When traditional banks require physical presence, lengthy KYC checks, and impose restrictions on non-residents, modern payment systems offer a faster and more flexible path to international transactions. They provide local account details in required currencies, acceptance of payments from cards and local methods,integrations with marketplaces and SaaS stacks, convenient invoicing, and APIs, all online.
In this guide, we have compiled key payment systems used by individual entrepreneurs and businesses worldwide, along with up-to-date information, pros and cons, conditions, and practical recommendations.
What to consider before choosing a Payment System?
- Start with legal accessibility. Check who the service opens accounts for: individuals, sole proprietors, or only companies. Discover which countries of residence are accepted and whether any restrictions apply.
- Next, consider currencies and account detailsReview which currencies the account can actually hold and convert, whether it provides local banking details such as IBAN for the EU, ACH/ABA for the US, Faster Payments/Sort Code for the UK, and whether local routing options exist in the countries most relevant to you (for example, local USD routing in the US or local EUR in the EU).
This directly affects transaction speed, fees, and the risk of temporary account freezes for verification. If most of your transactions are in EUR, look for a full IBAN and SEPA Instant support. If they’re in USD, prioritize systems that offer local US banking details rather than relying solely on SWIFT.
- Understand the fee structure of the payment system. Calculate separately the costs of receiving payments, withdrawing funds to a bank account or card, making international transfers, and currency conversion. Pay attention to hidden “minimum” or “threshold” transaction fees, as well as any monthly subscription charges or one-time setup fees for activating business features.
Expenses should be calculated based on your real use cases. For example, handling 30 invoices of €500 each, converted to PLN and then withdrawn to a Polish bank, may result in a total cost that differs significantly from the “average” rates shown on the website.
- Don't ignore the convenience of use and integration. Check if it's possible to issue invoices with an active payment link, if there are ready-made checkout pages, and support for local payment methods for your market. Look at integrations with CMS and marketplaces (Shopify, WooCommerce, Webflow, Wix), no-code and iPaaS tools (Zapier, Make), as well as accounting plugins (Xero, QuickBooks), and others.
A mobile application and a modern dashboard (or 'admin panel') with roles and access rights will save many hours of operational routine.
Separately evaluate the card infrastructure. It is important for you to know if virtual and physical cards are available for the team, which currencies they operate in, what the limits are for cash withdrawals and online payments, and if there are additional fees for international transactions and conversion.
- Assess the convenience and functionality of the system. Check whether it can generate full statements with payer/recipient details, payment references, and amounts in both currencies during conversion, this helps with proof of funds and tax accounting.
See if export is available in CSV/MT940/OFX formats, whether an API is available for automation, and whether webhooks can be set up for financial analytics. If you sell subscriptions, having applicable automatic receipts, payment confirmations, and an event log (including invoice paid, chargeback, and refund) will be essential.
Reliability and Regulation. This is not about “logos on the website,” but about specific licenses and jurisdictions.
Check who the regulator is (for example, FCA in the UK or the Bank of Lithuania), the license status, the countries where funds are held, and partner banks, as well as the support SLA: whether there is live support responding personally rather than with templates, and whether they have an escalation procedure. Additional advantages include publicly available pricing, regularly updated lists of country/industry restrictions, and a transparent sanctions policy.
- Finally, model your “payment basket” before choosing a payment system. List your average transaction amount, number of transactions, client countries, incoming currencies, and the share of refunds or chargebacks. Calculate three volume scenarios (for example, $10k / $50k / $100k per month) across two to three services and compare the “all-in” cost: acceptance + conversion + withdrawal + fixed fees. As a result, you’ll get not an abstract “cheaper/more expensive” comparison but a clear cost projection tailored to your specific business model.
Wise payment system
Wise is an international payment platform for businesses and freelancers, offering transparent exchange rates, local account details (GBP, EUR, USD, etc.), and the ability to hold and convert dozens of currencies.
The basic Wise model is “pay only for what you use”, with no monthly subscriptions.
Fees and Currencies. Wise Business clearly displays its rates for sending, receiving, and converting funds by country on the official Wise website.In particular, users can hold more than 40 currencies and receive payments via local account details and SWIFT in over 20 currencies (depending on the country).
Receiving fees
- To activate local account details (IBAN, etc.) in about 22 currencies, a one-time fee of €50 is required.
