International software receivables: gold, not garbage

Most collection agencies treat an international software receivable as garbage—they either refuse it or charge up to 50% just because the debtor is overseas. We treat those same accounts as gold. Not because we're generous, but because we know how to work them, the competition mostly won't, and a debtor who thinks an ocean protects them is often the easiest to move once a professional actually shows up. Here's how cross-border tech collection really works, and why "international" should not double your rate.

TL;DR: International B2B software debt is recoverable at the same contingency rate as domestic—25% under 12 months, 33% over, 40% on second placements—when the agency has local reach, multilingual negotiators, and an in-house lawyer. Agencies charge 50% for international because they lack those things and are pricing in their own inexperience. We don't.

Why do most agencies charge up to 50% for international accounts?

Because they don't know how to collect them. A generalist agency's playbook is a dialer and a template letter aimed at a US debtor. Point that at a company in Singapore, Turkey, or the UAE and it fails—different language, different laws, different time zone, and a debtor who knows the creditor is thousands of miles away. So the agency prices in its own failure rate: a 50% fee isn't the cost of the work, it's the cost of not knowing how to do the work. Many simply decline international accounts outright and tell you to write them off.

Why do we see international receivables as gold?

Three reasons. First, the competition avoids them—so the debtor has usually never faced a competent international collector and assumes distance makes them untouchable. That assumption breaks fast. Second, we already have the infrastructure: a London desk, local agents and investigators on the ground, multilingual negotiators, and an in-house lawyer who has negotiated in jurisdictions most agencies won't touch. Third, tech receivables travel well—a SaaS contract, usage logs, and a signed order form are the same evidence whether the debtor is in Ohio or Osaka. When you can actually work the account, "international" stops being a risk premium and becomes an underserved opportunity.

How does cross-border software collection actually work?

The same way a domestic claim does—investigation before contact—plus local fluency:

• We assess the debtor's financial position and standing in their own market, using on-the-ground partners where it counts.
• We engage in the debtor's language and business culture, not a translated US script.
• We negotiate first—it's faster and cheaper than litigation in every country—and only weigh legal action after confirming a judgment would actually be collectible there.
• You get one point of contact and consolidated reporting, no matter how many borders your receivables cross.

We've recovered from debtors in 15+ countries—the UK, Canada, Australia, France, Poland, Turkey, the UAE, India, Singapore, China, Mexico, and more—including accounts as old as four years past due.

International vs. domestic collection: what actually differs?

Should you write off an overseas account instead?

Rarely, and almost never just because it's international. The instinct to write off a foreign balance is usually a reflection of the agency's limitations, not the debt's collectibility. Because we work on contingency—no recovery, no fee—placing an overseas account costs you nothing to try. If it truly can't be collected, we'll tell you honestly and you've lost nothing. If it can, you've turned a presumed write-off into recovered revenue at a normal rate.

Frequently asked questions

Do you charge more to collect international software debt?

No. We charge the same contingency rate worldwide—25% on accounts under 12 months past due, 33% over, 40% on second placements—with no recovery, no fee. We don't add an "international" surcharge, because we're built to work these accounts.

Which countries can you collect in?

We've recovered receivables from debtors in 15+ countries including the UK, Canada, Australia, France, Poland, Turkey, the UAE, India, Singapore, China, and Mexico, run through our London international desk.

Will you sue an overseas debtor?

Only when it makes financial sense. We gather the debtor's financial information first and tell you honestly whether a foreign judgment would be collectible before you fund any proceedings. Most international accounts resolve through negotiation.

How do I place an international account?

Send us the debtor details, invoices or contract, and a short history through Get Started. You'll get an honest read within one business day.