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Home  >  Guides to grow your business  >   Business Banking Insights

WorldFirst vs Wise: Account Comparison

Last updated: 6 Jun 2025

Searching for the best international business account in Australia? We compare WorldFirst with Wise Business.

Key takeaways

  • WorldFirst allows you to access a multi-currency account for free. Wise charges AUD 65 for the same
  • Payments between World Accounts or Wise users are instant and free
  • WorldFirst offers local currency accounts in 15+ currencies; Wise supports 23
  • Both WorldFirst and Wise offer multi-currency debit cards for businesses with expense management and spend control features

WorldFirst and Wise are global payment providers that offer business accounts in Australia for making secure international transactions. But which one can support your business’s global expansion?

Let’s compare the World Account with the Wise Business account.

Table of Contents

What is WorldFirst

WorldFirst, an international payment provider and part of Ant International, helps nearly one million businesses to streamline cross-border transactions.

The World Account is a multi-currency account that lets you send, receive, hold and convert funds – all from one digital account. You get local currency account details in 15+ currencies, so your business can get paid like a local. From your account, you can also make payments in 100+ currencies to suppliers around the world.

Fast-growing businesses use WorldFirst to receive payments from 130+ international marketplaces and payment gateways, make quick payments to suppliers, convert funds at competitive exchange rates, or withdraw money to their bank accounts.

The World Account gives you access to Mastercard-powered multi-currency debit cards that let you pay in 150+ currencies, with zero foreign exchange fees in 15 of these (as long as you have sufficient funds in the currency of the transaction). You can earn cashback for all the payments you make with your World Card.

Opening a World Account and receiving payments is free.

What is Wise Business?

Wise offers accounts that enable users to send and receive payments in multiple currencies. For an additional fee of AUD 65, you also get access to Wise’s multi-currency account that lets you hold funds in 23 currencies.

There are both personal and business accounts available with Wise, supporting over 300,000 businesses [4]. Wise also offers a business debit card [1].

WorldFirst vs Wise Business: The fees breakdown

Take a look at the fees for both providers to compare the business accounts before making a decision.

WorldFirst fees Wise Business account fees [2]
Monthly fee Free Free
Multi-currency account fee Free AUD 65 (one time)
Receiving funds Free
  • Free for AUD, CAD, EUR, GBP, HUF, NZD, RON, SGD, TRY and USD (non-wire)
  • SWIFT payments have a fixed fee, which depends on the currency  
  • Holding funds in multiple currencies Free Free
    Sending payments to other users in the same network Free and instant to other WorldFirst users Free and instant to other Wise users
    Sending payments to other accounts
  • Domestic payments to New Zealand or Australian accounts: Free
  • Cross-border payments and local payments in currencies other than NZD or AUD: 0.4%, capped at AUD 15
  • From 0.65%
    (fee varies by currency)
    Converting currencies
  • Major currencies: Up to 0.6%
  • Minor currencies: From 0.67%
  • From 0.65%
    Getting a debit card Free (up to 20 cards) Free (up to three cards) [9]
    Payments to 1688.com suppliers Up to 0.8% Not supported

    *Fees checked in March 2025

    Calculate how much you can save with WorldFirst

    Open a World Account for free
    • Open 15+ local currency accounts and get paid like a local
    • Pay suppliers, partners and staff worldwide in 100+ currencies
    • Collect payments for free from 130+ marketplaces and payment gateways, including Amazon, Etsy, PayPal and Shopify
    • Take control of spending with the World Card, a business expense card that saves you more with 1% cashback. Learn more
    • Save with competitive exchange rates on currency conversions and transfers
    • Lock in exchange rates for up to 24 months for cash flow certainty

    World Account vs Wise Business Account: Feature comparison

    Supported currencies

    WorldFirst and Wise Business offer multi-currency accounts to their customers. With one business account, you can open multiple local currency accounts to send, receive and hold funds in various currencies. For each account, you get an account number and bank details.

    WorldFirst Wise Business [2]
    Multi-currency account fee Free AUD 65 [2]
    Local currency account details 15+ currencies (including GBP, USD, EUR, AUD, JPY, NZD, SGD, HKD, CNH and CAD).

    WorldFirst also provides offshore accounts for AED, CHF, SEK and PLN.
    23 (Including AUD, CAD, EUR, GBP, HUF, NZD, RON, SGD, TRY and USD) [2]
    Sending funds
    100+ currencies 50+ currencies [1]

    Details checked in May 2025

    Account-to-account transfers

    When sending money from one World Account to another in the same currency, payments are instant and free. Payments between Wise accounts in the same currency are also free.

