In this guide
Wise and bunq are affiliate partners of this site, and this review contains affiliate links; see our affiliate disclosure. Prices and features below come from Wise’s own pages (wise.com/nl, checked 8 October 2026 unless stated), not from our own testing.
💡 Looking for a complete banking comparison? Read Best banking for expats in the Netherlands 2026.
Wise at a Glance
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Monthly fee | None for the personal account; you pay per use |
| IBAN type | Non-Dutch euro IBAN (Wise uses a Belgian BIC and address) |
| Exchange rate | Wise says it uses the mid-market rate |
| Sending money | From 0.2%, depending on the currency |
| Card | Debit card, EUR 7; ATM withdrawals free up to EUR 250 per month, then 2.69% of the amount above that |
| Multi-currency | Hold and convert 40 currencies; account details for 22 currencies |
| Interest | Wise Interest (money market fund, capital at risk), annual costs from 0.26% |
| iDEAL | Not supported (not on the issuer list) |
| Tikkie | Sending requests needs a Dutch bank account |
| Business account | Wise Business, EUR 60 one-off set-up fee |
| Supervision | Wise Europe SA: National Bank of Belgium |
The IBAN Question
Researching expat banking in the Netherlands, you will meet the IBAN discrimination issue. De Nederlandsche Bank states that a payer or payee must accept euro IBANs from all EU/EEA countries, and gives an employer that only pays salaries to NL IBANs as an example of IBAN discrimination. You can report it to DNB after first complaining to the company.
Wise’s EUR account details use a non-Dutch euro IBAN (Wise uses a Belgian BIC and a Wise address in Belgium), so if an employer or landlord refuses it, you can point to those rules. For a head-to-head breakdown, see the Wise vs Revolut comparison and the Wise vs Revolut vs bunq three-way comparison.
What Wise Offers: A Detailed Look
The Multi-Currency Account
Wise says you can hold and convert 40 currencies, and get account details in 22 currencies to receive money for free: for example EUR, GBP and USD (wise.com/nl, checked 8 October 2026). That means you can receive a foreign-currency payment into a balance in that currency and convert when you choose. For sending money home, see our international money transfer guide.
Exchange Rates and Fees
Wise says it uses the mid-market exchange rate, the rate you can check on Google, and charges a visible fee that varies by currency (from 0.2% when sending). Banks typically build a margin into the exchange rate, so compare the amount that arrives rather than the advertised fee. As an illustration only: on a EUR 10,000 transfer, every percentage point of difference in total cost between two providers is EUR 100.
The Debit Card
The Wise debit card costs EUR 7, and Wise lists no subscription fee. Paying with the card in the same currency as your balance is free; withdrawals are free up to EUR 250 per month, after which 2.69% of the amount over EUR 250 applies (wise.com/nl/pricing, checked 8 October 2026). If you withdraw cash often, check how that fits your needs.
Wise Interest
Wise offers a way to earn a return on your balance through a fund (Wise Assets Europe). On wise.com/nl/interest Wise shows 2.25% on EUR after annual costs of 0.26%, 3.29% on GBP after 0.55% and 3.61% on USD after 0.28%, based on the fund’s 7-day return, and labels this as marketing communication (wise.com/nl, checked 8 October 2026). It is an investment, not a deposit: capital is at risk, growth is not guaranteed and the rates change with the fund’s results. It is not covered by a deposit guarantee scheme.
Wise Business
If you are a ZZP’er or run a small business, Wise Business is one option to compare with a Dutch business account. Wise lists a one-off set-up fee of EUR 60, which covers account details for 22 currencies and all Wise Business features, and lists invoices, payment links, card payments, batch payments and accounting software connections among its features (wise.com/nl, checked 8 October 2026). Sending money starts from 0.2%.
The limitation is the same as for the personal account: EUR details come with a non-Dutch euro IBAN (Wise uses a Belgian BIC and address) rather than an NL IBAN, and Wise is not on iDEAL’s list of issuers. A Dutch business account next to Wise Business covers Dutch payments. See our business bank account guide for ZZP.
Fees: Breakdown From wise.com/nl/pricing
Registering: free Subscription: none for the personal account Debit card: EUR 7 Sending money: from 0.2%, depending on the currency, shown before you confirm Converting money: from 0.2%, depending on the currency ATM withdrawals: free up to EUR 250 per month; 2.69% of the amount above EUR 250 Receiving money: account details for 22 currencies are free; receiving EUR Swift payments costs EUR 2.39 per payment Wise Interest: annual cost from 0.26% Wise Stocks: annual cost from 0.59%
Read the pricing page for the current fees before you transfer, because they can change.
