FxLeakage
Best for Digital agency

Best payments stack for digital agencies (2026)

Multiple clients, multiple currencies, a small team to pay — needs treasury, not just a wallet.

Our picks, ranked

  1. Ax
    #1
    Airwallex

    Multi-entity collection + batch payouts + expense cards.

  2. W
    #2
    Wise Business

    Cheapest per-transfer FX for retainer sweeps.

  3. S
    #3
    Stripe

    Hosted invoices for card-first clients.

Playbook tips

  • ▸Collect in the client's currency; convert weekly at Wise/Airwallex — never inside the processor.
  • ▸Reconcile leakage per client — some retainers are secretly loss-making after FX.
  • ▸Standardize on one payout rail for contractors to simplify month-end.

Run your numbers

Showing latest calculation.
The leak story
vs Stripe International

Your bank just got $290.30 richer.

That's enough to pay for…
  • 7 months at a decent gym
  • 19 Uber rides across town
  • 3 grams of 24k gold
Over a year at this pace

You'll leak $3,484 — that's a two-week trip to Bali.

Every. Single. Year.

Plug the leak — route via Wise Business.
Know a freelancer leaking the same? Send this their way.
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PayPal
4.4% + $0.30 · 2.5% FX markup
Leaky
Fee$440.30
FX leak$238.99
Skimmed$679.29
You keep
$9,321
Stripe International
4.3% + $0.30 · 2.0% FX markup
Fee$430.30
FX leak$191.39
Skimmed$621.69
You keep
$9,378
Payoneer
3% flat · 1.5% FX markup
Fee$300.00
FX leak$145.50
Skimmed$445.50
You keep
$9,555
Winner!
Wise Business
0.5% transparent · 0% FX markup
Fee$50.00
FX leak$0.00
Skimmed$50.00
You keep
Take-home
$9,950
Open free Wise Business account →
Airwallex
1% intl · 0.6% FX markup
Fee$100.00
FX leak$59.40
Skimmed$159.40
You keep
$9,841
Revolut Business
0.4% · interbank FX (0.4% beyond plan)
Fee$40.00
FX leak$39.84
Skimmed$79.84
You keep
$9,920
WorldFirst
0% fee · 0.5% FX markup
Fee$0.00
FX leak$50.00
Skimmed$50.00
You keep
$9,950
Mercury
Free wires · ~1% FX spread
Fee$0.00
FX leak$100.00
Skimmed$100.00
You keep
$9,900
Bank Wire (SWIFT)
$25 flat · 3% FX spread
Fee$25.00
FX leak$299.25
Skimmed$324.25
You keep
$9,676
Deel
3% withdraw · 1.5% FX markup
Fee$300.00
FX leak$145.50
Skimmed$445.50
You keep
$9,555
Smart Tip

Stop the leak! Based on your parameters, Wise Business saves you $3,484/year compared to Stripe International.

Switch the rail and reclaim that margin every cycle.

Per invoice
$290.30
Extrapolated yearly
$3,484
How we calculated it

Difference between Stripe International and Wise Business on the same invoice, split into the two leak sources:

  • Platform fee delta$290.30
  • FX markup leakage delta$0.00
  • Per-invoice savings$290.30
  • × 12 months$3,484

Winner breakdown

0.00% better than Airwallex
Calculation breakdown · Wise Business
Gross billed
$10,000
Platform fee %
0.00%
Total platform fee
$0.00
Conversion rate
1.0000
FX markup
0.00%
Effective rate
1.0000
Receiving amount
$10,000
Hidden FX loss
$0.00
Total loss
$0.00
Final payout$10,000

Other playbooks

Upwork freelancer →Fiverr seller →Etsy seller →YouTube creator →Shopify store owner →Indie SaaS founder →Remote employee →