How to get paid by overseas clients and keep more of it

Wise, PayPal, bank transfer or GCash: what each costs when a client abroad pays you, from each provider's fee page, and what to agree before you start.

A client abroad pays you, and less than that lands in your account. Fees come off in three places: when the money arrives, when it's turned into pesos, and when you withdraw it.

Below, each way of getting paid is checked against the provider's own fee page, read on 6 October 2026. Fees change, so open the page again before you set one up.

Settle how you'll be paid before day one

Agree on these in writing before you start work:

On DayShift, each listing shows its pay in SGD or MYR. If you're hired, how and when you're paid is in your contract, so read that part before you sign. The converter at /pay turns an SGD or MYR rate into pesos.

One rule never changes: you never pay to receive your pay. A "release fee" or "activation fee" before your money comes through is a scam. Read how to spot legit work from home jobs (/blog/legit-work-from-home-jobs-philippines).

Wise: free to receive, a small fee to convert

Wise gives you account details in 22 currencies, so a client can pay you like a local. Wise's fee page for Philippine residents lists receiving local transfers as free in nine currencies, including SGD, USD, AUD, EUR and GBP.

Two costs to know:

With a Singapore client, the low-cost route looks like this. They send Singapore dollars by local bank transfer to your Wise SGD details, you receive it free, and you convert when you're ready.

PayPal: what the fees add up to

Most clients already have PayPal, which makes it easy for them. For you, it's the most expensive option in this guide. PayPal treats a payment for your work as a commercial transaction, and its Philippine fee pages list three charges:

Add the first two and roughly 7% of each payment goes before you see it, plus the fixed fee. If PayPal is the only way a client will pay, ask them to cover the fee, or price it into your rate.

Bank transfer: straight to your Philippine account

A client can wire money straight to your bank with a Swift transfer. You'll give them your account name and number, and your bank's Swift code.

It isn't free on your side. BPI, for example, charges at least 150 pesos to credit an inward Swift transfer to a peso account, plus documentary stamp tax. BPI also warns that other banks along the way may take their own fees, and that the money arrives net of all fees and taxes. So the amount you receive can be smaller than the amount sent, and you won't see why until it lands.

Ask your own bank for its inward remittance fees before you share your details.

Getting your pay into GCash

You can move money into GCash straight from PayPal or Payoneer. The GCash Help Center lists the fees:

If your PayPal balance is in dollars, PayPal's conversion fee applies when it turns into pesos, on top of the 1%. Wise lists a 2% fee for topping up e-wallets in some currencies, so check that line before you send from Wise to GCash.

GCash is handy for spending and bills. For larger amounts, compare the total cost of each route once, then stick with the cheapest one. Before you name a rate for a new job, read how to answer "what is your expected salary" (/blog/how-to-answer-what-is-your-expected-salary), or browse open roles with their pay at /jobs.

Sources

Questions

What's the cheapest way to get paid by a client abroad?

Usually a local transfer to Wise account details in the client's own currency, which is free to receive, then one conversion to pesos. PayPal is easier for many clients but takes roughly 7% across receiving and converting.

Can I receive PayPal payments in GCash?

Yes. You can cash in from PayPal to GCash, and GCash charges 1% of the amount. If your PayPal balance is in another currency, PayPal's conversion fee applies too.

Do I need to register with the BIR?

If you're self-employed, the BIR says you can register online through its ORUS system, on or before the day you start. Ask an accountant if you're not sure whether that applies to you.

What currency do DayShift roles pay in?

Each listing shows its pay in SGD or MYR. Your contract states the currency and how you're paid, and the converter at /pay turns an SGD or MYR rate into pesos.