Náš verdikt
Wise is the benchmark for sending money abroad and holding several currencies at once. It converts at the mid-market exchange rate, the one you see on financial news sites, and charges a separate fee that it shows before you pay. There is no monthly fee, you can hold more than 40 currencies, and you get local account details in nine of them so people abroad can pay you like a local.
It is not a bank, though, and it is not the cheapest option for every job. Below we price typical transfers, card spending and cash withdrawals in pounds, euros and dollars using Wise’s own calculator and fee pages on our check date, and explain who Wise suits best.
Wise fees at a glance (2026)
| UK | Eurozone | US | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | None | None | None |
| Currency conversion | From 0.24% | From 0.2% (German pricing page) | From 0.23% |
| Exchange rate | Mid-market | Mid-market | Mid-market |
| Physical card | £7 | €7 | $9 |
| Free ATM withdrawals | £250 a month, then 2.69% | €250 a month, then 2.69% | $250 a month, then $1.95 + 1.95% |
| Receiving money | Free to local details, except USD wires ($6.11); SWIFT 2.16 GBP | Free to local details, except USD wires; SWIFT 2.39 EUR | ACH free; domestic wire $6.11; SWIFT 6.11 USD |
Spending a currency you already hold with the Wise card is free. The digital card costs nothing. ATM operators may add their own fees.
What Wise really costs: worked examples
All transfer figures are from Wise’s price calculator on 28 October 2026, paying in by bank transfer unless stated. Wise’s fee is a small fixed amount plus a percentage that depends on the currency route, and the percentage falls on larger amounts.
| Transfer | Wise fee | Recipient gets |
|---|---|---|
| £1,000 to EUR | £3.81 | €1,189.19 |
| £1,000 to USD | £4.60 | $1,321.84 |
| €1,000 to USD | €6.21 | $1,105.54 |
| €1,000 to GBP | €5.76 | £832.87 |
| $1,000 to EUR (domestic wire in) | $9.87 | €889.96 |
| $1,000 to EUR from a Wise USD balance | $3.42 | €895.76 |
| £10,000 to EUR | £33.41 | €11,897.52 |
Rates move constantly, so the amount received changes from minute to minute; the fee percentage stays stable.
How you pay in matters more than you think
Paying for the same £1,000-to-euros transfer by debit card cost £6.96, and by Apple Pay, Google Pay or credit card £25.92, against £3.81 by bank transfer. In the US, paying $1,000 by debit card cost $16.05 against $9.87 by wire. Fund transfers by bank transfer, or from money already in your Wise balance, whenever you can.
Spending €800 on holiday with the Wise card
If you already hold euros in Wise, the card payments cost nothing. If the card converts pounds at the till, you pay Wise’s conversion fee, about 0.33% for pounds to euros on our check date, so roughly £2.20 on the £670 it takes to buy €800. The fee is the same on weekdays and weekends.
Taking out €400 in cash
A eurozone customer pays nothing on the first €250 in a month and 2.69% on the remaining €150, so €4.04. A UK customer withdrawing the equivalent of £335 pays 2.69% on £85, so £2.29, plus the conversion fee if the card has to convert pounds.
Getting paid in other currencies
This is where Wise is hardest to beat. You can hold more than 40 currencies and get local account details in AUD, CAD, EUR, GBP, HKD, HUF, NZD, SGD and USD (USD details are not available in every country). A US client can pay you by ACH, a European one by SEPA and a British one by Faster Payments, and domestic payments into those details arrive free, except USD wires at $6.11. Payments that arrive by SWIFT cost 6.11 USD, 2.16 GBP or 2.39 EUR.
You then decide when to convert, at the mid-market rate, or keep the money in that currency and spend it with the card at no cost.
Who Wise is for, and who should look elsewhere
- Good fit: freelancers and remote workers paid by foreign clients, expats who move money between two countries, families sending money abroad regularly, and travellers who want a card that converts at the mid-market rate on any day of the week.
- Good fit: anyone who wants to see the full price before paying. Wise shows the fee and the amount received upfront.
- Less suited: people who take out a lot of cash abroad (only £250, €250 or $250 a month is free), people who want a full current account with overdraft or credit, and anyone who needs bank deposit insurance on large balances.
- Less suited: very large one-off transfers where a specialist broker might quote a narrower margin. Get a second quote and compare the amount received.
Where you can open Wise
Wise operates through regulated companies in the UK, the EU, the US and other regions. The Wise card is offered to residents of the UK, the EEA, Switzerland, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brazil and Thailand (Thai accounts only if registered from 21 January 2026). Cards issued in the US can only be activated in the US. Wise says you can pay with your phone using Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Is Wise safe?
Wise is regulated in every region where it operates, but it is not a bank. In the UK, Wise Payments Limited is an e-money institution authorised by the FCA; in the EU, Wise Europe SA is a payment institution supervised by the National Bank of Belgium; in the US, Wise US Inc. is registered with FinCEN as a money transmitter.
Customer money is safeguarded, which means it is kept separate from Wise’s own funds. That is not the same as deposit insurance: Wise balances are not covered by the FSCS in the UK, the Belgian deposit guarantee in the EU or direct FDIC insurance in the US. For large long-term savings, a bank account with deposit protection is the safer place; Wise works best as a transit and multi-currency account.
