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N26 vs Wise

Pick N26 if you live in a supported European country and want a euro bank account for salary and SEPA: card payments abroad use the Mastercard rate with no N26 fee, and SEPA and Instant SEPA transfers are free (EU pricing, as of 26 Sep 2026).

Pick Wise if you earn, hold or send money in several currencies: it advertises 40+ currencies and charges a conversion fee only when it converts. Wise prices by the country that issued your card; in the EEA and the UK there is no subscription, and the card costs EUR 7 or GBP 7 to order (as of 10 Oct 2026).

N26 is for residents of its supported European countries, and its Standard and Smart plans add 1.7% to every non-euro withdrawal (EU pricing, as of 26 Sep 2026). A Wise card issued in the EEA withdraws EUR 250 a month without a Wise fee, then 2.69%; a UK card gets GBP 250 on the same terms (as of 10 Oct 2026).

N26Euro bank account with country-specific eligibility, card and cash-withdrawal terms.
WiseMulti-currency account, transfers and card for 40+ currencies.

Choose N26 if

  • You live in a country on N26’s list and want a euro bank account with deposit protection.
  • You pay by card abroad and want the Mastercard rate with no N26 fee on any plan.
  • You send euros by SEPA or Instant SEPA, both free (as of 26 Sep 2026).
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Choose Wise if

  • You get paid or pay bills in currencies other than the euro.
  • You live outside N26’s country list.
  • You withdraw up to EUR 250 of non-euro cash a month: a Wise card issued in the EEA charges no Wise fee on that, while N26 Standard charges 1.7% (Wise as of 10 Oct 2026, N26 as of 26 Sep 2026).
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Key differences

AttributeN26Wise
Account typeN26Euro (EUR) bank account; eligible deposits covered by the deposit-guarantee schemeWiseMulti-currency account and card for 40+ currencies
Who can open itN26Residents of selected European countries on N26’s list, including SwitzerlandWiseDepends on residence and verification; Thailand-registered accounts move to local restrictions during 2026
Card payments in another currencyN26Mastercard rate, no N26 fee on all plans (EU, as of 26 Sep 2026)WiseNo foreign transaction fee; conversion fee when Wise converts (as of 21 Sep 2026)
ATM cashN26Non-euro cash: 1.7% on Standard and Smart; no N26 markup on Go and Metal (EU, as of 26 Sep 2026)WiseEEA card: first EUR 250 a month free, then 2.69%; UK card: GBP 250, then 2.69% (as of 10 Oct 2026)
Monthly costN26Standard free; Smart EUR 4.90, Go EUR 9.90, Metal EUR 16.90 (EU, as of 26 Sep 2026)WiseNo subscription (EEA and UK pricing, as of 10 Oct 2026)
Card issueN26Virtual card free; physical card EUR 10 (EU, as of 26 Sep 2026)WiseCard EUR 7 to order in the EEA, GBP 7 in the UK (as of 10 Oct 2026)

What a trip costs with N26 and Wise

Enter your trip and the cards are ranked by what they charge in fees, using each card’s published prices for where you live.

Enter foreign-currency amounts at their value in EUR.

Assumes a euro card used in another currency outside Europe, so payments and cash are converted.

Of the cards with a full price, N26 Smart is cheapest: about 10.00 EUR; N26 Standard costs 15.10 EUR. Wise costs 8.35 EUR plus a conversion fee that depends on the currency (the app shows it before you pay).

  1. 1
    N26 SmartCheapestEEA (euro account) · Review

    Trip total: 10.00 EUR

    Per month: 10.00 EUR

    Exchange
    0.00 EUR
    ATM
    5.10 EUR
    Plan
    4.90 EUR
    Card
    0.00 EUR

    card delivery extra

    Fees as of 26 Sep 2026 · source

  2. 2
    N26 StandardEEA (euro account) · Review

    Trip total: 15.10 EUR

    Per month: 15.10 EUR

    Exchange
    0.00 EUR
    ATM
    5.10 EUR
    Plan
    0.00 EUR
    Card
    10.00 EUR

    Fees as of 26 Sep 2026 · source

  3. 3
    WiseEEA (euro account) · Review

    Trip total: 8.35 EUR

    Per month: 8.35 EUR

    Exchange
    0.00 EUR
    ATM
    1.35 EUR
    Plan
    0.00 EUR
    Card
    7.00 EUR

    + conversion fee shown in the app

    Fees as of 10 Oct 2026 · source

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N26

Last checked:

Official source: N26 foreign transaction fees
Wise

Last checked:

Official source: Wise card fees
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FAQ

Is N26 or Wise better for paying by card abroad?

Both skip a foreign transaction fee. N26 uses the Mastercard rate with no N26 fee on every plan (as of 26 Sep 2026). Wise charges its conversion fee when it converts currency, so paying from a balance you already hold in that currency avoids it (as of 21 Sep 2026).

Can I hold US dollars in N26?

No. N26 is a euro (EUR) account only. Wise holds balances in 40+ currencies, so income in another currency stays in that currency until you convert it.

What do N26 and Wise charge for ATM cash outside the eurozone?

N26 charges by plan, Wise by the country that issued your card. N26 Standard and Smart charge 1.7% on every non-euro withdrawal, and Go and Metal add no N26 markup (EU pricing, as of 26 Sep 2026); on cash worth EUR 200 in another currency, N26 Standard adds EUR 3.40. A Wise card issued in the EEA withdraws the first EUR 250 a month without a Wise fee, then 2.69%, and a UK card gets GBP 250 on the same terms (as of 10 Oct 2026), so the same EUR 200 costs nothing on Wise. ATM operator fees are separate with both.

Fees and terms change, so check the provider’s current price page before you sign up. How we compare