🏦 Which business bank to choose in 2026: Bunq or Wise?

But when it comes to financing your supplier invoices or growing your cash reserves, both solutions show their limits.

Heropay explains everything you need to know about Bunq and Wise:

• Bunq offers 4 plans from €0 to €23.99/month with up to 25 IBANs, Tap to Pay and 0.75% savings.

• Wise operates without subscription: €50 opening fee, then pay-as-you-go, with 40+ currencies and exchange rates at the real rate.

• Both excel internationally: multiple IBANs, multi-currency, ZeroFX for Bunq, interbank rate for Wise.

• Warning: neither offers financing (no overdraft, no loan) to develop your business.

• Bunq shows reported account freezes, Wise has sometimes ineffective customer support on complex issues.

• These accounts are not scalable once you need cash to hire or finance your stock.

• Heropay combines business account, financing up to €50,000 and cash remuneration at 5% to transform your cash into a growth lever!

Quick overview of Bunq and Wise

Bunq in brief

Dutch bank founded in 2012 with its own banking license:

• Over 12.5 million customers in 30 European countries.

• Mobile-first and eco-responsible positioning.

• Offers 4 plans ranging from €0 to €23.99/month with up to 25 sub-accounts and local IBANs in 5 countries.

Wise in brief

Created in 2011 in the UK to revolutionize international transfers:

• Electronic money institution (not a bank).

• Model without monthly subscription: €50 one-time fee then pay-as-you-go.

• Specialized in multi-currency with over 40 manageable currencies.

Bunq and Wise fees and pricing

Bunq pricing

• bunq Free Business: €0/month with 1 IBAN account, 1 virtual card (physical at €9.99/year), 2 transfers/month, withdrawals at €2.99.

• bunq Core Business: €7.99/month with 5 IBAN accounts, 1 physical + 1 virtual card, 100 transfers/year, 0.75% savings, accounting integrations.

• bunq Pro Business: €13.99/month with 25 IBAN accounts, 3 physical + 25 virtual cards, 250 transfers/year, unlimited ZeroFX, Tap to Pay, multi-currency savings 2.30% (USD).

• bunq Elite Business: €23.99/month with unlimited transfers, 0.5% cashback, travel insurance, manufacturer warranty.

• Additional fees: instant SEPA transfers €0.70, SWIFT €5-10, direct debits €0.13, metal card €99.99 (option).

Wise pricing

• Opening fee: €50 (one-time payment for international bank details).

• Wise Business card: free (€4 delivery).

• Transfers: free in a held currency, conversion from 0.39% (real rate, no markup).

• Withdrawals: 2 free/month up to €200, then €0.50 + 1.75% beyond.

Bunq offers more flexibility with its scalable plans. Wise remains unbeatable for international with its pay-as-you-go model.

Included features and services

Mobile application

• Bunq: Fluid interface rated 4.6/5 (App Store). Complete management, real-time notifications, invoice photos, accounting export.

• Wise: Intuitive application with simplified multi-currency management. Transparent fee calculator before each transaction.

Both offer quality mobile experience.

Bank card and transfer management

• Bunq: Physical and virtual Mastercards, dynamic CVV, €50,000/day limits, offline mode €250. Standard and instant SEPA transfers (€0.70).

• Wise: Free Mastercard (€4 delivery), compatible Apple/Google Pay, free payments in held currencies. Fast international transfers.

Bunq offers more multiple cards. Wise excels on international payments.

Multi-currency management

• Bunq: Support for 22 currencies, ZeroFX on Pro/Elite (Mastercard rate without markup), local IBANs in 5 countries (FR, DE, NL, ES, IE).

• Wise: Over 40 currencies, local bank details in 9 currencies, always real exchange rate (interbank).

Wise dominates largely on multi-currency with transparent fees.

Financing

• Bunq: No financing solution or direct loan. External partnerships possible.

• Wise: No financing offered.

Both show an obvious gap for financing growth.

Accounting and invoicing management

• Bunq: Integrations with Exact, sevDesk, DATEV, Zapier. Automated VAT management, monthly export.

