Global freelancers based in China can benefit significantly from having a business account that makes it easy to send, hold and receive payments in multiple currencies such as Chinese yuan.
In this guide, we've listed some of the top business account providers and options for freelancers in China, covering their features and fees to help you make an informed decision.
Our list includes Wise Business with information on how it can support international operations for freelancers in China.
Discover Wise Business 🔎
Disclaimer: The UK Wise Business pricing structure is changed on 26/11/2025. Receiving money, direct debits and getting paid features are not available with the Essential Plan which you can open for free. Pay a one-time set up fee of £50 to unlock Advanced features including account details to receive payments in 22+ currencies or 8+ currencies for non-swift payments. You’ll also get access to our invoice generating tool, payment links, QR codes and the ability to set up direct debits all within one account. Please check our website for the latest pricing information.
Provider features, fees, eligibility checks, protections and timelines mentioned in this article may vary by customer, business type, application outcome, plan and country. Check the provider's website and terms and conditions for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
Wise services and features are not available in all regions, country and product restrictions apply. Visit wise.com to check availability, and for fee details and terms for your region, visit our pricing page for Wise Business.
Summary of options
Comparison basis: The Wise prices below are for UK residents opening a UK Wise Business account. The other providers' prices are for their named local or UK plans and may have different eligibility, included services and currencies. These aren't like-for-like total-cost quotes; compare the same payment and account use case, including FX, transfer and card fees, before choosing.
1. Wise Business
Wise Business can help eligible freelancers receive client payments in supported currencies and manage international spending. For clients in China, check the currencies and receiving methods available in your account and compare the full conversion cost if you plan to convert the earnings into GBP. Do not assume that CNY invoices can be paid into local CNY receiving details.
Wise Business features available in China:
- Send money to supported countries and pay overseas invoices at the mid-market exchange rate with transparent fees (product availability and fees vary by route and region)
- Receive payments in supported currencies, subject to the receiving method and account eligibility
- Get local account details for eligible currencies, including USD and EUR, to let your customers pay in a currency they know and trust - convenience for them and peace of mind for you
- Hold money in supported currencies
- Convert supported currencies at the mid-market exchange rate with transparent fees
- Use the batch payments tool to prepare multiple payments in one workflow, subject to current limits and account eligibility
- Manage cash across supported currencies and business accounts, subject to feature availability
- Connect and sync supported business transactions to your accounting software, including Xero, QuickBooks, and more
- Create your own payment approvals process to manage your team better with customised access for different team members, roles and permissions
- Create custom professional invoices and schedule invoice payments for future dates (scheduled transfers must be set at least two days ahead; the exchange rate and fee are determined when the transfer runs, and team approval may be required)
- Automate payouts with the Wise API (with a sandbox for testing, API tokens and implementation documentation; access requires an eligible, verified Wise Business account)
Country and product restrictions apply. Wise services and features are not available in all regions. Visit wise.com to check availability.
Fees:
Wise Business offers a free Essential plan for basic spending and transferring. If you need to receive money, set up direct debits, or generate invoices, you'll pay a one-time £50 setup fee to unlock the Advanced features.
Here's a more detailed breakdown of Wise Business pricing in the UK:
- Account details for receiving payments: £50 one-time fee
- Sending money: from 0.24%, depending on currency and route
- Holding money: £0 Wise fee
- Receiving domestic payments (non-SWIFT / non-wire): £0 Wise fee
- EUR SWIFT payments: €2.39
- ATM withdrawals: £0 Wise fee up to £250/month per account, then 2.69% on the amount above £250; ATM providers may charge separately
Note: The fees mentioned above are for UK residents opening a Wise Business account in the UK. If you are opening a Wise Business account for the first time in China, then refer to the Wise Business pricing for China.
The withdrawal allowance with no Wise fee varies by country and is calculated per account. Check wise.com/pricing for additional information.
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2. Airwallex
Airwallex's mainland China pricing differs from its overseas plans. Check the country of your contracting business before comparing features.
Features:
According to Airwallex's China pricing page:
- Explore includes Global Accounts in supported currencies and multiple accounts for an entity.
- It supports local payouts and batch transfers across supported destinations.
- Explore supports up to five business entities.
