Wise vs Airwallex: Best international payment provider in the Netherlands (2026)

Key takeaways 

• Wise is a strong option for simple international transfers, designed around sending and receiving money rather than centralising end-to-end global payments operations 

• Airwallex is the more complete choice for Dutch businesses growing internationally, combining global collection and payouts with integrated financial operations that scale

• With the ability to hold and spend in 23+ currencies, accept payments via 160+ methods and send payouts to 200+ countries from one platform, Airwallex reduces FX friction and operational overhead

If you run a Dutch business that sells or pays abroad, you’ve probably looked at Wise and Airwallex as ways to receive customer payments and pay suppliers. Both let you move money internationally, but differ when it comes to FX, currency holding, payout reach, payment acceptance, and what finance operations they support

This guide gives you a side-by-side look at how they compare in 2026, so you can choose the platform that fits with your day-to-day needs and growth plans.

Who are Wise?

Wise is a UK-based financial technology company that began as a consumer payments platform. It now offers businesses multi-currency accounts, local bank details in key markets, debit cards, and basic payment request tools via a Wise Business account. 

Who are Airwallex?

Airwallex is an all-in-one global money platform built for companies that trade across multiple markets. It provides local accounts in key currencies, handles international payouts and acceptance at scale, and offers sophisticated spend management features. Finance teams use it to simplify and streamline their end-to-end operations.

Wise vs Airwallex: Key differences

FX and currency conversion: How Wise and Airwallex compare

Let’s drill down into what each platform will cost you.

When you convert currencies in Wise, you’ll pay a fee – the mid-market rate and a variable fee on top. 

For EUR to USD, EUR to GBP, and other common routes, the fee on top is usually 0.39–1%, which is low by industry standards, but varies based on the currency and payment method. 

Your FX costs can fluctuate month to month depending on where and how you’re sending money.

Airwallex also offers competitive rates – the interbank rate plus a fixed 0.5% on major currencies and 1% on others, so you can predict costs just that little bit easier.

Both let you hold multiple currencies without forced conversion, saving you unnecessary conversion fees. If you earn revenue in USD or GBP and spend in those same currencies, via supplier contractors or in ad spend, you can avoid converting the funds back to euros. 

With Airwallex, you can hold 23 currencies; with Wise, it’s nine.

There are a few other costs you’ll want to consider outside of FX:

• Account opening: Wise charges €50 to set up local account receiving, while Airwallex has no setup fees.

• Monthly fees: Wise has no ongoing monthly fees. Airwallex’s Explore bundle is offered at €19/month or €0 if you deposit at least €10,000 per month, or hold a minimum balance of €10,000. 

• Employee spending: There’s a one-time €4 expense for each card for team members with Wise. Cash withdrawals from ATMs and topping up your eWallet may also incur a fee. Airwallex offers 10 free Corporate Cards per month for multi-currency spending with zero international transaction fees.

Multi-currency accounts and receiving payments internationally

Dutch businesses rarely earn in just one currency. You might invoice local customers in euros, take USD from US clients, and bill UK partners in GBP in the same week. How Wise and Airwallex handle those cross-border payments differ.

Wise lets businesses hold and convert 40+ currencies, but only provides local account details in a smaller set of currencies. In practice, that means you can receive like a local in major markets such as the UK, US, and Eurozone, then choose when to convert those balances back to euros. It works well if you’re regularly using those key currencies through pretty straightforward client invoices.

Airwallex offers greater flexibility and reach. You can open local account details in 60+ markets and hold 20+ currencies without forced conversion in your multi-currency account. For businesses with a wider customer base, its global credentials are hard to beat.

Another way in which two platforms differ is in how they let you take payments from customers. Airwallex acts as a payment gateway, with payment links, ready-made plugins for platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce, and APIs that let you design complex payment flows. Wise is centred around payment links and QR codes.

If you’re still weighing up your options, this breakdown of the best payment gateways for Dutch businesses will help you compare more providers.

International payouts and supplier/vendor payments

As your vendor and contractor network spreads across more regions, each platform’s payout features become more important. Airwallex supports transfers to 200+ countries, with around 95% settling the same day and more than half settling instantly.

Wise covers 50 countries with fast speeds that vary by corridor and payment method. It works well for a freelancer with regular clients in G7 countries, for example, but can create gaps if your operations span several regions. 

Consider how you pay your suppliers and how complex the month-end is – Wise offers straightforward international transfers and basic batch payouts, suiting those paying a small set of suppliers abroad. Airwallex centralises accounts payable, allowing you to schedule and batch payouts and upload invoices for internal approval.

Our guide to cross-border payments for Dutch businesses explains the mechanics behind these features. 

Business spend, cards, and expense management features

If you’re paying for software, travel, ads, and contractors around the world, team spend can get messy. What’s the point in paying for a financial platform if it doesn’t streamline your day-to-day? 

Let’s take a look at the card and expense tools of Wise and Airwallex.

Essentially, Wise gives you a simple debit card with basic spend controls. You can issue cards to team members, set per-card limits, and track transactions, but deeper controls are limited. If employees spend in a currency you don’t hold, Wise will convert it at its variable FX fee.

