Updated September 28, 2026 · DebitCue Editorial Team
Airwallex vs Qonto
Airwallex
Higher score in this comparison
Qonto
Airwallex vs Qonto: the differences
| Compare | AirwallexReviewVisitVisit | QontoReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | £0 | €9 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0.5%Lower | 2% |
| Card network | Visa | Mastercard |
| Currencies | 20 | from 30 |
| Free ATM withdrawals | Not confirmed | €0 |
| Cashback rate | 2% | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Card type (Debit).
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Key differences
- Airwallex scores higher overall: 9.0 vs 8.7.
- Founded is lower at Airwallex: 2015 vs 2017.
- Airwallex is licensed in 1 more country.
- Airwallex is available in 9 more countries.
- Currency conversion fee is lower at Airwallex: 0.5% vs 2%.
- Support channels: only Qonto offers Email.
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.
Qonto
Qonto suits a registered business that wants card insurance, deferred debit and multi-currency handling inside a single account rather than bought separately. The trade-off is price, with a monthly fee of €9 on the account and a conversion fee of 2% on the card, which is where Wise at £0 a month pulls ahead.
Score breakdown
| Area | Airwallex | Qonto |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.2HigherMonthly fee of £0 ranks 1 of 419, while conversion fees of 0.5% sit at 115. | 8.4Cost: a monthly fee of €9 against £0 at Wise, plus 2% on foreign spend and €0 in free withdrawals. |
| Offer | 9.4Multi-currency, virtual cards and travel use are listed features, with cashback of 2% on spend. | 9.4 |
| Trust | 8.6Higher | 8.5 |
Also worth a look
eToro has currency conversion fee at 0%, against 0.5% for Airwallex and 2% for Qonto.
eToro 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
Qonto
- qonto.com: 10 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- euclid.eba.europa.eu: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Airwallex | Qonto |
|---|---|---|
| Debit cards | 4 of 1336 | 10 of 1336 |
| Credit cards | 2 of 1020 | 8 of 1020 |
| Business debit cards | 1 of 201 | 3 of 201 |
| Travel cards | 2 of 443 | 8 of 443 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Airwallex | Qonto |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Multi currency, Virtual card, Travel | Multi currency, Virtual card, Travel |
| Audience | Business | Business |
| Legal entity | Airwallex (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. | QONTO |
| Headquarters | Singapore | France |
| Founded | 2015Lower | 2017 |
| Support channels | Help centre, Phone, Chat | Chat, Phone, Email, Help centreCovers more |
Credit cards
| Fact | Airwallex | Qonto |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | Not confirmed | €0 |
| APR | Not confirmed | 17.5% |
| Rewards type | Not confirmed | None |
| Pricing model | Not confirmed | No annual fee |
| Perks | Not confirmed | Card insurance included (travel, business purchases, fraud), Deferred debit option on Plus and X Cards at no extra cost, Account remuneration 5% AER for 2 months then 1.5% (Smart and Premium plans), Apple Pay and Google Pay compatible, 24/7 support in France, 7 days a week elsewhere |
| Card kind | Not confirmed | Credit |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Airwallex | Qonto | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currency conversion fee | 0.5%below the median | 2%above the median | 1% |
| Free ATM withdrawals | Not confirmed | €0below the median | €4 |
| Cashback rate | 2%at the median | Not confirmed | 2% |
| Currencies | 20above the median | from 30highest quarter | 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
Qonto
Pros
- Card insurance for travel, business purchases and fraud comes with the card.
- Multi-currency, virtual cards and travel use all sit inside the offer, so foreign buying needs no separate product (multi currency, virtual card and travel).
Cons
- The account charges a monthly fee of €9, while Wise charges £0 for the same job of holding money.
- Card conversion costs 2%, and the ranking on that measure is 160 of 259.
- Free ATM withdrawals come to €0, so cash at home or abroad is a charge rather than an included allowance.
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
Qonto
Who it suits
- A company paying suppliers in several currencies and issuing staff cards without an annual charge of €0.
- Readers who want chat, phone, email and help centre support with round the clock cover in France (chat, phone and email).
Who should look elsewhere
- Wise, for a reader who wants no monthly account charge, since Qonto costs €9 against £0.
- Varo Believe Secured Credit Card, for someone after a secured credit card at a monthly fee of $0 rather than a company current account.
- Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card), for a reader who wants a secured credit card billed at $0 a month.
Current offers
Qonto
Current offer
Free trial
1-month free trial on all Qonto plans: 1 month free
Shown on Basic, Smart, Premium, Essential, Business and Enterprise plan cards on the pricing page.
Source, checked September 26, 2026
First period offer
Remunerated account: 5% AER for 2 months, then 1.5% AER: 5% AER for 2 months, then 1.5% AER
Smart and Premium plans; requires at least 5 eligible transactions per month; remunerated balance cap EUR 50,000 (Smart) or EUR 100,000 (Premium).
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Airwallex | Qonto |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Yes | No |
| Austria | No | Yes |
| Belgium | No | Yes |
| Canada | Yes | No |
| China | Yes | No |
| Hong Kong | Yes | No |
| Israel | Yes | No |
| Italy | No | Yes |
8 of 21 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.
Qonto
What does a Qonto business account cost each month?+
The account is billed a monthly fee of €9 for being open, and the card itself adds an annual fee of €0, so nothing is due on the card beyond that. The monthly line is the one most comparisons turn on, and it is the figure to weigh against an account that charges nothing but offers less.
What does it cost to spend in another currency?+
A purchase in a currency other than the account's own carries a conversion fee of 2%, added to the local amount and charged on each transaction. Spending in the home currency avoids it, so the fee is easy to trigger by accident on a foreign trip and easy to avoid otherwise. Paying in the local currency is the habit that controls it.