• Wise: Synchronization with Xero and QuickBooks, open API, mass payments (1,000 CSV payments).

Bunq offers more complete integrations for the European market.

Payment collection solution

• Bunq: Tap to Pay on iPhone (virtual POS), bunq.me for card payment links (2.5% + €0.27).

• Wise: No direct payment collection solution.

Bunq offers flexibility to collect without equipment.

Advantages and disadvantages of each bank

Bunq

Banking license with €100,000 guarantee

Up to 25 sub-accounts with dedicated IBANs

Local IBAN available

Remunerated savings 0.75% (2.30% USD)

Tap to Pay and bunq.me

Unlimited ZeroFX (Pro/Elite)

Reported account freezes

Improvable customer support

No direct financing

Paid instant SEPA transfers

Systematic authorization cards (deposit limits)

Wise

Unbeatable exchange fees at real rate

Total transparency on all fees

No monthly subscription (pay-as-you-go model)

Ultra-intuitive interface

Ideal for international (40+ currencies)

Mass payments (1,000 transfers)

Not a bank (no overdraft/credit)

Belgian IBAN for euros

No financing

Limited local features

Sometimes slow customer support

Withdrawal fees increase quickly

Which profile is Bunq suitable for?

Bunq may suit freelancers and self-employed managing multiple projects with its 25 sub-accounts and automated VAT management.

Digital nomads appreciate the multiple IBANs and ZeroFX to pay abroad without fees.

Eco-responsible small businesses are attracted by tree planting and ethical investment of deposited funds.

Multi-entity companies use sub-accounts to separate budgets by team or project.

Which profile is Wise suitable for?

Wise may suit international freelancers paid in foreign currencies with its bank details in 9 currencies.

Export e-commerce sites benefit from the real exchange rate and transparent fees.

Consultants working with foreign clients save on each currency conversion.

Importers benefit from mass payments to pay 1,000 suppliers in one CSV file.

Which profile is Bunq NOT suitable for?

Bunq is not suitable for companies requiring financing as no loan or overdraft is offered.

Physical stores with frequent cash deposits must look elsewhere (no cash management).

Companies with significant deposits may encounter refusals related to systematic authorization cards.

Structures seeking reactive support risk being frustrated by chat only in case of freeze.

Which profile is Wise NOT suitable for?

Wise is not suitable for companies only in the eurozone without international activity (no particular advantage).

Structures requiring an overdraft must turn to a real bank (Wise is a payment institution).

Businesses accepting checks cannot cash them with Wise.

Companies requiring a local IBAN for certain administrative partners may encounter friction (Belgian IBAN).

Use case: a creative agency in full international expansion

Léa runs a graphic design agency based in Lyon. She works with clients in France, UK and USA.

• Turnover: €180,000 of which 40% in foreign currencies.

• Objective: reach €500,000 in 2 years by recruiting 3 designers.

Needs:

• Multi-currency collection without excessive fees

• Payment of freelancers abroad

• Financing to hire before invoicing

• Cards for the future team

Analysis:

Wise perfectly meets collection needs (GBP and USD IBANs) and international payment with its unbeatable exchange fees. Mass payments facilitate payment of 15 freelancers/month.

Bunq offers sub-accounts to separate client budgets and employee cards for the team. ZeroFX (Pro/Elite) limits fees on recurring payments.

Major problem: neither Bunq nor Wise finance recruitment. Léa must seek a classic bank loan to hire, which extends her development.

Heropay combines the advantages WITH financing up to €50,000 to pay salaries before collecting client invoices. Cash is remunerated up to 5%.

What you need to know before opening a business account with Bunq and Wise

Bunq is a Dutch bank. Your account must be declared to tax authorities as a foreign account, even with a local IBAN.

Account freezes for compliance checks are reported regularly. Restitution delays can reach 30 days or more.

Wise is not a bank. Funds are protected by segregation and not by deposit guarantee schemes. No overdraft or credit possible.

