Updated October 17, 2026 · DebitCue Editorial Team
Monzo vs Wirex Card
Monzo
Higher score in this comparison
Wirex Card
What sets them apart
| Compare | MonzoReviewVisitVisit | Wirex CardReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | £0 | $0 |
| Free ATM withdrawals | £200 | $0 |
| Card network | Mastercard | Visa |
| Currencies | 38 | from 150 |
| Cashback rate | Not confirmed | 0.5% to 8% |
| Custody | Not confirmed | Self custody |
Same on both: Currency conversion fee (0%), Card type (Debit).
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Key differences
- Monzo scores higher overall: 9.2 vs 9.1.
- Founded is lower at Wirex Card: 2014 vs 2015.
- Wirex Card is licensed in 2 more countries.
- Support channels: only Monzo offers Phone.
- Support channels: only Wirex Card offers Email, Community.
- Features: only Wirex Card offers Multi currency, Crypto, Self custody.
- Audience: only Monzo offers Kids.
Our verdict on each
Monzo
Monzo pairs a fee-free debit account with a fee-free credit card, so it suits anyone who wants no monthly charge and no foreign transaction cost. The current account charges a monthly fee of £0 and the card runs at an APR of 29% on borrowing.
Wirex Card
Wirex Card suits business users and frequent travellers abroad who want crypto spending on a multi-currency card, with a currency conversion fee of 0% and a monthly fee of $0. Self-custody, from 150 currencies and cashback of 0.5% to 8% add pull, though free ATM withdrawals are $0.
Score breakdown
| Area | Monzo | Wirex Card |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.4Monthly fee of £0 and conversion fee of 0% lead the site's cost columns, though the £200 ATM allowance is mid-table. | 9.4Holds rank 1 on monthly fee and 1 on currency conversion, with fees of $0 a month and 0%. |
| Offer | 9.7HigherA credit card with an £0 annual fee, rewards type none, a 0% conversion fee and virtual card and travel features. | 9.2 |
| Trust | 8.6 | 8.7Higher |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | Monzo | Wirex Card |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Financial Conduct Authority FRN 902025 | |
| El Salvador | Not confirmed | |
| Malta | Not confirmed |
Sources behind this comparison
Monzo
- monzo.com: 10 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- en.wikipedia.org: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Wirex Card
- wirexapp.com: 14 facts, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Monzo | Wirex Card |
|---|---|---|
| Debit cards | 21 of 1336 | 30 of 1336 |
| Business debit cards | 5 of 201 | 8 of 201 |
| Travel cards | 13 of 443 | 19 of 443 |
| No foreign transaction fee cards | 5 of 111 | 7 of 111 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Monzo | Wirex Card |
|---|---|---|
| Features | Virtual card, Travel | Multi currency, Crypto, Virtual card, Self custody, TravelCovers more |
| Audience | Kids, BusinessCovers more | Business |
| Legal entity | Monzo Bank Limited | Wirex Limited |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| Founded | 2015 | 2014Lower |
| Support channels | Chat, Phone, Help centre | Email, Chat, Help centre, Community |
Credit cards
| Fact | Monzo | Wirex Card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | £0 | Not confirmed |
| APR | 29% | Not confirmed |
| Rewards type | None | Not confirmed |
| Pricing model | No annual fee | Not confirmed |
| Perks | 0% interest over 3 months on purchases of GBP 100 or more, repeatable, 0% interest if you pay in full, No overseas fees (Mastercard exchange rate only), Section 75 purchase protection, Credit limit up to GBP 10,000, Flex purchases from up to 2 weeks ago, Instant notifications and real time balance updates, Separate paid card: Aura (GBP 15 a month) adds 1% cashback on groceries, 0.5% on everything else uncapped, auto invested cashback, Apple TV, Google AI Plus, 2 airport lounge and 2 fast track passes a year | Not confirmed |
| Card kind | Credit | Not confirmed |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Monzo | Wirex Card | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currency conversion fee | 0%below the median | 0%below the median | 1% |
| Cashback rate | Not confirmed | 0.5% to 8%highest quarter | 2 |
| Currencies | 38highest quarter | from 150highest quarter | 8 |
Median across 387 listed cards.
Pros and cons
Monzo
Pros
- Currency conversion fee of 0% and monthly fee of £0, ranking 1 of 259 and 1 of 419 on the site.