- Domestic transfers (excluding SWIFT/wire transfers) in currencies such as AUD, CAD, EUR, GBP, HUF, NZD, SGD, TRY, and USD are free of charge.
If funds are received via SWIFT/wire:
- USD wire/Swift — $6.11
- GBP Swift — £2.16
- EUR Swift — €2.39
Sending fees
- If you send money in the same currency (no conversion), transfers between Wise accounts are free.
- If you send in a different currency, conversion and a fee apply, depending on the currency corridor and transaction amount.
- When the total monthly transfer volume exceeds a certain threshold (for example, $25,000 or equivalent), Wise provides discounts on fees for the rest of that month.
Countries where Wise does not support business accounts (or operates with significant restrictions): Wise business accounts are not available in the following countries: Afghanistan, Belarus, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo / Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, South Sudan, Russia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, and Venezuela.
Additionally, some countries may have limited functionality for business accounts, even if personal accounts are available.
Who is this payment system for?
Freelancers and outstaffing specialists with clients in the US, EU, or UK. Small and medium-sized businesses that require IBAN or ACH access without complex banking requirements.
Payoneer payment system
Payoneer is a classic solution for freelancers, marketplaces, and outsourcing. It offers local account details (USD, GBP, EUR, JPY, etc.), enables payouts from platforms such as Upwork, Fiverr, Amazon, and Etsy, and allows free internal transfers within the Payoneer network.
The system lets users convert funds between balances or cards, which is useful for those working with multiple currencies and needing quick, simple transfers between them.
Payoneer allows clients to receive payments worldwide through the SWIFT network. However, to reduce transaction fees, businesses from certain countries can pay you in their local currency directly to your local bank account.
| Country/Region | Cuurency | Transfer method |
| United States of America | USD | ACH |
| European Union | EUR | SEPA |
| United Kingdom | GBP | BACS або FPS |
| Japan | JPY | Zengin |
| Australia | AUD | BECS |
| Canada | Canadian Dollar (CAD) | EFT |
| Singapore | SGD | GIRO/ACH, FAST або MEPS |
| SWIFT, available worldwide | USD | SWIFT |
| Hong Kong | HKD | Automatic payment, RTGS/CHATS, FPS network |
| United Arab Emirates | AED | UAEFTS (RTGS та IPI) |
Fees and currencies
- Opening and verifying an account is free.
- VIP support is available at no cost for monthly turnovers above USD 30,000.
- No fees for holding funds in your account.
- Receiving payments to your account details in USD (ACH or WIRE), EUR (SEPA), or GBP (FPS or BACS) is free.
- Transfers between Payoneer accounts using “Make a Payment” are free.
- Withdrawing funds to a company bank account or sending payments outside the Payoneer network costs 0.3–2%, depending on total transaction volume.
- Currency exchange (FX) fee: 0.5%.
Learn more on Payoneer
Countries where Wise does not support business accounts (or operates with significant restrictions): Business accounts are not available in countries under international sanctions or high-risk jurisdictions, such as Russia, Belarus, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, and Iran. Even in countries where personal accounts are available, business account functionalities, including complete onboarding, multi-currency operations, or local receiving accounts, may be limited or subject to additional review.
Who is this payment system for?
An ideal solution for freelancers, small teams, marketplaces/e-commerce, and agencies with regular payments to contractors. Our team uses Payoneer and can confirm all of the above.
Open a Payoneer account through the official partner WoBorders
Free support from the WoBorders team
Stripe payment system
Stripe is one of the strongest tools for SaaS, subscriptions, and marketplaces, offering Billing, Checkout, Connect, and dozens of local payment methods.
Stripe holds its own licenses. In the EU, it operates as an Electronic Money Institution (EMI) under the supervision of the Central Bank of Ireland. In the US, it partners with banks but is not itself a bank. In the UK, Stripe is registered with the FCA.
Stripe offers the following products to its clients: card and online payment acceptance (Payments), subscription management and recurring invoices (Billing), marketplace integration and payouts to third parties (Connect), Issuing virtual and physical cards (Issuing)
The platform allows online payments via bank cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, bank transfers, and local methods (SEPA, iDEAL, Sofort, etc.). It also enables issuing invoices and accepting payments from businesses via convenient payment pages, recurring payments, and subscriptions. The service provides tools for easy VAT administration.
