7 Best Payment Methods for Freelancers

Freelancers require a secure, easy-to-use, and inexpensive payment processor to accept money from clients. While there are many affordable options, the payment processor business tools should complement the different ways freelancers want to get paid and how they work, whether they’re in-person service professionals, consultants online, or subject matter experts on a marketplace.

The best payment methods for freelancers are:

• PayPal: Best overall payment method for freelancers
• Square Appointments: Best for service professionals
• Wave: Best for free invoicing and accounting tools
• Cash App: Best for peer-to-peer payments
• Nomod: Best for freelance designers on Behance
• SimplyPayMe: Best for gig workers accepting cash payments
• Payoneer: Best for freelancers with international clients

Top Freelancer Payment Methods Compared

	Monthly Fee	In-person Transaction Fee	Online Transaction Fee	Freelancer Business ToolsSuch as: Job scheduling, tax reporting, time tracking, etc.	Freelancer Marketplace IntegrationOnline platforms such as Fiverr, Upwork, Uber, etc.
	$0	2.29% + 9 cents	2.59% + 49 cents	Included	Available
	Visit PayPal
	$0	2.6% + 10 cents	2.9% + 30 cents	Included	N/A
	Visit Square Appointments
	$0	N/A	2.9% + 60 cents	Included	N/A
	Visit Wave
	$0	2.75%Free for peer-to-peer & bank-to-bank payments	2.75%Free for peer-to-peer & bank-to-bank payments	Limited	N/A
	Visit Cash App
	$0	From 2.9% + 30 cents	From 2.9% + 30 cents	Included	Limited
	Visit Nomod
	$1.99–$9.99	2.9% + 30 cents	2.9% + 30 cents	Included	N/A
	Visit SimplyPayMe
	$0	N/A	0%–3%/$3	Included	Limited
	Visit Payoneer

Looking for a merchant account? Most freelancers can sign up for a free merchant account with the payment processors listed above. However, you may consider alternatives if you have a fast-growing or active freelancing business to save on costs. Learn more about merchant accounts.

PayPal: Best Overall Freelance Payment Processor

What We Like

PayPal has long been the go-to payment platform even before work-from-home and freelancing jobs became mainstream. So it’s not surprising that this user-friendly platform is ideal for freelancers looking to accept payments as a business, peer-to-peer, online, or via a marketplace integration.

The original PayPal app does not require you to have a credit card reader to accept payments. It is also the leader in peer-to-peer payments, and has added the latest contactless payment methods throughout the years. Instant access to funds, accepting partial payments, and a long list of freelancer marketplace integrations make PayPal stand out as our overall best payment processor for freelancers.

New for 2024: PayPal announced improvements to its online checkout, an app redesign and more. See all of PayPal’s new features.

Square Appointments: Best for In-person Service Professionals

What We Like

Square Appointments is a popular point-of-sale (POS) system available on a mobile device where you can manage your calendar, create and send invoices, and accept payments. The Square Appointments app free plan is perfect for service professional freelancers who go out on jobs such as plumbers, landscapers, and HVAC.

Square does not have the cheapest transaction fees but it does come with useful free tools such as invoicing and website builder that you won’t find on PayPal. Square also waives its chargeback fees and will allow you to accept nearly all types of international credit card payments without any additional cost.

Wave: Best for Free Invoicing & Accounting Tools

What We Like

Wave is one of the latest business management software with online and mobile payment tools but stands out because of its free invoicing and accounting capabilities. Freelancers working part-time for multiple clients or companies can create multiple merchant IDs, plus a personal profile on Wave.

The system can help you track and consolidate all your income and expenses, automatically organizing your records for tax reporting purposes. Unlike PayPal and Square, you won’t need to pay extra for this functionality. Add-on tools are also available if you decide to scale your business and hire employees after a while.

Cash App: Best for Freelancers Who Prefer Peer-to-Peer Payments

What We Like

Cash App is another popular peer-to-peer payment platform from the same company that gave us Square. While the features are very limited compared to Square, Cash App has everything a casual/occasional freelancer, including street performers, artists, and buskers, would need. Cash App for business is equipped with a simple payment request feature that allows customers to pay via digital wallet and QR codes.

Cash App also keeps a record of all incoming and outgoing transactions and will prompt you to make receipts available for transactions greater than $15 as well as have customers personally sign for all transactions greater than $25. This makes Cash App ideal for freelancers such as part-time babysitters, dog walkers, and couriers.

Nomod: Best for Graphic Designers on Behance

What We Like

Nomod is a versatile in-person and online payment platform. While it does not have peer-to-peer payment functionality like Cash App, Nomod offers a more well-rounded range of payment tools. It also integrates directly with Behance so creative/ artistic freelancers will find this payment the most useful.

Nomod is equipped with freelancer-friendly tools such as discounting and tipping functionalities. It also comes with customer management features ideal for keeping a profile of repeat clients.

SimplyPayMe: Best for Gig Workers Who Accept Cash

What We Like

For freelancers looking for a simple solution to manage multiple jobs and accept payments, consider SimplyPayMe. This makes SimplyPayMe somewhat similar to what Square Appointments offers. However, while Square is more versatile in payment tools and features, SimplyPayMe has the advantage when it comes to managing cash transactions straight from the mobile app.

SimplyPayMe is also equipped to handle credit card transactions with the latest mobile credit card scanner technology. You can also create and send out invoices with embedded payment links at no extra cost.

Payoneer: Best for Freelancers With International Clients

What We Like

Payoneer is a UK-based payment platform that offers affordable and convenient payment processing tools for cross-border transactions. The platform is primarily mobile-based although it supports online payments with Payoneer checkout. This makes it ideal for freelancers who win clients through Upwork, Fiverr, or those who have their own websites.

While other providers in our list like Square also support international credit card payment processing, Payoneer stands out for its ability to provide local receiving accounts in nine other countries. This means higher chances of transaction approval and faster access to funds. Payoneer offers instant payments if the client pays with their Payoneer account (a lot like PayPal), and same-day funding for other payout types.

How to Get Paid as a Freelancer

As a freelancer, you have the freedom to set and negotiate rates and the terms of how you get paid. Other factors that determine how effectively you get paid are your chosen payment methods and the payment processor that works best based on your business type.

Consider the following when deciding how to get paid as a freelancer:

• Consider who your clients are: Requesting payments for your services from individuals would be much easier than getting paid by a business with an accounts payable process. Also, if you are getting clients independently through a website you can freely choose where your clients should send you your payment. However, if you work as a freelancer on marketplaces like Fiverr, check what type of payment platform is supported. PayPal is the safest and most widely used.
• Offer multiple payment methods: Providing clients with a range of payment alternatives helps with making their decision to do business with you instead of the next freelancer. In most cases, payment processors can support a combination of payment methods and it’s up to you to choose which works best for your business.
• Compare the fees: Consider value-for-money when comparing the fees. By default, credit card transactions are the fastest to process and offer a variety of card-present and card-not-present payment options. ACH and bank-to-bank payments can be slower but less expensive than credit card transaction fees. Payment processors also differ in terms of supported business management and payment tools.

Get more tips with our guide on how to get paid as a freelancer.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Bottom Line

Freelancer payment options vary as much as how freelancers do business. Cost, ease of use, payout time, and the management tools freelancers need make choosing the right payment processor an important aspect of growing the business. The best payment methods for freelancers should be able to meet these requirements.