# Sending Money Abroad From The Netherlands: Wise, Bunq And Other Options Compared URL: https://essentiallyamsterdam.com/sending-money-abroad-netherlands-wise/ Updated: 2026-08-06 By: Essentially Amsterdam Staff Publisher: Essentially Amsterdam (https://essentiallyamsterdam.com/) > How Wise, Bunq and other transfer apps compare with a traditional Dutch bank for moving money in and out of the Netherlands. Expats in Amsterdam usually end up juggling two currencies: a Dutch salary in euros and bills, family or savings back home in something else. A regular Dutch bank account can send that money, but it is rarely the cheapest route. ## Why Traditional Banks Cost More ABN AMRO, ING and Rabobank all offer international transfers, but they typically add a margin to the exchange rate on top of a transfer fee. Within the euro area this barely matters: EU rules require a euro transfer to another [SEPA country](https://www.ecb.europa.eu/paym/integration/retail/sepa/html/index.en.html) to be treated the same as a domestic one, so it is usually free or close to it. The extra cost shows up once the money changes currency, such as sending euros to a UK, US or Canadian account. ## How Wise Works [Wise](https://wise.com/) converts money at the mid-market exchange rate, the same one shown on Google, rather than folding a hidden margin into a worse rate. The fee is shown as a separate, upfront number before the transfer is confirmed, so there is nothing to discover afterward. A Wise account also comes with a European IBAN, useful for receiving a salary or setting up direct debits, plus a debit card for spending abroad in the local currency without a conversion markup. It operates as a regulated payment institution under EU financial supervision, not an unlicensed app. Anyone still setting up their financial life in the city can check the [Amsterdam Banking Guide for Expats](https://essentiallyamsterdam.com/amsterdam-banking-guide/) for what a standard Dutch bank account requires and how it compares. ## Bunq And Other Dutch-Based Options [Bunq](https://www.bunq.com/) is an Amsterdam-headquartered digital bank built around its app rather than branches. It issues a full Dutch IBAN and lets users hold and switch between several currencies in sub-accounts, which suits anyone paid or spending in more than one currency. Because it holds a banking license rather than operating purely as a payments company, it can work as a main current account, not just a tool for occasional transfers abroad. That distinction matters most in the first months in the city, when a landlord, employer or the gemeente may expect a Dutch account number. The [Amsterdam Expat Starter Guide for Your First Months](https://essentiallyamsterdam.com/amsterdam-expat-starter-guide/) covers what has to be arranged before that happens. ## Other Apps Worth Knowing Revolut and N26 both operate in the Netherlands and offer multi-currency cards aimed at people who travel or spend abroad often. PayPal can also move money internationally, but its currency conversion typically carries a wider margin than a dedicated transfer service. None of these fully replace a Dutch bank account for anything tied to a BSN, such as payroll or utility direct debits. ## Newcomers Without a Dutch Credit History Anyone who has not opened a Dutch bank account yet, or is still waiting on a BSN, still needs a way to pay for everyday things. The [guide to prepaid cards in the Netherlands](https://essentiallyamsterdam.com/prepaid-cards-netherlands-options-newcomers/) covers options that do not require Dutch credit history while a bank account or Wise account gets set up. ## For Freelancers Sending Payments Abroad Self-employed residents paying overseas suppliers or receiving payments from clients abroad face the same exchange-rate question, just on business income. The [guide to business bank accounts in the Netherlands](https://essentiallyamsterdam.com/best-business-bank-accounts-netherlands/) looks at options built for freelancers and small businesses specifically. ## Which One Fits For occasional transfers between the Netherlands and a home country, Wise’s visible rate and fee make it the easiest to compare against a bank before sending. For someone who wants one app to act as a full current account across currencies, Bunq’s status as a licensed bank is the practical difference. Read more: [Sending Money to and from the Netherlands: Wise and the Alternatives](https://essentiallyamsterdam.com/sending-money-netherlands-wise-alternatives/). A traditional Dutch bank still makes sense as the account tied to payroll, rent and Dutch direct debits, with Wise or Bunq used alongside it for money that crosses borders. ## Getting Set Up Opening any of these accounts happens directly through the provider’s own app or website, using a passport or ID and proof of address. None of it runs through a Dutch government office, so no municipal appointment is required, only the provider’s own identity check. ## In the news - [US regulator rejects Dutch bank bunq’s application for banking license](https://essentiallyamsterdam.com/news/us-regulator-rejects-dutch-challenger-bank-bunqs-application-for-banking-license/) 10 August 2026 The daily newsletter Every weekday morning we send one email with what is actually happening in Amsterdam - news, events, openings and where to eat. 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