Updated September 28, 2026 · DebitCue Editorial Team
Airwallex vs bunq
Airwallex
Higher score in this comparison
bunq
What sets them apart
| Compare | AirwallexReviewVisitVisit | bunqReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | £0 | €0 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.5% | 0.5% to 3% |
| Card network | Visa | Mastercard |
| Currencies | 20Higher | 8 |
| Cashback rate | 2% | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Card type (Debit).
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Key differences
- Founded is lower at bunq: 2012 vs 2015.
- Airwallex is licensed in 1 more country.
- Airwallex is available in 16 more countries.
- Currencies is higher at Airwallex: 20 vs 8.
- Support channels: only Airwallex offers Help centre, Phone.
- Support channels: only bunq offers Email.
- Features: only bunq offers Crypto.
- Audience: only Airwallex offers Business.
- Audience: only bunq offers Student.
Our verdict on each
Airwallex
Airwallex suits businesses that hold and spend across several currencies, pairing a £0 monthly fee with 20 currencies, virtual cards and support by phone. The trade-off sits in conversion, where fees run 0.5%, a step above the cheapest rate on a comparison of 259 brands.
bunq
bunq is a euro debit card with a Mastercard and multi-currency accounts, aimed at students and at anyone spending abroad. The monthly fee is €0, the same as Wise at £0, while the currency conversion fee runs 0.5% to 3% on travel spending.
Score breakdown
| Area | Airwallex | bunq |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.2Monthly fee of £0 ranks 1 of 419, while conversion fees of 0.5% sit at 115. | 9.2Cost is mid-range: monthly fee of €0 sits at €0, with 0.5% to 3% above the 1% median. |
| Offer | 9.4HigherMulti-currency, virtual cards and travel use are listed features, with cashback of 2% on spend. | 9.0 |
| Trust | 8.6 | 8.8Higher |
A third option
Nexo has currencies at 100, against 20 for Airwallex and 8 for bunq.
Nexo reviewSources behind this comparison
Airwallex
- airwallex.com: 7 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- play.google.com: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- recordowl.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
- sgpbusiness.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
- transferfees.io: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
bunq
- bunq.com: 11 facts, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Airwallex | bunq |
|---|---|---|
| Debit cards | 4 of 1336 | 7 of 1336 |
| Credit cards | 2 of 1020 | 5 of 1020 |
| Travel cards | 2 of 443 | 5 of 443 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Airwallex | bunq |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Multi currency, Virtual card, Travel | Multi currency, Crypto, Virtual card, TravelCovers more |
| Audience | Business | Student |
| Legal entity | Airwallex (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. | bunq B.V. |
| Headquarters | Singapore | Netherlands |
| Founded | 2015 | 2012Lower |
| Support channels | Help centre, Phone, Chat | Email, Chat |
Credit cards
| Fact | Airwallex | bunq |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Pricing model | Not confirmed | No annual fee |
| Card kind | Not confirmed | Credit |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Airwallex | bunq | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currency conversion fee | 0.5%below the median | 0.5% to 3%below the median | 1% |
| Cashback rate | 2%at the median | Not confirmed | 2% |
| Currencies | 20above the median | 8at the median | 8 |
Median across 387 listed cards.
Pros and cons
Airwallex
Pros
- A monthly fee of £0 and a rank of 1 on 419 brands for this measure
- Accounts cover 20 currencies, so several balances can sit side by side
- Virtual cards and travel use are listed features, so staff spend and trips stay in the same place
Cons
- Conversion fees run 0.5%, so converting larger amounts costs more than at the cheapest rivals
- Cashback of 2% is small next to that conversion cost on cross-currency spend
- The account is aimed at business, so personal everyday spending sits outside its remit
bunq
Pros
- Monthly fee of €0 and annual fee of €0, with Wise at £0 charging the same on the monthly side.
- A Mastercard card, on the network behind 38.5% of the cards compared here.
- Multi-currency, crypto, a virtual card and travel features on the plan, with multi-currency listed on 34.9% of cards here.
Cons
- Support runs on email and chat only, with no phone line for urgent card problems.
- The upper end of the conversion fee, 0.5% to 3%, is well above the conversion median of 1% on heavy foreign spending.
- Wise also charges £0, so bunq has to win on features rather than on price.
Who each suits
Airwallex
Who it suits
- Businesses paying suppliers or contractors in other currencies
- Companies with staff travelling for work
- Startups keeping several currency balances side by side
Who should look elsewhere
- Single-currency spenders, who would get more from Wise
- Travellers wanting fee-free conversion, since fees run 0.5% here against 0.1% at Wise
- Households after a personal everyday card, where Varo Believe Secured Credit Card or Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card) fit better
bunq
Who it suits
- Students, who are the audience listed on student.
- Anyone who wants a Mastercard debit card with a monthly fee of €0 and no annual charge of €0.
- Travellers who pay in several currencies, with 8 currencies supported and multi-currency listed on multi currency, crypto and virtual card.
Who should look elsewhere
- Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card) if you want a credit card rather than bunq's debit card, at a monthly fee of $0.
- Wise if you would rather hold pounds, since its monthly fee of £0 is the same as bunq's €0.
- Varo Believe Secured Credit Card if you want secured credit, priced at a monthly fee of $0.
Country by country
| Country | Airwallex | bunq |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Yes | No |
| Canada | Yes | No |
| China | Yes | No |
| France | Yes | No |
| Germany | Yes | No |
| Hong Kong | Yes | No |
| Israel | Yes | No |
| Japan | Yes | No |
8 of 17 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
Airwallex
What does it cost to hold an Airwallex account?+
The monthly fee is £0, so keeping the account open adds no recurring cost, and Airwallex ranks 1 of 419 brands on this measure. Conversion is the charge that follows, and it is listed separately.
What is the currency conversion fee on Airwallex?+
Conversion fees run 0.5%, which sits above the cheapest conversion available, and Airwallex ranks 115 of 259 brands on this measure. Converting only when the trade rate is worth the fee keeps that cost under control.
bunq
Is there a fee for holding a bunq account and card?+
The monthly fee is €0 and the annual fee is €0, so holding the account and the card costs nothing in fees. That matches Wise at £0 on the monthly side. Spending is where costs appear, and the one to watch is the currency conversion fee of 0.5% to 3% when you pay in another currency.
What does it cost to spend money abroad on bunq?+
Converting currency costs 0.5% to 3% on bunq, the range that applies when you spend in a currency other than the one on your balance. A trip concentrated in a single currency tends to sit at the lower end, while heavy multi-currency spending lands near the top. The card runs on Mastercard, which is accepted widely.