Wise vs Qantas Pay
Qantas Pay (previously known as Qantas Travel Money) offers ways to hold and send 15 foreign currencies while earning Qantas rewards. Wise has multi-currency accounts, cards and transfer services. So which is best for you, from Wise vs Qantas Pay?
Join us as we look at the services available from Wise vs Qantas Pay including a comparison of fees and features side by side. We’ll cover the options for local and overseas spending with both provider cards, and also examine additional Wise services such as international bank transfers, and multi-currency receiving accounts.
Quick summary: Wise vs Qantas Pay
- Qantas Pay is a prepaid Mastercard from Qantas, while Wise is a specialist in currency exchange, multi-currency accounts and cards
- Qantas Pay accounts support 15 foreign currencies for card spending, while Wise accounts support 40+ currencies
- Qantas pay vs Wise are both safe to use but the services they offer vary a lot
- Qantas Pay is intended for travel use with ways to earn Qantas points as you spend, while Wise is good for travel spending as well as international transfers and money management
Wise vs Qantas Pay: side by side
Let’s kick off with a look at Qantas Pay vs Wise on key features, side by side:
| Feature | Wise | Qantas Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Eligibility | Personal and business customers in Australia and many other countries | Qantas Frequent Flyer members over 16 years of age |
| Account opening and maintenance fees | No fee
No ongoing fees |
No fee
No ongoing fees |
| Multi-currency account features | Hold AUD and 40+ other currencies
Local and SWIFT account details available to receive payments in 8+ currencies |
Hold AUD and 15 other currencies |
| Debit cards available | Yes | Yes |
| ATM fees | No Wise fees* for 2 withdrawals per month, to 350 AUD, then 1.5 AUD + 1.75% | Variable fees depending on the country you’re in |
| Send payments to | Send to Wise accounts, bank and mobile money accounts, in 140+ countries, and 40+ currencies | Send to other Qantas Pay users only, in supported card currencies |
| Earn rewards as you spend | Not applicable | Earn Qantas Points with 2x rewards on overseas spending |
| Fully licensed and regulated | Yes | Yes |
Correct at time of writing – 25th February 2026
*Wise will not charge you for these withdrawals, but some additional charges may occur from independent ATM networks
So, to summarize:
- Wise offers services to personal and business customers in Australia and many other countries, Qantas Pay is for members of the Qantas frequent flyer program only
- Wise has a multi-currency account and cards to support 40+ currencies, Qantas Pay cards support 15 foreign currencies for spending
- Wise has some no fee ATM usage monthly before fees begin while Qantas Pay ATM fees vary by currency
- Wise payments can be sent to bank and mobile money accounts in 140+ countries, Qantas Pay customers can send payments to other Qantas Pay card holders in supported currencies
- Wise doesn’t offer specific reward programs, while Qantas Pay customers earn Qantas Points rewards on card spending
- Both providers are fully regulated and safe to use
The important bits
| Wise | Qantas Pay | |
|---|---|---|
| Rates | Mid-market exchange rate with no markup | Exchange rate is likely to include a variable markup |
| Fees | Convert or send from 0.63%, no fee to spend a currency you hold | No fee to spend a currency you hold, no fee to transfer to another Qantas Pay card |
| Speed | 60%+ of transfers are instant (completed under 20 seconds), 80%+ are delivered in less than 1 hour* | Transfers are instant (sent to Qantas Pay card holders only) |
| Service | 24/7 service in app | 24/7 service by phone or email |
| Safety | Safety features built in including card freezing and transaction notifications | Safety features offered through Mastercard which include encryption and liability protections |
| Reviews (Trustpilot) | 4.3 stars, Excellent rating, from 280,000+ reviews | Qantas Pay does not have a verified profile active on Trustpilot |
Correct at time of writing – 25th February 2026
*The speed of transaction claims depends on individual circumstances and may not be available for all transactions
To summarize:
Rates: Wise uses the mid-market rate, Qantas Pay exchange rates are available online and may include a variable markup
Fees: Wise uses low, variable fees based on currency for conversion and sending payments, Qantas Pay has no fee to send a payment to another Qantas card (although rates may include a markup)
Speed: Wise payments can be instant, and are sent to banks and mobile money accounts – Qantas Pay payments are also instant but sent to other Qantas Pay accounts only
Service: Wise offers 24/7 in app service and support, while Qantas has 24/7 phone and email support
Safety: Both Qantas Pay and Wise are safe to use with strong in app security as standard
Reviews: On Trustpilot, Wise gets an Excellent rating – Qantas Pay does not have a verified profile active on Trustpilot
Pros and cons
| Wise | Qantas Pay |
|---|---|
| ✅Hold 40+ currencies and spend in 150+ countries with your linked debit card
✅Mid-market exchange rates ✅Send money to bank accounts in 140+ countries ✅Receive payments to your Wise account in 8+ currencies |
✅ Supports 15 foreign currencies for holding and card spend
✅ Earn rewards from Qantas as you shop and withdraw ✅Card is accepted globally wherever you see the Mastercard logo ✅Transfer your card balance to your own bank or to another Qantas card easily ✅Mastercard payment protections in place |
| ❌ Variable transfer fees ❌ No cash deposit services available |
❌ No way to receive incoming bank payments from others
❌International transfers to bank accounts not supported |
The verdict: Which is better, Wise or Qantas Pay?
