How to receive Deel payments outside the US

Deel has solved multiple problems plaguing the global remote work industry and contractor arrangements. It is a comprehensive global HR and payroll platform designed to help companies hire, manage, and pay international employees and contractors in 150+ countries. It automates compliance with local labour laws, handles payroll, manages benefits, and offers equipment provisioning, allowing businesses to hire globally without setting up local entities.

But today, we are focusing on how Deel is solving the  global payment problem and how you can receive Deel payments outside the US.

Understanding how Deel payments work

Here is what happens when your client uses Deel:

• The client pays Deel via bank transfer, card, or another supported method on their end.
• Deel processes the payment and holds it in your Deel balance.
• You initiate a withdrawal to your chosen destination using whichever method you have set up.
• The funds move from your Deel balance to the account

Deel doesn’t charge contractors a subscription fee. The costs that apply are withdrawal fees and, in many cases, currency conversion fees charged either by Deel or by the withdrawal platform on the receiving end.

Your Deel balance is held in USD by default. You may choose to withdraw in USD if you have an account that supports USD or convert to your currency when withdrawing to you account.

Also read: How freelancers receive recurring payments from US clients

Receiving Deel payments via local bank transfer

For contractors in countries where Deel supports local bank payouts, this is the most straightforward option. Deel processes payments via local banking rails, converting USD to your local currency and depositing it directly into your bank account.

Deel does not charge a withdrawal fee for local bank transfers in most supported countries, but currency conversion happens on Deel's end. This conversion occurs during withdrawal, and the exchange rate is not always disclosed upfront. So, you are not sure of how much you are losing to exchange rate margins.

Processing your withdrawal typically takes 1 to 5 business days, depending on the country.

Receiving Deel payments via bank transfer

SWIFT is an option for contractors whose country is not supported by Deel's local bank transfer infrastructure, or who hold a foreign currency account.

How it works mechanically:

• Deel initiates a SWIFT message to the receiving bank via the correspondent banking network.
• One or more correspondent banks process the transfer in transit, each potentially deducting a handling fee of $10 to $25.
• The funds arrive at the destination bank within 2 to 5 business days, sometimes sooner than the amount sent if correspondent deductions are applied.

Deel charges $5 to $25 per SWIFT withdrawal, and there is no way to tell how much the correspondent bank(s) will deduct for processing the transaction.

On the other hand, virtual USD accounts like Grey and Wise are considered bank transfer options for Deel withdrawals. However, the mechanism and cost involved are significantly different. We will look more into them.

Also read: Virtual US accounts explained: who they work for

Receiving Deel payments with Wise

Wise is available as a withdrawal destination on Deel for contractors in supported countries. Deel does not charge a withdrawal fee for Wise. The costs on this route are Wise's own conversion fee and any applicable exchange charges on the receiving end.

What makes Wise worth considering:

• Wise applies the mid-market rate to conversions, with the fee clearly disclosed before confirmation.
• When converting from USD to a local currency, Wise's fee typically ranges from 0.4% to 1.5%, depending on the currency and amount.
• Processing is typically within one business day, and in many cases, the same day.

Wise often has restrictions in some climes. It is a good idea to confirm that Wise supports your specific country and currency before relying on it.

Receiving Deel payments with Grey

Grey offers multi-currency accounts, allowing contractors to receive payments in USD, GBP, or EUR and transfer them to their foreign accounts. Withdrawals from Deel usually take 1–2 business days, though they may take longer due to processing or compliance checks.

Grey charges a 0.8% deposit fee on incoming payments (capped at $10 and a minimum of $2).  You can hold USD in Grey or convert to your local currency at competitive rates within the app before withdrawing to your local bank. A flat fee applies for local bank withdrawals.

You can set this up in Deel by selecting "Bank transfer," then selecting the relevant currency, and entering the account details provided by Grey.

Receiving Deel payments with Payoneer

Payoneer is one of the most popular withdrawal options among international contractors on Deel, primarily because it is fast, widely supported, and familiar to people who have used it before. After receiving USD in your Payoneer account, you need to convert and withdraw to your local currency. Deel does not charge a withdrawal fee for Payoneer. But there are fees applied on  Payoneer's side:

• Payoneer doesn’t charge a visible conversion fee, but it applies a 2% to 3% markup to the exchange rate.
• Payoneer's withdrawal fee is 2%
• There is an annual account fee of $29.95 if the account receives less than $2,000 in a 12-month period.

Withdrawing from Deel with the Deel Card

The Deel Card is a virtual prepaid Mastercard that lets verified contractors spend directly from their Deel balance without initiating a withdrawal first. As soon as a payment lands in your Deel balance, it is available to spend on the card.

Key features of the Deel Card:

• No transaction fees for USD purchases.
• A 1.25% fee applies to non-USD transactions, such as paying for a local subscription priced in naira or a European vendor priced in EUR.
• Compatible with Google Pay, Facebook Pay, and Meta Pay.
• No ATM withdrawal support.
• Balance held in USD, which shields contractors in volatile currency markets from local currency fluctuations on unspent earnings.

The Deel Card is particularly useful for contractors who want to use their USD earnings for international subscriptions, tools, or online purchases directly. Paying for AWS hosting, a Figma subscription, or a ChatGPT Plus renewal directly from a USD balance avoids the conversion markup that appears when a local currency card is used for USD-priced services.

Receiving Deel payments with PayPal

PayPal is available as a Deel withdrawal method in locations where PayPal supports withdrawals. Deel allows contractors to withdraw funds to PayPal, which generally takes about 1 business day and incurs a 2.5% fee (minimum $0.25 USD). PayPal charges you when withdrawing to a local bank account.

PayPal's conversion from USD to local currency typically applies a rate 3% to 5% below the mid-market rate. For instance, on a $1,000 withdrawal, that amounts to a $30 to $50 loss before adding PayPal’s withdrawal fee. In markets where PayPal's local functionality is limited or account restrictions are common, PayPal is the least reliable withdrawal option.

When linking your PayPal account to your Deel account, it is essential that your email addresses match.

Receiving crypto payments from Deel with Coinbase

For contractors who receive payments in crypto, Deel integrates with Coinbase as a withdrawal option. Supported currencies include Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), USD Coin (USDC), and Dash (DASH). Coinbase charges a 1.5% fee to contractors for this option.

While crypto payments are relatively uncommon, they are useful for contractors managing unstable local currencies.

Receive Deel payments with Grey

Grey gives contractors outside the US virtual USD accounts with real US routing numbers and account numbers that work as Deel withdrawal destinations. You can keep your payout in USD or convert at mid-market rates and withdraw to your local bank account at a flat fee whenever you need to.

To set up your Grey account to receive Deel payments

1. Get a Grey account: Complete your verification and request a virtual USD bank account.
2. Add method on Deel: In your Deel account, navigate to Settings and then ****Withdraw Methods. Choose to add a new account.
3. Enter bank details: Select "Bank Transfer" and fill in the ACH routing number and account number provided by Grey.
4. Verification: Ensure the bank account holder's name on Grey matches the name on your Deel account.

Managing Deel payment with Grey gives you a payment setup that avoids delays, unclear fees and forced conversions. Sign up on Grey and download the app to manage your Deel payment efficiently.

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