Updated September 29, 2026 · VaultCue Editorial Team
Monese vs Vivid Money
Monese
Vivid Money
Higher score in this comparison
Monese vs Vivid Money: the differences
| Compare | MoneseReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives | Vivid MoneyReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | £0 | €0 |
| Deposit protection | FSCS up to GBP 85,000 | EU DGS up to EUR 100,000 |
| Currency conversion fee | 3% | 0.25%Lower |
| Currencies | 3 | 22Higher |
| Local account details | IBAN, UK sort codeCovers more | IBAN |
| Transfer fee | GBP 1.29 per outgoing domestic transfer; real-time Monese-to-Monese transfers free | Free |
| Free ATM withdrawals | £0 | Not confirmed |
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Key differences
- Vivid Money scores higher overall: 8.8 vs 8.7.
- Founded is lower at Monese: 2015 vs 2019.
- Monese is licensed in 1 more country.
- Currency conversion fee is lower at Vivid Money: 0.25% vs 3%.
- Currencies is higher at Vivid Money: 22 vs 3.
- Local account details: only Monese offers UK sort code.
- Support channels: only Monese offers Email.
- Pricing model: only Monese offers Low FX.
- Features: only Monese offers Joint account, 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.
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 | Monese | Vivid Money |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.7A monthly fee of £0 and a £20 charge on outgoing domestic transfers, against a 3% conversion fee. | 9.2HigherConversion priced at 0.25% keeps cross currency spend modest versus broader market levels |
| Offer | 9.1Local details in iban and uk sort code formats, Instant transfers and a 3 currency account for expats, travelers and freelancer. | 9.1Interest pocket pays 3% on instant access balances with low entry threshold |
| Trust | 8.4Higher | 8.3Eligible balances covered by EU DGS up to EUR 100,000 with licensed EU supervision |
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | Monese | Vivid Money |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-currency accounts | 217 of 348 | 206 of 348 |
| Online banks | 167 of 402 | 155 of 402 |
A third option
eToro has currency conversion fee at 0%, against 3% for Monese and 0.25% for Vivid Money.
eToro reviewEvery fact side by side
| Fact | Monese | Vivid Money |
|---|---|---|
| Audience | Expats, Travelers, Freelancer | Not confirmed |
| Pricing model | No monthly fee, Low FXCovers more | No monthly fee |
| Features | Joint account, Digital only, No credit checkCovers more | Digital only |
| Legal entity | Monese Ltd | Vivid Money B.V. |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Netherlands |
| Founded | 2015Lower | 2019 |
| Support channels | Chat, Email, Help centreCovers more | Chat, Help centre |
Money transfer
| Fact | Monese | Vivid Money |
|---|---|---|
| Exchange rate markup | 2% | Not confirmed |
| Delivery time | Instant | Not confirmed |
| Payout methods | Bank, Wallet | Not confirmed |
| Fee to send 1,000 | £20 | Not confirmed |
Savings
| Fact | Monese | 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 | Monese | Vivid Money | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Currency conversion fee | 3%highest quarter | 0.25%below the median | 0.5% |
| Currencies | 3below the median | 22highest quarter | 5 |
| Free ATM withdrawals | £0at the median | Not confirmed | £0 |
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
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
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
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
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 | Monese | Vivid Money |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | Yes | No |
| Belgium | Yes | No |
| Bulgaria | Yes | No |
| Croatia | Yes | No |
| Cyprus | Yes | No |
| Czechia | Yes | No |
| Denmark | Yes | No |
| Estonia | Yes | No |
8 of 31 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.
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
Monese
Vivid Money