Fees and currencies
- EU cards: 1.4% + €0.25
- US cards: 2.9% + $0.30
- Currency conversion: an additional 1%
Learn more on Stripe
Countries where Wise does not support business accounts (or operates with significant restrictions): Stripe prohibits businesses from jurisdictions considered high-risk or under heavy sanctions. This includes states such as Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and the regions of Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk. Even in countries where Stripe is available, specific business models are subject to additional review or may be disallowed entirely, such as financial services, crypto exchanges, adult content platforms, and high-risk industries. Ukrainian sole proprietors and companies cannot open a Stripe account directlyTo open an account, a Ukrainian individual or a legal entity (company) in a supported country, a bank account, and address verification in a supported country (e.g., Poland, Lithuania, Estonia) are required.
Who is this payment system for?
SaaS projects, subscription-based businesses, marketplaces, and mobile and web products requiring automated billing and payouts.
Open a Stripe account through WoBorders
Paysera payment system (EMI)
A Lithuanian Electronic Money Institution (EMI) offering IBAN accounts, SEPA/SEPA Instant, Visa cards, and e-commerce integrations (WooCommerce, PrestaShop, etc.). It is known for a reliable technical infrastructure for EUR settlements and card payment acceptance across the EU.
Paysera fees and currencies (Business):
- Opening a business account (for companies in SEPA countries) is free. Companies outside SEPA may have a conditional fee (e.g., €10) depending on the region.
- Monthly account administration fee is €5 for companies in SEPA countries.
Online payment acceptance fees (via e-banking or other systems):
- Up to 250 transactions / turnover up to €12,500 — 0.90%, minimum €0.10, maximum €0.40
- 251–500 transactions / €12,501–25,000 turnover — 0.75%, min €0.10, max €0.35
- 501–750 transactions / €25,001–37,500 turnover — 0.50%, min €0.10, max €0.30
- Over 750 transactions/turnover above €37,500 — fees are negotiated individually with support
Learn more on Paysera
Paysera Checkout Service provides a payment gateway for online stores or marketplaces. Additional payment acceptance options are available, such as the payment initiation service, which offers a lower-cost alternative.
Paysera also allows the issuance of contactless payment cards for secure transactions and offers a convenient mobile app with multiple additional features.
Card issuance and maintenance:
- Debit card issuance — €3
- Monthly fee for the first card — €0.75
- Cash operations (cash-in / cash-out) vary by country; for example, in Lithuania, for business clients: cash-in — 0.06% (minimum €1); cash-out — 0.35% above limits, etc.
Countries where Wise does not support business accounts (or operates with significant restrictions): Paysera does not offer services (business account support) in the following jurisdictions: Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), Eritrea, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Myanmar (Burma), Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Yemen, Zimbabwe. In several other countries, Paysera allows registrations but applies enhanced review and restrictions for business onboarding and operations.
Who is this payment system for?
IT companies and freelancers working with the EU, issuing invoices and accepting card payments in EUR.
PayPal payment system
Despite much “negative hype,” PayPal remains a global must-have for fast online transfers and payment acceptance in over 200 countries and 25+ currencies.
General PayPal fees (merchant/business):
- Standard online payment acceptance: 2.99% + fixed fee (for USD)
- Payments via PayPal Checkout / Visa / Mastercard / other methods: often 3.49% + fixed fee
- QR codes / in-person payments: 2.29% + $0.09 or equivalent for USD
- Chargeback fees: fixed amount depending on currency (e.g., $20 for USD)
- Currency conversion: if the transaction currency differs from the account currency, PayPal adds a margin, usually 3–4% above the base exchange rate
It is important to check how the system works with companies in your country. For example, for Polish companies, topping up the balance requires mandatory conversion through PLN, increasing costs due to double currency conversion.
Learn more on PayPal
Countries where Wise does not support business accounts (or operates with significant restrictions): Business accounts are not available in the following countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Central African Republic, Chad, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Iran, Iraq, Libya, Myanmar, North Korea, Pakistan, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen, Zimbabwe. In certain other countries, even though a PayPal account may be opened, business-account features are limited or unavailable (for example, inability to receive funds, limited withdrawals, or restrictions on merchant services) due to local regulations or compliance issues.
Who is this payment system for?
Freelancers and small businesses for one-time payments or as a backup payment channel alongside Stripe/Payoneer.