While Wise and Qantas Pay both offer debit cards you can use for global spending, their overall features and approach to fees do vary. It’s worth comparing each service before you decide which is best for you, based on both costs, rewards and convenience.
Wise has a solid all round account and card service with a very broad range of 40+ supported currencies and the mid-market rate for currency conversion. This allows you to spend cheaply overseas and when you shop online – plus you can send money to banks and mobile money accounts around the world, and receive incoming transfers to Wise from others. This allows for flexible money management across currencies, both for travel and day to day use.
Qantas Pay has a focus on travel usage and spending. Your card can hold 16 currencies including AUD, for local and overseas use. You’ll also earn Qantas Points when you spend to trade in for Qantas perks and benefits. Qantas doesn’t offer ways to send or receive global transfers outside of balance transfers to other Qantas Pay members, and the rates offered may include a markup.
Weigh up the Qantas Points you earn against the potential costs before you choose which option is best for you.
Methodology: In this Qantas Pay vs Wise review we’ve looked at features, fees and flexibility to assess who each account, card and provider may be the best fit for.
About Wise
Wise is a specialist in currency exchange, payments and card services, and has been in business since 2011. You can open a Wise account to hold and manage 40+ currencies, receive payments internationally and spend using a linked Wise debit card. You can also send money to 140+ countries with the mid-market exchange rate and low, transparent fees.
About Qantas Pay
Qantas Pay is a prepaid Mastercard which used to be called Qantas Travel Money and was previously linked to the Qantas Frequent Flyer Membership Card. You can hold 15 foreign currencies in your Qantas Pay account to spend and withdraw when you travel, and send payments to other Qantas pay cards from your existing balance. Qantas offers rewards as you spend, with 2x reward earning on overseas spending.
Wise vs Qantas Pay fees
Compare the key costs to see if Qantas Pay vs Wise is the right option for you:
| Service | Wise | Qantas Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Open an account | No fee | No fee |
| Order a card | One time fee of 10 AUD applies for personal customers | No fee |
| Spend with your card | No fee to spend currencies you hold
Currency conversion from 0.63% when you don’t hold the right balance |
No fee |
| ATM withdrawals | No Wise fees* for 2 withdrawals per month, to 350 AUD, then 1.5 AUD + 1.75% | No fee for local withdrawals in Australia
Overseas withdrawals depend on currency – for example, 1.5 EUR or 1.95 USD |
| Receive a payment | No fee to receive payments in select currencies using local account details, or to receive an incoming Wise to Wise payment
Incoming payments using SWIFT have low fees based on currency |
No fee to receive payments in supported currencies from other Qantas Pay card accounts |
| Send a payment | From 0.63% | No fee to send payments in supported currencies to other Qantas Pay card accounts |
| Currency conversion | Mid-market exchange rate | Exchange rates are likely to include a markup |
Correct at time of writing – 25th February 2026
*Wise will not charge you for these withdrawals, but some additional charges may occur from independent ATM networks
Wise vs Qantas Pay exchange rates
For currency exchange, Wise offers currency conversion with the mid-market rate which applies at the time of your transaction.
Qantas sets its own conversion rate in partnership with Mastercard. Qantas does include a disclaimer stating that they earn revenue from foreign exchange transactions, which may mean a markup – a fee – is added to the rate you’re offered.
- Wise conversion rates: live mid-market rate at the time of transaction
- Qantas Pay conversion rates: Qantas and Mastercard Prepaid Management Services set their rates which may include a markup
Wise vs Qantas Pay for international money transfer
Wise offers a broad suite of international money transfer services, allowing you to send to bank, Wise and mobile money accounts in 140+ countries, funded using your account balance or another method like your debit card.
Qantas Pay doesn’t have quite the same flexibility. You can make a balance transfer from your Qantas Pay balance to another Qantas Pay card, up to 3,000 AUD a day, but you can not send to a bank or mobile money account in someone else’s name.
Wise vs Qantas Pay: which is cheaper for international money transfers?