- Free ATM withdrawals cover £200.
- A £0 annual fee credit card at 29% APR, with no interest when the balance is paid in full.
Cons
- Rewards type on the credit card is none, and cashback sits behind a separate paid card tier.
- The £200 free ATM allowance ranks 15 of 115 on the site.
- Borrowing costs 29% APR, while the site median APR is 20.97%.
Wirex Card
Pros
- Currency conversion costs 0% on a debit card, so spending in another currency adds no extra cost.
- The monthly fee is $0 and the account supports from 150 currencies on the visa network.
- Self-custody and a virtual card are both listed features, alongside crypto spending and travel use.
Cons
- Free ATM withdrawals are $0, so cash machine visits cost extra; the card ranks 41 of 115 on that measure.
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre only, so there is no phone line for urgent problems.
- Cashback of 0.5% to 8% moves with the tier reached, so the headline rate is not guaranteed.
Who each suits
Monzo
Who it suits
- UK residents who want a debit account with a monthly fee of £0.
- People who spend abroad often, since the conversion fee is 0%.
- Households covering kids and business needs, from children's spending to business banking.
Who should look elsewhere
- Wise, if paying 0.1% on currency conversion suits you better than Monzo's 0%.
- Varo Believe Secured Credit Card, if a secured credit card is the point and not a £0 fee-free debit account.
- Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card), if a US dollar product suits you better: its monthly fee is $0.
Wirex Card
Who it suits
- Businesses and freelancers paying in several currencies each month.
- Readers who want to spend crypto while keeping custody of their own funds.
- Travellers who want a virtual card for online bookings and a physical debit card for daily spending.
Who should look elsewhere
- Wise, whose monthly fee is £0, for anyone who wants a multi-currency account that keeps no crypto balance.
- Starling Personal Account Debit Card, with £0 a month, for straightforward current account banking rather than crypto spending.
- Bitpanda, whose monthly fee is €0, for readers who want a crypto card and not the business focus listed for Wirex.
Current offers
Monzo
Current offer
Free trial
Annual Uber One Membership - 3 month free trial: 3 months free
Included with Monzo Perks and Max subscriptions; Ts&Cs apply
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Bonus
The 2026 Monzo Saving Challenge: Save from 1p to GBP 667.95 and be in with a chance of winning GBP 10,000; 5% AER (variable) paid monthly
Ts&Cs apply; Extra, Perks and Max customers unlock new challenge levels, bigger savings and monthly prize draws
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Wirex Card
Current offer
Discount code
50% subscription rebates on Wirex One card: 50% back in USD on eligible subscriptions (Uber One, ChatGPT Plus, Claude Pro, Perplexity Pro, Whoop, Bloomberg, Financial Times)
Pay for eligible subscriptions using the Wirex One card; rebate capped at the standard plan price for each service; tiers unlock more subscriptions
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Bonus
Up to 8% cashback on every purchase: 0.5% to 8% back in USD depending on membership tier
Every eligible purchase earns between 0.5% and 8% back in USD depending on tier; credited to Rewards Balance on transaction clearance
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Bonus
Wirex Exclusive Rewards Portal: Up to 16% cashback shopping online with 100+ partner retailers
Via the cashback portal at cashback.wirexapp.com
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Monzo | Wirex Card |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Yes | No |
Questions about each
Monzo
How much does it cost to keep a Monzo account?+
The current account charges a monthly fee of £0, and the credit card has an annual fee of £0. On the site's monthly fee column that ranks 1 of 419, so there is nothing to budget for just to keep the account open.
What does it cost to spend abroad?+
The currency conversion fee is 0% on the Mastercard network, so spending abroad adds no conversion charge. The site median for the same column is 1%, while cards with no foreign fee peak at 1.95%.
Wirex Card
What does it cost to hold a Wirex Card?+
The monthly fee is $0 and the currency conversion fee is 0%, so holding the card and converting money both cost nothing. Cash machine withdrawals are the exception and are billed separately, so allow for a charge each time if you rely on cash in hand.
Will I pay a foreign transaction fee abroad?+
The currency conversion fee is 0%, so there is no charge for converting on the card. The account supports from 150 currencies, which lets you hold and spend in the currency of the place you are in instead of paying a conversion cost on every purchase.