What this calculator answers
You billed USD 1,000 to a client in the United States. Each payout rail quotes three things: a flat fee, a percent fee, and its own exchange rate. This tool chains those three numbers —plus the platform fee and any client-declared withholding— and tells you what is left in quetzales and in dollars, rail by rail.
The presets (Wise, PayPal and Remitly) carry the flat fee, the % and the rate taken from each provider's official pricing page, with the date they were checked. They are an editable starting point, not a closed quote: replace the rate with your own same-day one. Whatever a provider does not publish stays manual, never invented.
Verified presets (checked 2026-09-13)
The tool opens with USD 1,000 invoiced and two presets loaded (PayPal and Wise), so the result and the winner are already on screen with nothing to type. Switch the payout currency to MXN and the presets follow to the USD→MXN corridor on their own.
| Provider | Flat fee + % | Rate | Net per USD 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wise | USD 7.10 + 2.95% | Q7.6287 | Q7,349.49 |
| PayPal | USD 0.30 + 8.90% | Q7.6287 | Q6,947.46 |
| Remitly | USD 1.99 + 0% | Q7.5278 | Q7,512.82 |
Sources: Wise USD→GTQ (publishes a USD 36.60 total cost for a USD 1,000 transfer plus its mid-market rate), PayPal Guatemala (5.40% to receive from abroad + 3.50% currency conversion for the Americas + USD 0.30 flat) and Remitly USD→GTQ (USD 1.99 for bank deposit and a standard rate range of 7.3839–7.5278; the 7.7653 promotion is first transfer only, up to USD 500). For USD→MXN the equivalent pages are Wise, PayPal and Remitly.
Two honest caveats. First: PayPal publishes no corridor rate, so its base rate is Wise's mid-market one and its 3.50% markup is folded into the %; the effect is the same as a rate 3.5% worse. Second: Wise applies volume discounts above roughly USD 2,000–5,000 that this tool does not model (at USD 5,000 the preset charges ~USD 2 more than its page).
The payout chain (order matters)
Platform fee = Gross × p%
Left after platform = Gross − Platform fee
Rail % fee = Left after platform × q%
Left after fees = Left after platform − Flat − Rail % fee (minimum 0)
Net in origin = Left after fees × (1 − withholding%)
Net in destination = Net in origin × Rail's own rate
Total cost = Gross − Net in origin
Effective cost = Total cost ÷ Gross × 100
The rail % applies to what remains after the platform, not to the gross. Withholding is a % you declare (default 0): as a percent it commutes with the conversion. Rounding happens once at the end, to 2 decimals.
Checked example: USD 1,000 direct
Gross USD 1,000, no platform, 0 withholding. The rail quotes flat USD 5, 1% and its own rate Q7.60:
- Platform fee: 0 → USD 1,000 remains.
- Rail % fee: 1,000 × 1% = USD 10.
- Left after fees: 1,000 − 5 − 10 = USD 985.
- Net in origin: USD 985. Net in destination: 985 × 7.60 = Q7,486.
- Total cost: USD 15. Effective cost: 1.50%.
Every number on screen rebuilds from these lines. If a rail shows a different total, ask for its itemized quote.
Why the cheapest fee can lose
The rail's own rate outweighs the nominal fee. Same USD 1,000 gross, direct:
| Rail | Fees | Own rate | Net |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | USD 0 | Q7.40 | Q7,400 |
| B | USD 15 | Q7.70 | Q7,584.50 |
Rail B charges USD 15 and still wins by Q184.50. The winner is always the highest net in destination, never the lowest advertised fee.
How the platform enters
The platform deducts first, from the gross: 10% on USD 1,000 leaves USD 900 before rail fees. With the same rail as above (USD 5 + 1% at Q7.60), the net is USD 886 (Q6,733.60) and the effective cost rises to 11.40%. Confirm the percent in your contract: it varies by account type and averages mislead.
Also with Mexican pesos
The payout currency can be MXN: the math is identical, only your rail's own rate changes. Checked example: USD 500 gross, direct, USD 3 flat + 1% at 17.20 MXN per USD → USD 492 net ($8,462.40 MXN), USD 8 cost (1.60%).
What this tool does not do
No local taxes (ISR/VAT), no treaty reading: withholding is data you enter, not advice. It also does not compare closed family-remittance quotes —that is the remittance comparator and the Guatemala remittances calculator— nor prices your work, which belongs to freelance pricing.
The total-cost, fees, rate and amount-delivered split follows the CFPB remittance guide. Fee structures (% + flat + own rate) come from official pricing pages checked 2026-09-13: those of Wise, PayPal and Remitly feed the presets, while Upwork and Fiverr confirm how the platform fee enters. Fees move with amount, currency, method and day: each preset shows its source and date, and anything unpublished is yours to enter.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on your same-day quote. Engine-checked example: USD 1,000 direct, USD 5 flat + 1% at Q7.60 → USD 985 net, or Q7,486. Total cost USD 15 (1.50%).
Because the rail's own rate outweighs the nominal fee. Rail A with no fees at Q7.40 delivers Q7,400; rail B with USD 5 + 1% at Q7.70 delivers Q7,584.50. B wins by Q184.50 while charging USD 15.
First, off the gross: 10% on USD 1,000 leaves USD 900 before rail fees. With USD 5 flat + 1% at Q7.60, the net is USD 886 (Q6,733.60). Confirm the percent in your contract.
What the client or their country withholds, in %. Default 0; change it only if your client stated it in writing. No treaties or local taxes assumed.
From the official pricing pages of Wise, PayPal and Remitly, checked 2026-09-13, and each preset shows its source and date. Engine-checked example: USD 1,000 direct with the PayPal preset (USD 0.30 + 8.90% at 7.6287) gives Q6,947.46; the Wise preset (USD 7.10 + 2.95%) gives Q7,349.49; the Remitly preset (USD 1.99 at 7.5278) gives Q7,512.82 and wins by Q163.33 over Wise. Everything is editable: replace the rate with today's quote.
No. It is an educational estimate built from your quotes. Check your contract, the rail receipt and, if needed, an accountant.
Related calculators
- Guatemala remittances: what arrives in quetzales from a family transfer.
- Remittance comparator: two closed quotes on the same budget.
- Freelance pricing: what to charge per hour and per project.
- Guatemala net salary: your pay after ISR and IGSS.