Compare
Side by side from each provider's own published terms: who can apply, what it costs, the accounts and cards, and how your money is held. Nobody pays to be listed, and Finzil doesn't rate providers.
Airwallex
E-money institution · UK business account
Global business account with local account details in 15 currencies, free local transfers, low-cost FX and Visa company cards. Accepts companies from 69 countries.
Pleo
E-money institution · UK and EEA spending account
Company cards and spend management with an e-money account behind them: balances in six currencies, physical and virtual cards for every employee, receipts, invoices and reimbursements in one app.
From the two provider profiles on Finzil, latest check 13 October 2026: each provider's own website, price list and terms.
The short answer
Side by side
A gap means the provider doesn't publish it; ask before you apply.
| The basics | Airwallex | Pleo |
|---|---|---|
| Account | UK business account | UK and EEA spending account |
| Provider type | E-money institution | E-money institution |
| Licence | E-money institution in the UK; also licensed in Australia, Canada, China and 9 more | E-money institution in the UK; also licensed in Denmark |
| Licensed company | Airwallex (UK) Ltd | Pleo Financial Services UK Ltd |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom | Denmark |
| Who can apply | Airwallex | Pleo |
|---|---|---|
| Where the company is registered | 69 countries | Not published |
| Legal forms | Limited companies, Limited liability partnerships, Partnerships, Sole traders | Companies, Sole traders |
| Businesses not supported | 15 kinds on its list | Not published |
| What it costs | Airwallex | Pleo |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | from £0 | from £8 |
| Setup fee | Free | Not published |
| Plans | Explore: £19 a month; Grow: £49 a month; Accelerate: custom | Start: £8 a month; Build: £14 a month; Optimise: £18 a month |
| Currency exchange | 0.5–1% | Not published |
| SEPA transfer out | Free | Not published |
| Faster Payments out | Free | Not published |
| SWIFT transfer out | £10 | Not published |
| Physical card | Free | Free |
| Card spending abroad | 1% | 1.49–2% |
| Accounts and payments | Airwallex | Pleo |
|---|---|---|
| Currencies | 24 | 6 |
| Local account details | GBP, EUR, USD, CAD, AUD, NZD, HKD, CNY, SGD, DKK, PLN, ILS, MXN, IDR, AED | Not published |
| Payment networks | SEPA, SEPA Instant, Faster Payments, CHAPS, BACS, SWIFT, ACH, Fedwire | SEPA, SEPA Instant, Faster Payments, ACH |
| Cards | Virtual and physical Visa | Virtual and physical cards |
| Opening and safety | Airwallex | Pleo |
|---|---|---|
| Opening time | 3–5 days | 3–5 days |
| Open remotely | Yes | Yes |
| How money is held | Segregated accounts | Segregated accounts |
| TrustpilotThird-party score, shown for reference. Finzil doesn't rank providers by it. | 2.9 from 2,587 reviews | 3.7 from 1,581 reviews |
From the profiles
Strong points
Watch out for
Strong points
Watch out for
Our view
Finzil's own opinion, kept apart from the facts above.
Airwallex is one of the best-value accounts for an online or software business that collects and pays in many currencies: free local transfers, FX from 0.5% and free company cards. If you keep £10,000 a month moving through it, the entry plan costs nothing. Eligibility is strict by country, and support is by email only.
Pleo is a tidy way to give employees cards and stop chasing receipts, and it is one of the few such tools open to sole traders. It is not a main business account: you fund it from your bank and spend from it. Costs add up per user, so it suits a team of five to fifty better than a company of two.
It depends on how you use the account. Monthly fee: Airwallex from £0, Pleo from £8. Currency exchange: Airwallex 0.5–1%, Pleo not published. Transfers and cards are priced line by line in the table on this page, from each provider's own price list.
Neither is a bank. Airwallex is an e-money institution, licensed in the UK. Pleo is an e-money institution, licensed in the UK. Airwallex: segregated accounts. Pleo: segregated accounts.
Airwallex: 69 countries. Pleo: not published as a list. Each provider's profile on Finzil lists the countries in full.
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Read articleOne Finzil profile
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How this page is built: every row comes from the two provider profiles on Finzil, which are taken from each provider's own website, price list and terms (latest check 13 October 2026). Prices and rules change; check them with the provider before you apply. Meeting a provider's published rules does not mean it will approve a particular application. General information, not legal or financial advice.
