Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

CurrencyFair VS Wise

Compare CurrencyFair VS Wise and see what are their differences

CurrencyFair logo CurrencyFair

No bank rip-offs transferring money internationally

Wise logo Wise

Currency exchange Banks and other providers could charge you up to 5% in hidden costs when sending ...
  • CurrencyFair Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-22
  • Wise Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-02

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.

Wise features and specs

  • Low Fees
    Wise offers competitive and transparent fees compared to traditional banks and many other money transfer services.
  • Real Exchange Rates
    Wise uses the mid-market exchange rate, meaning users get the real exchange rate without any hidden markups.
  • Fast Transfers
    Many transfers through Wise are processed quickly, often within a few hours or a day, depending on the destination country and payment method.
  • Multi-Currency Accounts
    Users can hold and manage money in multiple currencies with Wise's Borderless Account, making it easier for those who deal with international payments regularly.
  • Transparent Pricing
    Wise is upfront about their fees and the total cost of a transfer, so users know exactly how much they'll pay and how much the recipient will receive.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    Wise offers a clean and intuitive application and web interface, making it easy for users to navigate and complete transactions.

Possible disadvantages of Wise

  • Limited Customer Support
    Wise's customer support is primarily online, and some users report difficulties in reaching live assistance or having slow response times.
  • Transfer Limits
    There are limits on how much money can be transferred in a single transaction or over a period of time, which might be restrictive for some users.
  • Lack of Physical Locations
    Unlike traditional banks, Wise doesn't have physical branches, which can be an inconvenience for those who prefer in-person banking services.
  • Verification Process
    New users or those making large transfers may have to go through a lengthy verification process, which can delay the initial transaction.
  • Not Available in All Countries
    Wise does not operate in every country, limiting its accessibility for some users looking to send or receive international payments.
  • Occasional Delays
    While generally fast, some transfers may experience delays due to various factors, such as banking hours, holiday schedules, or compliance checks.

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

Wise videos

TransferWise Review - 3 Must Knows (2020)

More videos:

  • Review - TransferWise in detail
  • Review - Transferwise Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to CurrencyFair and Wise)
Online Payments
2 2%
98% 98
Money Transfer
2 2%
98% 98
Payment Platform
5 5%
95% 95
Billing & Invoicing
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using CurrencyFair and Wise. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Reviews

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

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

Wise Reviews

6 Cheaper Payoneer Alternatives for Your Online Transcations
Wise is a well-known alternative to traditional banking and offers competitive rates for international money transfers. It operates on a peer-to-peer system, ensuring low fees by matching individuals who want to exchange currency in different countries.
Top 5 Payoneer Alternatives [2024]
Wise offers fast, convenient transfers with transparent fees based on mid-market exchange rates, as well as a multi-currency account for both individual and business customers. While Wise offers several tools for business customers, such as expense cards, it is not as extensive as those offered by Payoneer. On the other hand, Payoneer’s fee structure is only transparent on...
Source: www.exiap.com
Top 5 Payoneer Alternatives for Seamless Online Transactions
Both offer global transactions, but Wise shines with competitive exchange rates and transparent fees, while Payoneer focuses on receiving payments with features like virtual cards. Choose Wise for cost-effectiveness, Payoneer for easy receiving.
Source: www.doola.com
Best money transfer apps of 2021
TransferWise does also offer Business pricing, which adds in extra features that are free, including the ability to receive money in EUR, USD, GBP, PLN, AUD and NZD currencies without charge. However, this comes with a 0.33%-3.56% fee to convert currencies. The supporting TransferWise debit Mastercard comes free too, with the same currency conversion fee of 0.33%-3.56% plus...
Top 7 Wise Alternatives
Wise’s Multi Currency Account (review) and associated Wise card (review) (which works great as a travel money card) are especially useful to expats who need banking features in a new country to pay rent, buy groceries, or receive money like a local (Wise offers international bank details in 10 currencies).
Source: transumo.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Wise should be more popular than CurrencyFair. It has been mentiond 24 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

Wise mentions (24)

  • Which bank in vietnam have the lowest fee for overseas remittance?
    I don't think you need to be a holder of both. I put my mom on my Wells Fargo account and she sent to my account. There is also https://wise.com/us/ . This one I have used to send to someones account in Vietnam. It does have slightly higher fee. But it goes straight into their account. From Wells Fargo I would have to go and get USD then exchange it to Vietnamese currency. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • We are happy to welcome you to Auction 88 — Coins of The World.
    They invoice in Euros (Czech Republic) so also be aware of fees on payments. I've successfully used TransferWise (https://wise.com/us/). Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Recommend me a first credit card with 0 foreign tx fee
    It's not a credit card. It's just a way to convert currency w/o a fee. https://wise.com/us/. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Renting an apartment without a US Bank account?
    Get a Wise account. Open one in your local currency, and one in US currency. I was doing that for the first few months. Source: over 2 years ago
  • My New Client Is Asking Me For My Bank Info
    I’ve used Wise for bank payments from international clients before: https://wise.com/us/ that way you’re not giving them your actual bank info but the process is similar on the client’s end. Source: over 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

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

Valora - Send money like a text message to anyone worldwide

Bill.com - Your financial operations platform. The intelligent way to create and pay bills, send invoices, manage expenses, control budgets, and access the credit your business needs to grow—all on one platform.

CurrencyTransfer - Expedia for business money transfers

Zoho Invoice - 100% free online invoicing software for small businesses.

PayPal - PayPal is the faster, safer way to pay online without sharing financial details, send and receive money or accept credit and debit cards as a seller

The Invoice Machine - The Invoice Machine is an online invoicing service with a simple and elegant user interface.