Freelancing and remote work from South Africa has gone mainstream. From Cape Town’s design studios to Pretoria’s tech hubs and Durban’s bustling content scene, South African remote workers are landing gigs with clients across the world — and many of those pay in British pounds (GBP).

But receving your hard earned money can be a struggle Delays, high fees, and poor exchange rates can turn a great gig into a headache.

Let's discuss the challenges of traditional payment methods and  show you a much easier way to receive GBP payments in South Africa with Grey.

The challenges of traditional payment methods

Many South African freelancers and businesses rely on traditional methods to receive international payments, like bank transfers or third-party platforms. While these options may seem familiar, they come with a range of issues that can make the process frustrating and costly:

• Slow transfer times: International transfers can take 3-7 days to process, which can be a major inconvenience for freelancers who need their money sooner.
• High fees: You’ll likely be charged receiving fees, which can reduce your earnings. This is especially true if you're dealing with banks or intermediary payment providers.
• Currency conversion issues: Banks often offer poor exchange rates when converting GBP to ZAR, meaning you lose out on the value of your payments.
• Hidden charges: Additional costs for international payments drive up your expenses just to receive your own hard-earned money.

It’s clear that traditional banking and third-party platforms often fall short when it comes to receiving payments from UK clients as aSouth African resident.

Related article: Grey vs. local banks: The best currency exchange option in South Africa

A smarter solution: Using Grey to receive UK payments in South Africa

The best alternative to these traditional methods is Grey, a modern platform that simplifies receiving international payments for South African freelancers. Grey allows you to receive GBP payments from UK clients quickly, securely, and without the hassle of traditional banking.

Here’s how Grey works:

1. Sign up for a free Grey account
2. Head to grey.co or download the Grey app. After registering and completing a quick verification process, you can access your account details.
3. Get your UK bank account details
4. Once you’re verified, you’ll receive UK GBP account details, including a sort code and account number. Share these with your UK clients to receive payments directly into your Grey account.
5. Receive payments quickly
6. Your UK clients can transfer funds directly to your Grey account, and you'll receive them in GBP, without the delays or high fees of international bank transfers.
7. Convert and withdraw your funds
8. When you’re ready, you can convert your GBP to ZAR at the best exchange rates and withdraw directly to your South African bank account.

Key benefits of using Grey

Why should South African freelancers consider Grey for receiving payments from the UK with Grey? Let's discuss benefits:

• Instant GBP account: You don’t need to open a separate UK bank account. Grey provides you with UK bank details instantly.
• Faster payments: Transfers from the UK to Grey are processed quickly, allowing you to get paid faster than traditional bank transfers.
• Lower fees: Grey offers a more affordable way to receive international payments with no hidden fees or high charges.
• Better exchange rates: Grey gives you competitive exchange rates when converting GBP to ZAR, so you can keep more of your earnings.
• Secure and reliable: With Grey, your money is secure, and your personal data is protected with the highest level of security.

Freelancers across South Africa trust Grey because it simplifies the process of getting paid by international clients, without the usual delays and fees.

You may also like: How to open US and UK bank accounts in South Africa

Grey is for more than just receiving payments

In addition to making it easy to receive payments from UK clients, Grey also offers a range of features that can help you manage your finances:

• Send money internationally: You can use Grey to send money to other countries easily and affordably.
• Receive and send USDC securely: Grey supports stablecoin transfers, allowing you to receive USDC from clients and send it to crypto wallets quickly and safely.
• Send professional invoices: Create and share invoices with international clients right from your Grey dashboard.
• Spend online with Grey's globally accepted USD virtual Mastercard: If you need to pay for online subscriptions or services, such as Canva, Adobe, or Zoom, Grey’s virtual card makes it easy to pay without worrying about exchange restrictions.

Start receiving payments from the UK in South Africa with ease

As a freelancer in South Africa, getting paid by UK clients doesn’t have to be a complicated process. With Grey, you can receive GBP payments directly, without the high fees or long delays of traditional banking methods.

Create your free Grey account today and start receiving payments from your UK clients faster, easier, and more cost-effectively.

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