Revolut Business payment solution
Revolut is a fintech company and digital bank offering a wide range of financial services: multi-currency accounts, cards, payments, transfers, currency exchange, investments, cryptocurrencies, and subscriptions.
The company was founded in London in 2015. It holds a UK banking license with restrictions issued by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and an e-money license from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Through “Revolut Bank UAB,” it also operates under a specialized banking license in the EU issued in Lithuania.
Revolut Business accounts offer access to multi-currency accounts, cards, and premium plans, along with expense management tools. They are available only to companies registered in the UK, EEA, and several other countries. Direct support for Ukrainian companies is not available.
Revolut also offers large-scale issuance of business cards, a useful feature for marketing and corporate operations.
Revolut Business pricing plans
Revolut Business operates on a subscription model. Instead of per-transaction fees, users pay a monthly fee that provides access to specific functionality, limits, and preferential conditions (such as a certain number of free transfers, fee-free currency exchange limits, or corporate cards).
Revolut Business pricing plans
- Basic — around €10/month
Designed for small businesses and freelancers. Includes minimal limits, access to a multi-currency account, card issuance, basic transfers, and integrations. - Grow — around €30/month
Suitable for businesses with higher transaction volumes. Includes more free local and international transfers, extended currency exchange limits, and additional user roles. - Scale — around €90/month
Intended for companies working extensively with international partners. Offers high fee-free limits, API integrations, multi-level access control, multiple users, and cards. - Enterprise — custom pricing
Tailored for large businesses. Pricing and conditions are agreed upon directly with Revolut, based on transfer volume, number of currencies, users, and required integrations.
Payment acceptance fees: from 0.8% + £0.02
Learn more about Revolut Business pricing
What’s included in the subscription?
What’s included in the subscription? All plans include free local and international transfers up to a monthly limit (after which a fixed fee applies: €0.20 per local transfer or €5 per international transfer). Currency exchange is commission-free up to a set limit (after that, a margin of about 0.6% applies). Users also get access to multi-currency accounts (EUR, GBP, USD, PLN, CHF, etc.), physical and virtual corporate cards, and integrations with accounting systems, APIs, and analytics tools.
Revolut pricing plans are payments for using the service, not fees for individual transactions. You pay a fixed monthly amount (or annually at a discount) and receive a set of features along with a certain number of operations without extra charges. Once you exceed the limit, standard fees apply for each additional action.
For several non-EU country companies, Revolut Business is not yet officially available. Still, users can open accounts through European legal entities (for example, in Lithuania, Estonia, or Poland), where these plans are entirely valid. A confirmed residency of the company’s director in a supported country is also required.
Countries where Wise does not support business accounts (or operates with significant restrictions): Business accounts are not available to users from the following countries and regions: Afghanistan; Algeria; Angola; Belarus; Burundi; Burkina Faso; Central African Republic; Republic of Congo; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Cuba; Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast); Eritrea; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Guyana; Haiti; Iran; Iraq; Libya; Myanmar; North Korea; Sierra Leone; Somalia; South Sudan; Sudan; Syria; Yemen; Zimbabwe. Specific territories under sanctions or governance issues (e.g., Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia) are also unsupported for Revolut transfers
Who is this payment system for?
Teams with a legal entity in the EU or the UK that want a single “super app” for payments and corporate cards.
AirWallex payment system
A global platform offering local accounts in over 20 currencies and regions, card issuance in more than 50 countries, fast local and international transfers, and interbank FX with a markup. We most often recommend AirWallex for businesses registered in Hong Kong and Singapore, as the system is headquartered in Singapore. The platform offers extensive features tailored to the Asian market.
AirWallex has separate pricing for companies from different countries and regions. Since we recommend it only for these two locations, the approximate business fees for Singapore and in Hong Kong:
Singapore
Account opening and maintenance: no opening fee, no monthly maintenance fee, no minimum balance.
Card acceptance fees:
- Domestic cards: 3.30% + 0.50 SGD
- International cards: 3.60% + 0.50 SGD
Local payment methods (WeChat Pay, GrabPay, etc.): 0.50 USD + payment method fee
Currency conversion (FX): 0.40% margin over the interbank rate for major currencies (USD, EUR, GBP, etc.). Account opening, maintenance, and minimum balance: free / no hidden fees.
