Payoneer vs PayPal: Mass Payments Solution Comparison

There are many options online for a payment processor, but two brands stand out: Payoneer and PayPal. 

How you pay people significantly influences company cash flow, including the timing of transfers, bank fees, global reach, and ease of use. When comparing Payoneer vs PayPal, each can be beneficial depending on your circumstances and needs.

In this article, we compare PayPal vs Payoneer and answer the questions you need to know.

What Does Payoneer Do?

Payoneer is an international payment platform that is designed to simplify mass payments for businesses. It allows organizations to send payments to freelancers, contractors, suppliers, and vendors in 200+ countries and regions.

Companies can issue bulk payments in just a few clicks, whether paying marketplace sellers, a remote team, or affiliate partners. Recipients can decide how they want to receive funds: whether that’s a local bank transfer, a Payoneer account, or a Payoneer debit card for direct withdrawals.

Payoneer helps businesses scale cross-border financial operations without the friction of managing multiple banking relationships.

Payoneer supports these currencies: 

USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, AUD, JPY, and CNH.

What Does PayPal Do?

PayPal is a combined payment gateway and payment processor. Setting up a business account is free, and you don’t need to register to use the service. PayPal charges can be added to the recipient. 

A business can accept payment for goods and services through PayPal and send global payments. PayPal works as an end-to-end commerce partner for brands and marketplaces with the flexibility a business needs to stay competitive. 

PayPal integrates with various programs for small to medium businesses and enterprises, including risk management, accelerated growth, fraud protection, fundraising, e-commerce, and product spotlight.  

Compare Key Features: Payoneer vs PayPal vs Tipalti

Payoneer Features Overview 

Receiving Payment

Customers can pay via credit card, ACH direct deposit, or Payoneer account. You can also bill clients, request payments worldwide, and offer several simple and secure ways to pay online.

A business can receive payments from top marketplaces like iStock, Airbnb, Fiverr, Upwork, and more, in multiple currencies. 

Withdraw money from any ATM in the world. Since withdrawal is a fixed fee, a Payoneer Mastercard owner pays the same rate, no matter where they bank. 

Sending Payment

Pay other vendors, freelancers, contractors, etc., using ACH bank debit, credit card, or a local bank transfer. You can also pay people per project or on a monthly, recurring basis (i.e. subscription).  

Payoneer allows a business to pay EU and UK VAT from your account for free. This saves on costly conversion and transfer fees.

Managing Funds

Companies can open their own local currency account in the United States, Europe, the UK, and more. 

What is Payoneer account? This is where funds are easily transferred from your to your business bank account whenever needed. 

Manage all the currencies you need with a multi-currency conversion service. You can also aggregate all ecommerce stores and view their payment activity in one convenient dashboard.

Working Capital

Payoneer will give you a merchant cash advance of up to $750,000 through Amazon and Walmart if you are a seller on the platform. 

The program is called Capital Advance and is available at three levels, with each featuring larger amounts, longer settlement periods, and more offers to choose from. 

Payoneer Integrations

Payoneer integrates with a variety of accounting platforms, eCommerce marketplaces, and API integrations, including:

• Shopify
• Sage
• QuickBooks
• Xero
• Magneto
• BigCommerce

Payoneer Pricing

Some of the more common Payoneer fees include:

• Annual Account Maintenance Fee – $29.95
• Currency Conversion Fees – 2% mid-market exchange rate
• Withdrawal Fees – $1.50-$3.00
• Card Activation and Replacement Fees
• Inactivity Fees – $1/month

It should be noted that fees will vary depending on factors like your account type, transaction volume, and specific services used. These rates are still highly competitive compared to Payoneer alternatives.

Payoneer Fees

When comparing Payoneer to PayPal, Payoneer has fewer fees, but some of them can come as a surprise. Here are the basic charges you will deal with:

Does Payoneer Charge a Monthly Fee? 

The annual account fee for Payoneer is $29.95, but that is only charged after 12 months of inactivity. So, unless you have multiple accounts, most businesses will not have to worry about this.

All user-to-user transactions are free as long as they are drawn from the Payoneer account balance. 

Getting Paid

A company can send payment requests to clients with the option to pay via credit card and ACH bank debit (the US only). They can also pay via local bank transfer into your receiving accounts.

• 3% Credit Card (all currencies)
• 1% ACH Bank Debits

If both users have a Payoneer account, transfers are free. They are also free if you are using your bank account through Payoneer.

Paying Out

Paying customers directly from your Payoneer balance to their bank account via a bank transfer costs up to 2% of the transaction and 3% for a credit card.

A fixed fee of $1.50 also applies when you use a USD, EUR, or GBP balance to make a payment to a bank account that is:

• In the same currency  

• In a country where the payment currency is the local currency

• In the same country as your Payoneer profile

Payoneer customers can make batch payments of up to 200 bank accounts at once with a 2% fee.

International Fees

The platform adds a currency conversion charge of 2% to 2.75% for international transactions, depending on the country. If you use Mastercard in a non-listed currency, you are subject to Mastercard’s exchange rates.

