You send a $12,000 invoice with a “Pay Now” button. The client clicks it, pays by credit card, and you get $11,652. You’ve just donated $348 to a payment processor for a transaction that could have cost $10 via bank transfer. The tool choice matters. So does knowing which tool wins at which amount.
The Fee Math by Payment Amount
Run the numbers before you decide which method to default to:
| Invoice Amount | Stripe Card (2.9% + $0.30) | Stripe ACH (0.8%, cap $5) | Bank Wire (flat ~$15–25) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $500 | $14.80 | $4.00 | $15–25 |
| $2,000 | $58.30 | $5.00 | $15–25 |
| $5,000 | $145.30 | $5.00 | $15–25 |
| $15,000 | $435.30 | $5.00 | $15–25 |
| $50,000 | $1,450.30 | $5.00 | $15–25 |
The crossover point where ACH beats card is around $600 (once the ACH cap kicks in). The crossover point where bank wire beats Stripe card is around $700. For anything over $5,000, the case for bank transfer is overwhelming.
The Decision Matrix
Use this four-variable matrix to decide:
Variable 1: Invoice amount. Under $2,000: payment link is acceptable. $2,000–$10,000: offer both, incentivize bank transfer. Over $10,000: bank transfer strongly preferred or required.
Variable 2: Client type. Consumer-adjacent clients (solopreneurs, creators, small businesses) prefer payment links, they’re used to clicking “Pay Now.” Corporate clients with AP departments prefer and often require bank transfer.
Variable 3: Urgency. Need payment today or tomorrow: payment link via Stripe with Instant Payout. Standard timeline: bank transfer is fine.
Variable 4: Geography. Domestic: ACH is cheap and reliable. International: Wise Business beats SWIFT on cost and speed for most corridors.
The single best default for international invoices over $2,000: Wise Business bank transfer. Fees around 0.4–0.8%, near-mid-market FX, local receiving accounts in 10+ currencies.
Offering Both Methods: The Surcharge Approach
The cleanest way to offer both methods without absorbing card fees: state on your invoice that bank transfers carry no fee and credit card payments include a 3% processing fee. Most clients in the $3,000–$10,000 range will choose bank transfer to save the fee, which is exactly the outcome you want.
Sample invoice line: “Payment methods: Bank transfer (no fee) | Credit card (3% processing fee added to total). Payment link: [URL]”
This is transparent, legally defensible in most jurisdictions, and practically effective.
When to Offer Payment Links Only
For very small invoices, under $300, a bank transfer may cost more in processing time (verifying the account, waiting for the wire to clear, reconciling in your accounting software) than the payment link fee saves. Below $300, just use a payment link and price the fee into your rates.
Payment links also work better for first-time clients who haven’t established trust yet. A payment link feels lower commitment, like a store checkout. A bank transfer requires the client to go into their banking app and manually enter your account details, which introduces more friction at exactly the moment when friction can cause them to pause.
Building the Two-Method Invoice Template
Your invoice should show both payment options clearly in a “How to Pay” section at the bottom:
Option A, Bank Transfer (preferred for amounts over $2,000): [Your bank name, account number, routing or IBAN, reference: invoice number]
Option B, Credit Card (additional 3% processing fee applies): [Payment link URL]
Label bank transfer as “preferred” for larger amounts. Clients read the label. Most will choose the preferred option, which is the one that costs you nothing.
The International Exception
For international invoices, the bank transfer option should list your Wise Business local account details in the client’s currency, not your domestic account. A German client receiving a USD invoice with USD SWIFT details faces unnecessary friction. A German client receiving an invoice with EUR IBAN details can pay with a domestic transfer in two minutes.
This is the single highest-impact change most freelancers with international clients can make: get a Wise Business account, add your local-currency receiving accounts, and update your invoice templates. Payment speed on international invoices typically improves by 5–10 days.
