Ways to pay someone in another country
Exercise Buddy Finder never handles payment for a session. You and the person you choose agree on the price, currency, payment method, cancellation terms, and refunds. This guide can help you find a method that works in both countries.
Quick comparison
| Service | Cost | Ease of setup | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wise | 5 out of 5, usually one of the lower-cost choices | 4 out of 5, straightforward after identity verification | Bank-to-bank payments when the client and provider use different currencies. |
| PayPal | 2 out of 5, convenient, but international and currency-conversion charges can add up | 5 out of 5, familiar and usually quick if both people already have accounts | Clients and providers who already use PayPal and value familiarity over the lowest possible cost. |
| Payoneer | 3 out of 5, can be economical, but receiving and withdrawal fees need checking | 3 out of 5, designed for business payments, with more verification and account choices | Providers who expect regular international client payments and want payment requests or multi-currency receiving details. |
| Western Union | 3 out of 5, sometimes competitive, but compare both the fee and exchange rate | 4 out of 5, useful when the provider needs cash pickup or cannot use another option | Routes where bank deposit, mobile wallet, or cash pickup makes payment more accessible. |
Our practical starting point
First compare a bank-funded Wise transfer with the other person’s preferred method. If both people already use PayPal, its familiarity may be worth the higher total cost. Payoneer can suit a provider building a regular international business. Western Union is worth checking when cash pickup or local payout access matters.
Wise
- Cost rating
- 5 out of 5, usually one of the lower-cost choices
- Setup rating
- 4 out of 5, straightforward after identity verification
- Country coverage
- Wise lists Mexico, the Philippines, and India as receiving countries. Sending and funding methods vary by the client’s country and currency.
- How charges work
- The fee changes with the amount, currencies, and how the client pays. Wise shows the fee and the amount the provider will receive before the client confirms.
- Watch for
- A bank-funded transfer is often cheaper than paying by card. Check whether the transfer is permitted as a payment for services on the route you choose.
See supported Wise destinations · See how Wise calculates fees
PayPal
- Cost rating
- 2 out of 5, convenient, but international and currency-conversion charges can add up
- Setup rating
- 5 out of 5, familiar and usually quick if both people already have accounts
- Country coverage
- PayPal lists account availability in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Mexico, the Philippines, and India. Available features and withdrawals differ by country.
- How charges work
- Commercial-payment, international, fixed, withdrawal, and currency-conversion charges can apply. The provider should check the fees for the country where their account is registered.
- Watch for
- An exercise session is a paid service. Use the appropriate commercial payment type, not a friends-and-family payment chosen to avoid fees.
See PayPal countries and currencies · See PayPal’s US business fees
Payoneer
- Cost rating
- 3 out of 5, can be economical, but receiving and withdrawal fees need checking
- Setup rating
- 3 out of 5, designed for business payments, with more verification and account choices
- Country coverage
- Payoneer advertises payment services across more than 190 countries and territories, but product availability and eligibility are not identical everywhere.
- How charges work
- Published fees vary by payment method, location, currency, and withdrawal route. Low-activity accounts may also face an annual fee after the first year.
- Watch for
- This may be more machinery than a provider needs for an occasional session. The provider should check their exact account fees before asking a client to use it.
Western Union
- Cost rating
- 3 out of 5, sometimes competitive, but compare both the fee and exchange rate
- Setup rating
- 4 out of 5, useful when the provider needs cash pickup or cannot use another option
- Country coverage
- Western Union has receiving networks in Mexico, the Philippines, and India. Sending, funding, and payout choices vary by the client’s country and the particular route.
- How charges work
- The quoted transfer fee and exchange rate depend on the route, amount, funding method, payout method, and any promotion.
- Watch for
- Do not judge it by a “zero fee” promotion alone. Compare how much leaves the client’s account with how much arrives in the provider’s hands.
See a Western Union route and live quote · See an example of available payout methods
Agree on these details before anyone pays
- The session price and length.
- The currency the client will send and the amount the provider should receive.
- Who pays any transfer, conversion, or withdrawal charges.
- What happens after a cancellation, missed session, or technical problem.
- Whether the chosen service allows payment for this kind of independent service.
Keep payment information safe
Use only the details the payment service says are needed. Never share a password, card PIN, full card number in a message, or one-time security code. Never pay an unexpected “release fee” sent by message. If someone pressures you, changes the agreed amount, or asks for sensitive financial information, do not pay and tell us.