In addition, Payoneer may offer fee waivers or discounts for certain users or transactions. For the most accurate and personalized Payoneer fee data, review their fee schedule or contact customer support.

Making a Transfer with Payoneer

Payoneer is a money transfer service that extends across borders worldwide. Your Payoneer account operates just like a traditional bank account. Once you provide customers with your Payoneer account information, money can be received and deposited into your local bank account. 

The “Make a Payment” service allows companies to pay contractors, freelancers, suppliers, and team members quickly. Funds can be distributed directly from your Payoneer account to the professionals selected. 

Unlike PayPal, recipients do not need a Payoneer account to complete the transaction (although they will be charged a small transfer fee). If they have an account, it’s free—even for global payments. 

Payoneer Card

The prepaid Mastercard can be used as a debit card for any type of transaction, including e-commerce. Payments are sent to Payoneer Mastercard, rather than going into your online account (and then transferring to a local bank account). 

Please note that the Payoneer Mastercard has a $29.99/year fee.

This means less hassle if you need to acquire funds quickly. The card can be used at any ATM worldwide but has a maximum daily limit of $2,500. According to the fee structure, they will also charge you an average of 1% of the transaction in foreign exchange fees.

Payoneer Support

How does Payoneer work when it comes to support? has a help desk with a customer support system and a collection of resources to build your knowledge base. The company has offices in multiple countries and is available via email, phone, and live chat.

PayPal Features Overview

Receiving Payment

PayPal Checkout enables a business to accept a range of payment types. Customers can use a single solution to pay on your site or in a mobile app (iPhone and Android). The system will intelligently present the most relevant payment type to customers, including credit/debit card, another PayPal account, or even installments through PayPal Credit.

A brand can use PayPal Invoicing to send custom invoices to clients for free. The documents are tracked in the system, which alerts you when an invoice has been paid. Companies can also give customers a repeat way of checking out through recurring payment options (i.e. subscriptions). 

In addition, a business can sell on social media through PayPal. Create shareable listings across different platforms that include photos, descriptions, and a direct payment link. Learn more about PayPal international fees for receiving a payment.

Sending Payment

A business can pay contractors, vendors, freelancers, and other entities directly from their PayPal account. Transfers can also be scheduled through the main dashboard.

The PayPal Business Debit Mastercard allows you to use a PayPal account anywhere Mastercard is a payment method, without an annual fee or a credit check. 

PayPal can also be used to send mass payments worldwide through PayPal Payouts. Funds are received by recipients in over 100 countries, using 24 different currencies, making PayPal mass payments a highly useful feature.

Managing Funds

PayPal has one of the largest payment datasets to help a business connect with qualified customers across the globe. 

Rather than wait a day or two, the “Instant Transfer” feature allows you to move funds to an eligible bank account or debit card immediately for a small fee.

Fraud detection tools use machine learning to grow smarter with each transaction you make, protecting your account from existing and evolving threats.

The platform promotes chargeback protection by assuming liability for all eligible debit and credit card transactions. If one turns out to be fraudulent, PayPal will reimburse the chargeback fee and purchase amount. 

PayPal also helps a business manage its funds with in-depth reporting, analytics, shipping, cash management tools, and more. 

Working Capital

The PayPal Business Loan is a fixed-term loan that’s based on the full picture of your business. Check your eligibility in minutes, and if approved, funds can be deposited as quickly as the next business day. There are no late, processing, or early repayment fees.

PayPal also has plans to boost nonprofit fundraising. They can help you find the best way to connect with donors, anywhere, at any time.  

PayPal Pricing

Although PayPal is incredibly open about its fees, expect to find pages and pages to sift through. Much like a credit card company, transparency can drown in an overload of data. 

Does PayPal Have a Monthly Fee?

PayPal does not charge a monthly fee to keep an account open. Unlike Payoneer, you can have a $0 balance for a year straight, and the platform will not close your account. 

There is no minimum balance required. If someone uses PayPal to send money to your account, there is also no fee associated with that. 

It should be noted, transaction fees for PayPal can vary depending on the circumstance. It involves things like:

• Country
• Whether you were using your bank account or PayPal balance
• Whether you used a credit or debit card
• International transfers

Getting Paid

The standard rate for receiving domestic transactions through PayPal is 3.49% + fixed fee. The PayPal Here solution is great for a business to get paid while on-the-go, or to bring the checkout experience directly to the customer.

When it comes to accepting payments, here are some rates to consider:

• Card Present Transactions – 2.70%
• Keyed Transactions – 3.50% + fixed fee
• PayPal Transactions (In-Store) – 2.70%
• QR code Transactions – 2.70%
• International – 1.50% 

Paying Out

Sending payments from your PayPal account (or attached bank account) costs nothing. The fee is always waived. For card transactions, there is a charge of 2.90% + a fixed fee.

