To accept payments from abroad in Ghana, you need a checkout that takes international cards and pays out in cedis to a MoMo wallet or Ghanaian bank account. Paylead checkout takes Visa and Mastercard, shows prices in the buyer's currency, and pays you in Ghana. We have not tested every foreign card, so test a small order from abroad before you promise anything to a buyer.
This guide says clearly what we can confirm and what you should test.
What are the ways to get paid from abroad?
| Method | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Card checkout (Visa, Mastercard) | Digital products, courses, small physical orders | Some foreign banks decline payments to local processors, so test |
| PayPal, Wise or Payoneer | Freelancers and larger invoices | Setup, fees and withdrawal to Ghana vary; check each site for current pricing |
| Bank transfer | Large invoices | Slow, with fees on both ends |
| MoMo | Buyers in Ghana, and family sending to a number in Ghana | Not usually available to someone paying from the US or UK |
| A friend or relative pays locally | Diaspora buyers sending gifts | Needs manual coordination |
What is confirmed on Paylead?
From our own product and code:
- Cards: buyers can pay with a Visa or Mastercard card at checkout, as well as MTN MoMo, Telecel Cash and AirtelTigo Money.
- Prices in the buyer's currency: the storefront shows prices in the visitor's currency based on where they are, using fixed conversion rates, for example US dollars, British pounds or Nigerian naira. You can instead set your own fixed price for a particular country on a product.
- Payouts in cedis: you withdraw to a MoMo wallet or a Ghanaian bank account. A withdrawal costs GH₵ 5 and arrives the next working day.
- Fees: online payments cost 4% + GH₵ 1 on every plan, the same for buyers abroad as at home.
What is not confirmed?
We do not claim any of the following:
- That every foreign card from every bank will go through. Banks decline cross-border payments for their own reasons.
- That a buyer abroad is always charged in their own currency. Prices can be displayed in other currencies, but we have not verified how each card is billed. Test it and look at the amount on your own statement.
- That a Nigerian buyer can pay with a Nigerian bank transfer. At the moment, Paylead is for sellers in Ghana and Nigeria is planned next.
- Exchange rates. Display rates are fixed estimates, not live bank rates, so what a buyer sees can differ slightly from what their bank charges.
How do you test it?
- Create a cheap test product, for example GH₵ 5.
- Ask a friend or relative in the UK, the US or Nigeria to buy it with their card.
- Ask what price they saw and what their bank charged.
- Check the sale in your Finance page and see what you received.
- Withdraw it and see how long it takes.
Do this before you run ads to buyers abroad.
How do you price for buyers abroad?
- Keep prices simple. A GH₵ 130 ebook displays as roughly $8.45 at the fixed rate we use, which looks odd. Setting a country price of $8 or $9 looks cleaner.
- Account for the fee. At 4% + GH₵ 1, a GH₵ 650 course costs GH₵ 27 to sell. Turn on Customer pays transaction charges if you want to receive the full price.
- Do not undersell. Buyers in the US and UK usually pay more for the same ebook or course than buyers in Ghana. Read how to price digital products in Ghana.
What should you sell to buyers abroad?
Digital products suit this best, because nothing has to be shipped. Ebooks, courses, templates, presets and music all work. Physical products need shipping you arrange yourself. Pay on delivery makes no sense for someone abroad.
If your audience is the Ghanaian diaspora, see how to sell to the Ghanaian diaspora.
How do you invoice a client abroad?
Use an invoice or a payment link and send it by email or WhatsApp. Freelancers can read how to get paid as a freelancer in Ghana.
When is Paylead not the right tool?
If your buyers are overwhelmingly in the US and pay in dollars, and you want payouts in dollars, a dollar-based platform such as Gumroad or Stripe-based tools might fit better, although you should check whether they pay out to Ghana. See Gumroad fees for Ghanaian sellers for what we found.
FAQ
Can I accept US dollars in Ghana?
You can show dollar prices to buyers abroad on Paylead, but you are paid out in cedis to MoMo or a Ghanaian bank account.
Can buyers in Nigeria pay me?
They can try a card. Local Nigerian payment methods are not supported yet. Test first.
Do foreign buyers pay extra fees?
On Paylead the fee is 4% + GH₵ 1 for every online sale. Their bank may add its own foreign transaction fee.
Do I need a business account?
You need a MoMo wallet or a Ghanaian bank account in your name or your business's name to withdraw. See payouts and withdrawals.
How long until I get my money?
A sale becomes withdrawable by 03:00 the next morning, and a withdrawal arrives the next working day.
Create a free account and run your test order today.