Airwallex takes a more comprehensive approach to business spend. You can issue unlimited virtual and physical multi-currency corporate cards, spend directly from your currency balances, and apply sophisticated approval controls to stay on top of cross-border spend. Features include:

• Zero international transaction fees on card spend

• Merchant and category-level controls

• Team, budget, and project-based limits

• Receipt capture and real-time expense tracking

• Automatic syncs with popular accounting software.

Because Airwallex cards draw from your multi-currency account, USD SaaS tools, GBP contractors, or AUD travel costs, for example, can be paid without forced conversion.

For many, global team spend puts pressure on working capital – our cashflow management guide for Dutch businesses was written to help you stay across outflows as your international footprint grows.

Ease of use, integration, and operational flexibility

Regardless of what features each platform has, managing your money is much easier when it aligns with your business size and the systems you already use.

Both Wise and Airwallex offer a simple, intuitive dashboard and app, with fast onboarding and accounting integrations with the likes of Xero, QuickBooks, and NetSuite.

For larger or technical organisations with developers, Airwallex opens up access to advanced APIs that can transform financial operations. You can automate entire payment flows, such as paying contractors each month, routing funds across markets to specific wallets, or reconciling high-volume transactions. Wise’s API lets you automate simple tasks like triggering payouts, which is useful but limited.

Pros and cons: Wise vs Airwallex for Dutch businesses

Different businesses need different levels of financial infrastructure. Here’s a quick way to match each platform to the way you operate today and your future plans. 

Wise could be the better fit if you:

• Run a lean business with simple cross-border needs

• Invoice a small set of markets and mostly convert back to euros

• Aren’t interested in additional treasury features that streamline operations

• Are a freelancer, micro-business, or early-stage team with a limited international footprint.

The tradeoffs:

• Your payout reach is limited (around 50 countries)

• Will almost always pay international transaction fees

• Fewer tools to help manage your operations.

Airwallex could be the better fit if you:

• Invoice or receive payments from multiple markets

• Want to avoid forced conversions by holding and spending in several currencies 

• Expect your finance operations to grow in complexity over time

• Are an ambitious SME, mid-market company, or enterprise-level organisation. 

The tradeoffs:

• More financial tools mean a slightly steeper learning curve

• Monthly cost for end-to-end features

• Probably unnecessary if your financial operations are very simple or domestic-only.

Why Airwallex is ideal for Netherlands-based businesses with global ambitions

One month you’re billing clients in euros, the next you’re collecting in USD from a US platform, paying a design studio in London, and covering inventory costs in Asia. That global mix of currencies and markets is where Airwallex excels.

You can open local account details in 20+ currencies, hold 60+ currencies, accept payments via 160+ methods, and send payouts to 200+ countries — with approximately 95% of payments arriving the same day or within hours. That removes much of the operational friction that typically appears as international activity increases.

Arguably, Wise still operates from a consumer-first model. It offers solid rates and transparent pricing for basic international transfers. Beyond that, its business features aren’t too advanced.

Airwallex provides end-to-end financial infrastructure. As well as multi-currency accounts, finance teams can access corporate cards, advanced expense tools, payment gateway functionality, and custom integrations from one dashboard. 

If you’re taking on new markets or building distributed teams, Airwallex’s advantages mean you can manage revenue, spend, and payouts without constantly switching systems and keep on top of any ballooning costs.

Final recommendation: What to choose in 2026

Airwallex is the way to go. The right choice can depend on how far you expect your business to go, but, if you want to be on the safe side, you should consider a platform that is built with scalability in mind.

If your revenue, suppliers, or team already span multiple regions — or will soon — Airwallex gives you the infrastructure to grow without having to find a new finance setup in 12 months’ time.

FAQs

What is the difference between Airwallex and Wise?

Airwallex is a full financial operations platform built specifically for businesses. It offers multi-currency accounts, local bank details in 60+ markets, global payout coverage, online payment acceptance, and advanced spend-management tools. Wise is primarily focused on simple, low-cost international transfers with multi-currency accounts popular with freelancers and micro-businesses.

Which has better international coverage — Wise or Airwallex?

Airwallex offers significantly broader reach for growing Dutch businesses, with payouts to 200+ countries and local receiving accounts in 60+ markets. Wise offers payouts to around 50 countries and local accounts in 11 currencies.

Which platform is cheaper overall for Dutch SMEs, Wise or Airwallex?

It depends on the size of your business and the nature of your cross-border transfers.

• Wise usually wins on small, low-volume transfers thanks to variable fees that start around 0.39%.

• Airwallex typically becomes cheaper at scale because of its fixed FX margins (0.5% on major currencies, 1% on others), no card FX fees, and the ability to hold/spend in more currencies than Wise.

Which platform is better for eCommerce or digital-first Dutch companies?

Airwallex is designed for businesses that need to collect, route, and reconcile global revenue. It supports payment links, hosted checkouts, plugin integrations with Shopify, WooCommerce and Magento, and 160+ customer payment methods.

Wise focuses on payment links and QR codes — great for simple invoices, perhaps not for high-volume acquisition or multi-market commerce.

Sources and references

1. https://wise.com/us/blog/airwallex-vs-wise

2. https://wise.com/help/articles/2897238/which-currencies-can-i-add-keep-and-receive-in-my-wise-account?origin=related-article-3MObHiWysjT2DzDNHTupa4

3. https://wise.com/au/pricing/business

4. https://www.airwallex.com/au/blog/comparison-wise-vs-airwallex