• First decide the invoice currency
  • Worked example: a €2,000 invoice to a client in Germany

To get paid by a client in another country, you have five main options:

  • Card payments, through your payment processor or an invoicing tool connected to one.
  • PayPal.
  • A bank transfer. Either an international wire, or a local transfer such as a euro SEPA credit transfer if you have account details in the client's currency.
  • A letter of credit from the buyer's bank, for trade in goods with a buyer you don't yet trust.
  • Stablecoins, if both sides are set up for them.

For an invoice from a small business, the choice comes down to three things:

  • which methods your client can use;
  • what each costs on a payment of that size;
  • who pays for converting the currency.

About this page: Billed publishes this page, and Billed connects to two of the services described (Stripe and PayPal). Fees below come from each provider's own US pricing page, opened on October 29, 2026. Fees change and differ by country, so check the provider's page for yours.

First decide the invoice currency

The currency you invoice in decides who pays for the conversion:

  • Invoice in your own currency (for example US dollars). The client's bank or card issuer converts the money on their side, at their rate. You receive the amount you invoiced, less your processor's fees.
  • Invoice in the client's currency (for example euros). The client pays the exact amount they expect. You carry the conversion when the money is changed into your currency, and the rate can move between the invoice date and the payment date.

Put the currency on the invoice and in your agreement. A bare "2,000" causes arguments; "EUR 2,000.00" doesn't.

Worked example: a €2,000 invoice to a client in Germany

These are sample figures. A US consultant invoices a client in Germany. The calculations use an assumed exchange rate of 1 EUR = 1.10 USD, which is a sample rate, not a quote, so €2,000 ≈ $2,200. Fees are each provider's published US rates.

Option A: invoice $2,200 in US dollars, client pays by card through Stripe.

  • Stripe's US pricing is 2.9% + 30¢ for domestic cards, plus 1.5% for international cards (Stripe pricing).
  • Fee: 4.4% × $2,200 + $0.30 = $97.10. You receive $2,102.90.
  • The client's card issuer converts euros to dollars on the client's side.

Option B: invoice €2,000 in euros, client pays by card through Stripe, paid out in US dollars.

  • The same card fees, plus 1% "if currency conversion is required".
  • Fee: 5.4% × $2,200 + $0.30 = $119.10. You receive about $2,080.90, at the sample rate.
  • The client pays exactly €2,000.

Option C: invoice €2,000 through PayPal, client pays by card, you convert the euros to dollars.

  • PayPal's US invoicing rate for card payments is 2.99% plus a fixed fee, which is 0.39 EUR for euro payments. International invoicing transactions add 1.50% (PayPal merchant fees, last updated October 1, 2026).
  • Fee: 4.49% × €2,000 + €0.39 = €90.19. That leaves €1,909.81 in your PayPal balance.
  • Converting it to dollars includes PayPal's currency conversion spread, listed as "3.00%, or such other amount as may be disclosed to you during the transaction". At the sample rate less 3%, that's about $2,037.77.

Option D: bank transfer.

  • An international wire costs whatever your bank, the client's bank and any intermediary bank charge, and the conversion uses whichever bank converts. There's no single published figure, so ask your bank for its incoming international wire fee and how it converts.
  • If you have account details in euros, the client may be able to pay with a euro transfer instead (see SEPA below).

What the example shows:

  • The currency choice moves the fee. Invoicing in dollars (A) avoids Stripe's 1% conversion fee that invoicing in euros (B) adds, but puts the conversion on the client.
  • Conversion costs sit outside the payment fee. In C, the 3% spread when you convert the balance costs more than the 1.50% international fee.
  • Rates move. At any other exchange rate, every dollar figure above changes. Compare the percentages, not the sample dollar amounts.

The methods in more detail

  • Card payments. Your client pays by card through a pay link on the invoice. You pay your processor's rate, plus any international-card and conversion fees it lists. Card payments suit invoices where speed and convenience matter more than the percentage.
  • PayPal. Clients can pay a PayPal invoice with PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, credit and debit cards, Pay Later or Pay by Bank (ACH), and don't need a PayPal account (PayPal Invoicing). International invoice payments carry the 1.50% addition, and converting a balance carries the spread above.
  • SEPA transfers (euros). The European Payments Council says the SEPA schemes for euro credit transfers and direct debits "currently covers 41 countries and territories": the 27 EU member states plus the United Kingdom, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Monaco, San Marino, Andorra, Vatican City State/Holy See, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, Moldova and Serbia (European Payments Council). A euro transfer from a client in one of these needs euro account details on your side.
  • International wires. These move money between banks in different countries, at whatever fees and exchange rates the banks involved charge. Put your full bank details on the invoice, and say who pays the charges.
  • Letters of credit. For goods shipped to a buyer you don't yet trust, the buyer's bank undertakes to pay you when you present the documents the letter of credit requires. They can cost more and take longer to arrange than a transfer, so they suit trade in goods better than service invoices. Ask your bank or a trade-finance adviser before relying on one.
  • Stablecoins. Some businesses invoice in dollar stablecoins such as USDC. See cryptocurrency payment statistics for what the data shows, and check the rules where you operate first.

How to choose

  1. Ask the client how they can pay. A company's accounts team may only pay by bank transfer; an individual may prefer a card or PayPal.
  2. Price the options for a typical invoice, as in the example: the payment fee, any international-card fee, and the conversion cost.
  3. Choose the invoice currency and write it on the invoice and in the agreement.
  4. Set payment terms for international clients that allow for slower transfers; see invoice payment terms.
  5. Record the fees as a business expense so your books match the deposits.

International invoices in Billed

In Billed, you can invoice customers in multiple currencies and choose a different currency for each invoice or customer (features). Invoices can carry a pay button through Stripe or PayPal, and Billed adds no markup on top of their fees (accept payments).

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest way to receive international payments?

It depends on the amount, the method your client can use and who converts the currency. On a sample €2,000 invoice at an assumed rate of 1.10, a US card payment through Stripe cost $97.10 when invoiced in dollars and $119.10 when invoiced in euros and converted. Bank transfers have no single published figure; ask your bank for its incoming international wire fee.

How do I handle currency conversion for international invoices?

Decide which currency to invoice in. Invoicing in your own currency puts the conversion on the client's side; invoicing in theirs puts it on yours, through your processor's conversion fee or spread. Stripe's US pricing adds 1% when currency conversion is required, and PayPal lists a 3.00% spread for converting a balance, or the amount disclosed during the transaction.

What payment methods do international clients prefer?

Ask each client. A business may have a set process, such as paying suppliers by bank transfer, while an individual may prefer a card or PayPal. Offering a card or PayPal pay link alongside your bank details gives the client a choice.

Can a client in Europe pay me by SEPA transfer?

If you have euro account details. The SEPA schemes for euro credit transfers cover 41 countries and territories, including the 27 EU member states and the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Norway, according to the European Payments Council. Without euro account details, the client would send an international wire instead.

Is a letter of credit worth it for a service invoice?

Rarely. A letter of credit is a bank's undertaking to pay against specified documents, and it suits trade in goods with a buyer you don't yet trust. For services, a deposit and clear payment terms are simpler. Ask your bank before relying on one.

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