Transfers:
- Singapore FAST / GIRO: approximately 2.00 USD per transfer (depending on currency)
- RTGS (high-speed interbank transfer): approximately 12.00 USD for SGD
Learn more on AirWallex fees
Hong Kong
Account opening and maintenance: no opening fee, no monthly maintenance fee, no minimum balance.
Transfers within the local network (HKD, USD, EUR, etc.): free for internal transfers between AirWallex accounts.
FX / currency conversion: margin up to 0.6% for major currencies.
Countries where Wise does not support business accounts (or operates with significant restrictions): A company must be registered in a country supported by AirWallex (Hong Kong, Singapore, EU countries, UK, USA, etc.).
Who is this payment system for?
Large SaaS and e-commerce businesses with a global presence and teams in supported countries.
Need a company in Hong Kong or Singapore with a bank account?
Get professional advice from our team
Paddle payment system (MoR)
Paddle is a merchant of record (MoR) for SaaS and digital products that handles payment processing, tax obligations (VAT/sales tax / GST), chargeback management, and compliance with international financial regulations. In other words, the company acts as the legal seller of your products and fully manages the payment side of your business. You don’t need to register for tax in different countries or work separately with acquiring banks—Paddle does it all for you.
Example Paddle pricing
- Standard rate: 5% + $0.50 per transaction via Checkout
- Custom pricing options are available for large volumes or specific business models
- Paddle states there are no monthly, hidden, or migration fees—you only pay per transaction
- For tiny transactions (for example, products under $10), different terms may apply and should be discussed directly with Paddle
Learn more about Paddle pricing
Countries where Wise does not support business accounts (or operates with significant restrictions):
Paddle accepts sellers from most countries (except sanctioned ones), but final approval depends on KYC and compliance checks.
Who is this payment system for? SaaS or digital software companies prioritize fast global expansion without managing taxes or compliance separately for each customer country.
PayPro Global payment system (MoR)
PayPro Global is a MoR platform for software, SaaS, and games, supporting 70+ payment methods, operating in over 140 currencies, and covering 13,000+ tax jurisdictions through cascading processing. It is registered and headquartered in Toronto, Canada, with offices in the US and the UK.
Fees and currencies
There is no fixed pricing. The platform uses custom pricing and handles the full stack: tax, billing, compliance, and localized payment processing.
Countries where Wise does not support business accounts (or operates with significant restrictions):
To get exact eligibility for your country/region, you’ll need to contact PayPro Global’s sales or support and ask about “supported countries for vendor onboarding”.
Who is this payment system for?
Established SaaS or digital products that need local payment methods and want to reduce internal operational load.
Satchel payment system
Satchel is a Lithuanian EMI (Electronic Money Institution) operating under a Bank of Lithuania license with EU passporting rights. They offer business accounts with IBAN, support SEPA, SEPA Instant, SWIFT, and multi-currency operations.
Fees and currencies
- SEPA / SEPA Instant incoming: free
- SEPA outgoing: fixed fee (e.g., €0 to €5 per transfer)
- SWIFT / international transfers: percentage fee + minimum/maximum limits (e.g., SWIFT incoming 0.2%, minimum €10, both incoming and outgoing)
Card operations and expenses
- Card issuance: one-time €9, monthly maintenance: €8
- POS / e-commerce: domestic 0.3% + €0.15, international 1.2% + €0.15
ATM withdrawals
- Domestic: €1.5
- International: 1.5% + €1.5
Currency conversion for card payments: markup approximately 1%
Other fees:
- Transfer confirmations / SWIFT or SEPA confirmations: €30
- Payment return (reversal/return): €65
Account closure: €250
- Audit/compliance checks, e.g., compliance audit: €500
- Balance limit: if balance exceeds €20,000, storage fee applies €0.10/day per €1,000
Learn more on Satchel fees
Countries where Wise does not support business accounts (or operates with significant restrictions):
Satchel does not onboard clients from the following jurisdictions: Afghanistan, American Samoa, Angola, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Bolivia, Botswana, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, Christmas Island, Congo (both Republic of and Democratic Republic of), Crimea, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Federal Republic of Somalia, Fiji, French Southern Territories, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guam, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iran, Iraq, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kiribati, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Micronesia, Mongolia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Niue, North Korea, Pakistan, Palau, Palestinian Territory, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tokelau Islands, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkmenistan, Turks & Caicos Islands, Tuvalu, Uganda, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vanuatu, Vatican City State, Venezuela, Western Sahara, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe. Additionally, while business accounts may be available from many other regions, business activities from these restricted jurisdictions or high-risk models may lead to rejection or additional review.
