?

There are three main types of customer plans with Square.

  1. The basic plan is free- good for individuals and freelancers.
  2. Square Plus plan is good for business- $60/month
  3. Square Premium: the price will be varied depending on the business requirements.

What thing don’t like about Square?

The platform is compatible with IOS and Android phones and tablets, Macs, and Chromebooks. However, the window devices are the exception because they won’t work in this system, which is considered the main limitation of the Square platform.

Get Started with Square here

 

Ria Money Transfer

 

Best PayPal Alternatives in 2021

 

Ria Money Transfer is another big player in the money transfer (money remittances) industry, which is considered one of the big four remittance companies, alongside Western Union, MoneyGram, and Intermex, according to Forbes.

In addition, Ria continues to expand its massive network locations, with approximately 360,000 network agents and partners in every corner of the world, which makes it much more convenient for customers to send money across borders.

What things do I like about Ria’s money transfer?

Based on my experience, Ria has done a fantastic job to satisfy my customer service expectations in terms of quick, and reliable service. In particular, the service agent teams ( in my local place) are very supportive as they always understand my needs, and give me enough information.

As mentioned, the company has a huge network of service agents from all over the world, which adds so much value to customers. Moreover, customers have the option to either use the Ria mobile app or service agents in their local area to make a money transfer.

If you are comfortable using the Ria service agent,  you should use the Google search engine to type ” Ria near me” or ” Ria Money Transfer near me”. Then the search engine will show the nearest Ria location for you.

Here are the Pros and Cons of Ria Money Transfer

Pros

  • Quick and reliable service.
  • Great customer service.
  • Has a massive network of locations all over the world.
  • Give customers options to either transfer via mobile app or service agents.
  • Great exchange rate

Cons

  • Can only send a maximum of $7,999 in 30 days.
  • The transfer fee at the local agent seems to be a little higher.

Join now at Ria Money Transfer

 

Final Thoughts

Overall, personally, I would pick TransferWise, Transfergo, Ria Money Transfer, and MoneyGram as the best alternatives to PayPal because of their super friendly service and ease of use. Those digital payment platforms are particularly best for individuals, and couples, who want to send money back to their home country.

Square is an ideal solution for both small and medium businesses such as retail and restaurant businesses. The firm provides an online payment solution by using a point-sell system. Square also supplies hardware to make sales easy for the business owner. 

However, keep in mind that the other best platforms are also a good solution as you also get the same service fee and extremely reliable service as well as a cheaper rate.

Hence, the answer is pretty much dependent on what you need and expectations out of the online payment. For example, if your purpose is to send money overseas, then Remitly, Transfergo, Ria money transfer, and MoneyGram is the best option.

Share your thoughts in the comment below to the community, if you have a good experience with other online payment companies.

 

By Jiro Nguyen, 

The content is only reflected by the personal opinion of the author. It is only used for informational purposes, and it should not be used as a comprehensive or a substitute for professional advice.

FAQ SECTION

What is PayPal alternative?

1. Wise (Wisetransfer)- Best for individuals and businesses to set up an international payment system. It’s considered one of the best PayPal alternatives.

What are PayPal Alternatives?

1. Wise (Wisetransfer)- Best for individuals and businesses to set up an international payment system. 2. Google Pay- Relatively quick and easy to use, especially for small businesses. 3. Shopify Payment- Best for businesses that operate E-commerce stores. 4. Remitly- Best for expats, immigrants, and couples to send money internationally. 5. Binance Pay- Best for cryptocurrency payment. 6. Skrill- An affordable service fee. 7. Payoneer- Best for Individuals, Freelancers, and Businesses. 8. Square- Best for professional Businesses, And Retail Businesses 9.MoneyGram- Best for individuals, who prefer to send money as a remittance to friends or relatives. 10.WorldRemit- Best for individuals, who wish to send money back to their loved ones. 11. Ria Money Transfer - Best for couples and individuals who live in another country for work. 12. TransferGo- Offer a cheaper transfer fee.

what is the alternative of PayPal in Pakistan?

Remitly, Wisetransfer, Google Pay, Binance Pay, and Payoneer are Best PayPal Alternatives .

What are other services like PayPal?

1.TransferWise (Wisetransfer)- Best for individuals and businesses to set up an international payment system. 2. Google Pay- Relatively quick and easy to use, especially for small businesses. 3. Shopify Payment- Best for businesses that operate E-commerce stores. 4. Remitly- Best for expats, immigrants, and couples to send money internationally. 5. Binance Pay- Best for cryptocurrency payment. 6. Skrill- An affordable service fee. 7. Payoneer- Best for Individuals, Freelancers, and Businesses.

By Jiro Nguyen

Jiro Nguyen is a highly driven and skilled business management professional with an MBA in economics and management. He is also the founder of Jns-millennial.com. Moreover, he has a passion for writing and over 4 years of copywriting experience.

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