How much does Wise Business charge?
Wise Business charges 0.41% above the mid-market rate for currency conversion, a one-time ~£45 account opening fee, and no monthly subscription. Receiving in 10+ currencies is free; sending in the same currency is usually free or just a few pounds. There is no monthly minimum, no inactivity fee, and no surcharge for batch payments to subcontractors.
Last verified 14 May 2026 · Feebite Editorial · Not affiliated with Wise plc
Independent fees breakdown for Wise Business. For the official site, go to wise.com/business. This page shows the real cost UK / US / EU freelancers and agencies pay — including the cases where the free personal Wise account is enough and the £45 business fee is wasted.
In one sentence: Wise Business is the cheapest mainstream multi-currency business account at 0.41% FX, with a one-time ~£45 fee to open — worth it for agencies, batch payments and accounting integrations, but overkill for solo freelancers who can use the free personal Wise account at the same FX rate.
Open a Wise Business account →Quick Verdict
Rating: 4.7/5 — ★★★★½
Best for: Agencies, limited companies, and freelancers paying multiple subcontractors internationally
Not ideal for: Solo freelancers — the free personal Wise account does the same job at the same 0.41% FX rate
Wise Business Fees — The Full Picture
Account & Subscription
| Fee type | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Account opening (one-time) | ~£45 | Paid once at signup; varies slightly by currency |
| Monthly subscription | Free | No recurring fee, ever |
| Account maintenance | Free | No inactivity fee |
| Currencies you can hold | 40+ | Local bank details in 10+ |
Currency Conversion
| Conversion type | Fee | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-market FX (most routes) | 0.41% | When you actively convert between currencies |
| FX on incoming auto-convert | Same 0.41% | Only if you set auto-convert on receive |
| Receive in same currency | Free | USD into USD account, GBP into GBP, etc. |
Receiving & Sending
| Action | Fee |
|---|---|
| Receive USD via ACH (Upwork/Fiverr/clients) | Free |
| Receive GBP via Faster Payments | Free |
| Receive EUR via SEPA | Free |
| Receive USD via wire | $4.14 |
| Send same currency domestic | Free–£0.50 |
| Send cross-currency | 0.41% FX |
| Batch payment (CSV up to 1,000) | Same per-transfer rate — no batch surcharge |
| Business debit card | ~£3 one-time |
Bottom line: On $2,000/month freelance income converted USD→GBP, Wise Business costs ~£6.56/month in FX (same as personal Wise). The only extra is the £45 opening fee — pays for itself in ~12 months vs the 2% rate inside Payoneer.
Worked Examples — Real Monthly Cost
| Monthly USD income | Wise (0.41%) | Payoneer (2.0%) | PayPal (~4%) | You save vs Payoneer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000/mo | £3.28 | £16.00 | £32.00 | £153/year |
| $2,000/mo | £6.56 | £33.20 | £72.00 | £320/year |
| $5,000/mo | £16.40 | £83.00 | £180.00 | £800/year |
| $10,000/mo | £32.80 | £166.00 | £360.00 | £1,600/year |
Wise Business vs Personal Wise — Do You Need the Upgrade?
| Wise Personal (free) | Wise Business (£45 once) | |
|---|---|---|
| FX rate | 0.41% | 0.41% |
| Multi-currency hold | ✅ | ✅ |
| Local bank details (USD/GBP/EUR/AUD/CAD) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Receive Upwork/Fiverr via ACH | ✅ | ✅ |
| Business name on invoices | ❌ | ✅ |
| Batch payments (CSV) | ❌ | ✅ |
| Xero / QuickBooks / FreeAgent integration | ❌ | ✅ |
| Team logins | ❌ | ✅ |
| API access | Limited | ✅ |
Verdict: A solo freelancer earning under $5k/month with no subcontractors should stay on the personal account — same 0.41% FX, no £45 fee. Upgrade to Business once you need batch payments, a real company name on invoices, or accounting software sync.
Wise Business vs Revolut Business
| Wise Business | Revolut Business (Grow, £9/mo) | |
|---|---|---|
| Setup fee | ~£45 one-time | None |
| Monthly fee | None | £9 |
| FX rate | 0.41% | 0% unlimited |
| Virtual cards | 1 (extra cost) | Up to 20 |
| Built-in invoicing | ❌ | ✅ |
| Multi-currency receive | ✅ (10+) | ✅ (28+ via IBAN) |
| Break-even vs Wise on FX | — | ~$2,500/mo conversion |
If you only need receive + convert, Wise wins below $2,500/month. If you need invoicing, team cards, or full business banking, Revolut Grow is a better all-rounder at the same effective FX cost.
