5 Airwallex alternatives for global business payments

So you're looking for the best way to handle your global business payments...

Founded in 2015, Airwallex is an established tech-forward cross-border payment provider. It's especially popular with businesses that want flexible APIs, developer access, and a platform that can handle everything from expense management to payment acceptance. 

But here's the thing: Not every business needs (or wants to pay for) all these bells and whistles. Some small to medium-sized businesses may find the platform too complex, too self-serve or too costly once their needs change or their volumes grow. Others may simply want more predictable pricing or FX risk management tools coupled with the right level of human support.

The good news? You've got options.

In this guide, we'll break down what Airwallex has to offer, who it's best for, and under which circumstances you'd be better with an alternative cross-border payment provider. We'll also share five such alternatives you should consider.

What Airwallex offers businesses 

Let's break down what you actually get with Airwallex and how it all works.

What do you get with Airwallex?

• With Airwallex's multi-currency account, you can send and receive payments in 23 currencies.
• Airwallex is a payment gateway which allows e-commerce businesses to collect online payments.
• Virtual and physical cards are available for expense management.
• Teams can track and control global spending.
• You can sync bank feeds with Xero, QuickBooks and NetSuite at the Explore, Grow and Accelerate plans and access custom API implementations with the Custom plan.

What are the trade-offs?

• The more complex platform features are plan-dependent and may require a steep learning curve for some users.
• Airwallex's pricing structure isn't the most SMB-friendly.
• Dedicated account manager support only kicks in at the Accelerate plan.
  
  

How does Airwallex's pricing work?

Airwallex offers a tiered pricing structure for EU businesses:

• Explore: €0 per month (if you deposit €10,000 monthly / maintain a €10,000 balance) or €19 per month.
• Grow: €49 per month, which adds expense management and bill pay features.
• Accelerate: €999 per month.
• Custom: Tailored pricing for high-volume businesses.
  
  

Airwallex also charges a 0.5% to 1% exchange rate markup on all conversions, depending on the currency.

Who is Airwallex best for? 

• E-commerce businesses that want to create online checkout links and accept global payments.
• Freelancers and smaller businesses looking for a solution with a broader range of features and don't mind the tiered pricing structure.
• Larger businesses that can afford the Accelerate or Custom plans and benefit from hands-on support.

When you may need to look for an alternative to Airwallex

Airwallex is a solid product that plenty of businesses find great value in. But that doesn't mean it's the perfect fit for every business.

Here are three scenarios when you may want to consider an alternative to Airwallex.

You've unlocked more features than you actually need

Maybe your transaction volumes have grown and you're bumping up against your current plan's limits. Time to upgrade, right?

Here's the thing: As you upgrade to a higher-tier plan to raise your limits, you also gain access to developer tools, automation, and embedded finance features. Great for some — but these features may be too complex for your needs and sit completely untouched (even though you're still paying for them).

So, you might find yourself paying for features you never use, wrestling with complexity you don't need, or hitting pricing walls that don't make sense for your actual usage.

Pricing starts to feel mismatched with your usage

Airwallex's pricing structure isn't the most SMB-friendly, especially if your volumes are steadily growing but modest compared to a large enterprise business. You may end up paying more just to access basic features or usage thresholds that feel disproportionate to your actual needs. FX spreads can also fluctuate depending on time of day and transaction type, making costs harder to predict.

Support falls short until you hit a higher plan

Human support is limited on lower-tier plans, with dedicated account management only available once you reach the Accelerate level (which comes with a €999 per month subscription fee). If you value hands-on service or quick answers, the self-serve model may become a blocker as your needs grow.

5 Airwallex alternatives (and the pros and cons of each)

Now that we've covered when Airwallex might not be the perfect fit, let's dive into some alternative providers that could work better for your business.

1. iBanFirst

Founded in 2016, iBanFirst combines a simple yet powerful platform with support from in-house FX experts, making it an ideal Airwallex alternative for SMBs with significant cross-border payment volumes.

What do you get with iBanFirst? 

• iBanFirst is purpose-built for small and medium-sized businesses with significant international payment needs. 

• With an iBanFirst multi-currency account, you can hold, send and receive funds in 25+ currencies. 

• You and your beneficiaries can track your payments across borders — just like a parcel — with time-stamped updates at every step. 

• Our dedicated account managers are FX experts who know your business. They can help you build custom FX strategies and make use of our fixed, flexible and dynamic forward payment contracts to protect your business against currency fluctuations. 
• iBanFirst offers a host of integrations so you can connect it to your existing stack, thus eliminating fragmented systems and unlocking automation across your financial processes. You can also use the iBanFirst API to integrate iBanFirst with third-party tools in your tech stack.

What are the trade-offs?

• iBanFirst is less suited to businesses with low international transfer volumes. 

• We don't offer debit cards like some of the other Airwallex alternatives on this list.
  
  

How does iBanFirst's pricing work?

With iBanFirst, there's no setup fee, no tiered monthly subscription costs and no hidden transfer fees — the price you see is exactly what you pay. 

