Airwallex Pricing: A Comprehensive Guide for Businesses in 2025

Airwallex Pricing

In an era where businesses operate across borders with increasing frequency, managing international payments, foreign exchange (FX), and multi-currency accounts efficiently is critical to success. Airwallex, a leading global fintech platform, has positioned itself as a game-changer for businesses looking to streamline their financial operations. With its promise of transparent pricing, low-cost FX conversions, and a robust suite of financial tools, Airwallex has become a popular choice for startups, e-commerce businesses, and multinational corporations alike. But one question remains at the forefront for potential users: What does Airwallex cost?

This blog post provides an in-depth exploration of Airwallex’s pricing structure, breaking down fees for account management, transactions, FX conversions, and more. We’ll also compare Airwallex to competitors, highlight regional pricing differences, and evaluate the platform’s overall value proposition. Whether you’re a small business owner looking to expand internationally or a financial manager optimizing cross-border operations, this guide will help you understand Airwallex’s pricing and make informed decisions in 2025.

Introduction to Airwallex: Why Pricing Matters

Founded in 2015 in Melbourne, Australia, Airwallex has grown into a global fintech powerhouse, serving businesses in over 50 countries. The platform offers a range of services, including multi-currency accounts, international payments, payment gateways, FX conversions, and expense management tools. By leveraging technology to bypass traditional banking inefficiencies, Airwallex claims to save businesses up to 80% on FX fees and streamline global financial operations.

Pricing is a critical consideration for any business adopting a financial platform. Hidden fees, high FX markups, or unexpected transaction costs can significantly impact profit margins, especially for businesses with high transaction volumes or frequent international payments. Airwallex emphasizes transparent pricing with no setup or maintenance fees, positioning itself as a cost-effective alternative to traditional banks and other fintech platforms like Wise, Payoneer, or Adyen. But how does this translate into real-world costs? Let’s dive into the details of Airwallex’s pricing model, covering account fees, transaction costs, FX conversions, and more.

Airwallex Pricing Overview: Transparent and Flexible

Airwallex’s pricing model is designed to be simple and transparent, with no setup fees, maintenance fees, or hidden charges. The platform provides a full suite of features out of the box, meaning businesses don’t need to pay extra for core functionalities like multi-currency accounts, payment gateways, or integrations with accounting software. However, costs vary depending on the service, transaction type, and region. Below, we’ll break down the key components of Airwallex’s pricing structure.

1. Account Fees: Free or Conditional

Airwallex’s account structure is designed to be accessible, particularly for businesses with significant transaction volumes or balances. In most regions, Airwallex offers no setup or monthly maintenance fees, making it an attractive option for startups and small businesses. However, specific plans may include conditional fees based on account activity.

Australia

In Australia, Airwallex offers the “Explore” bundle, which has a monthly fee of AUD 29 (excluding GST). This fee is waived if you meet one of the following conditions:

• Deposit at least AUD 5,000 per month.
• Maintain a minimum balance of AUD 30,000.

This structure incentivizes businesses with higher transaction volumes to use Airwallex, as they can avoid monthly fees entirely. For smaller businesses or those just starting, the AUD 29 fee is relatively modest compared to traditional bank account fees, but it’s worth factoring into your cost analysis.

Other Regions

In regions like the UK, US, and Hong Kong, Airwallex typically does not charge monthly account fees, focusing instead on per-transaction costs. This makes the platform particularly appealing for businesses that want to avoid recurring charges and only pay for what they use. For example, in the UK, there are no monthly fees for standard accounts, and businesses pay only for transactions processed through the platform.

Value Proposition

The absence of setup and maintenance fees in most regions is a significant advantage, especially for startups and small businesses with tight budgets. Traditional banks often charge monthly account fees ranging from $10 to $50, depending on the account type and balance requirements. Airwallex’s conditional fee waivers in Australia further enhance its appeal for businesses with moderate to high transaction volumes.

2. Transaction Fees: Domestic and International Payments

Airwallex’s transaction fees vary by region, payment method, and whether the transaction is domestic or international. The platform uses a blended pricing model, where a fixed rate is applied per transaction to cover all processing costs. This approach simplifies cost calculations for businesses, as there are no layered fees for different aspects of payment processing.

UK Transaction Fees

In the UK, Airwallex’s transaction fees for card payments are as follows:

• Domestic card payments: 1.3% + £0.20 per transaction.
• International card payments: 3.15% + £0.20 per transaction.
• EEA card payments: 2.4% + £0.20 per transaction.

These rates are competitive, especially for international payments, which often incur higher fees with traditional banks or other payment gateways. The fixed £0.20 fee per transaction is standard, but the percentage-based fee varies depending on the card’s origin, reflecting the higher costs of processing international payments.

