Updated September 29, 2026 · VaultCue Editorial Team
Monese vs N26
N26
Higher score in this comparison
Monese
Where Monese and N26 differ
| Compare | MoneseReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | N26ReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | £0 | €0 |
| Deposit protection | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 | EU DGS up to EUR 100,000 |
| Currency conversion fee | 3% | 0%Lower |
| Currencies | 3 | from 35 |
| Local account details | IBAN, UK sort codeCovers more | IBAN |
| Free ATM withdrawals | £0 | €2 |
| Transfer fee | GBP 1.29 per outgoing domestic transfer; real-time Monese-to-Monese transfers free | Free: no extra charge for Wise-powered international transfers; MoneyBeam domestic transfers free |
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Key differences
- N26 scores higher overall: 9.1 vs 8.7.
- Founded is lower at N26: 2013 vs 2015.
- Monese is licensed in 2 more countries.
- Monese is available in 10 more countries.
- Currency conversion fee is lower at N26: 0% vs 3%.
- Local account details: only Monese offers UK sort code.
- Support channels: only N26 offers Phone.
- Audience: only Monese offers Freelancer.
- Audience: only N26 offers Student, Teen.
- Features: only Monese offers No credit check.
Our verdict on each
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.
N26
N26 suits people who want banking costs to stay flat and who move money across currencies often: the monthly fee is €0 and the currency conversion fee is 0%. It is aimed at expats, travelers, students and teens, and savings sit alongside the everyday account.
Score breakdown
| Area | Monese | N26 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.7A monthly fee of £0 and a £20 charge on outgoing domestic transfers, against a 3% conversion fee. | 9.4HigherFees of €0 monthly and 0% to convert sit at position 1 of 500 and 1 of 312. |
| Offer | 9.1Local details in iban and uk sort code formats, Instant transfers and a 3 currency account for expats, travelers and freelancer. | 9.5HigherAimed at expats, travelers and student, holding from 35 currencies, with a joint account, digital-only service and easy-access savings. |
| Trust | 8.4 | 8.5Higher |
Positions in our rankings
| Ranking | Monese | N26 |
|---|---|---|
| Money transfer services | 395 of 1564 | 11 of 1564 |
| Online banks | 167 of 402 | 9 of 402 |
Choosing between them
Pick Monese if local account details matter most.
Pick N26 if cost, offer, and currency conversion fee matter most.
Spending 1,000 abroad
Monese
30
3% of 1,000
N26
0
0% of 1,000
N26 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 each is licensed and available
| Country | Monese | N26 |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium | Not confirmed | |
| Germany | Not confirmed | |
| Ireland | Not confirmed | |
| United Kingdom | Not confirmed |
Available in 20 countries for both. Additional countries for Monese: 11. Additional countries for N26: 1.
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Monese | N26 |
|---|---|---|
| Audience | Expats, Travelers, Freelancer | Expats, Travelers, Student, Teen |
| Pricing model | No monthly fee, Low FX | No monthly fee, Low FX |
| Features | Joint account, Digital only, No credit check | Free ATM, Joint account, Digital only |
| Legal entity | Monese Ltd | N26 Bank SE |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Germany |
| Founded | 2015 | 2013Lower |
| Support channels | Chat, Email, Help centre | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more |
Money transfer
| Fact | Monese | N26 |
|---|---|---|
| Exchange rate markup | 2% | 0%Lower |
| Delivery time | Instant | Instant to 1 business day |
| Payout methods | Bank, Wallet | Bank, Card |
| Fee to send 1,000 | £20 | €0 |
Savings
| Fact | Monese | N26 |
|---|---|---|
| Headline rate | Not confirmed | 0.3% to 1.5% |
| Rate type | Not confirmed | Variable |
| Access terms | Not confirmed | 100% flexible: deposit and withdraw any amount, whenever you want |
| Account kind | Not confirmed | Easy access |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Monese | N26 | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currency conversion fee | 3%highest quarter | 0%below the median | 0.5% |
| Currencies | 3below the median | from 35highest quarter | 5 |
Median across 536 listed accounts.
Pros and cons
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
N26
Pros
- Deposits are protected through EU DGS up to EUR 100,000, with N26 Bank SE supervised by BaFin in Germany.
- The savings pot is easy access and fully flexible, so deposits and withdrawals happen in any amount, whenever you want.
- Support is broad for an app-based bank, running on email, chat and phone.
Cons
- The savings rate is variable and sits at 0.3% to 1.5%, below the 3% median across savings accounts on the site.
- Local payment details run on iban, so UK sort codes and US ACH numbers are not part of the standard setup.
Who each suits
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
N26
Who it suits
- Expats, travelers, students and teens who want spending and savings in the same app, with from 35 currencies to hold.
- Readers who move money across borders, since transfers arrive in Instant to 1 business day and pay out to a bank account or a card.
Who should look elsewhere
- Pixpay FR, because its monthly fee of €3.99 suits readers who will put regular use through the account rather than those who want a fee-free everyday account.
- bunq Spain Bank Account, because a currency conversion fee of 3% suits readers banking mainly in euros and converting rarely.
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
N26
Current offer
Bonus
1% travel cashback: 1% cashback for up to 12 months on qualifying Mastercard transactions outside the EEA, Switzerland and the UK
N26 Go and Metal customers only; enrolment required via in-app message, email or push notification; up to 12 months
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | Monese | N26 |
|---|---|---|
| Bulgaria | Yes | No |
| Croatia | Yes | No |
| Cyprus | Yes | No |
| Czechia | Yes | No |
| Hungary | Yes | No |
| Latvia | Yes | No |
| Lithuania | Yes | No |
| Malta | Yes | No |
8 of 32 countries where either is available.
Questions about each
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.
N26
What does N26 cost to keep open each month?+
The everyday account is free to run: the monthly fee is €0, and N26 sits at position 1 of 500 brands on that column. Spending, savings and support all sit in the same app, so holding the account costs nothing to maintain.
How much does it cost to convert or send money abroad?+
Foreign currency conversion costs 0%, and the exchange rate margin is 0%. The transfer fee is free: no extra charge is added to Wise-powered international transfers, and MoneyBeam domestic transfers are free. That keeps the cost of moving money abroad close to nothing.
Other options to compare
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- N26 vs Revolut AU
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Related by the facts
N26
Monese