Our transparent pricing structure is designed with scaling international businesses in mind. iBanFirst gives you a standard exchange rate spread that applies across all your transactions. This means you can predict your costs even as your payment volumes increase, rather than watching growing fees eat away your profits. 

Who does iBanFirst suit best?

• Established SMBs that are outgrowing entry-level payment providers and need advanced tools for things like FX risk management.

• Importers/exporters with international supply chains seeking the tools and expertise to manage complex payments and don't want fees eating into their margins.

• Wholesalers who rely on FX risk management tools and crave detailed payment tracking and hands-on, responsive support.
  
  

The bottom line

If you want to avoid tiered pricing models that never quite fit your business needs, manage foreign currency risks and receive hands-on support from FX experts who understand your business, iBanFirst is a great fit. What's more, you’re able to track international payments every step of the way, with detailed, timestamped updates and tracking links you can share with your partners and suppliers.

2. Revolut 

Revolut has established itself as a mobile-first financial solution for both personal and business users. They've expanded beyond multi-currency accounts to include payment processing, expense management tools, debit cards, and various integrations, positioning themselves as a comprehensive solution for freelancers and enterprise-level businesses.

What do you get with Revolut?

• Revolut supports 25+ currencies and offers local account details in GBP, USD and EUR. For all other currency accounts, you use SWIFT account details for international transfers.
• It offers a broader range of features than Airwallex, including tools for team spending and expense management.
• Revolut's fixed and flexible forward payment contracts mean you can manage currency risk.
• You can use physical and virtual cards with spend controls for team members, expense categorisation, and real-time notifications.
• Revolut also integrates with accounting, expense management and HR tools.
  
  

What are the trade-offs?

• Revolut’s aim of appealing to all business sizes — from freelancers to enterprise businesses — comes at the expense of SMB-specific solutions. 

• Its pricing structure means key features are locked behind more expensive plans and weekend exchanges can come with additional markups. 

• Revolut’s more personalised support only comes at the 'Enterprise' tier, leaving SMBs to face the complexities of FX alone.
  
  

How does Revolut's pricing work?

Here’s how Revolut’s tiered monthly subscription model works: 

• Basic: €10 per month, limited features  
• Grow: From €30 per month, exchange up to €15,000 monthly at the interbank rate
• Scale: From €90 per month, exchange up to €60,000 monthly at the interbank rate
• Enterprise: Custom pricing with specialised account management 

Each plan comes with a monthly allowance for currency exchanges at the interbank rate. Once you hit your limit — or if you decide to make a transfer during weekends or outside market hours — the extra fees kick in (typically 0.6% to 1%). 

Who is Revolut best for?

• Freelancers, smaller businesses and enterprises looking for a solution with a broader range of features and don’t mind the tiered pricing structure. 

• Businesses that need to accept payments through online gateways, e-commerce integrations, and contactless QR codes. 

• CFOs and finance teams that want to manage expenses, issue company cards to their teams, set spending limits and control where the cards can be used.

The bottom line

Revolut offers extensive functionality across multiple financial areas. However, their approach of serving vastly different business sizes means you may end up paying for features that don't match your needs or could find yourself limited by your current tier. Additionally, dedicated account management and personalised support are reserved for enterprise-level clients, so businesses seeking hands-on guidance through the complexities of the FX markets will need to rely on self-service resources only.

3. Wise

Founded in 2011, Wise has become one of the most recognisable names in international transfers. Originally built for personal users looking to pay less than traditional bank fees, it has since expanded into business accounts that lean on the same straightforward approach.

What do you get with Wise Business?

• Wise keeps things simple both in terms of pricing and functionality.
• It targets both individual consumers and businesses, particularly those looking for a cost-effective solution.

• Wise’s multi-currency accounts let you hold 40+ currencies with local account details in 9 of them (including GBP, USD and EUR). For all other currencies, you can send and receive payments using SWIFT account details.

• You can integrate Wise with accounting tools in your financial ecosystem, including Xero, QuickBooks and Sage. All of these integrations come standard with every account.

• Wise also offers physical and virtual debit cards for team spending, which link directly to the account balance in your chosen currency. 

  
  

What are the trade-offs?

• Once you're regularly moving €100,000+ annually across borders, Wise's per-transaction fees start adding up quickly. 
• If your business is growing, foreign currency risks are becoming more of a concern. Wise doesn't offer any FX risk management tools or dedicated support to help you protect your margins from exchange rate swings. 
• When you're working with larger payment volumes, sometimes chatbots, help docs and support tickets alone simply won't cut it — you need support from an expert who understands both your business and the complexities of the FX market.
  
  

How does Wise's pricing work?

There are very few surprises when it comes to Wise’s pricing. Wise charges a one-time opening fee of €50. After that, there are no recurring monthly subscription fees — you only pay for what you use. It offers currency conversions at the mid-market exchange rate with a percentage-based fee added. There are no hidden markups or fees.   

