Your client sends Gusto contractor payments to your saved bank account. There is no marketplace balance to withdraw. A payment to Elevate Pay arrives in USD, giving you control over when to convert to pesos.
Choose the payment route with your client
Gusto's supported-country table lists PHP for Philippine local bank accounts and USD for US bank accounts. Choose the receiving account with your client: use your Philippine bank for PHP or your Elevate Pay US account details to receive USD.
An independent contractor arrangement has different obligations from employee payroll. Keep your agreement and invoices, and check your own Philippine registration and tax requirements.
How Gusto sends international contractor payments
Your client adds you and sends a secure onboarding invitation. Their Gusto account must first have a fully set-up US contractor on a contractor-only plan, or a US employee on other plans, before it can pay non-US contractors.
Philippine local bank payments arrive in PHP. Payments to a US bank account arrive in USD. Choose the right receiving account before your client submits the payment.
For PHP, provide your Philippine bank account details through Gusto's secure onboarding process.
For USD, provide the account number, ACH routing number and account holder name shown in Elevate Pay.
Complete the tax form requested during onboarding. A non-US individual may be asked for Form W-8BEN, which documents foreign status for relevant US withholding and reporting purposes. Follow the instructions for your circumstances.
Timing: Gusto says non-US contractor payments typically arrive five to ten business days after the debit date. Ask your client for the payment's estimated arrival date in Gusto's payment summary.
Gusto international contractor payment fees
The table uses the Check payment costs section of Gusto's official guide for the two bank destinations listed for the Philippines. The guide gives different figures in its wire sections, explained below. Ask your client to confirm the route, total charge and amount you will receive.
Payment route | Published payment fee | Typical timing | What you receive | Conversion cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Local Philippine bank account | Summary: 1.5%–2%. See wire minimum note below | 5–10 business days | PHP | Fees and markups are included in Gusto's displayed exchange rate |
US bank account through ACH | $5 per payment | Typically 5–10 business days. See payment estimate | USD | Free to receive by ACH. A flat $1.50 fee to send PHP |
About these figures: Gusto's guide does not fully reconcile its fee sections. Its summary lists 1.5%–2% for local-currency payments. Its sections labeled non-US bank account (international wire) list a $15 minimum under $1,000 in most countries and 1%–1.5% for larger payments. Those wire figures should not be assumed to apply to every local PHP payout. Ask your client to check the actual route and fee in the payment preview.
The Philippines country table lists PHP to a local bank and USD to a US bank. It does not list USD to a Philippine bank. Gusto also lists a 1.5% fee for eligible digital wallets, including Wise and crypto wallets. Philippine availability must be checked in the contractor's profile. The minimum payment is $25, with higher minimums in some countries. Ukraine, Taiwan and Turkey have an $18 fee minimum.
Examples: On $1,000, the US-bank fee is $5, while the summary's local-currency percentage is equivalent to $15–$20. If a $300 payment uses the international-wire terms above, the $15 minimum equals 5% of the payment. These are payment-cost examples, not guaranteed deductions from your invoice. Ask your client to confirm who pays the fee and your final credit. Gusto includes fees and markups in its quoted exchange rate, so do not subtract them twice.
Add Elevate Pay as your Gusto payment account
Step 1: Open a free Elevate Pay account
Follow the Philippines account-opening guide, including the requested identity and supporting documents.
Step 2: Copy your account details
In the Elevate Pay app, copy your account number, ACH routing number and account holder name.
Step 3: Choose USD with your client
Ask your client or payroll team to select the US-bank ACH route and pay in USD. They control payment submission and can see the fee and arrival date.
Step 4: Add your details in Gusto
Add a US bank account through your Gusto onboarding invitation or payment profile, using the details from Elevate Pay and the same account holder name. To change an existing destination, your client can open People, select your profile and request an update to your bank account information using Gusto's secure update process.
Step 5: Complete the requested tax form
Complete any required tax and identity information before the first payment. Use the form appropriate to your circumstances.
Step 6: Review the first payment details
Before submission, ask your client to verify the currency, destination, invoice amount, total fee and amount you will receive. Confirm whether the payment fee is charged separately to the client or deducted from the funded amount.
Step 7: Receive and manage your pay
Receiving ACH is free. Once funds arrive, keep them in USD or send pesos. PHP transfers cost a flat $1.50 fee. The app shows the delivery time.
Elevate Pay is a fintech company, not a bank. Banking services are provided by Merchants Commercial Bank, Member FDIC.
Common Gusto payment issues
The payment arrived in pesos instead of USD: Ask payroll to review the saved bank account and payout currency before the next payment. A local-bank payment and a US-bank payment use different routes.
The name does not match: Use the same name on Gusto as on your Elevate Pay account. A mismatch can cause the payment to be delayed or returned.
Routing and account numbers are swapped: Copy the ACH routing number and account number into their matching fields. Do not use wire details for an ACH payout.
Your first payment is on hold: Ask your client whether onboarding, funding or verification is incomplete. For an ACH payment already sent to Elevate Pay, contact Elevate Pay support in the app with the transfer confirmation.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my Gusto payment look lower than the invoice?
Ask the payroll team for the original payment amount, currency, transfer fee and conversion quote, then compare them with the bank credit. This separates any payment deduction from a currency conversion.
Do I still need to file taxes in the Philippines if Gusto has my W-8BEN?
A W-8BEN relates to US withholding and reporting. It does not replace Philippine registration or filing obligations. Keep your invoices and payment records and ask a Philippine tax professional about your circumstances.
Confirm the first payment
Check the first deposit against the currency and amount your client confirmed. If you also use other platforms, read our guides on Deel contractor withdrawals and withdrawing Remote.com payments. For a broader comparison, see how Filipino freelancers get paid.
How we checked this
We checked Gusto's official contractor guide using a saved copy reviewed on September 19, 2026. Its payment-cost summary and international-wire sections differ, as explained above. We did not test a payment or confirm who bears bank-route fees. Ask your client for the payment preview and expected contractor credit.
Recent Articles
DO MORE WITH ELEVATE PAY
Transfer money with Elevate Pay with low fees and competitive FX rates. Our users love us for transparency, security and more.
