Apple Pay vs Monese
A side-by-side look at how these two wallets stack up — and which one wins for which job.
| Feature | Apple Pay | Monese |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 4.4 / 5 | 3.2 / 5 |
| Best for | Contactless payments on Apple devices | Opening an account without local credit history |
| Monthly fee | Free | Free plan; paid plans available |
| Exchange rate | Uses your card's FX terms | FX fee on free plan; lower on paid |
| Send / receive | Apple Cash P2P free; instant 1.7% | Free Monese-to-Monese |
| Withdrawals | Standard Apple Cash free; instant 1.7% | Monthly free cap, then fee |
| Card | No standalone card; tokenises existing cards | Yes — debit card |
| Availability | Apple Pay 80+ countries; Apple Cash US-only | UK + EEA |
| Currencies | Local card currency; Apple Cash USD | GBP, EUR, RON (hold others) |
| Regulation | Apple Cash via Green Dot Bank (US); rides card networks | UK FCA; EEA e-money via partners |
| Founded | 2014 | 2015 |
Apple Pay
Apple Pay is the default contactless wallet for iPhone and Apple Watch users, offering fast, private, tokenized tap-to-pay accepted in 80+ countries with no usage fee. Apple Cash adds US-only peer-to-peer payments inside iMessage. Excellent for everyday spending within the Apple ecosystem but offers no standalone account or Android support.
Pros
- Seamless, secure contactless on iPhone/Watch
- Tokenization keeps real card numbers private
- Accepted in 80+ countries
Cons
- Apple Cash P2P is US-only
- Locked to the Apple ecosystem
- Instant Apple Cash transfers cost 1.7%
Monese
Monese is a UK-based e-money app aimed at expats and newcomers, letting people open an account without a local credit history and hold several currencies. It is quick to set up and useful for the underbanked, though free-plan fees, its e-money (not full-bank) status and reported financial-stability concerns are worth weighing.
Pros
- Open an account with no local credit check
- Good for expats and newcomers
- Hold multiple currencies
Cons
- Free-plan FX and ATM fees add up
- The company has faced financial-stability concerns
- Not a full bank (e-money)
The bottom line
Overall, Apple Pay edges ahead with a score of 4.4 versus 3.2 — but the right choice depends on your priorities. Check both against your own country and use case before deciding.