Find a way to get paid

Money isn’t everything. The reason to go freelance is the freedom to choose where and when to work. But we also have to pay our bills, so let’s make sure you have a way to receive money.

Here’s what I’ve used to get paid 👇

Disclaimer: Some of these have referral links, but I wouldn’t recommend anything that I’ve not personally used myself.

PayPal

(international)

This is an easy way to send and receive money. Almost everyone has a PayPal account. But they charge quite a lot of fees! But they only deduct those once a transfer is made. If you want to make it easy for your customers to pay you, this can be a good option. But be aware that they’ll take quite a chunk.

Stripe

(international)

Stripe is similar to PayPal but much easier to use and it takes a smaller cut of each sale you make.

Wise

(international)

If you’re planning to trade with businesses in different currencies, this one is for you. I’ve only used Wise for my private finances, not for my business. But if it’s as good for business as it is for private purposes, it’s definitely worth looking into it.

Starling

(UK only)

I’ve used Starling since I started freelancing in 2019 and never had an issue with it. I’m quite happy with how their app is set up. You don’t have to go to a bank branch to open a business account. Actually, it took me only a few minutes to set up an account and I was able to use the card online instantly.

Here’s a referral link, you won’t get much out of it other than a day pass to a National Trust venue.

Monzo

(UK only)

When I launched my freelance UX business, I couldn’t open a Monzo business account. Maybe because I registered as a Ltd.

But I’ve managed to open a business account as a sole trader for the Freelance Blueprint brand to make sure mentees won’t have to pay VAT.

So far, I’ve not used it much for the business because most payments are through my UX account where I use my Starling account.

But if you’re interested in opening a bank account with Monzo, here’s a referral link that will give you £5 to get started (Wohoo! Free money 🙌)

Why you need a separate bank account

When you start to work for yourself, it’s good to separate your personal finances from your business finances. And the easiest way to do that is to have a separate bank account for your freelance business.

Find an account that works for you

Depending on where you are in the world or which companies you’re planning to get into business with (just within your country or international), there might be other accounts that work better for you.

Just because I gave a list of accounts that worked for me doesn’t mean that it’ll be the best for your circumstances. So find a payment method that you trust, that protects you in case there are any scams and where you have a fast customer service if you have any doubts about payments.

👩🏻‍💻 Free Guide

The exercise described in this blog article is one of the steps of my free guide for people who want to create a work life that works for them.

Get the guide for free.