Is Remitly or Wise better for freelancers?

Wise is better for freelancers in most cases. Wise provides multi-currency account details so clients pay you directly — no sending required. Remitly is designed for personal remittances (sending money to family), not for receiving business payments. For getting paid internationally, Wise is the purpose-built solution.

Can you use Remitly to receive payments from clients?

No — Remitly only works for sending money, not receiving. You cannot share a Remitly account number with a client and ask them to pay you. Wise, on the other hand, provides local bank account details (USD, EUR, GBP, etc.) that you share with clients for direct payment.

Is Remitly cheaper than Wise for sending money?

For sending to specific corridors (e.g., USD to Philippines, USD to India), Remitly can be cheaper than Wise, especially for smaller amounts. Remitly uses promotional rates and 'Express' vs 'Economy' tiers. For sending to UK, EU, Canada, or Australia, Wise is typically more competitive.

When would a freelancer use Remitly instead of Wise?

Remitly makes sense if you need to send money to a family member in a developing country (Philippines, India, Mexico, Kenya, etc.) and want a cheap, fast corridor. It does not replace Wise for receiving client payments — these are complementary tools for different purposes.

Does Remitly have a multi-currency account?

No — Remitly is a transfer service only, with no account or balance holding feature. Wise provides a full multi-currency account where you can hold, convert, and receive in 40+ currencies. For freelancers who need an account, not just a sending tool, Wise is the only option of the two.

Remitly vs Wise for Freelancers (2026): Which Should You Use?

Remitly and Wise are often compared as "money transfer apps" — but they serve fundamentally different purposes. If you're a freelancer, this distinction matters a lot before you choose one.

The Core Difference

Wise is a multi-currency account with built-in transfer capability. You get local bank details (USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD, etc.), a debit card, and currency conversion — making it a full payment receiving tool.

Remitly is a remittance service. It's designed to let people send money from one country to another — primarily to family members in developing economies. You cannot receive payments through Remitly.

For freelancers, this means: Wise is a tool for getting paid. Remitly is a tool for sending money home.

Can You Use Remitly as a Freelancer?

What Remitly does NOT offer:

Account details to share with clients
A way to receive international transfers
A balance or multi-currency wallet
A debit card
Invoice or payment link features

What Remitly DOES offer:

Competitive rates for sending to 170+ countries
"Express" (minutes) and "Economy" (3–5 days, cheaper) tiers
Good rates for corridors like USD → PHP, USD → INR, USD → NGN

Open a free Wise account →

Fee Comparison: Where Each Wins

For receiving client payments — Wise wins unconditionally. Remitly has no receiving capability.

For sending to family in developing economies:

Corridor (sending $500)	Wise fee	Remitly Economy fee	Remitly Express fee
USD → GBP	~$2.50	N/A (not a remittance corridor)	N/A
USD → PHP (Philippines)	~$5.50	~$2.99	~$4.99
USD → INR (India)	~$4.70	~$2.99	~$3.99
USD → NGN (Nigeria)	~$6.20	~$3.99	~$5.99
USD → CAD	~$3.20	~$3.99	~$6.99
USD → AUD	~$2.80	~$4.99	~$7.99

Remitly is cheaper for some developing-world corridors. Wise is cheaper for sending to Western destinations.

When Freelancers Use Both

Many international freelancers use Wise and Remitly together for different purposes:

Purpose	Use
Receiving USD from US clients	Wise (local USD account details)
Converting USD to GBP at best rate	Wise (0.41% FX fee)
Sending money to family in Philippines	Remitly (often cheaper Express rate)
Spending daily in UK	Wise debit card
Paying for software tools (USD)	Wise (holds USD balance)

Wise as the Primary Freelancer Payment Tool

For UK, Canadian, and Australian freelancers, Wise covers the full payment stack:

Receive from US clients → Free (Wise USD account)
Receive from EU clients → Free (Wise IBAN)
Convert USD → GBP → 0.41% fee
Send GBP to UK bank → Free
Spend internationally → Wise debit card, mid-market rate

Remitly adds one specific use case on top: cheaper remittances to family abroad.

The Bottom Line

Question	Answer
Should I use Wise to get paid by clients?	Yes — this is exactly what Wise is for
Can I use Remitly to get paid by clients?	No — Remitly doesn't support receiving
Should I use Remitly for personal money transfers?	Possibly — compare rate for your specific corridor
Do I need both?	Only if you also send personal remittances abroad

Start receiving payments with Wise →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Remitly better than Wise? Remitly is better than Wise for specific remittance corridors (USD → Philippines, USD → India at small amounts). Wise is better for everything a freelancer needs: receiving payments, holding multi-currency balances, and currency conversion.

Can I use Remitly to receive money from Upwork or Fiverr? No — Remitly has no account receiving feature. For Upwork/Fiverr payouts, use Payoneer (free, official partner) and Wise for currency conversion.

How do I receive international client payments as a freelancer? Open a Wise account, go to Account Details, and share the relevant local account details with your client (USD routing + account number for US clients, IBAN for EU clients, etc.). Receiving is free.

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