Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

CurrencyFair VS bunq

Compare CurrencyFair VS bunq and see what are their differences

CurrencyFair logo CurrencyFair

No bank rip-offs transferring money internationally

bunq logo bunq

bank of the Free! Mobile banking that makes life easy.
Visit Website
  • CurrencyFair Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-22
  • bunq landing page
    landing page //
    2024-11-08
  • bunq business page
    business page //
    2024-11-08

A mobile banking solution designed to simplify personal and business finances with innovative features.

CurrencyFair features and specs

  • Competitive Exchange Rates
    CurrencyFair offers exchange rates that are often more favorable than those provided by traditional banks, helping users save money on international transfers.
  • Low Fees
    The platform typically charges lower fees compared to conventional banking methods, making it a cost-effective option for transferring money internationally.
  • Peer-to-Peer Marketplace
    CurrencyFair offers a unique peer-to-peer currency exchange marketplace, allowing users to set their own rates and potentially achieve better deals.
  • Regulated and Secure
    CurrencyFair is regulated by financial authorities in multiple jurisdictions and implements strong security measures to protect user funds and data.
  • Fast Transfers
    The service aims to complete transfers quickly, often within one to two business days, depending on the countries and currencies involved.

Possible disadvantages of CurrencyFair

  • Limited Currency Availability
    CurrencyFair may not support all currencies, which can be a limitation if you need to transact in less common denominations.
  • No Cash Payouts
    CurrencyFair does not offer cash payout options for recipients, meaning they must have a bank account to receive funds.
  • Exchange Rate Re-Quotation
    While CurrencyFair offers competitive rates, there may be instances where the rate initially provided is adjusted, depending on market fluctuations before the transaction completes.
  • Geographical Limitations
    CurrencyFair services may not be available in all countries, limiting access for potential users in restricted regions.
  • User Interface
    Some users might find CurrencyFair's user interface less intuitive compared to other modern financial service platforms.

bunq features and specs

  • 100% online – no branch visits, no paperwork
    Get started from anywhere, anytime. Just download the bunq app, and you’ll never need to visit a physical branch.
  • Manage expenses effortlessly
    Create up to 25 Bank Accounts to organize your budgeting, manage salaries, set aside savings, and even handle multiple local currencies—all within seconds.
  • Earn Cashback
    Get rewarded for every payment made with your card, including employee cards—paid weekly.
  • Free Business Account for Freelancers
    A perfect no fee business bank account option to help you manage your finances efficiently.
  • Tap to Pay (receiving payments)
    Businesses can easily accept in-person, contactless payments for your business. Wherever you are, all you need to accept card payments is your bunq app and your smartphone.
  • Save time with automation
    From bookkeeping integrations and AutoVAT to quick invoice processing, bunq offers a wide range of tools that save you time, so you can get back to running your business.
  • Sky-high interest rates
    Boost your savings with 2.51% interest on EUR for personal accounts and 0.75% for business accounts — and earn even more on USD and GBP. Interest is paid out every week, so you can benefit from compound interest.
  • Teamwork made easy
    For businesses - quickly and safely share your account with co-directors and employees, so you can manage money collectively and make financial decisions together, all within the bunq app.
  • Bank like a local, wherever you are
    Open accounts with NL, DE, ES, FR & IE IBANs, and in up to 22 currencies quickly and without any hassle. You also get 6 worldwide ATM withdrawals for free every month.
  • Plant trees with your card
    As a bunq user you'll plant trees just by using your bunq card. We're planting mangroves in Kenya thanks to our partner veritree. You can also track the estimated CO2 impact of your transactions in the app!
  • Exclusive Business Card perks
    With our business accounts, get top discounts on tools and services like Google Workspace to help your business grow and succeed.

Analysis of bunq

Overall verdict

  • Bunq is generally regarded as a good option for those looking for a modern, mobile-first banking experience, especially if sustainability and innovative financial tools are important to you. However, it may not be the cheapest option as it charges a monthly fee for certain account types.

Why this product is good

  • Bunq is often praised for its innovative features which are designed to provide a modern and flexible banking experience. It offers a highly user-friendly app, multiple sub-accounts for budgeting, instant payment notifications, and the ability to plant trees with certain transactions. It's also known for its commitment to sustainability and transparency. Users who value quick, on-the-go banking often appreciate bunq's seamless interface and customizable options. Additionally, bunq supports multiple currencies and provides various tools for managing finances effectively.

