Updated September 29, 2026 · VaultCue Editorial Team
Lunar vs Monese
Lunar
Higher score in this comparison
Monese
What sets them apart
| Compare | LunarReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | MoneseReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | DKK 0 | £0 |
| Deposit protection | EU DGS up to EUR 100,000 | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 |
| Currency conversion fee | 0% to 1%Lower | 3% |
| Local account details | IBAN | IBAN, UK sort codeCovers more |
| Free ATM withdrawals | DKK 0 | £0 |
| Transfer fee | Outgoing transfer 3 DKK (Light); 0 DKK per transfer in SEK, NOK or EUR, 50 DKK per transfer in other currencies; 0.5% exchange fee on non-DKK transfers | GBP 1.29 per outgoing domestic transfer; real-time Monese-to-Monese transfers free |
| Currencies | Not confirmed | 3 |
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Key differences
- Monese is licensed in 2 more countries.
- Monese is available in 29 more countries.
- Currency conversion fee is lower at Lunar: 0% to 1% vs 3%.
- Local account details: only Monese offers UK sort code.
- Audience: only Lunar offers Student, Teen.
- Audience: only Monese offers Travelers, Freelancer.
- Pricing model: only Monese offers Low FX.
- Features: only Lunar offers Free ATM.
- Features: only Monese offers No credit check.
Our verdict on each
Lunar
Lunar suits people living in Denmark who want a current account that pays interest every month and can be held jointly, with a rate of 0.25% to 1% credited monthly and withdrawals left open. Students, teens and expats get a simple app-led account, though the rate is modest next to the alternatives here.
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 | Lunar | Monese |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.1HigherMonthly fee of DKK 0, but a free ATM allowance of DKK 0 and currency conversion at 0% to 1%. | 8.7A monthly fee of £0 and a £20 charge on outgoing domestic transfers, against a 3% conversion fee. |
| Offer | 8.7 | 9.1HigherLocal details in iban and uk sort code formats, Instant transfers and a 3 currency account for expats, travelers and freelancer. |
| Trust | 8.5Higher | 8.4 |
Spending 1,000 abroad
Lunar
0 to 10
0% to 1% of 1,000
Monese
30
3% of 1,000
Lunar comes out 30 lower in this example.
Worked out from the stated prices and rates; your own total depends on how you use it. Facts checked September 26, 2026.
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | Lunar | Monese |
|---|---|---|
| Online banks | 164 of 402 | 167 of 402 |
Choosing between them
Pick Lunar if cost and currency conversion fee matter most.
Pick Monese if offer and local account details matter most.
Licences and countries
| Country | Lunar | Monese |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium | Not confirmed | |
| Denmark | Not confirmed | |
| Ireland | Not confirmed | |
| United Kingdom | Not confirmed |
Available in 2 countries for both. Additional countries for Monese: 29.
What we checked
Lunar
- lunar.app: 9 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- static-assets.prod.lunarway.com: 3 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- support.lunar.app: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
Monese
- monese.com: 14 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Lunar | Monese |
|---|---|---|
| Audience | Expats, Student, Teen | Expats, Travelers, Freelancer |
| Pricing model | No monthly fee | No monthly fee, Low FXCovers more |
| Features | Free ATM, Joint account, Digital only | Joint account, Digital only, No credit check |
| Legal entity | Lunar Bank A/S | Monese Ltd |
| Headquarters | Denmark | United Kingdom |
| Founded | 2015 | 2015 |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Help centre | Chat, Email, Help centre |
Money transfer
| Fact | Lunar | 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 | Lunar | Monese | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currency conversion fee | 0% to 1%below the median | 3%highest quarter | 0.5 |
| Currencies | Not confirmed | 3below the median | 5 |
Median across 536 listed accounts.
Pros and cons
Lunar
Pros
- Interest is paid monthly on all current accounts, and the account is easy access, so the balance stays spendable.
- The monthly fee is DKK 0, so nothing is deducted for keeping the account open.
- Balances are covered by the EU deposit guarantee scheme, with protection of EU DGS up to EUR 100,000.
Cons
- Currency conversion costs 0% to 1%, and an exchange fee applies on non-DKK transfers, so spending abroad is where the cost sits.
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre only, with no phone line listed for problems the app cannot answer.
- The free cash machine allowance is DKK 0, so ATM withdrawals are not part of what the account gives you.
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
Lunar
Who it suits
- Students and teens opening a first account, since Lunar lists expats, student and teen as its core groups.
- Expats living in Denmark who want local payment details, since transfers use your own IBAN (iban).
- Couples sharing a balance, since a joint account sits in the feature list (free atm, joint account and digital only).
Who should look elsewhere
- Shoppers chasing the top rate: Plazo ES advertises 24.19% and AXI Card Tarjeta y Credito 21.59%, both far above the 0.25% to 1% paid here.
- Anyone who wants included cash machine use or a phone support line, given the free ATM allowance is DKK 0 and support runs on email, chat and help centre.
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
Lunar
Current offer
Bonus
SAS EuroBonus welcome bonus for new Lunar customers: 3,000 points
Open a Lunar account after June 17, 2024, order the SAS EuroBonus Lunar card within 2 weeks, keep it active at least 3 months with at least 4 subscription payments, spend at least 15,000 kr (DKK/SEK/NOK) on points-accruing transactions, and have had no Lunar account in the past 2 years.
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Bonus
Lendo loan sign-up fee discount: 500 DKK off the sign-up fee
Compare loans via Lendo for free and receive offers based on your needs; discount applies when you have Lunar.
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Bonus
Wolt+ included with Lunar Unlimited: Wolt+ membership included; 3, 6 or 9-month voucher on lower tiers
Included in Lunar Unlimited and Lunar Business Limitless; lower tiers receive a voucher for a time-limited offer.
Source, checked September 26, 2026
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 | Lunar | Monese |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | No | Yes |
| Belgium | No | Yes |
| Bulgaria | No | Yes |
| Croatia | No | Yes |
| Cyprus | No | Yes |
| Czechia | No | Yes |
| Estonia | No | Yes |
| Finland | No | Yes |
8 of 31 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
Lunar
How much does it cost to keep a Lunar account?+
The monthly fee is DKK 0, so there is no charge for keeping the account open. The costs sit on money moving: currency conversion costs 0% to 1%, outgoing transfers carry a small fixed fee, and transfers in SEK, NOK and EUR are free while other currencies cost more. Non-DKK transfers also attract an exchange fee.
Is my money safe and who regulates the bank?+
Deposits are covered by the EU deposit guarantee scheme, with protection of EU DGS up to EUR 100,000. The account comes from Lunar Bank A/S, a bank based in Denmark that is supervised by the Danish Financial Supervisory Authority. The scheme behind it is the same one that backs deposits at other European banks.
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
Related by the facts
Lunar
Monese