Updated September 29, 2026 · VaultCue Editorial Team
Alipay vs Vivid Money
Alipay
Higher score in this comparison
Vivid Money
Where Alipay and Vivid Money differ
| Compare | ||
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | CN¥0 | €0 |
| Currencies | 18 | 22Higher |
| Transfer fee | 3% over RMB 200 | Free |
| Deposit protection | Not confirmed | EU DGS up to EUR 100,000 |
| Currency conversion fee | Not confirmed | 0.25% |
| Local account details | Not confirmed | IBAN |
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings. Partners with a live offer in your country come first, then every other brand by score.
Key differences
- Alipay scores higher overall: 9.0 vs 8.8.
- Founded is lower at Alipay: 2004 vs 2019.
- Currencies is higher at Vivid Money: 22 vs 18.
- Support channels: only Alipay offers Email.
- Support channels: only Vivid Money offers Chat, Help centre.
Our verdict on each
Alipay
Alipay suits travellers who need to pay and send money in China and want a wallet with a monthly fee of CNY 0, taking an overall score of 7.3. Money is held free of charge, but transfers carry 3% over RMB 200 and support runs on email only.
Vivid Money
Vivid Money suits people who want everyday spending plus savings in the same app without monthly upkeep, with the standard plan priced at €0 a month. Cash stays within instant access pockets that suit flexible savers who also move money across currencies for travel or daily life abroad.
Score breakdown
| Area | Alipay | Vivid Money |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.3HigherMonthly fee of CNY 0 to hold the account, with transfers costed at 3% over RMB 200. | 9.2Conversion priced at 0.25% keeps cross currency spend modest versus broader market levels |
| Offer | 8.9Covers 18 currencies and pays out to a bank or a wallet from a digital only account. | 9.1HigherInterest pocket pays 3% on instant access balances with low entry threshold |
| Trust | 8.9Higher | 8.3Eligible balances covered by EU DGS up to EUR 100,000 with licensed EU supervision |
How they place
| Ranking | Alipay | Vivid Money |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-currency accounts | 132 of 348 | 206 of 348 |
| Online banks | 94 of 402 | 155 of 402 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Alipay | Vivid Money |
|---|---|---|
| Audience | Travelers | Not confirmed |
| Pricing model | No monthly fee | No monthly fee |
| Features | Digital only | Digital only |
| Legal entity | Alipay (Hangzhou) Technology Co. Ltd | Vivid Money B.V. |
| Headquarters | China | Netherlands |
| Founded | 2004Lower | 2019 |
| Support channels | Chat, Help centre |
Money transfer
| Fact | Alipay | Vivid Money |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery time | Within minutes (bank-to-wallet) | Not confirmed |
| Payout methods | Bank, Wallet | Not confirmed |
| Fee to send 1,000 | CN¥0 | Not confirmed |
Savings
| Fact | Alipay | Vivid Money |
|---|---|---|
| Headline rate | Not confirmed | 3% |
| Rate type | Not confirmed | Fixed |
| Minimum deposit | Not confirmed | €0.010 |
| Access terms | Not confirmed | Instant access |
| Account kind | Not confirmed | Easy access |
| Regulators | Not confirmed | Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier (CSSF), Dutch Authority for Financial Markets (AFM), Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM) |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Alipay | Vivid Money | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currency conversion fee | Not confirmed | 0.25%below the median | 0.5% |
| Currencies | 18highest quarter | 22highest quarter | 5 |
Median across 536 listed accounts.
Pros and cons
Alipay
Pros
- Monthly fee of CNY 0 puts it 1 of 500 brands on this measure.
- Currency reach of 18 sits above the 5 median for multi-currency accounts.
- Payouts reach a bank or a wallet, and bank-to-wallet remittances land within minutes.
Cons
- Transfer charges apply: the quoted transfer fee is 3% over RMB 200.
- Support runs on email only, so a blocked payment has to be chased in writing.
- Currency reach is mid table: 18 currencies ranks 62 of 379.
Vivid Money
Pros
- Transfers cost free, which keeps routine euro moves easy to budget
- Supports 22 currencies and issues IBAN for getting paid across borders
- Savings start from €0.01 with withdrawals under Instant access for flexible access
Cons
- Support runs on chat and help centre only, so callers must use chat or articles
- Account is digital only through digital only, with no branch option for cash service
Who each suits
Alipay
Who it suits
- Travellers heading to China who want to pay and send money from a phone.
- Anyone who wants a wallet with a monthly fee of CNY 0 and 18 currencies.
- People already paying in China who also need to receive money from abroad.
Who should look elsewhere
- PayPal Colombia, if a wallet in US dollars suits you better than paying in renminbi, with a monthly fee of $0.
- Skrill, if you would rather hold euros in one account than carry 18 currencies.
- eToro, if you want everyday money on a trading platform, whose monthly fee is £0, rather than a payments wallet.
Vivid Money
Who it suits
- Travellers and expats holding balances across currencies
- Flexible savers wanting instant access pockets in the same app
- App led users happy with chat based service
Who should look elsewhere
- Consider bunq if conversion cost matters most and you want to compare against 3%
- Consider Bit2Me if crypto linked services matter and you want to compare against 0.95%
- Consider eToro if trading features matter and you want to compare upkeep against £0
Questions about each
Alipay
Does Alipay charge a monthly fee?+
The monthly fee is CNY 0, so there is nothing to pay for keeping the account open. That puts Alipay alongside PayPal Colombia, Skrill and eToro, whose monthly fees are $0, €0 and £0.
What does it cost to send or top up money?+
Transfer pricing is where the cost sits. The quoted transfer fee is 3% over RMB 200, and the consumer side fee is CNY 0. Since the account costs nothing to hold, the amount you send matters more than how often you send it, and the threshold is worth checking before a large transfer.
Vivid Money
What does Vivid Money charge for the account+
The standard plan is priced at €0 a month, which keeps upkeep predictable for everyday use. Transfers are listed at free, while currency conversion is listed at 0.25% for cross currency moves.
How many currencies can you hold+
Vivid Money supports 22 currencies, which helps if you hold balances for travel or pay across borders. Local euro details come through IBAN, making it easier to receive salary or transfers within the region.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
Related by the facts
Alipay
Vivid Money