# Sending Money to and from the Netherlands: Wise and the Alternatives

URL: https://essentiallyamsterdam.com/sending-money-netherlands-wise-alternatives/
Updated: 2026-08-06
By: Essentially Amsterdam Staff
Publisher: Essentially Amsterdam (https://essentiallyamsterdam.com/)

> How Wise compares with Dutch banks and other apps for moving money between the Netherlands and abroad.

## Why cross-border transfers cost more than they should

A Dutch bank can send euros anywhere in the eurozone for free through [SEPA](https://www.ecb.europa.eu/paym/integration/retail/sepa/html/index.en.html), the EU’s standard payment system.

The moment a transfer leaves the euro, or leaves Europe, banks typically add their own exchange rate markup on top of any stated fee, so the number you see is rarely the number your recipient gets.

## What Wise actually does

[Wise](https://wise.com/nl/) is a UK-founded fintech company built specifically to avoid that markup: it converts currency at the mid-market rate, the same rate banks quote each other, and shows the fee separately before you confirm a transfer.

Its Netherlands-facing product is a multi-currency account with its own EU IBAN, so it can receive a Dutch salary or pay Dutch direct debits much like a local bank account, while also holding balances in other currencies.

A Wise debit card spends directly from whichever currency balance you hold, which avoids the conversion fee a foreign card usually adds when used abroad.

Read more: [Sending Money Abroad From The Netherlands: Wise, Bunq And Other Options Compared](https://essentiallyamsterdam.com/sending-money-abroad-netherlands-wise/).

Most transfers move within a day, sometimes minutes, and the app tracks each one from send to arrival.

## Wise versus a Dutch bank account

Wise is not a licensed Dutch bank and does not replace one; it is a payments and multi-currency tool that sits alongside your everyday account.

Most expats still need a real Dutch bank account for a landlord, an employer or the tax office to pay into without questions, and opening one is covered in the [Amsterdam Banking Guide for Expats](https://essentiallyamsterdam.com/amsterdam-banking-guide/).

The two work well together: salary and rent through the Dutch bank, international transfers and travel spending through Wise.

## The other apps expats compare it to

Wise is not the only option, and which one suits you depends on how often you move money and in which direction.

- **[bunq](https://www.bunq.com/)** - a Dutch neobank offering multi-currency accounts and its own IBAN, useful if you want one app that is also a genuine Dutch bank account.
- **Revolut** and **N26** - European neobanks with multi-currency balances and cards, similar in concept to Wise but built around everyday spending rather than large one-off transfers.
- **Your existing Dutch bank** - still the cheapest option for euro-to-euro SEPA transfers, and sometimes competitive for larger foreign transfers if you negotiate or use their dedicated transfer service.

None of these publish identical fees for every currency pair and amount, so the only reliable comparison is checking the rate and fee each app shows you for your specific transfer before sending.

## Newcomers without a Dutch credit history

Anyone who has just arrived and is waiting on [a BSN](https://www.government.nl/topics/personal-data/citizen-service-number-bsn) or a Dutch bank account approval can still receive and spend money through a multi-currency app in the meantime.

The [guide to prepaid cards in the Netherlands](https://essentiallyamsterdam.com/prepaid-cards-netherlands-options-newcomers/) covers the options built specifically for that gap.

## Freelancers and larger transfers

Freelancers invoicing clients abroad, or receiving payments in a foreign currency, often use the same multi-currency accounts for business rather than personal transfers.

The [guide to business bank accounts for freelancers and SMEs](https://essentiallyamsterdam.com/best-business-bank-accounts-netherlands/) looks at the options built for that specific case, including where a business version of these apps fits alongside a Dutch business account.

For a genuinely large transfer, such as moving savings or a property deposit into the Netherlands, ask any provider directly what their fee and rate look like at that specific amount, since large transfers are often priced differently from routine ones.

## The practical choice

For occasional transfers home, or for holding a card that spends in several currencies without markup, Wise or a similar app is the straightforward option.

For anything that needs a real Dutch IBAN a landlord or employer will accept without question, open a Dutch bank account first and use the multi-currency app alongside it.

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