    Marketplace and payment gateway integration

    WorldFirst supports 130+ global marketplaces and payment gateways, including Amazon, AliExpress and Stripe. Simply add the local currency account number and banking details to your marketplace seller account to collect payments in your customers’ local currencies.

    It’s easy to download an account verification letter directly from your World Account if the marketplace requires proof of account ownership.

    Wise also supports the collection of sales from major marketplaces and gateways like Amazon and Stripe in up to nine currencies [1].

    You can get local bank account details to receive payments or pay invoices.

    Payments to China

    With a local CNH currency account, WorldFirst allows customers to pay Chinese suppliers in their preferred currency, whether that’s USD, CNH or another one entirely, and collect funds in CNH. It’s also the only payment service provider that’s integrated with 1688.com, China’s leading online B2B marketplace. With World Pay, you can use your World Account balance to pay 1688.com suppliers in a few clicks and they’ll receive the funds instantly.

    Wise Business doesn’t offer a CNH currency account for receiving funds. They’ve partnered with a licensed third-party payment provider, regulated by the People’s Bank of China, to allow payments in CNY, but strict guidelines apply to who can use this service [10].

    Security

    WorldFirst Pty Ltd is an Australian company, holds an Australian Financial Services (AFS) Licence regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). It’s also a designated remittance provider registered with the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC).

    Wise Australia is authorised and regulated by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) and ASIC [8].

    Multi-currency cards

    World Card is a multi-currency debit card that supports payments in 150+ currencies, wherever Mastercard is accepted. World Account holders can apply for a World Card for free online to streamline business spending and manage expenses.

    When using the World Card to make payments in 15 supported currencies, you pay zero foreign exchange fees (as long as you have sufficient funds in your account in that currency).

    You can get up to 20 virtual World Cards at no extra cost and simplify accounting by setting custom limits for each card.

     As an added bonus, every payment earns you 1% cashback* every month.

    *T&Cs apply.

     

    Wise also offers multi-currency debit cards for businesses. The debit card is powered by Mastercard and linked to the Wise Business account.

    Wise Business users can get one physical card and up to three virtual cards at a time [9]. The card supports transactions in 40+ currencies [6]. Wise doesn’t offer cashback.

    Both the World Card and Wise card use 3D Secure (an additional layer of protection at checkout for online transactions) to prevent card fraud [7]. You’ll receive a 6-digit verification code, usually via SMS or email.

    WorldFirst or Wise: Which is better for global businesses?

    The right payment provider for you will depend on your exact business needs. The key differences between WorldFirst and Wise Business lie in what they charge – and which currencies they support.

    Sources:

    1. https://wise.com/au/business/
    2. https://wise.com/au/pricing/business
    3. https://wise.com/au/large-amounts/
    4. https://newsroom.wise.com/en-CAS/223579-wise-unveils-new-look-as-it-reaches-16-million-customers-served-worldwide-and-continues-global-expansion
    5. https://wise.com/help/articles/2571907/what-currencies-can-i-send-to-and-from
    6. https://wise.com/au/business/card
    7. https://wise.com/help/articles/2935771/where-will-my-wise-card-work
    8. https://wise.com/help/articles/2932693/how-is-wise-regulated-in-each-country-and-region
    9. https://wise.com/help/articles/2935762/how-do-i-order-a-wise-card
    10. https://wise.com/help/articles/2955298/guide-to-cny-transfers
    11. https://wise.com/help/articles/1AqrRndtxosydM2GLR3U6T/getting-started-with-your-wise-digital-card

    Disclaimer: The information contained is general only and largely our views.  Before acting on the information you should consider whether it is appropriate for you, in light of your objectives, financial situation or needs. Although information has been obtained from and is based upon multiple sources the author believes to be reliable, we do not guarantee its accuracy and it may be incomplete or condensed. All opinions, estimates, mentioned products/services and referenced material constitute the author’s own judgement as of the date of the briefing and are subject to change without notice. WorldFirst shall not be responsible for any losses or damages arising from your reliance of such information.

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    • Almost 1,000,000 businesses have sent USD$300B around the world with WorldFirst and its partner brands since 2004
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    • How to avoid penalties: what happens if you don’t comply? How to stay ahead of changing regulations?
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    • At what stage should businesses invest in tax automation software?
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