Wise vs ING
| Feature | Wise | ING |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | None (pay per use) | ING Go €4.00 |
| IBAN | Non-Dutch euro IBAN | Dutch (NL) |
| iDEAL | Not supported | Supported (on the issuer list) |
| Tikkie | Cannot send requests without a Dutch bank account | Check with ING |
| Multi-currency | Yes (40 currencies) | Check ing.nl |
| Deposit guarantee | No (payment institution) | Yes (Dutch scheme) |
A possible setup: use ING (or another Dutch bank) for iDEAL and Dutch-specific payments, and Wise for international money movement and multi-currency needs. ING lets you start before your BSN arrives; with a non-EEA passport you provide BSN and Dutch address within 90 days.
Wise vs ABN AMRO
ABN AMRO is a bank with an NL IBAN, so your balance falls under the Dutch deposit guarantee scheme. Its Basic Payment Package costs €4.30 per month (abnamro.nl, checked 8 October 2026). Wise is a payment institution (Wise Europe SA, an authorised payment institution supervised by the National Bank of Belgium) whose balances are not covered by the deposit guarantee scheme; it is built for international transfers and multi-currency balances.
Wise vs Revolut
Compare a live quote for the same amount and payment method in both apps, because plan allowances, reference rates, weekend rules and separate fees can differ. Revolut says its Dutch branch gives Netherlands residents a Dutch IBAN after migration (Revolut Help, checked 29 September 2026); check the IBAN shown in your own app. Both Revolut and Wise are separate products with their own features; compare the ones you need.
Wise vs bunq
bunq is a Dutch bank. bunq offers a Dutch NL IBAN, is on iDEAL’s list of issuers, and the Dutch deposit guarantee applies (up to EUR 100,000).
bunq’s free plan (bunq Free, EUR 0.00 per month) has no physical card. The cheapest paid plan is bunq Core at EUR 3.99 per month, with bunq Pro at EUR 9.99 and bunq Elite at EUR 18.99 (bunq.com/nl, checked 8 October 2026). Wise has no monthly subscription for the personal account, but you pay per transfer and EUR 7 for the card. For a full bunq review, see our bunq review.
Comparison Table
| Feature | Wise | ING | ABN AMRO | Revolut | bunq |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | None | €4.00 (ING Go) | €4.30 (Basic Payment Package) | Check Revolut | €0.00 (Free) to €18.99 |
| IBAN | Non-Dutch euro IBAN | NL (Dutch) | NL (Dutch) | NL for Netherlands residents (Revolut Help) | NL (Dutch) |
| iDEAL | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Deposit guarantee | No (payment institution) | Dutch scheme | Dutch scheme | Check Revolut | Dutch scheme |
Sources: ING (ing.nl, ING Go), ABN AMRO (abnamro.nl, checked 8 October 2026), Revolut Help (checked 29 September 2026), bunq (bunq.com/nl, checked 8 October 2026), Wise (wise.com/nl, checked 8 October 2026); iDEAL | Wero issuer list (ideal.nl).
Who Might Open a Wise Account?
Wise may suit you if:
- You receive money in a foreign currency and want to convert it to EUR
- You send money abroad regularly
- Your employer accepts a euro IBAN from another EU/EEA country (it should)
- You want to hold several currencies
You will still want a Dutch bank account if:
- You use iDEAL regularly (online Dutch payments)
- You want to send Tikkie requests
- You need a Dutch NL IBAN for any reason
- You want Dutch deposit guarantee protection
Example Setup
- Open a Wise account before you arrive and leave time for verification; once Wise has verified you, you get EUR account details with a non-Dutch euro IBAN (Wise uses a Belgian BIC and address).
- Open a Dutch bank account; ING lets you start before your BSN arrives (with a non-EEA passport you provide BSN and Dutch address within 90 days). ING Go costs €4.00 per month.
- Use Wise for international transfers and, if your employer accepts it, for salary. Use the Dutch account for iDEAL, Tikkie and Dutch-specific payments.
Support
Wise says you can get help in 14 languages (wise.com/nl). Check the help section of the app for the contact options available for your account.
Common Questions
“Will my employer accept the non-Dutch IBAN?” It should. Under the SEPA Regulation (EU 260/2012) a payer must accept a euro IBAN from any EU/EEA country; De Nederlandsche Bank calls a refusal IBAN discrimination and takes reports. Wise’s EUR details use a non-Dutch euro IBAN, so telling HR in advance can save a discussion.
