Payments and Invoicing for Contractors and Freelancers
Contractors and freelancers rarely work in simple, one-to-one setups. They work across projects, collaborate with other contributors, and bill local and international clients. Most tools still separate work tracking, invoicing, and payments into disconnected systems.
Petl Pay collapses the end-to-end workflow: work logged is automatically drafted into an invoice, with payments embedded, making it easier to receive money and pay contributors across projects.
| What it solves | How Petl approaches it | Typical outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Manual invoicing admin | Invoices can be drafted from approved work logs on a consistent cadence. | Less admin, fewer invoice mistakes. |
| Payments not embedded | Payments tie back to invoices and projects, rather than living in separate threads and portals. | Clearer visibility into paid vs unpaid work. |
| Cross-border delays and fees | Built-in wallets support receiving major currencies and moving funds through the workflow. | Faster settlement, lower friction for international work. |
| Paying collaborators | Pay contributors and vendors through the same project workflow. | Cleaner payouts and simpler reconciliation. |
Why contractors and freelancers struggle with invoicing and payments
- Invoices are created manually each month, often from scattered time logs and notes.
- Payment status is tracked in inboxes, spreadsheets, or bank portals.
- Cross-border payments can be slow and expensive, especially outside the US and EU.
- Paying collaborators means extra tools and reconciliation work.
South Africa and other emerging markets: the extra friction
Contractors in South Africa and similar markets often do not have payments embedded into their invoice workflows. Even when invoicing is correct, settlement can be slow and fees can be high.
With Petl Pay’s built-in wallets, users can receive USD or EUR directly into a wallet quickly and, on average, around 0.5%. From there, funds can be held in major currencies to reduce exposure to volatile local currency moves, or withdrawn into an existing bank account, typically within around 60 seconds.
Comparison: Petl Pay vs typical setups
This table highlights the practical difference between a project-first workflow and common combinations of tools. Petl is designed to complement existing rails, not force a rip-and-replace of every tool you already use.
| Capability | Traditional invoicing tools | Bank transfers | Payment platforms | Petl Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Work logged becomes the invoice | Usually separate from time tracking. | Not applicable. | Not designed for work logs. | Designed for project work logs flowing into invoices. |
| Embedded payments on invoices | Often requires extra steps and tools. | Payment is separate from invoicing. | Payments can be supported, often not project-native. | Payments tied to invoices and projects as part of the workflow. |
| Project-level visibility | Limited without manual setup. | No project context. | Limited project context. | Project is the source of truth for billing, payables, and settlement. |
| Paying collaborators or subcontractors | Usually manual and outside the invoice flow. | Manual transfers and reconciliation. | Possible, but often fragmented across tools. | Payouts can run through the same project workflow. |
| Cross-border settlement efficiency | Depends on separate payment rails. | Often slow with intermediary fees. | Varies by platform and corridor. | Wallet-based settlement designed for cross-border corridors and faster payouts. |
| Domestic payments | Usually outside the workflow. | Works, but manual and disconnected. | Varies by platform. | Supports domestic payouts via wallets and, as available, bank-to-bank on the roadmap for UK and EU. |
What a project-first workflow looks like
- Log billable work against a project.
- Approved work is drafted into an invoice on a consistent cadence.
- Invoices are sent with payments embedded.
- Payments settle and remain linked to the project and invoice.
- Contributors, vendors, and subcontractors can be paid through the same workflow.
- Reconciliation is simpler because everything ties back to the project.
FAQ
Is Petl Pay only for cross-border work?
No. Petl can also be used domestically for managing local projects, vendors, contractors, and freelancers. The project-first workflow helps consolidate billing, payables, and payouts even when everyone is in the same country.
Does Petl Pay replace Wise, PayPal, Stripe, or bank transfers?
Petl is designed to complement existing payment rails. It focuses on collapsing the workflow between work, invoices, settlement, and payouts, while supporting wallets and integrating with rails that teams already use.
How does Petl help contractors in South Africa get paid faster?
Petl provides built-in wallets that can receive major currencies such as USD and EUR. Funds can be held in major currencies or withdrawn into existing local bank accounts, typically within around 60 seconds. Fees are, on average, around 0.5%.
What is coming next on the roadmap?
Pay by bank coverage for the UK and EU, payment links, and broader bank support are part of the near-term roadmap.
Payments, settled. Across projects, contributors & currencies.
One payment. Many payouts. Orchestrate multi-party payments instantly. Purpose built for project-based teams.