US Transaction Fees

In the US, Airwallex’s pricing for card transactions is slightly higher:

• Domestic card transactions: 2.8% + $0.30 per transaction.
• International card transactions: 4.3% + $0.30 per transaction.

These rates align with industry standards for payment gateways but are notably lower than some competitors for international transactions. For example, platforms like Payoneer may charge similar or higher fees for cross-border payments, making Airwallex a cost-effective choice for US-based businesses with global operations.

Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, Airwallex charges a 0.3% fee for incoming payments from non-linked accounts. This fee is not always disclosed during sign-up, so businesses should verify costs during onboarding.

Australia

For local transfers in Australia:

• AUD bank transfers: $2.00 USD.
• BPAY transactions: $5.00 USD.

Airwallex also offers free local transfers in many regions, which is a significant advantage over traditional banks that may charge flat fees of $5–$15 for domestic wire transfers.

SWIFT International Transfers

For international transfers via the SWIFT network, Airwallex charges HKD 120–200 (approximately USD 15–25), depending on the destination and transfer type. This is competitive compared to traditional banks, which often charge $20–50 for SWIFT transfers, plus additional intermediary bank fees.

Value Proposition

Airwallex’s transaction fees are designed to be competitive, particularly for international payments. The blended pricing model simplifies cost calculations, and the low fixed fees (e.g., £0.20 in the UK, $0.30 in the US) make it affordable for businesses with high transaction volumes. Free local transfers in many regions further enhance cost savings.

3. Foreign Exchange (FX) Conversion Fees

One of Airwallex’s standout features is its low-cost FX conversions, which are critical for businesses operating across multiple currencies. Airwallex offers market-leading exchange rates, claiming to save businesses up to 80% on FX fees compared to traditional banks. Here’s how the FX pricing works:

• Major currencies (AUD, CAD, CNY, CHF, EUR, GBP, HKD, JPY, NZD, SGD): 0.5% markup above interbank rates.
• Other currencies: 1.0% markup above interbank rates.
• Custom rates: For high-volume businesses, Airwallex offers markups as low as 0.2%, subject to negotiation.

These rates are significantly lower than the 3–5% markups charged by many banks and even some fintech competitors. For businesses with frequent cross-border transactions, these savings can add up quickly, especially when combined with Airwallex’s free multi-currency accounts.

Value Proposition

The low FX markups make Airwallex particularly attractive for businesses with international suppliers, customers, or employees. For example, a business converting $100,000 from USD to EUR would pay $500 in fees with Airwallex (0.5% markup) compared to $3,000–$5,000 with a traditional bank (3–5% markup). Custom rates for high-volume businesses further enhance savings.

4. EU Platform-Specific Pricing

For businesses operating in the European Union, Airwallex offers specific pricing for its platform services:

• SHA transfers (shared fees): €10.
• OUR transfers (sender pays all fees): €15.
• Per card per month: €0.25.
• Card transactions in multiple currencies: Free.

This structure is particularly appealing for businesses issuing virtual or physical cards to employees, as the low per-card fee and free multi-currency transactions reduce administrative costs.

Value Proposition

The low per-card fee (€0.25) and free multi-currency card transactions make Airwallex an excellent choice for EU businesses with distributed teams or frequent cross-border expenses. The SHA and OUR transfer fees are competitive, especially compared to traditional banks, which may charge €20–€50 for international transfers.

5. Other Fees to Consider

While Airwallex emphasizes transparency, some fees may not be immediately obvious:

• Incoming payment fees in Hong Kong: A 0.3% fee applies to payments from non-linked accounts, which may catch businesses off guard if not disclosed during sign-up.
• Custom integrations: While Airwallex integrates with accounting software like Xero and QuickBooks, any custom API integrations may incur additional costs, depending on the complexity.
• High-volume discounts: Businesses with significant transaction volumes may negotiate lower fees, but these are not publicly listed and require direct contact with Airwallex’s sales team.
• Expense management: Airwallex charges $5 per employee for expense management features, such as issuing cards for employee spending.

Value Proposition

Airwallex’s additional fees are minimal compared to competitors, but businesses should verify all potential costs during onboarding to avoid surprises. The ability to negotiate custom rates for high-volume users adds flexibility for larger enterprises.

Regional Pricing Variations

Airwallex’s pricing varies by region to account for local regulations, banking systems, and market conditions. Below is a summary of key differences:

• Australia:
  • Monthly fee: AUD 29 (waived with AUD 5,000 monthly deposits or AUD 30,000 balance).
  • Local transfers: $2.00 USD (bank transfer), $5.00 USD (BPAY).
  • FX markups: 0.5–1.0%.
• UK:
  • No monthly fees.
  • Card payments: 1.3–3.15% + £0.20 per transaction.
  • Local transfers: Free.
• US:
  • No monthly fees.
  • Card payments: 2.8–4.3% + $0.30 per transaction.
  • Local transfers: Free.
• Hong Kong:
  • No monthly fees.
  • Incoming payments from non-linked accounts: 0.3%.
  • SWIFT transfers: HKD 120–200.
• EU:
  • SHA transfers: €10.
  • OUR transfers: €15.
  • Per card per month: €0.25.