Key Facts
| Category | Money transfer / multi-currency business account |
| FX fee | 🟢 0.41% |
| Setup fee | ~£45 one-time |
| Monthly fee | Free |
| Payout speed | Same-day to instant (varies by route) |
| KYC level | Full (ID + proof of address + business documents) |
| Currencies | 40+ held, 10+ local bank details |
| Founded | 2011 |
| HQ | London, UK |
| Regulation | FCA (UK), FinCEN (US), AUSTRAC (AU) |
Country Availability
| UK | US | Canada | Australia | EU | Singapore |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
Features
| Feature | |
|---|---|
| Bank transfer | ✅ |
| Card payments (accept) | ❌ |
| Crypto | ❌ |
| Virtual card | ✅ |
| Physical card | ✅ |
| Multi-currency | ✅ |
| Business account | ✅ |
| Mobile app | ✅ |
| API access | ✅ |
| Upwork integration | Via ACH (free) |
| Fiverr integration | Via ACH (free) |
| Xero / QuickBooks / FreeAgent | ✅ |
| Batch payments (CSV) | ✅ |
Pros
- Lowest mainstream FX rate at 0.41% — beats Payoneer (2%), PayPal (~4%), high-street banks (3–5%)
- No monthly subscription — pay only when you transact
- Real local bank details in 10+ currencies — clients pay you like a local
- Free incoming wires in GBP, EUR, USD ACH, AUD, CAD
- Batch payments with no per-batch surcharge — agency-friendly
- Accounting integrations: Xero, QuickBooks, FreeAgent, Wave
- LSE-listed, FCA-regulated, public reporting
Cons
- One-time ~£45 setup fee is wasted if you're a solo freelancer who could use the free personal account
- No built-in invoicing — pair with Bonsai, FreeAgent or Stripe Invoicing
- Not a card payment processor — you can't charge clients' cards
- Customer support is email-first; phone support is limited
- No FSCS protection (e-money safeguarding instead — see "Is Wise Business safe?" below)
Who Should Use Wise Business
Perfect for: Limited companies, agencies, and freelancers who pay subcontractors internationally, need a business name on invoices, or use accounting software (Xero/QuickBooks/FreeAgent).
Skip it if: You're a solo freelancer earning under $5k/month with no subcontractors — the free personal Wise account does the same conversion at the same 0.41% rate.
Sources checked (May 2026)
- Wise Business pricing — FX rate, account opening fee, send/receive
- Wise Business help — Account opening fees by country — one-time setup cost
- Wise plc Investor Relations — public financials, LSE listing
- FCA Financial Services Register — Wise Payments Limited (firm 900507) — UK regulatory status
- Upwork — adding a local US bank account — how to receive Upwork via Wise ACH for free
- Editorial review re-verified 2026-05-14. Pricing varies by country and changes periodically — always cross-check the official pricing page.
How to Get Started
- Visit wise.com/business and click Open a business account
- Choose your country and business type (Ltd / sole trader / corporation)
- Pay the one-time account opening fee (~£45 in the UK)
- Complete KYC: business documents + director ID + proof of address
- Activate local bank details in the currencies you need (USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD)
- (Optional) Connect to Xero / QuickBooks / FreeAgent
- Add your Wise USD account to Upwork / Fiverr / direct invoices for free receiving
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Wise Business's fees in 2026? 0.41% FX, ~£45 one-time setup, free incoming in 10+ currencies, no monthly fee. Wire-outs vary by destination.
Is Wise Business worth it for a solo freelancer? Usually not — the free personal Wise account does the same FX conversion. Upgrade only when you need a business name on invoices, batch payments, or accounting integrations.
Can Wise Business receive Upwork payments? Yes — add your Wise USD account details inside Upwork's withdrawal settings (US local bank). Withdrawals come through ACH for free. The 0.41% only applies when you later convert USD→GBP.
Is Wise Business FSCS-protected up to £85,000? No — Wise is an e-money institution, not a bank. Funds are safeguarded in segregated accounts under FCA e-money rules, but not FSCS-protected. In practice, the safeguarding mechanism has held up through Wise's history.
Wise Business vs Payoneer — which is cheaper for receiving Upwork? Both are free to receive Upwork USD. The difference is conversion: Wise charges 0.41% to convert USD→GBP, Payoneer charges 2.0%. On $2,000/month income that's ~£320/year saved with Wise.
Compare alternatives: Wise vs Payoneer · Wise vs Revolut · Wise vs Stripe · Best Payment Setup for UK Freelancers
This review was last updated 2026-05-14. Fees and availability may change — always check the official Wise Business pricing page for the latest information.
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