Updated October 14, 2026
What a margin is
When a service converts money it uses an exchange rate. The mid-market rate is the midpoint between the buying and selling prices on the currency market. Some services give you a rate below it and keep the difference: that is the margin. It does not appear as a separate fee, so a transfer with a low fee can still cost a lot.
What the services say
Wise says it converts at the mid-market rate and does not hide fees in the exchange rate. [1] [2]
Payoneer says its conversion rates are based on wholesale market rates, and that when a withdrawal involves conversion, the fee is included in the rate. [3] [4]
PayPal says the exchange rate for a conversion includes a fee above its base exchange rate. Its UAE fee page lists 3.0% for converting your balance or payments you receive in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. [5] [6]
How to work out the cost
Look up the mid-market rate from a source you trust at the moment you compare, and note the rate the service offers you. Enter both, with the fees, into our transfer fee calculator: it shows what the margin costs on your amount, next to the other fees.
Paragraphs without a source number are our own explanation or advice, not a statement by the provider.
This is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Providers change their terms; check the linked official page before you act.
Sources
- Wise Help Centre: What is a Wise Account?, Last checked October 14, 2026
- Wise: Fees & Pricing (US), Last checked October 14, 2026
- Payoneer: Pricing, Last checked October 14, 2026
- Payoneer: Withdraw funds to a local bank account, Last checked October 14, 2026
- PayPal AE: Seller fees for merchants and businesses, Last checked October 14, 2026
- PayPal AE: Seller fees for merchants and businesses, Last checked October 14, 2026