For international payments, you'll pay a percentage-based transfer fee — typically between 0.33% and 1.0% of the payment amount, depending on the currency pair.

Who does Wise suit best?

• Digital nomads and self-employed business owners who work with international clients in multiple currencies.
• Smaller businesses starting to expand internationally and looking for an efficient and affordable solution for handling cross-border payments.
• E-commerce businesses selling products across borders with low transaction volumes. 
  
  

The bottom line

With its simple features and competitive pricing, Wise is ideal for digital nomads, freelancers and micro-businesses. However, as transaction volumes increase and currency risk becomes more significant, businesses often start to notice Wise's limitations — particularly the lack of FX risk management tools and expert support for complex international payments.

4. Payoneer

Payoneer is a payment provider that specialises in facilitating payments to and from freelancers, contractors and online sellers who use marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, Fiverr and Upwork and these marketplaces themselves.

What do you get with Payoneer? 

• With Payoneer, you can hold and send funds in 70+ currencies. 
• Global receiving accounts are available in multiple currencies to collect payments from customers.
• Payoneer partners and integrates with many e-commerce and freelancer platforms as well as major online marketplaces.
• Payoneer has a focus on mass payout capabilities for paying suppliers, contractors and marketplace sellers.
• Cards are available in USD, GBP, EUR and CAD so you can access earnings and spend online or out in the world. 
  
  

What are the trade-offs?

• With a split focus across multiple audiences — freelancers, businesses and marketplaces — Payoneer isn’t focused on developing solutions that meet the specific needs of SMBs.
• The limited FX risk management capabilities may work against Payoneer as an attractive option for SMBs compared to others on this list.

• The high percentage-based fees for most international payments can be off-putting for businesses looking to make cross-border payments but not mass payments to freelancers and contractors.
  
  

How does Payoneer's pricing work?

Payoneer's pricing structure is transaction-based with varying fees depending on how you send and receive money: 

• Account opening and maintenance: Free 
• Currency conversion: 0.5% markup on top of mid-market rate 
• Making payments: Up to 3% fee if the recipient doesn’t have a Payoneer account 
• Card transactions that involve conversion: 3.5% fee 
  

Who does Payoneer suit best?

• Freelancers and contractors working across different platforms like Fiverr and Upwork and want to integrate Payoneer as their payment method. 
• Marketplaces that need to make mass payouts in multiple countries and currencies. 
• Businesses that want to pay overseas employees and contractors and get paid by their customers. 
  
  

The bottom line

Payoneer extends beyond basic payments and currency conversion with additional functionality, but this broader scope adds operational complexity. This makes it less suitable for SMBs seeking a focused, comprehensive solution for international payments and FX risk management without the marketplace-oriented features.

5. Ebury

Ebury is a specialised financial services provider focusing on foreign exchange services, international payments and trade finance for SMEs and mid-sized corporations with significant cross-border operations. It takes a more tailored, relationship-driven approach to helping businesses manage international risks and expand globally.

What do you get with Ebury?  

• Ebury supports payments in 130+ currencies across global markets with local details available in 29 of them.
• Ebury offers forward payment contracts and other FX hedging tools.
• It also provides trade finance solutions, including invoice financing. 
• It offers mass payment capabilities for handling multiple international transactions. 
• You can connect eBury with your ERP systems.
  
  

What are the trade-offs?  

• The complex, tailored pricing structure makes it harder for businesses to predict costs or compare Ebury to other providers.
• Ebury’s platform isn’t very user friendly, which also makes it harder to integrate into a modern tech stack.
• Ebury doesn't offer debit cards like some of the other Revolut alternatives listed.

How does Ebury's pricing work?

Ebury takes a tailored approach to pricing.

Who is Ebury best for? 

• Established SMBs that are outgrowing entry-level payment providers and need advanced tools for things like FX risk management.
• SMBs and corporations in education, travel, payroll and NGO sectors, among others. 
• Businesses with significant international trade exposure, particularly those needing both payment and financing solutions. 

The bottom line

While Ebury provides advanced tools for currency risk management, the platform isn't very user-friendly and their custom pricing structure creates transparency challenges. The payment tracking capabilities also lag behind other providers, making it less appealing for businesses that prioritise modern, intuitive interfaces and clear cost structures.

Get started with iBanFirst today 

If you've outgrown Airwallex — or just want a provider that focuses specifically on growing international businesses like yours — iBanFirst might be exactly what you're looking for.

You get access to real human support, transparent pricing and the right tools for managing cross-border payments and FX risk. That includes:

• A multi-currency account to hold, receive, send and track funds in 25+ currencies
• Fixed, flexible and dynamic FX forward payment contracts to protect your business from currency fluctuations
• Support from real, human FX experts who understand your business and the complexities of the FX markets.

We built iBanFirst specifically for SMBs that want enterprise-grade tools without the enterprise-grade headaches, friction or fees. Open an account in minutes and get the support you need to grow confidently across borders.