Head-to-head
Skrill vs Payoneer: Which Pays You More?
Payoneer is built for getting paid by businesses and marketplaces. Skrill is built for moving, spending, and trading your own money. Here's exactly where each one wins.
Open a Skrill accountQuick verdict
- Getting paid by Upwork, Amazon, or a US company → Payoneer's local receiving accounts.
- Getting paid by individuals, or paying out fast → Skrill.
- Gaming, betting, Forex or crypto → Skrill only. Payoneer prohibits these.
- Lowest cost at volume → Skrill VIP (FX from 1.29%) beats Payoneer's flat ~2%.
Full feature comparison
| Feature | Skrill | Payoneer |
|---|---|---|
| Account type | Consumer e-wallet + prepaid Mastercard | Business payout account + card |
| Local receiving accounts | No | Yes (USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, more) |
| Send to another user | Instant, 1.45% | Free between Payoneer accounts |
| Merchant checkout | Yes — 1.9% flat | Limited, business-only |
| FX / conversion fee | 1.29%–3.99% by VIP tier | ~2% flat, no volume discount |
| Card payment fee received | n/a | Up to 3.99% |
| Withdrawal speed | Instant to card / same-day | 1–3 business days |
| Gaming & betting | Accepted at 200+ brands | Prohibited |
| Crypto | Buy, sell and send 30+ coins | None |
| Loyalty rewards | Knect — cash back to wallet | None |
| Currencies | 40+ | 7 receiving, ~150 payout |
| Regulation | FCA (UK) e-money institution | FinCEN (US) / CBI (Ireland) |
| Best for | Spending, trading, fast payouts | Marketplace and B2B invoicing |
Real-world cost on a $2,000 invoice
Assume a US client pays you $2,000 and you need euros in your pocket.
- Payoneer: free USD receiving, then ~2% conversion = about $40, plus a bank withdrawal fee of roughly $1.50 and a 1–3 day wait.
- Skrill (Silver VIP): wallet-to-wallet receive is free for you, FX at 2.99% = about $60 — but funds are spendable instantly on the prepaid card.
- Skrill (Diamond VIP): FX at 1.29% = about $26, cheaper than Payoneer, plus free bank withdrawals.
Run your own numbers in the Skrill fees calculator.
Where Payoneer wins
- Marketplace integrations — Upwork, Fiverr, Airbnb and Amazon pay out to Payoneer natively.
- Local bank details — clients pay a domestic transfer instead of an expensive SWIFT wire.
- Business invoicing — built-in invoice requests and VAT payouts.
Where Skrill wins
- Speed — instant sends and instant merchant payments instead of multi-day payouts.
- VIP pricing — FX drops as your volume rises; Payoneer's rate never moves.
- Breadth of use — gaming, Forex brokers, crypto and 200+ merchant categories Payoneer will not touch.
- Cash-back — Knect points convert straight back into wallet balance.
Can you use both?
Yes, and many freelancers do. Take marketplace payouts into Payoneer, withdraw to your bank, and top up Skrill for spending, trading, and instant transfers. Read the full Skrill review or compare all the majors in our best e-wallets guide.
Frequently asked questions
Is Skrill or Payoneer better for freelancers?
Payoneer wins if your clients pay by US/EU bank transfer or via marketplaces like Upwork and Fiverr, because it gives you local receiving accounts. Skrill wins if clients pay you wallet-to-wallet, if you need instant access to funds, or if you also trade crypto or Forex.
Which has lower fees, Skrill or Payoneer?
Payoneer charges around 2% on currency conversion plus up to 3% on credit-card funded payments. Skrill charges 1.45% to send, 1.9% at merchant checkout, and 1.29%–3.99% FX depending on your VIP tier — so high-volume users usually pay less on Skrill.
Can I transfer from Payoneer to Skrill?
Not directly. Withdraw from Payoneer to your bank account, then top up Skrill from that same bank account or card.
Does Payoneer support gambling or crypto?
No. Payoneer's terms exclude gambling and it has no crypto service. Skrill supports both, with instant deposits at 200+ betting brands and 30+ coins in-wallet.
How fast are withdrawals?
Payoneer bank withdrawals take 1–3 business days (sometimes 5). Skrill withdrawals to a card are usually same-day to 2 days, and wallet-to-wallet sends are instant.