International Fees

PayPal international transaction fees also include currency conversion fees. Using PayPal Payouts for international transactions costs 2% of the total transaction amount. This is not to exceed the maximum fee cap, ranging from $1-$20 in the United States.

PayPal’s conversion rates are mostly 4% (with rare instances of 3%). This includes paying for goods/services in a currency other than what is listed. Sending money to be received in a currency other than what you paid will also incur fees.

Payoneer vs PayPal Fees

Making a Transfer with PayPal

Anyone can send money through PayPal, even if they don’t have an account. There’s no need to share bank information just to send money, although in some cases, there is a daily PayPal limit.

It’s always free to make a transfer as well. It can be done in these easy steps:

1. Enter the seller’s email address.
2. Enter the amount.
3. Type in your payment data.
4. Click “Transfer”

If you have a PayPal account, all transactions are tracked and accounted for in “account activity.” This makes it much easier when it’s time for taxes.

PayPal Card

The PayPal Cash Card gives a business the ability to shop online or in-store everywhere Mastercard is accepted. You can tap, insert, or swipe that card as a safer way to shop. 

Withdraw cash worldwide, including over 32,000 fee-free ATMs. There is no monthly fee to retain the card and no minimum balance. It can sit in your wallet forever.

When it comes to withdrawal limits, PayPal has an initial $500 withdrawal limit for unverified accounts in the United States. This limit can be lifted by following these steps:

1. Verify your bank account.
2. Link and confirm your credit/debit card information.
3. Provide your social security number.

Does PayPal charge a fee? Learn more about PayPal Fees.

PayPal Support

PayPal offers calls, live chat, or text for support. However, they mostly rely on the help center and pre-written resources to guide customers. The dedicated Resolution Center helps a business resolve transaction and account issues. 

The Community and Message Centers are designed to find answers and join the conversation. View, send, and receive all communications in the PayPal Message Center to keep track of ongoing issues. 

In the Dispute Management Center, buyers and sellers can resolve unavoidable disputes, and settle all transactions from the account dashboard.

Most of the PayPal support system is automated, and the brand pushes toward self-help.

Payoneer vs PayPal: Which is Better for Mass Payments? 

Is it going to be Payoneer or PayPal? It all depends on your needs. Here’s when to choose each platform for mass payments:

When to Choose Payoneer

When to Choose PayPal

Who Wins? Payoneer or PayPal?

Looking for a Scalable Mass Payments Solution? 

If you’re comparing Payoneer and PayPal for sending international payments, another powerful alternative is Tipalti. It’s a global payables automation platform for businesses managing high-volume, global mass payouts. Listen to what their customers say:

Tipalti’s mass payout platform was exactly what we wanted. Our main priority was to find a technology solution that could digitize tax collection, improve reporting capabilities, and centralize multi-subsidiary payouts in one platform.

Irene Altman Becklund | VP, Controller, Hims & Hers

Tipalti is designed to help finance teams streamline mass payments to partners, freelancers, suppliers, and creators across 196 countries and in 120+ currencies.

When it comes to Tipalti vs. Payoneer or Tipalti vs PayPal, the software platform does not integrate with Payoneer, but it does with PayPal.

• Make mass payments via global ACH, wire, PayPal, prepaid debit cards, and more.
• Eliminate up to 80% of AP workload through automation.
• Ensure tax and regulatory compliance with built-in W-9/W-8 collection and validation, KYC, OFAC screening, and global VAT support.
• Automate the full payout lifecycle—from payee onboarding to invoice processing, approvals, payments, and reconciliation.
• Reduce manual errors and payment delays, all while cutting operational costs.

Tipalti is known for its exceptional customer service, transparent pricing, and responsiveness. This is especially useful for companies with unique or evolving payment needs.

Whether scaling a marketplace, ad network, or global workforce, Tipalti has the infrastructure and efficiency to make high-volume international payments seamless and compliant.

Read more about top payment methods here.

Your Next Step Toward Smarter Global Payments

From Payoneer to PayPal to Tipalti, the platform you choose depends on your goals. PayPal has many more tools, so a business can get creative, but that also means you need to keep track of more costs as you add things on.

So, what are your next steps?

• Evaluate your mass payments need
• Compare these solutions to others on the market
• Explore key integrations
• Set up an account with one of these platforms

Payoneer’s services are often preferred over PayPal for international money transfers and mass payments. Unless you need a payment gateway. In this case, PayPal is your answer.

Factors influencing your choice include price, convenience, and ease of use. Careful research and a thorough understanding of your business structure ensure that the solution you purchase will drive growth and lead to future success. 

Just remember: if you plan to grow, choose a payment automation solution designed to scale. Tipalti is one great option, especially for mass global payments. The platform pays to 196 countries in 120 currencies.

As the world continues to enter a digital universe, best-in-class organizations prioritize automation to attract and retain partners. Whether you run a startup or an enterprise business, digital transformation benefits all. 

Ready to scale your payments? Book a demo with a Tipalti specialist today to see how you can start accelerating your close by up to 25% and reduce payment errors by up to 66%.