Updated September 28, 2026 · DebitCue Editorial Team
ether.fi vs HSBC UK
ether.fi
Higher score in this comparison
HSBC UK
ether.fi vs HSBC UK: the differences
| Compare | ether.fiReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | HSBC UKReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 | £0 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0% to 0.5%Lower | 2.75% |
| Rewards type | Cashback | None |
| Perks | Global eSIM, Visa concierge, Airport lounge access, Flight and medical coverage, Baggage delay and loss protection, Auto rental coverage, Purchase and price protection, Identity theft protection, Insurance backed account balance protection up to $500,000, 1 free virtual card, Ether.fi Travel 5% cashback | Purchase protection under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act for purchases of £100 to £30,000, Contactless payments, Add the card to Apple Pay or Google Pay from the HSBC UK Mobile Banking app, Offers and discounts via homeandaway.hsbc.com, Freeze and unfreeze the card and check the balance in the app or online banking, Credit limit of up to £1,000, may be increased automatically |
| APR | Not confirmed | 29.9% |
| Rewards rate | 3% cashback, up to $2K monthly spend (Core), paid in ETHFI | Not confirmed |
| Balance transfer intro period | Not confirmed | 17 to 36 months |
| Balance transfer fee | Not confirmed | 3.09% to 3.49% |
| Cashback rate | 3% | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Card kind (Credit).
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Key differences
- ether.fi scores higher overall: 9.6 vs 9.5.
- Currency conversion fee is lower at ether.fi: 0% to 0.5% vs 2.75%.
- Perks: only ether.fi offers Global eSIM, Visa concierge, Airport lounge access.
- Perks: only HSBC UK offers Purchase protection under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act for purchases of £100 to £30,000, Contactless payments, Add the card to Apple Pay or Google Pay from the HSBC UK Mobile Banking app.
- Support channels: only ether.fi offers Email, Community.
- Support channels: only HSBC UK offers Phone.
- Features: only ether.fi offers Rewards.
- Features: only HSBC UK offers Multi currency, Travel.
- Audience: only HSBC UK offers Student, Kids.
Our verdict on each
ether.fi
ether.fi suits companies and freelancers who want a business card with no annual charge and cashback on everyday spend, plus travel extras for staff who fly. It scores 8.2 overall, and its currency costs are modest for a card aimed at spend that crosses borders.
HSBC UK
HSBC UK suits UK account holders who want a fee free debit card for daily spending and a Classic credit card that costs nothing to hold. Borrowing and travel are the catch: 29.9% on the credit card and 2.75% in conversion fees abroad.
Score breakdown
| Area | ether.fi | HSBC UK |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.4Higher | 8.8The £0 monthly fee and £0 annual fee are both free, but 2.75% abroad and 29.9% on borrowing pull the score down. |
| Offer | 9.8HigherAnnual fee $0 with a 3% cashback, up to $2K monthly spend (Core), paid in ETHFI reward, the rate capped by monthly spend. | 9.6 |
| Trust | Not confirmed | 10.0 |
Where each is licensed and available
Additional countries for ether.fi: 1. Additional countries for HSBC UK: 1.
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | ether.fi | HSBC UK |
|---|---|---|
| Credit cards | 66 of 1020 | 76 of 1020 |
| Business credit cards | 8 of 92 | 10 of 92 |
Spending 1,000 abroad
ether.fi
0 to 5
0% to 0.5% of 1,000
HSBC UK
27.5
2.75% of 1,000
ether.fi comes out 27.5 lower in this example.
Worked out from the stated prices and rates; your own total depends on how you use it. Facts checked September 26, 2026.
Where these facts come from
ether.fi
- ether.fi: 7 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- help.ether.fi: 4 facts, checked September 26, 2026
HSBC UK
- hsbc.co.uk: 14 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- about.hsbc.co.uk: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | ether.fi | HSBC UK |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Features | Rewards | Multi currency, Travel |
| Audience | Business | Business, Student, KidsCovers more |
| Legal entity | Not confirmed | HSBC UK Bank plc |
| Headquarters | Not confirmed | United Kingdom |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 1836 |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Help centre, Community | Chat, Phone, Help centre |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | ether.fi | HSBC UK | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| APR | Not confirmed | 29.9%highest quarter | 19.39% |
| Currency conversion fee | 0% to 0.5%below the median | 2.75%highest quarter | 1 |
| Balance transfer intro period | Not confirmed | 17 to 36 monthshighest quarter | 15 |
| Balance transfer fee | Not confirmed | 3.09% to 3.49%above the median | 3 |
| Cashback rate | 3%highest quarter | Not confirmed | 1.5% |
Median across 312 listed cards.