Wise's Belgian IBAN (BE) for euros can create friction with certain administrations, although legally accepted throughout the EU.

Both solutions offer systematic authorization cards. Certain deposits (car rental, hotels) may be refused.

Neither manages checks or cash deposits.

Bunq vs Wise: verdict

Wise stands out for companies with regular international activity. Exchange fees at real rate and total transparency represent significant savings.

Bunq is better suited for companies managing multiple simultaneous projects thanks to 25 sub-accounts and advanced accounting integrations.

For international freelancers: Wise remains the reference with its IBANs in 9 currencies.

For digital nomads and distributed teams: Bunq offers ZeroFX and employee cards.

Common limitation: neither finances your growth. Expanding companies must combine with external financing solutions.

Top 10 alternatives to Bunq and Wise

Heropay: Business account with financing up to €50,000 and cash remuneration at 5%. Local IBAN. From €0 to €39/month.

Qonto: Business account with team management. Accounting integrations. From €9 to €99/month.

Shine: Solution for freelancers. Integrated invoicing and accounting. From €3.90 to €12.90/month.

Revolut Business: Multi-currency with unlimited cards. Remunerated savings. From €0 to €100/month.

N26 Business: German mobile-first account. Simple application. €0 with limited services.

Finom: Multi-currency with cashback up to 3%. European IBANs. From €0 to €79/month.

Blank: Digital business banking. Local IBAN. From €6 to €29/month.

Qonto: Solid alternative for team management and expense reports.

Boursorama Pro: Traditional online bank. Local IBAN. €9/month.

Propulse by CA: Digital banking. Local IBAN, branch network. From €0.

The alternative to Bunq and Wise: why choose Heropay?

Bunq and Wise excel in their respective specialties but don't finance your development.

Heropay combines the advantages of a modern business account with integrated growth solutions:

• Instant financing up to €50,000 to pay your suppliers and hire without waiting for your collections.

• Cash remuneration at 5% gross/year for 60 days on €100,000 then 1.85% (Hero Pro) to make your cash work.

• Local and German IBAN to avoid administrative friction.

• VISA Platinum Business card with included insurance.

• Marketplace sales advance at D+1 for e-merchants (Amazon, Cdiscount).

• 7/7 support with a 4.7/5 rating on the App Store.

• 20,000 accounts opened and €100M financed: Heropay already supports thousands of entrepreneurs.

Two plans: Hero X at €0/month (€1,000 financing) and Hero Pro at €39/month excl. tax (€50,000 financing).

Open your Heropay account in 5 minutes and finance your growth today.

FAQ on Bunq and Wise

Is Bunq a real bank?

Yes, Bunq has a European banking license issued by the DNB (Dutch Central Bank). Your deposits are guaranteed up to €100,000 by the Dutch system.

Does Wise offer a local IBAN?

No, Wise's euro IBAN is Belgian (BE). Wise provides local bank details in 9 currencies but the main European IBAN is Belgian.

Does Bunq offer loans or financing?

No, Bunq offers neither overdraft, nor loan, nor direct financing. You must go through external partners to obtain credit.

Are Bunq and Wise cards accepted everywhere?

Both offer Mastercards but with systematic authorization. Certain deposits (car rental, hotels) may be refused. Bunq displays "credit" on the card to improve acceptance.

Do Bunq and Wise integrate with accounting software?

Bunq integrates with Exact, sevDesk, DATEV and Zapier. Wise synchronizes with Xero and QuickBooks. Both offer accounting exports.

Are my funds protected with Wise?

Wise protects funds by segregation (separation of client accounts). It's not a bank so no deposit guarantee scheme, but your funds are secured separately.

What are Wise's real fees?

€50 at opening (one-time payment), free card (€4 delivery), conversions from 0.39% at real rate, 2 free withdrawals/month. No monthly subscription.

Is Bunq really eco-responsible?

Bunq plants trees according to your spending (Elite offer: 1 tree/€100 spent) and lets you choose how your funds are invested. Transparent approach on environmental impact.