Our verdict on Wise
| Use case | Rating | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sending money abroad | Excellent | Mid-market rate and a visible fee of roughly 0.3% to 0.5% on common routes. |
| Getting paid from abroad | Excellent | Local account details in 9 currencies, free domestic receiving except USD wires. |
| Spending abroad by card | Very good | Free in held currencies; otherwise a small conversion fee, every day of the week. |
| Cash abroad | Average | £250 / €250 / $250 free a month, then 2.69% (US: $1.95 + 1.95%). |
| Keeping savings | Limited | Safeguarded, but no deposit insurance. |
Wise remains the most transparent way to move and hold money in several currencies. If you send money abroad, get paid by foreign clients or travel often, it is worth having, especially as it costs nothing to keep. Pair it with a bank account for your salary and savings, fund transfers by bank transfer rather than by card, and watch the ATM allowance if you rely on cash.
Sources
Every fee on this page was checked against these official provider pages on .
- Wise — pricing (UK)
- Wise — pricing (US)
- Wise — pricing (Germany)
- Wise — card (UK): Apple Pay, Google Pay and free ATM allowance
- Wise — card fees (UK)
- Wise — card fees (US)
- Wise — card fees (Germany)
- Wise — price calculator quote (GBP to EUR, 1,000)
- Wise — price calculator quote (GBP to USD, 1,000)
- Wise — price calculator quote (EUR to USD, 1,000)
- Wise — price calculator quote (EUR to GBP, 1,000)
- Wise — price calculator quote (USD to EUR, 1,000)
- Wise — price calculator quote (GBP to EUR, 10,000)
- Wise — US long-form fee disclosure
- Wise Help — currencies you can hold and receive
- Wise Help — fees for receiving money by SWIFT
- Wise Help — where the Wise card is available
- Wise Help — UK safeguarding (Wise Payments Ltd)
- Wise Help — EU safeguarding (Wise Europe SA)
- Wise Help — US entity (Wise US Inc.)
Výhody
- Mid-market exchange rate with low transparent fees
- Hold and convert 40+ currencies
- Local account details in multiple currencies
- Clear upfront cost before you send
Nevýhody
- Not a full bank (no deposit insurance like a bank)
- ATM withdrawals free only up to a monthly cap
- No credit or overdraft features
- Support can be slow at times
Poplatky a kľúčové fakty
| Registrácia | Free |
|---|---|
| Mesačný poplatok | Free (one-time card fee in some regions) |
| Odoslať / prijať | Low variable fee (~0.33%+) |
| Výmenný kurz | Mid-market + transparent fee (often <0.5%) |
| Výbery | Free up to a monthly cap, then small fee |
| Karta | Yes — physical & virtual debit Mastercard |
| Dostupnosť | 160+ countries |
| Meny | 40+ currencies |
| Založené | 2011 |
| Sídlo | London, UK |
| Regulácia | FCA (UK), NBB (Belgium), FinCEN (US) |
Pripravení vyskúšať Wise?
Otvorte oficiálnu stránku a skontrolujte aktuálne podmienky vo vašej krajine a zaregistrujte sa.
Navštíviť WiseCompare Wise with other wallets
Wise — frequently asked questions
How much does Wise charge to send £1,000 to euros?
On 28 October 2026 Wise charged £3.81 to send £1,000 to a euro account when paying in by bank transfer, with €1,189.19 delivered at the mid-market rate. By debit card it cost £6.96.
Does Wise have a monthly fee?
No. Holding money, receiving to local account details and using the digital card are free; the physical card costs £7, €7 or $9 to order.
How much cash can I withdraw for free with Wise?
£250, €250 or $250 a month depending on your region. Above that Wise charges 2.69% in the UK and Europe, and $1.95 plus 1.95% per withdrawal in the US.
Is Wise a bank?
No. Wise is a regulated e-money and payment institution. It safeguards customer money, but balances are not covered by deposit insurance such as the FSCS or FDIC.
Which currencies can I receive with Wise?
Wise gives local account details in AUD, CAD, EUR, GBP, HKD, HUF, NZD, SGD and USD, and lets you hold more than 40 currencies.
Can I use Wise with Apple Pay or Google Pay?
Yes, you can pay with the Wise card through Apple Pay or Google Pay. Avoid using Apple Pay or Google Pay to fund transfers, though: on our check date that cost £25.92 instead of £3.81 on £1,000 to euros.
Comments 10
Share your experience with Wise. Comments are public; your email is never shown.
Solid multi-currency account. I wish they had some basic savings interest options or credit cards, but for day-to-day transfers, it's great.
I love the digital cards feature. I can create a temporary card for online shopping and delete it afterwards for security. It works flawlessly.
As a freelancer, having local banking details in the US, Eurozone, and UK is fantastic. My clients pay me locally, and I withdraw with minimal fees. It has saved me thousands in bank fees.
Simple setup, fast verification. I was up and running in less than an hour. The card arrived in the mail within 5 days. Very happy customer.
Outstanding service. I've been using Wise to send money from the UK to my family in Poland for over two years now. The rates are always clear and the transfers usually arrive in minutes. Highly recommend!
Simple setup, fast verification. I was up and running in less than an hour. The card arrived in the mail within 5 days. Very happy customer.
Solid multi-currency account. I wish they had some basic savings interest options or credit cards, but for day-to-day transfers, it's great.
Super easy to use. The multi-currency card is a lifesaver when traveling. I just converted EUR to USD instantly with a very low markup. Excellent interface.
The best way to send money internationally. Period. I used to use Western Union and standard bank transfers, but this is 10 times cheaper and faster.
Solid multi-currency account. I wish they had some basic savings interest options or credit cards, but for day-to-day transfers, it's great.