Last Updated on by Michael Brockbank
Textbroker uses the Payoneer payment system as a way to verify new authors. It’s also the only gateway you can use to get paid from the system. So, how hard is it to set up an account with Payoneer through Textbroker?
It’s not as difficult as I would have thought. But, it will take a bit of your time.
NOTE: You cannot use an existing Payoneer account with Textbroker. I’ll explain why below.
How to Connect Textbroker and Payoneer (from Textbroker)
From the Home screen in Textbroker, click the “Account” tab on the top right.
Click the “My User Data” option.
Scroll down to the bottom of the user data page. You will see a section for Payoneer. Click the “Create one now!” link. This will open a Payoneer browser window.
Importing User Data
The system will import some of the data from Textbroker into the required fields automatically for you. Verify the information is correct and click the “Next” button.
Fill in the rest of the information for the Bank Transfer Setup page. A lot of this is filled in directly from Textbroker. However, you still want to make sure it’s correct before submitting the form.
You’ll need your bank account information, which includes your account and routing number. If you’re not sure what the routing number is, you can always Google it to find out.
Since routing numbers are not personal and only affect the actual bank, they are pretty easy to find and are publicly available.
You’ll also need to agree to the “fees” from Payoneer. As you’re creating an account directly from Textbroker, though, the fees are free.
Once you finished setting up the account with Payoneer, you’ll need to wait for the verification process. This will include an email verification. Unfortunately, it can take up to 3 business days for Payoneer to verify your account with Textbroker.
In my case, it all happened within an hour.
While you wait for the verification from Textbroker, though, you can access your Payoneer account screen after verifying your email address.
Entering Your Tax Information
Before you can accept money from Textbroker, you’ll need to submit your tax information. This requires a W9 form, and you’ll receive an email with a link to click from Payoneer.
This means only US residents are able to write with Textbroker.com. This was the case before the move, so it’s not really an issue for those of us in the United States.
Choose the correct form for yourself. In most cases, writers of Textbroker will simply use the “W9” form.
If you’re not sure which form to select, there is a “Use Wizard” link that will guide you.
The form will open where you input tax data.
Since I used the link from Textbroker to create my Payoneer account, the address is already populated on the form. However, your name and social security number will still have to be entered manually.
You’ll also need to change the Tax Classification drop-down option. You can choose: Individual/Sole proprietor or LLC(Single Member). Most of you will choose the “Individual” option. However, some authors have registered as an LLC.
Pick the classification that best suits your needs.
Verify the information is correct and click the “Next” button.
The last screen is the certification process for the form. Verify all information is correct and read through the Certification portion. To use the system, you’ll need to certify that:
- Your social security or EIN number is correct.
- You’re not subject to backup withholding from the IRS, such as various garnishments or back payments.
- You are a US citizen or US person who is able to work in the United States.
- Any FACTA codes you entered on the form for exemptions are correct.
After you verify the info, type your name as a signature and click the “Click Here to Sign” button.
This will open a new window where you can manually sign your name. If you’re on a mobile device, this might be pretty easy with your fingers. But for those of us with a mouse, it’s a bit more complex.
Once you’ve signed your name, or at least tried to, click the “Submit” button.
You’ll then get the “Thank You” message from Payoneer.
A confirmation and thank you email is also sent to you upon completing the form.
At which point, your Textbroker account should have you listed as submitting the W9 and ready for a Payoneer payout.
You should also see Textbroker as a Funding Source in your Payoneer account.
Where is the Pay-Out Button on Textbroker?
Another new feature for Textbroker payouts is the disappearing button. You’ll only see the option to submit a payout when you have money owed to you in Textbroker.
Otherwise, the button is simply not there. Don’t worry…it’s supposed to work like that.
I guess it is helpful so people don’t accidentally try to click on it when there are insufficient funds.
What to Expect from Payoneer
According to what I’ve read, transfers can happen within an hour or two of Payoneer receiving the funds from Textbroker. However, this isn’t always the case and can take an entire business day depending on when funds were transferred.
So, this means you have the potential to have access to your funds on Monday. For many, this probably isn’t much of a big deal since it takes PayPal about the same amount of time.
But for those of us who have a PayPal debit card, it’s incredibly inconvenient. Now, I have to wait longer to have access to money from Textbroker.
Fee Discrepancy
When you view the Fees portion when registering, you’ll see them set to “Free.” But if you visit Payoneer’s Q&A, you’ll see there is a $1.50 processing fee for transferring money to the bank.
But don’t worry. I was recently contacted directly from Textbroker and they confirmed the fees for authors are, indeed, free. This is because Textbroker pays the fees for the authors, as they did when using PayPal.
So this means the money in your Textbroker account is what you’ll see transferred to your bank account during a payout.
Can You Use an Existing Payoneer Account?
Unfortunately, those who have an existing Payoneer account are unable to use it with Textbroker. This is because Payoneer now acts as Textbroker’s verification system.
If an existing account is used, Textbroker cannot verify you’re legally able to work in the US.
You’ll have to set up a Payoneer account as I demonstrated above.
How Does this Move Help Textbroker?
Back when I started Textbroker, there were far fewer writers. The process to sign up as a new author was much less time-consuming. Over time, though, the backlog of verification grew massive.
Since Payoneer verifies a writer’s ability to work in the US and processes tax information, Textbroker is then free to get writers going in less time.
According to Textbroker, who contact me shortly after I published this post on January 3, having Payoneer complete the verification process reduces the time it takes new authors to get started on average from around two months to about two days!
In other words, the wait to become a writer on Textbroker has been vastly reduced. And it helps out Textbroker streamline registration.
For instance, the Quality Assurance team doesn’t have to spend time reviewing and rating samples of work only to find the author cannot legally write in the United States.
So in essence, the QA team can now focus on legitimate writer’s work and get them through the system.
But let’s not forget the fees from Payoneer are less than PayPal. Instead of the 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction, it’s $1.50. And when you consider that some authors can rack up a nice payout, it’s far cheaper this way.
Then again, these are based on direct fees from both systems. In many instances, large companies like Textbroker get bulk discounts. But, I cannot verify that being the case in this situation.
At any rate, it’s financially sound to make the move for Textbroker to: a) pay less per transaction, and b) get writers working ASAP.
Is Payoneer Worth It?
I’m not the only writer who finds the move as an inconvenience. However, there’s no reason to jump on the negativity train until there is something worth worrying over. And so far, everything seems OK in my experience.
From a personal point of view, I’d rather have the money directly in PayPal. Most of my bills are set to auto-withdraw from PayPal, and now I have to move money from the bank to make sure those are paid.
Or, at least change the payment information of those services to aim at my bank instead of PayPal.
At any rate, it’s quite an inconvenience and I’m not really thrilled about the process. But, it’s something I’ll have to commit to if I want to keep writing for Textbroker.
And I can see why this is a good move for Textbroker as a company.
One of the most common questions and complaints I got back in 2018 and 2019 on YouTube and social media is how long it takes to start writing. This is supposed to put an end to long wait times.
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