Gruv AI report finds freelancers can lose up to 13.7% of income to payment fees, with payout delays up to 8.5 business days
Gruv releases new research on the payment costs freelancers face when they earn across platforms, currencies, and borders. The modeled audit — “The Freelance Payment Penalty” — follows three freelancer profiles and finds they can lose between 2.5% and 13.7% of gross monthly income to platform fees, card charges, FX spreads, and withdrawal costs, while the gap between earning and having spendable funds runs from 3.0 to 8.5 business days. The report recommends freelancers track five numbers on every payment: invoice amount, platform fee, FX rate, net received, and the date funds become spendable.
