Global freelancers based in the United States can benefit significantly from having a business account that makes it easy to send, hold and receive payments in multiple currencies such as US dollars.
In this guide, we've listed several business account providers and options for freelancers in the United States, 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 the United States.
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 USD client payments and manage international spending. For US clients, check that your account has the relevant USD receiving details and compare the full USD-to-GBP conversion cost if you plan to convert the earnings into GBP.
Wise Business features for eligible UK freelancers working with US clients:
- 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
- Get business debit cards for eligible team members to keep track of spending in supported locations, with transaction visibility and categorisation
- 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 the United States, then refer to the Wise Business pricing for the United States.
The withdrawal allowance with no Wise fee varies by country and is calculated per account. Check wise.com/pricing for additional information.
Register for Wise Business ✍️
2. Airwallex
Airwallex may suit UK freelancers who receive USD from US clients and also pay international expenses. Its UK Global Accounts provide local details in supported currencies, while its Wallet and cards support multi-currency spending. This is a UK-priced service, not a US domestic business bank account.
Features:
According to Airwallex's UK plans and pricing page:
- The Explore plan includes Global Accounts with local bank details in 20+ currencies, local transfers to 120+ countries and company cards.
- A USD Global Account can provide eligible businesses with US receiving details for payments from US clients.
- Explore includes payment links, expense management, bill pay and Xero/QuickBooks integrations, subject to its fair-use conditions.
- Grow adds more company cards and customisable approvals; Accelerate is custom-priced and adds multi-entity and more advanced workflow features.
Fees:
According to Airwallex's UK plans and pricing page:
- Explore: £19 per month, or £0 in a month when the qualifying £10,000 deposit or combined balance condition is met. Prices exclude VAT.
- Grow: £49 per month; Accelerate: custom pricing.
- Currency conversion: 0.5% above the interbank rate for major currencies, or 1% for other currencies.
- Airwallex lists no provider transfer fee for eligible domestic transfers in EUR, GBP and CHF; SWIFT transfers are listed at £10–£20 each, depending on charging option and route.
- Extra transaction and active-spend-user fees may apply. Compare the exact quote for your USD-to-GBP route.
3. Payoneer
Payoneer is an international payments platform rather than a US or UK current account. It may be useful if clients or freelance marketplaces already pay through it, especially when you need to receive USD and withdraw to a linked bank.
Features:
According to Payoneer's global payments page:
- Eligible users can request receiving details in supported currencies, including USD, and receive marketplace payouts.
- Payment requests and invoices let clients pay using supported methods.
- Users can hold supported currency balances, withdraw to a bank and make business payments.
- Commercial cards and other tools are subject to account and market eligibility.
Fees:
According to Payoneer's pricing page:
- Payoneer lists no receiving fee for eligible transfers from another Payoneer customer's balance; marketplace fees vary by platform.
- Local-currency receiving-account payments may have no Payoneer receiving fee; receiving into an account in a non-local currency is 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%.
- Transfers between Payoneer currency balances are listed at 0.5%; withdrawal fees depend on route and may be 1.2%–4%.
- An annual US$29.95 account fee can apply below the stated US$6,000 receipts threshold over 12 consecutive months. Card fees are separate. Check the account-specific tariff.
4. Revolut Business
Revolut Business can be compared by a UK-registered freelancer who invoices US clients and needs USD receiving, cards and FX in one service. Its local US details have a UK-entity and plan eligibility condition; they are not a general promise to every UK account holder.
Features:
According to Revolut Business's UK plan comparison, the Basic plan includes:
- Multi-currency accounts, physical and virtual corporate cards, expense management, payment links and invoicing.
- A £1,000 monthly FX allowance at the interbank rate and ten included local transfers.
- No included international transfers and no bulk-transfer feature.
The Grow plan adds:
- A £15,000 monthly FX allowance, five included international transfers and 100 included local transfers.
- Bulk transfers, custom spend approvals and more granular account permissions.
- Eligible UK Bank-entity customers can request local USD details to receive ACH, FedNow or US domestic wire payments.
The Scale plan increases the monthly FX allowance to £60,000, international transfers to 25 and local transfers to 1,000. Enterprise terms are bespoke.
Fees:
According to Revolut Business's UK plan comparison and its local USD details guidance:
- Basic starts at £10/month, Grow at £30/month and Scale at £90/month; the displayed “from” prices and annual billing terms should be checked before purchase.
- FX above the plan allowance costs 0.6%; outside market hours, Revolut lists a 1% fee.
- International transfers above the allowance are listed at £5 each; local transfers above the allowance at £0.20 each. SWIFT OUR and other route charges can differ.
- An incoming US domestic wire to UK local USD details has an £8 fee; Revolut says ACH and FedNow avoid that particular fee.
- The value of Grow's USD details depends on your actual client payment rail and FX volume, not only the monthly subscription.
5. Tide
Tide may suit a UK freelancer whose core need is everyday UK business banking but who also receives some overseas payments. It should not be mistaken for a US-incorporated business account.
Features:
According to Tide's business current account page:
- A UK business current account with app access, payment tools and automatic transaction categorisation.
- International payments, invoicing, payment links and accounting integrations.
- Virtual/expense cards and team access; some access controls depend on a paid plan.
- Cash deposit options at participating Post Office or PayPoint locations.
Fees:
According to Tide's plans and pricing page:
- Tide's entry-level business account has no monthly subscription; paid plans add included features and allowances, and transaction fees can apply.
- Transaction, cash deposit, card, international payment and FX charges depend on the plan and payment route.
- Check the current quote for a USD payment or receipt rather than treating the no-monthly-fee account as a no-cost cross-border account.
Manage your freelance earnings in the US 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 UK freelancer open a US business account?
It depends on the provider, legal entity, documentation and US banking requirements. A UK freelancer does not automatically qualify for a US domestic business bank account by having US clients. A UK multi-currency account with eligible USD receiving details is a different product, so check the provider's entity and account terms.
Do US clients need to pay a UK freelancer by international wire?
Not always. Some eligible accounts provide USD details that support domestic US payment rails such as ACH. For example, Revolut's UK guidance describes ACH and FedNow for eligible Grow-and-above customers. Confirm the rail, recipient details and any incoming fee before invoicing.
What costs matter most when receiving USD from US clients?
Compare the client payment method, incoming-transfer fee, monthly subscription, FX rate and markup, withdrawal fee and the GBP amount you ultimately receive. An incoming ACH payment with no provider receiving fee does not by itself mean the USD-to-GBP conversion has no fee.
Sources:
- Airwallex - UK plans and pricing
- Payoneer - Global payments
- Payoneer - Pricing
- Revolut Business - UK plan comparison
- Revolut - Local USD details in the UK
- Tide - Business current account
- Tide - Plans and pricing
Sources last checked on 9 October 2026
*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.