Who is this payment system for?
Satchel suits companies operating mainly in the EU or those using EUR, or those requiring a European IBAN to facilitate SEPA and international payments with minimal external infrastructure.
Bilderlings payment system (EMI)
Bilderlings is a UK Electronic Money Institution supervised by the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority, FRN 900637). It offers multi-currency accounts with IBAN, SEPA, and SWIFT support, as well as physical and virtual cards, an API, and other business features.
Fees and currencies
- Verification of documents for account opening and cards: from £870 or €1000 for business accounts
- Monthly maintenance (Active Account Maintenance): around £450 or €500 for business accounts
- SEPA and SEPA out transfers: from £0.30 or around €0.35
Learn more BilderLings fees
Countries where Wise does not support business accounts (or operates with significant restrictions):
Key requirement: the company must be registered in the UK or EEA, with management, owners, and headquarters in the same country.
Who is this payment system for?
This option is for companies with high turnover or complex structures that need a UK/EEA EMI provider with full access to SEPA/SWIFT and cards. If you require a robust infrastructure, are ready to invest in fees, and plan to register your business in a European countrysuch as the UK, BilderLings can be a good choice.
Unlimint payment system
Unlimint is a global payment infrastructure provider that combines direct acquiring, 1000+ alternative payment methods (e-wallets, bank transfers, vouchers), and card payments in a single system. We recommend Unlimint for companies registered in Cyprusas for this jurisdiction the platform offers the most convenient onboarding, local bank support, and fast merchant account setup.
*As stated on the official website.
Fees and currencies
Collaboration terms are set individually — rates depend on the country of registration, business risk, and payment methods. A wide range of currencies is supported for card and local payments. When opening an account, fees are agreed individually for each case.
Countries where Wise does not support business accounts (or operates with significant restrictions):
Unlimint offers business accounts and payment-processing services globally, covering regions such as Europe, the UK, LATAM, APAC, and Africa.
Who is this payment system for?
Unlimint is an optimal solution for large e-commerce platforms, SaaS projects and marketplaces that accept payments from multiple countries and require local payment methods with minimal technical effort. Many Cypriot companies use it to obtain a Cypriot IBAN.
The WoBorders team helps select the optimal payment system for your business model,from opening a foreign company (when needed for Stripe/Revolut/Airwallex) to CRM/accounting integrations and configuring payout processes.
Frequently asked questions about payment systems for business, SaaS, and freelancers in 2025 to 2026
The choice depends on your business structure:
- Freelancers and small agencies: Wise, Payoneer, or PaySera can provide IBAN, local account details, and low fees
- SaaS and product companies: Stripe, Paddle, or PayPro Global can support billing, subscriptions, and automated taxes such as VAT or sales tax
- E-commerce and marketplaces: Unlimint or AirWallex can offer multiple local payment methods and multi-currency accounts
In some cases, a combination of Payoneer plus Stripe can be ideal, leveraging the advantages of both services
Yes, but conditions vary.
For individuals: Many services are available, for example, PayPal or Revolut
For corporate accounts, most services require registration of a foreign company.
- Accessible for Ukrainian-owned companies: Wise, Payoneer, PayPal, PaySera
- Require director residency in a supported country, such as Stripe, Revolut Business, AirWallex, Unlimint, or others, including Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, Hong Kong, or Cyprus.
Compliance (KYC) is generally required, including verification of documents and the source of funds
The most popular platforms (Wise, Payoneer, Revolut, AirWallex) allow holding and exchanging more than 30 to 50 currencies, including EUR, USD, GBP, CAD, AUD, PLN, CHF, SGD, and others. PayPal and Stripe support 20 to 135 currencies for receiving payments.
Each system provides its own set of local account details, such as IBAN for the EU, ACH for the USA, Faster Payments for the UK, and FPS for Hong Kong.
What are the fees in payment systems?