- Accelerate adds support for more entities, account management and onboarding assistance.
- Grow is unavailable to mainland China entities. Cards, spend management, online payment acceptance and integrations listed in the page's overseas-entity footnote shouldn't be assumed available to a mainland China business.
Fees:
According to Airwallex's China pricing page:
- Explore has a RMB0 monthly subscription.
- Accelerate starts at RMB2,499/month.
- Transfers, conversion and other transactions have separate charges. Request the applicable China tariff and review the quote before confirming a payment.
- Overseas Airwallex plan prices and FX markups shouldn't be substituted for the mainland China quote.
3. Payoneer
Payoneer may suit freelancers paid by overseas clients or marketplaces that support its payout service. Receiving-account details and withdrawal options depend on the account and payment route.
Features:
According to Payoneer's freelancer page:
- Eligible freelancers can receive client and marketplace payments through supported receiving accounts.
- Payment requests and invoices let clients pay through available methods.
- Users can manage supported currency balances, withdraw to a linked bank and make business payments.
- Cards and other optional services require separate eligibility checks.
Fees:
According to Payoneer's pricing page and annual account fee guidance:
- Eligible receipts from another Payoneer customer's balance have no Payoneer receiving fee; marketplace charges vary.
- Local-currency receiving-account payments may have no receiving fee. Non-local-currency receipts are listed at 1%, with a US$1-equivalent minimum.
- Client card payments cost up to 3.99% plus US$0.49 or equivalent. US ACH debit and UK/EU bank-account payments are listed at 1%.
- Converting between Payoneer currency balances costs 0.5%.
- Bank withdrawal charges depend on the currencies and route and may be 1.2%–4%.
- For the China accounts covered by the annual-fee guidance, US$29.95 can apply when receipts are below US$6,000 over 12 consecutive months. Card fees are separate; check the tariff shown in your account.
4. PayPal
PayPal offers several cross-border services in China. Confirm which service and legal entity your account uses: the merchant fees below concern PPCN cross-border and worldwide accounts, not a blanket tariff for every PayPal China product.
Features:
According to PayPal's China business page:
- Businesses can collect cross-border customer payments through supported PayPal solutions.
- Invoice-based collections can let clients pay without a full website checkout.
- Checkout products offer supported payment methods for online sales.
- Access, settlement currencies and withdrawal routes depend on the service you contract. Confirm these before agreeing payment terms with a client.
Fees:
According to PayPal's merchant fee page for China accounts:
- Standard international commercial receipts for the covered accounts cost 4.4% plus a fixed fee.
- The fixed fee depends on the currency received: examples include US$0.30, €0.35 and £0.20.
- A wire withdrawal to a mainland China bank account is listed at US$35.
- Currency conversion and other services can add charges. Check the applicable agreement and withdrawal quote rather than applying this tariff to a different PayPal service.
5. PingPong Flowmore
PingPong Flowmore supports cross-border collections for goods and services trade. A freelancer should confirm that their registration, service category and supporting documents meet its onboarding requirements.
Features:
According to PingPong's Flowmore page:
- Eligible businesses can obtain receiving details for supported currencies.
- Online bills and pro forma invoices support collections from overseas buyers.
- Users can convert and withdraw earnings or pay suppliers directly from available funds.
- FX order tools let businesses arrange supported conversions.
Fees:
According to PingPong's Flowmore page and B2B service agreement:
- Flowmore advertises no account-opening fee.
- The service agreement provides for applicable fees to be disclosed through the platform or agreed terms.
- Confirm receiving, conversion, supplier-payment and withdrawal charges for your account and route. The reviewed sources don't establish a universal 1% maximum fee.
Manage your freelance earnings in China like a pro with Wise Business
Wise Business offers several features to help global freelancers manage their earnings and money. For instance, you can get local account details in 8+ currencies, making it easier for you to receive money as your clients can pay you in a currency they know and trust.
You can also create invoices, make payments to subcontractors or other freelancers, and sync supported transactions with accounting software to keep on top of your finance admin.
Wise Business offers a free Essential plan for basic spending and transferring. If you need to receive money, set up direct debits, or generate invoices, you'll pay a one-time £50 setup fee to unlock the Advanced features.
