On this payment
Route B saves $19.78
- Route A: you receive
- $960.30
- Route A: total cost
- $39.70 (3.97%)
- Route B: you receive
- $980.08
- Route B: total cost
- $19.92 (1.99%)
- Amount where the routes cost the same
- $430
- Above this amount Route B is cheaper; below it Route A is.
This calculator produces estimates from the numbers you enter, so it is only as accurate as your inputs. It is not tax, accounting or legal advice. Rules and fees differ by country and change over time; check the current terms that apply to you.
The short answer
The real cost of moving money between currencies is the visible fee plus the gap between the rate you are given and the mid-market rate. Enter each route's percentage fee, flat fee and rate margin to see what you would receive and the total cost. Flat fees hurt small payments most, so the cheaper route can change by amount.
Worked example
These are the example values loaded into the calculator above, run through exactly the same formulas, so you can check the method against your own numbers.
| Inputs | |
|---|---|
| Amount | $1,000 |
| Route A | 1% fee, $0.00 flat, 3% rate margin |
| Route B | 0% fee, $15.00 flat, 0.5% rate margin |
| Results | |
|---|---|
| Route A: you receive | $960.30 |
| Route A: total cost | $39.70 (3.97%) |
| Route B: you receive | $980.08 |
| Route B: total cost | $19.92 (1.99%) |
| Cheaper on this payment | Route B, saving $19.78 |
| Amount where the routes cost the same | $430 |
Getting paid from another country involves two costs, and only one is on the invoice. The visible one is the fee. The invisible one is the exchange rate you are given, which is often slightly worse than the real one. Together they can take a surprising share of a payment, and they behave differently at different amounts. This calculator compares two routes side by side and shows where one overtakes the other.
How to use this calculator
- Enter the amount in your own currency, valued at the real mid-market rate.
- For Route A, enter the percentage fee, any flat fee, and the exchange-rate margin.
- Do the same for Route B.
- Read which route leaves you with more, and at what amount the answer flips.
To find a route's exchange-rate margin, look up the mid-market rate at the moment you are converting, compare it with the rate the provider offers, and express the shortfall as a percentage of the mid-market rate. If a provider says it charges no margin, check that against the mid-market rate yourself.
The formulas
The calculator treats each route as a percentage fee and flat fee taken from the amount, then a conversion at a rate that is worse than the real one by the margin.
- You receive = (amount × (1 − fee %) − flat fee) × (1 − margin %)
- Total cost = amount − you receive
- Cost as a percentage = total cost ÷ amount
The cost is a straight line in the amount: a slope, driven by the percentages, plus a fixed part, driven by the flat fee. Two straight lines cross at most once, so:
- Break-even amount = (fixed part of B − fixed part of A) ÷ (slope of A − slope of B)
For the default example, Route A charges 1% plus a 3% margin with no flat fee, and Route B charges a 15 flat fee plus a 0.5% margin. On 1,000, Route B leaves you with more, but the routes cost the same at about 430. The calculator is tested by evaluating both routes at the break-even amount and confirming that they cost exactly the same.
Why the margin matters more than the fee
People compare headline fees, and a route advertising "no fees" looks free. But a margin of even a few percent is a larger cost than most visible fees, and it appears nowhere on a fee page. Two providers can quote the same fee and differ by a good deal in what actually arrives. That is why this calculator asks for the margin separately, and why the reliable test is always the same: compare what you would receive, in your own currency, from each route for your actual payment.
Small payments and large payments
If you are paid many small amounts, flat fees dominate, and routes that charge a percentage only can win comfortably. If you are paid a few large amounts, the margin dominates, and a flat-fee route with a good rate can win. If your payments vary, use the break-even amount as a guide: below it, choose one route, and above it, the other. Batching small payments into fewer, larger withdrawals can also cut the flat-fee share.
Where this fits with platform fees
Marketplaces add their own cut before any conversion happens. To see everything from the client's price to your bank account, use the freelance platform fee calculator, which also works backwards to the price you should quote. Our guide to getting paid internationally explains the main payment routes and their trade-offs, and our overview of online business tools covers the providers people use.
Common mistakes
Ignoring the margin. It is usually the largest cost and it is hidden.
Comparing headline fees. Compare what arrives.
Using stale numbers. Providers change their fees and their rates constantly.
Judging on one payment size. The cheaper route can change with the amount.
Forgetting the receiving end. Some banks charge to receive foreign payments, which this calculator does not include.
Assumptions and limits
The calculator assumes fees are taken from the amount before conversion, a single flat margin, and no charges at the receiving bank. It fetches no live rates and knows nothing about any provider. Results are only as good as the fees and margins you enter. It is general information, not financial advice, and rules and costs differ by country.
Frequently asked questions
What is the exchange-rate margin?
It is the difference between the real mid-market exchange rate and the rate a provider actually gives you, shown as a percentage. It is a fee that does not appear as a fee. To find it, compare the rate you are offered with the mid-market rate at the same moment, and express the shortfall as a percentage of the mid-market rate.
Why does the cheaper route change with the amount?
A flat fee is the same whatever you move, so it takes a large share of a small payment and almost none of a large one. A percentage cost takes the same share of every payment. A route with a flat fee and a low margin therefore tends to win for large amounts and lose for small ones, and the calculator finds the amount where they cross.
Which providers and fees should I enter?
The ones you are actually comparing, using each provider's current published fees and the rate it shows you for your payment. This calculator deliberately contains no built-in fee tables, because they change often. Always check the numbers on the provider's own pages just before you decide.
Should I hold the money in the foreign currency instead?
It can help if you also spend in that currency or can convert at a time you choose, because you avoid an automatic conversion at a poor rate. It also exposes you to exchange-rate movements. Which is better depends on your costs, your country and the options available to you.
How we keep this calculator accurate
The formulas on this page are standard arithmetic, written out in full above so you can check them. Each one is covered by automated tests that compare the calculator against independently worked examples and round-trip checks, and the worked example is generated by the same code as the calculator. We use no third-party data, exchange rates or fee tables, because those go stale; fees and rates are always numbers you enter. If you spot a mistake or an assumption that does not fit your situation, please tell us. Our earnings disclaimer and editorial approach explain how the site works.
Written by
The editorial team behind How To Make Money Online, responsible for researching, writing, and fact-checking every guide on this site against current platform terms and fees.