- Wise: Transparent pay-as-you-go model,transfers from 0.2 to 0.5 percent
- Payoneer: Internal transfers are free, bank withdrawals aare bout 2 percent, individual rates available
- Stripe or PayPal: About 2.9 to 3.5 percent plus a fixed fee per transaction
- PaySera: From 0.5 percent for online payment acceptance
- Revolut Business: Monthly packages from 10 to 90 euros with free transfers up to a limit
- Paddle or PayPro Global: 5 percent plus 0.50 dollars as Merchant of Record
Fees depend on the country, currency, and transaction volume
Merchant of Record (as in Paddle or PayPro Global) is a service that assumes all legal and tax responsibilities of the seller, including VAT/GST accounting, invoicing, chargebacks, and reporting.
MoR is convenient for SaaS and digital products sold worldwide because the business does not need to establish a legal entity in each customer’s country.
Yes, in 100 percent of cases. All services (Wise, Payoneer, AirWallex, Satchel, BilderLings) verify the business owner’s identity and company documents. Without KYC, the account will not be activated. In some systems, compliance takes from a few hours (Wise) to several weeks (AirWallex, Satchel, Unlimit).
Yes. Wise, Payoneer, Revolut, PaySera, and Satchel issue virtual and physical cards (Visa/Mastercard). BilderLings, Stripe, and Unlimit also have corporate cards. Paddle and PayPro Global do not issue cards because they operate as MoR services.
For SaaS and digital products, the best options are:
- Stripe, if you have a legal entity in a supported country (automated subscriptions, Billing, Connect)
- Paddle / PayPro Global, if you want to avoid tax administration and chargebacks (full MoR)
- Wise, for those working directly with clients or via outstaffing (EUR/USD/GBP)
- Payoneer, if you receive payments from Upwork, Fiverr, Amazon, etc.
- PaySera, if you need IBAN for invoices and work in EUR
- PayPal, for quick one-time transfers and as a backup payment channel
- Open accounts in the currency you receive payments in
- Use local account details (IBAN/ACH) instead of SWIFT
- Combine services, for example, receive payments through Stripe into Payoneer or Wise accounts
- Avoid double conversion (e.g., USD to EUR to UAH)
No. Ukraine is not on the list of supported countries. A legal entity, bank account, address, and phone number in a supported country are required, for example, Poland, Lithuania, or Estonia.
PayPal has expanded its services for Ukrainian accounts to include P2P transfers, such as sending, receiving, and withdrawals to a card. For standard merchant acquiring, such as an online store, a company in a supported country is usually required.
No. Revolut Business is for companies registered and physically present in the UK, EEA, and several other countries. Personal accounts depend on residence in a supported country.
KYC (Know Your Customer) is a client identification procedure where the payment system verifies documents, company owners, and the source of funds. Without KYC, the account will not be activated.
- SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area) is a euro payment system among EU countries
- SWIFT is a global network for international bank transfers
- ACH (Automated Clearing House) is a US domestic transfer system
- IBAN (International Bank Account Number) is the international bank account format used in the EU
- FPS (Faster Payments Service) is the UK's fast payments system
- EEA (European Economic Area): European Economic Area
- UK: United Kingdom
- EU: European Union
- US / USA: United States of America
- APAC (Asia-Pacific): Asia-Pacific region (Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, etc.)
- EMI (Electronic Money Institution): licensed electronic money institution
- FCA (Financial Conduct Authority): UK financial regulator
- SEPA Instant is instant transfers within the Eurozone, up to 10 seconds
- Local account details are domestic payment routes, such as ACH in the US, FPS in the UK, and GIRO in Singapore, which reduce fees and transfer time
An EMI (Electronic Money Institution) is not a traditional bank. It does not provide loans or hold deposits but is licensed to hold client funds and process payments. Client money is stored in segregated accounts with partner banks, which increases security.
Prepare:
- Company incorporation documents (Certificate of Incorporation)
- Data and documents of directors and beneficiaries
- Proof of address (utility bill, lease agreement)
- Description of activity (website, business model, client countries)
Most systems also require a brief description of the source of funds and the ownership structure.
- Use real invoices and avoid grey transactions
- Do not receive funds from countries considered sanctioned
- Regularly update KYC information and company documents
- Maintain backup accounts on multiple platforms, for example, Wise, Payoneer, and PaySera
- Stripe, PayPal, PaySera, and Unlimit have official plugins
- Paddle and PayPro Global work through their own checkout and MoR integrations
- Wise and Payoneer are more focused on invoicing rather than e-commerce
