Updated September 29, 2026 · VaultCue Editorial Team
Kroo vs Monese
Kroo
Higher score in this comparison
Monese
Kroo vs Monese: the differences
| Compare | KrooReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | MoneseReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Currency conversion fee | 0%Lower | 3% |
| Local account details | UK sort code | IBAN, UK sort codeCovers more |
| Transfer fee | Faster Payments GBP 0, CHAPS GBP 20; sending money outside the UK not available | GBP 1.29 per outgoing domestic transfer; real-time Monese-to-Monese transfers free |
| Currencies | Not confirmed | 3 |
Same on both: Monthly fee (£0), Deposit protection (FSCS up to GBP 85,000), Free ATM withdrawals (£0).
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Key differences
- Kroo scores higher overall: 8.9 vs 8.7.
- Founded is lower at Monese: 2015 vs 2016.
- Monese is licensed in 2 more countries.
- Monese is available in 27 more countries.
- Currency conversion fee is lower at Kroo: 0% vs 3%.
- Local account details: only Monese offers IBAN.
- Support channels: only Kroo offers Phone.
- Audience: only Monese offers Expats, Freelancer.
- Features: only Kroo offers Free ATM.
- Features: only Monese offers Joint account, No credit check.
Our verdict on each
Kroo
Kroo is a UK digital current account for people who spend and send money abroad, with a monthly fee of £0 and currency conversion at 0%. Interest lands on the cleared balance at a variable 2.65%, credited monthly, so the account pays you while the money waits.
Monese
Monese suits expats, frequent travellers and freelancers who want a digital everyday account with nothing to pay each month. Costs stay low with a monthly fee of £0, while the limits on 3 currencies and a 3% conversion charge keep it simple rather than cheap for heavy currency use.
Score breakdown
| Area | Kroo | Monese |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.4HigherMonthly fee £0, cash machine allowance £0 and conversion 0%, ranked 1 on the cost list. | 8.7A monthly fee of £0 and a £20 charge on outgoing domestic transfers, against a 3% conversion fee. |
| Offer | 9.1 | 9.1Local details in iban and uk sort code formats, Instant transfers and a 3 currency account for expats, travelers and freelancer. |
| Trust | 8.4 | 8.4 |
How they place
| Ranking | Kroo | Monese |
|---|---|---|
| Online banks | 125 of 402 | 167 of 402 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Kroo | Monese |
|---|---|---|
| Audience | Travelers | Expats, Travelers, FreelancerCovers more |
| Pricing model | No monthly fee, Low FX | No monthly fee, Low FX |
| Features | Free ATM, Digital only | Joint account, Digital only, No credit check |
| Legal entity | Kroo Bank Ltd | Monese Ltd |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| Founded | 2016 | 2015Lower |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more | Chat, Email, Help centre |
Savings
| Fact | Kroo | Monese |
|---|---|---|
| Headline rate | 2.65% | Not confirmed |
| Rate type | Variable | Not confirmed |
| Minimum deposit | £0 | Not confirmed |
| Access terms | Interest calculated daily on the cleared balance and credited monthly; account operated in-app 24/7, no notice period, close at any time | Not confirmed |
| Account kind | Easy access | Not confirmed |
Money transfer
| Fact | Kroo | Monese |
|---|---|---|
| Exchange rate markup | Not confirmed | 2% |
| Delivery time | Not confirmed | Instant |
| Payout methods | Not confirmed | Bank, Wallet |
| Fee to send 1,000 | Not confirmed | £20 |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Kroo | Monese | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | £0at the median | £0at the median | £0 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0%below the median | 3%highest quarter | 0.5% |
| Currencies | Not confirmed | 3below the median | 5 |
| Free ATM withdrawals | £0at the median | £0at the median | £0 |
Median across 536 listed accounts.
Pros and cons
Kroo
Pros
- A monthly fee of £0 and a cash machine allowance of £0 on the current account.
- Currency conversion of 0%, with the account aimed at travelers.
- FSCS up to GBP 85,000, with the Financial Conduct Authority as regulator under licence 953772.
Cons
- Digital only banking, with support running on email, chat and phone.
- Transfers are split by scheme, with Faster Payments free and CHAPS carrying a charge on the current account.
- The variable 2.65% is easy access money rather than a savings return, sitting under the 3% site median.
Monese
Pros
- Personal accounts carry a monthly fee of £0
- Outgoing domestic transfers cost £20 and transfers between Monese accounts are free
- Transfers land in Instant
Cons
- Converting money costs 3% on top of a 2% exchange rate margin
- A fee of £20 applies to outgoing domestic transfers
- Support runs on chat, email and help centre only, with no phone line listed
Who each suits
Kroo
Who it suits
- People who travel often and spend in other currencies, since the account is aimed at travelers and conversion runs at 0%.
- UK residents happy to run everything in the app, with support on email, chat and phone and a minimum deposit of £0.
- Anyone keeping a sterling balance as a rainy day fund, with FSCS up to GBP 85,000 and interest credited monthly.
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone who needs to send money outside the UK from their account, since those transfers are not available; a euro option such as Bit2Me, monthly fee €0, is worth weighing.
- People who want a card led everyday account instead of an app based one, weighing Kroo against the Varo Visa Debit Card, monthly fee $0.
Monese
Who it suits
- Expats and freelancers who send money across borders and are paid in expats, travelers and freelancer setups
- Travellers who want local account details in iban and uk sort code formats
- Anyone who wants a joint account opened with no credit check, since the account is digital only
Who should look elsewhere
- Skrill if you need a much wider range of currencies than 3
- PayPal Colombia if you want a wallet for online payments rather than local account details
- Plazo ES if you would rather reach support by phone than on chat, email and help centre
Current offers
Monese
Current offer
Bonus
Free contactless debit card with a GBP 100 first deposit: Card delivery free (otherwise GBP 4.95) with a GBP 100 first deposit
First physical contactless Monese debit card; otherwise GBP 4.95 delivery fee; available on all plans
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Kroo | Monese |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | No | Yes |
| Belgium | No | Yes |
| Bulgaria | No | Yes |
| Croatia | No | Yes |
| Cyprus | No | Yes |
| Czechia | No | Yes |
| Denmark | No | Yes |
| Estonia | No | Yes |
8 of 34 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
Kroo
What does Kroo charge to hold the account?+
Kroo's current account charges a monthly fee of £0, with a cash machine allowance of £0 and currency conversion of 0%. Those are the fees published for the account, and the balance earns a variable 2.65% credited monthly.
Is money in a Kroo account protected?+
Deposits are covered by FSCS up to GBP 85,000, and the account is held at Kroo Bank Ltd, based in the United Kingdom, with the Financial Conduct Authority as regulator under licence 953772. Help runs on email, chat and phone.
Monese
Does Monese charge a monthly fee?+
The personal account carries a monthly fee of £0, which is the cheapest end of the accounts compared here. Plazo ES and Skrill also sit on €0 and €0, so you can compare like for like. Nothing is deducted from the balance each month for keeping the account open.
What does it cost to send money out?+
Each outgoing domestic transfer costs £20. Real time transfers from one Monese account to another are free, and the money arrives in Instant. For sending abroad, the cost comes from the 3% conversion charge rather than a transfer fee.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
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Kroo
Monese