“What happens if Wise asks for more documents?” Wise may ask for additional documents, for example about where your money comes from when you send larger amounts. A second account at a Dutch bank means you do not depend on a single provider while that happens.
Opening a Wise Account: Step by Step
- Go to wise.com or download the Wise app.
- Create an account with your email address.
- Confirm your identity with your ID document, as Wise’s sign-up steps describe.
- Deposit money in the currency you want.
- Order your debit card (EUR 7) if you want one.
Wise’s sign-up steps do not list a BSN. If Wise asks for more in your case, it tells you in the app.
Wise for Freelancers and ZZP’ers
About 1.2 million people in the Netherlands are ZZP’ers (CBS, 2025). If you are a freelancer with international clients, Wise lets you receive payments in several currencies (account details for 22 currencies). A Dutch bank account is still useful for iDEAL and for Dutch clients who prefer an NL IBAN (they may not refuse a euro IBAN from another EU/EEA country, but an NL IBAN avoids the discussion). Keep your bookkeeping up to date; Wise says its business account can connect to accounting software. For BTW (VAT) returns, see the ZZP guide.
The Bottom Line
Wise is a payment institution that is useful for international transfers and for holding several currencies. Its EUR account details use a non-Dutch euro IBAN, which your employer has to accept, and it does not replace a Dutch bank account for iDEAL and Tikkie. Compare the current fees on wise.com/nl/pricing with your bank’s fees and exchange rate for the transfers you make.
Frequently Asked Questions
What IBAN does Wise give you in the Netherlands?
Wise gives verified customers EUR account details with a non-Dutch euro IBAN (Wise uses a Belgian BIC and address). A Dutch employer, landlord or company may not refuse a euro IBAN from another EU/EEA country (De Nederlandsche Bank). For comparison, N26 says accounts opened in the Netherlands get a German IBAN, and Revolut has launched a Dutch branch and says that customers resident in the Netherlands will now have their accounts migrated to this branch and receive a Dutch IBAN (Revolut Help, checked 29 September 2026).
Can I use Wise as my primary bank account in the Netherlands?
It depends on what you need. Wise can receive a salary and pay bills by SEPA transfer with its euro account details. The main gap is iDEAL: Wise is not on iDEAL's list of issuers, so you cannot pay with iDEAL from a Wise account. Tikkie requests can only be sent with a Dutch bank account. Many expats combine Wise with a Dutch bank account.
How does Wise make money?
Wise lists its prices on wise.com/nl/pricing (checked 8 October 2026): registering is free, sending money costs from 0.2% depending on the currency, the debit card costs EUR 7 and cash withdrawals are free up to EUR 250 per month, then 2.69% of the amount above that. Wise Interest has annual costs from 0.26%. Fees are shown before you confirm a transfer.
Is Wise safe? Is my money protected?
Wise serves customers in the Netherlands through Wise Europe SA, a payment institution supervised by the National Bank of Belgium. Wise is not a bank, which means your balance is not covered by the Dutch deposit guarantee scheme as it would be at ING or ABN AMRO. Wise publishes how it safeguards customer funds on its help pages; read it, especially if you hold large amounts.
Does Wise support Tikkie in the Netherlands?
To send Tikkie requests, Tikkie says you need a Dutch bank account and a European mobile number, so a Wise account alone is not enough. Paying a Tikkie runs through iDEAL at your own bank, and Wise is not on the iDEAL issuer list (tikkie.me and ideal.nl/en/issuers, checked 29 September 2026).
What does Wise cost per month?
There is no monthly subscription for the personal account; you pay per use (wise.com/nl/pricing, checked 8 October 2026). The debit card costs EUR 7 and sending money starts from 0.2%, depending on the currency. Wise Interest is an investment product with annual costs from 0.26% and capital at risk. The Wise Business account has a one-off set-up fee of EUR 60 for account details and all features.
How does Wise compare to a Dutch bank account?
Wise is a payment institution, not a bank. Its EUR account details use a non-Dutch euro IBAN, it is not on iDEAL's list of issuers, and it is not covered by the Dutch deposit guarantee scheme. A Dutch bank such as ING, ABN AMRO or Rabobank gives you an NL IBAN, iDEAL and cover under the Dutch deposit guarantee scheme. You can use both: Wise for international transfers and multi-currency balances, a Dutch bank for local payments.