Recommended for

    Bunq is recommended for tech-savvy individuals, frequent travelers, environmentally conscious users, and anyone who values digital convenience and flexibility in their banking services. It's especially useful for those who are comfortable managing their finances through a mobile app and who can benefit from features like real-time budget tracking and multiple currency support.

CurrencyFair videos

Transferwise vs CurrencyFair - Which One Is Better

More videos:

  • Review - Foreign Currency Exchange Easier, and CHEAPER?! [CurrencyFair] (2020) | Expats Everywhere
  • Review - CurrencyFair Review

bunq videos

bunq Update 27

More videos:

  • Review - Bunq Review - The SUPERGREEN Bank of the Future!
  • Review - Automate your payments with bunq API

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to CurrencyFair and bunq)
Online Payments
23 23%
77% 77
Finance
0 0%
100% 100
Money Transfer
100 100%
0% 0
Payment Platform
26 26%
74% 74

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare CurrencyFair and bunq

CurrencyFair Reviews

Top 7 Wise Alternatives
Another cost you should be aware of is the receiving bank charges in countries where CurrencyFair doesn’t have a local bank account (they don’t have local bank accounts in Canada and New Zealand yet, so receiving CAD and NZD can be relatively expensive for smaller amounts as the receiving banks charge a fee usually $15 – $30).
Source: transumo.com

bunq Reviews

We have no reviews of bunq yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, CurrencyFair should be more popular than bunq. It has been mentiond 7 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

CurrencyFair mentions (7)

  • How to buy US based ETFs from outside of the US (SCHD, JEPI etc)
    They only support bank wire transfers or transfers via currencyfair which is cheaper and quicker than a bank transfer. Their conversion rate is really nice (at least for EUR/ USD) but you will be charged an extra 20$ per transaction because of a 3rd party bank that comes into play. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Foreign conversion rates
    Use either Currencyfair https://currencyfair.com/ or Wise https://wise.com/. I have used both and I have a slight preference for Currencyfair for one-off transfer. Source: over 2 years ago
  • $$$ TOP AFFILIATE PROGRAMS 2022 $$$
    CurrencyFair -- Earn €20-200 Per Transfer -- https://currencyfair.com -- Finance. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Multi currency account ING
    I should be much cheaper for you if you use sites like wise.com or currencyfair.com or other similar. Also change rate in ING might be different for others. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Soon to be US-expat for the first time. Looking for any and all advice.
    In the Netherlands, many places do not accept credit cards. They accept Dutch debit cards, or cash. Cash is not commonly accepted either. It's weird, it's annoying, but I recommend applying for a debit card ASAP upon arrival. ING or ABNAMRO are the primary options, both suck, but it is what it is. The best rate for transferring money has been https://currencyfair.com/ imo. Source: over 3 years ago
View more

bunq mentions (3)

  • NexoCard issues/rejections in Germany
    I had similar issues with bunq.com from Netherlands where their Mastercards where registered in Russia and they had to fix it and afterwards everything is fine and you can use the card without any major problems. Source: about 3 years ago
  • [FWI] More people would use those existing solutions?
    Plants trees for customers under 18 • https://bunq.com. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Is YNAB really better than just using multiple bank accounts as envelopes?
    I use Vivid here in Germany (https://vivid.money/en-de/) and before that Bunq (deemed it too expensive) (http://bunq.com), but these are both only available in Europe. Looks like One Finance could be an alternative for people in the US, if that applies to you (https://www.onefinance.com). Source: over 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing CurrencyFair and bunq, you can also consider the following products

Wise - Currency exchange Banks and other providers could charge you up to 5% in hidden costs when sending ...

BankWorld Mobile - Mobile banking software

Valora - Send money like a text message to anyone worldwide

Stripe - Online payment processing for internet businesses. Stripe is a suite of payment APIs that powers commerce for online businesses of all sizes. Use Stripe’s payment platform to accept and process payments online for easy-to-use commerce solutions.

CurrencyTransfer - Expedia for business money transfers

MyBank - Mobile banking system with digital passbook & bill payments