For a Pakistani freelancer, the fee a platform shows is only part of what a foreign payment costs. The rest hides in the exchange rate: a route with no fee can still deliver fewer rupees than one that charges openly. This calculator compares three common routes, Payoneer, Wise and a direct bank wire, on the only number that matters, the rupees that actually arrive.
How it works
For each route, the percentage fee and fixed fee come off the dollar amount first. What's left is converted at the mid-market rate minus that route's exchange-rate markup.
The markup is how far the rate you get is below the mid-market rate: 1 − your rate ÷ mid-market rate. Check it by comparing the PKR you received with the mid-market rate on the same day.
Fees vary by account type, currency, amount and how the money is withdrawn, and providers change them, so every fee here is an input. The defaults are examples only; enter the figures from your own accounts.
Receiving through a Pakistani bank also keeps the payment in the banking channel that section 154A export tax treatment relies on. Keep the proceeds realisation certificates (PRCs) your bank issues.
A worked example
With the example settings, $1,000 at a mid-market rate of Rs 280 is worth Rs 280,000. A 2% markup and no fee leaves Rs 274,400 through Payoneer. A 0.6% fee plus $1 at the mid-market rate leaves Rs 278,040 through Wise. A $25 wire charge and a 1% markup leaves Rs 270,270 through the bank. The best route delivers Rs 7,770 more than the worst on this one payment, and fixed fees make the gap bigger on smaller payments.
Questions people ask
Which is better for Pakistani freelancers, Payoneer or Wise?
It depends on the fees and exchange rate each gives your account, and on the amount. Enter both from your own accounts; the one that delivers more rupees on your typical payment is the better choice.
What is an exchange-rate markup?
The gap between the mid-market rate and the rate you are given. It is a cost even when no fee is listed: a 2% markup on $1,000 at Rs 280 costs Rs 5,600.
Why do fixed fees matter more on small payments?
A $25 wire charge is 2.5% of a $1,000 payment but 25% of a $100 payment. For small, frequent payments, routes with low fixed fees usually win.
Does the route affect my tax?
It can. The 0.25% or 1% section 154A rate applies to export proceeds realised through a bank in Pakistan. Make sure money ends up in your Pakistani bank account and keep your PRCs.
Should I convert immediately or hold dollars?
That's a currency bet, not a fee question. This calculator compares routes at today's rate; holding dollars in a foreign currency account adds exchange-rate risk in either direction.