With Wise Business, you can:
- 🌍 Send money to 70+ countries and pay overseas invoices at the mid-market exchange rate with low, transparent fees and no hidden exchange rate markups (product availability varies by region)
- 📥 Receive payments in 24 currencies and counting
- 💵 Get local account details for 8+ currencies, including USD and EUR, to let your customers pay in a currency they know and trust - convenience for them and peace of mind for you
- 💰 Hold money in 40+ currencies
- 🔁 Convert currencies anytime at the mid-market exchange rate with low, transparent fees
- ⚡ Use the batch payments tool to create and send up to 1,000 payments in a single transfer
- 👥 Run payroll and make international payments for up to 1,000 employees all over the world - including paying suppliers using local payment methods like ACH, SEPA, and Faster Payments
- 💳 Get business debit cards with 0.5% cashback for you and your team to keep track of team expenses and spend all over the world, with real-time visibility and categorisation. See full cashback terms and conditions
- 🏢 Manage cash in 55+ currencies across international offices from a single business account and move money between business accounts in seconds (exact speeds can vary depending on individual circumstances and may not be the same for all transactions)
- 🧾 Connect and sync every business transaction to your favourite accounting software, including Xero, Quickbooks, and more
- 🔐 Create your own payment approvals process to manage your team better with customised access for different team members, roles and permissions
- 📑 Create custom professional invoices and schedule invoice payments for future dates
- 📈 Earn variable returns on GBP, USD and EUR with Wise Interest (Growth not guaranteed. Your balance will go down in the event of a government default or interest rates going negative.)
- 🔗 Create payment links and QR codes to get paid easily (Card payment acceptance for new Wise Business customers is currently unavailable. Payment methods subject to eligibility and availability.)
- ⚙️ Automate payouts with the Wise API (comes with 24/7 customer support, a sandbox account to test integrations, API tokens, and clear documents on how to implement and make the most of our API)
Make the wise choice when selecting a business account for your domestic and global needs.
Be Smart, Get Wise.
Register for Wise Business ✍️
Wise Interest disclaimer: Growth not guaranteed. Your balance will go down in the event of a government default or interest rates going negative. Taxes may apply. 3.32% variable rate on GBP is based on 7 day performance as of 05 Aug 2026. For full 5-year past performance and fund information, visit https://wise.com/interest. Investments are offered by Wise Assets UK Ltd. (FRN 839689)
Wise services and features are not available in all regions, country and product restrictions apply. Visit wise.com to check availability, and for fee details and terms for your region, visit our pricing page for Wise Business.
Frequently asked questions
Can a freelancer in mainland China use every feature on an international provider's website?
No. The contracting entity and account country matter. For example, Airwallex's China pricing page excludes Grow for mainland China entities and limits specified card, spend, payment-acceptance and integration features to non-China entities. Check the local conditions for the exact product.
Can I receive foreign-currency income and withdraw it in CNY?
Confirm both stages separately: receipt in the agreed invoice currency and withdrawal to your Chinese bank. PingPong's CNY payout documentation describes channel-registration and trade-related requirements. A supported foreign-currency receiving account doesn't by itself establish that every CNY withdrawal is eligible.
Does PayPal charge the same fee for every China account?
No. PayPal's China merchant fee page identifies the account services to which it applies. Match your agreement to the correct tariff, then check the receipt fee, fixed charge, conversion and withdrawal cost.
What should I compare before choosing an account for overseas freelance income?
Compare the currencies your clients can pay, the accepted payment method, the receiving fee, the FX rate and the cost of withdrawing to your own bank. Also ask which business documents are required and whether the platform accepts your type of services. Compare a complete payment journey rather than the subscription alone.
Sources:
- Airwallex - China pricing
- Payoneer - Freelancers
- Payoneer - Pricing
- Payoneer - Annual account fee
- PayPal - Business
- PayPal - Merchant fees for China accounts
- PingPong - Flowmore cross-border collections
- PingPong - Payout API and CNY withdrawal requirements
Sources last checked on 5 November 2026
Wise Payments Limited (WPL) is an e-money institution, which means we protect customer funds by safeguarding them. WPL is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 900507). Learn more at wise.com.
*Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.
This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its subsidiaries and its affiliates, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional.
We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether expressed or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date.