Pros and cons
ether.fi
Pros
- Currency conversion fees run 0% to 0.5%, against a 1% median across the site and a 1.85% median in the credit card ranking.
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre, so a service problem has chat, email, a help centre and community behind it.
- The card is aimed at business users, so it fits a company expense run rather than a personal wallet.
Cons
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre, which lists no phone line, so a blocked payment or disputed charge waits on a chat reply or an email answer.
- Currency conversion fees run 0% to 0.5%, and the top of that range sits above the 0% Varo charges and the 0% Chime charges, so a card used mainly on foreign purchases costs more to run here.
- 3% cashback, up to $2K monthly spend (Core), paid in ETHFI caps the cashback at a monthly spending ceiling on the Core tier and pays it in ETHFI, so the reward neither grows with heavy spend nor holds a fixed cash value.
HSBC UK
Pros
- The debit card runs on the visa network with a £0 monthly fee.
- The credit card has a £0 annual fee and purchase protection under the Consumer Credit Act.
- Balance transfers cost 3.09% to 3.49% for 17 to 36, worth weighing against your current card.
Cons
- Currency conversion is the weak point at 2.75%, ranking 207 of 259 brands.
- 29.9% on the credit card sits above the 20.97% seen across the cards compared.
- Rewards on the credit card are none, so spending earns nothing back.
Who each suits
ether.fi
Who it suits
- Businesses and freelancers who put card spend through a company account, since the card is aimed at business users.
- Anyone who buys in several currencies, since conversion fees run 0% to 0.5% against a 10.5% ceiling elsewhere on the site.
- Cardholders who want cover on the balance rather than points, given the protection listed in Global eSIM, Visa concierge and Airport lounge access.
Who should look elsewhere
- Not people who need free currency conversion: Varo charges 0%, so foreign-heavy spend costs less there.
- Not people rebuilding a credit record from scratch: Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card) is a secured card, while ether.fi is aimed at business users and pays cashback.
- Not shoppers choosing on the annual fee: Wise also has no annual fee at £0, so the case here rests on the reward and the protection bundle.
HSBC UK
Who it suits
- UK residents wanting a fee free debit card for daily spending and a credit card in the same app.
- People who pay contactless, add the card to Apple Pay or Google Pay, and freeze it from the app.
- Households wanting one provider across a business, student or kids account, listed under business, student and kids.
Who should look elsewhere
- Wise, for frequent currency conversion: 0.1% against 2.75% here.
- Varo Believe Secured Credit Card, if a secured card with a $0 monthly fee suits you better.
- Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card), if a secured Visa card with a $0 monthly fee fits your spending.
Current offers
HSBC UK
Current offer
Bonus
Get £220 when you switch to an HSBC Bank Account: £220
Open a Bank Account in the mobile banking app and, within 60 days, complete a full switch (including 2 Direct Debits) using the Current Account Switch Service, pay in £2,000 and spend £500 on your debit card. New customers only, HSBC Bank Account only (Basic Bank Account not eligible); cashback paid within 60 days once all qualifying criteria are met; UK residents only; not available to customers who have held an HSBC UK or first direct current account since 1 January 2023; offer may be withdrawn at any time.
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | ether.fi | HSBC UK |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | No | Yes |
| United States | Yes | No |
Questions about each
ether.fi
What does the card cost to keep open?+
There is no annual charge: the fee is $0, and ether.fi runs a no annual fee model rather than a paid subscription tier. For a card that sits in a company wallet, that removes the yearly renewal decision entirely, and the running cost becomes the reward rate rather than a fee to budget for.
What does it cost to spend in another currency?+
Currency conversion fees run 0% to 0.5%, so most conversions are cheap while the top of that range is not free. If your business pays foreign suppliers regularly, compare it with Varo at 0% and Chime at 0%, which both hold currency at no charge.
HSBC UK
What does the HSBC UK debit card cost to hold and spend?+
The current account carries a £0 monthly fee, so holding it costs nothing. Spending abroad is the expensive part, with currency conversion at 2.75%. The debit card runs on the visa network, so it works at home and overseas.
What does the Classic credit card cost?+
The annual fee is £0 and the APR is 29.9%, so a carried balance is among the pricier options around. Rewards are none, so nothing comes back on spending. The card is issued by HSBC UK Bank plc.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
ether.fi
HSBC UK