Businesses should verify pricing for their specific region on Airwallex’s official website or by contacting their support team, as rates may change based on market conditions or account activity.

Comparing Airwallex to Competitors

To understand Airwallex’s value, it’s helpful to compare its pricing to competitors like Wise, Payoneer, Adyen, and traditional banks.

Airwallex vs. Wise

• Wise: Known for low-cost FX conversions (0.4–1.0% markups) and transparent fees. However, Wise charges per-transfer fees (e.g., $0.50–$5.00 for local transfers), whereas Airwallex offers free local transfers in many regions. Airwallex also provides a broader platform with payment gateways and multi-currency accounts, which Wise lacks.
• Verdict: Airwallex is better for businesses needing a comprehensive financial platform, while Wise may suit smaller businesses focused solely on low-cost transfers.

Airwallex vs. Payoneer

• Payoneer: Charges 1–3% for international payments and 0–1% for FX conversions. However, Payoneer’s fees for incoming payments (e.g., 1% for bank transfers) can be higher than Airwallex’s 0.3% in Hong Kong. Payoneer also lacks Airwallex’s payment gateway and expense management features.
• Verdict: Airwallex offers better value for businesses with diverse financial needs, while Payoneer may be simpler for freelancers or small businesses.

Airwallex vs. Adyen

• Adyen: A payment gateway focused on enterprise clients, with transaction fees starting at 0.6% + $0.12 for domestic cards but higher for international payments. Adyen’s pricing is less transparent and often requires custom quotes, making Airwallex’s fixed rates more predictable.
• Verdict: Airwallex is more accessible for small to mid-sized businesses, while Adyen suits large enterprises with complex payment needs.

Airwallex vs. Traditional Banks

• Banks: Charge 3–5% FX markups, $10–$50 for international transfers, and monthly account fees. Airwallex’s 0.5–1.0% FX markups, free local transfers, and no monthly fees (in most regions) make it significantly more cost-effective.
• Verdict: Airwallex is a clear winner for businesses seeking to minimize costs on international transactions.

Who Should Use Airwallex?

Airwallex’s pricing structure makes it suitable for a wide range of businesses:

• E-commerce businesses: Low transaction fees and multi-currency payment gateways make Airwallex ideal for online retailers accepting payments globally.
• SMEs with international operations: Free local transfers and low FX markups benefit businesses with suppliers or customers abroad.
• Startups: No setup or maintenance fees (in most regions) make Airwallex accessible for businesses with limited budgets.
• Enterprises: Custom FX rates and API integrations cater to large businesses with high transaction volumes.

However, businesses with minimal international activity or low transaction volumes may find the AUD 29 monthly fee in Australia burdensome if they don’t meet the waiver criteria. In such cases, alternatives like Wise or Payoneer may be more cost-effective.

Tips for Maximizing Value with Airwallex

To get the most out of Airwallex’s pricing, consider the following:

1. Meet waiver criteria: In Australia, ensure monthly deposits of AUD 5,000 or a balance of AUD 30,000 to avoid the AUD 29 fee.
2. Negotiate custom rates: If your business processes high transaction volumes, contact Airwallex’s sales team to negotiate lower FX markups or transaction fees.
3. Leverage free features: Take advantage of free local transfers and multi-currency accounts to minimize costs.
4. Verify regional pricing: Check Airwallex’s website or contact support to confirm fees for your region, as they can vary.
5. Integrate with accounting software: Use Airwallex’s integrations with Xero, QuickBooks, or NetSuite to streamline financial reporting and reduce manual work.

Conclusion: Is Airwallex Worth the Cost?

Airwallex’s pricing model is designed to be transparent, flexible, and cost-effective, making it a strong contender for businesses with international financial needs. With no setup or maintenance fees in most regions, competitive transaction fees (e.g., 1.3–4.3% for card payments), and low FX markups (0.5–1.0%), Airwallex offers significant savings compared to traditional banks and many fintech competitors. The platform’s blended pricing model simplifies cost calculations, and features like free local transfers and multi-currency accounts add further value.

However, businesses should be aware of potential fees, such as the 0.3% charge for incoming payments in Hong Kong or the AUD 29 monthly fee in Australia (if waiver criteria aren’t met). By understanding these costs and leveraging Airwallex’s features, businesses can optimize their financial operations and reduce expenses.

For businesses seeking a modern, scalable solution for global payments, Airwallex’s pricing structure offers a compelling balance of affordability and functionality. To get started or verify pricing for your region, visit www.airwallex.com or contact their support team for a tailored quote.