There’s no fee to send money from your Qantas Pay balance to another Qantas Pay card. Bear in mind that if you need to convert currencies a charge may be added to the rate used instead.
You can also send money from Wise to Wise for free if no currency exchange is required. Currency conversion and transfers to banks start from 0.63%. You’ll see all your transfer options in the app when you model your payment.
Wise vs Qantas Pay: which is faster?
For transfers sent to a bank – like a Wise transfer – the delivery times may vary depending on the country and currency involved. Transfers from one provider account to another (Wise to Wise or Qantas Pay to Qantas Pay) can often be very quick or instant.
- Wise transfer speed: 60%+ of transfers are instant (completed under 20 seconds), 80%+ are delivered in less than 1 hour
- Qantas Pay transfer speed: Transfers are instant (sent to Qantas Pay card holders only)
Wise vs Qantas Pay international transfer limits
Qantas Pay offers only limited services to send money from one account balance to another, with a low daily limit. Wise has high limits to allow personal and business customers to use the service conveniently.
| Wise limits | Qantas Pay limits |
|---|---|
| Limits vary by currency – up to 1.8 million AUD per payment for example | Up to 3,000 AUD per day for card to card balance transfers |
Sending large amount transfers
Qantas Pay isn’t intended for high value payments.
However, Wise offers high transfer limits with automatic fee discounts when sending more than 40,000 AUD, and a dedicated service team if you need support with your high value transfer.
Here’s how the Wise high value payment discounts break down:
| Payment volume (AUD) | Discount |
|---|---|
| Under 40,000/month | 0 |
| 40,000 – 600,000/month | 0.1% |
| 600,000 – 1 million/month | 0.15% |
| 1 million – 2 million/month | 0.16% |
| 2 million+/month | 0.17% |
Wise vs Qantas Pay: Payment methods
With Wise you can add money or fund a payment using the following methods:
- bank transfer
- debit/credit card
- PayID
- send money from your Wise account
- Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS)
With Qantas Pay you can add money to your account using these methods:
- bank Transfer/BPAY
- debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay
Wise vs Qantas Pay for receiving money
Qantas Pay lets you receive money from other card holders who want to make a balance transfer to your account. You can also add money from your own bank – but you can’t use your Qantas Pay account to receive an incoming payment from a bank account in someone else’s name.
Wise does offer ways to receive payments from bank accounts, with local and SWIFT account information in 8+ currencies. There’s no Wise fee to receive a payment if your sender uses local account information, but there are low fixed fees to receive a USD wire or payments using SWIFT.
Wise vs Qantas Pay card
The main service offered by Qantas Pay is a debit card for international spending and withdrawals. Wise also has its Wise card which can be equally useful. Here’s a comparison:
| Provider card | Card features |
|---|---|
| Wise card |
|
| Qantas Pay card |
|
Wise vs Qantas Pay card: Where can you use them?
Wise cards are supported in 150+ countries, wherever you see the network logo (Visa or Mastercard). Qantas Pay can be used wherever you see the Mastercard logo in 190+ countries.
Wise vs Qantas Pay business
Qantas Pay isn’t intended for business use.
Wise business accounts support 40+ currencies for holding, and account details to receive payments in 20+ currencies. Convert currencies with the mid-market rate, send to 140+ countries easily, order debit and expense cards, and save time with API access and batch payments to up to 1,000 people at a time.
Ease of use
- Creating an account: Both providers allow you to sign up online or in app
- Making a transfer: Wise lets you transfer to Wise accounts, bank accounts and mobile money accounts while Qantas Pay supports transfers to other Qantas Pay accounts only
- Ways to send money: Qantas Pay payments are funded from a Qantas Pay balance while Wise lets you send with bank transfer, card, PayID and other methods
- Languages: Both providers offer English support 24/7, with additional language support in app and online
- Minimum & maximum amounts: Wise has high transfer limits of 1.8 million AUD while Qantas Pay payments are capped at 3,000 AUD
How to send money with Wise?
- Open the Wise app or log into the desktop site and click on the ‘send’ button
- Enter the amount and currency you want to send – or the amount and currency that the recipient should get in the end
- When prompted, choose the funding method for the payment
- Click ‘Continue’ to review the transfer – you’ll then see the exchange rate, the transfer fee and the amount the recipient will receive in their preferred currency
How to send money with Qantas Pay?
- Log in to your Qantas Money account and select ‘to another cardholder’
- Select which currency you want to use and how much you’d like to transfer
- Choose which currency you’d like to transfer the funds into
- Enter the cardholder details following the prompts
Supported currencies
Wise supports 40+ currencies for holding and exchange, including all of those covered by Qantas Pay and many other options.
Qantas Pay supports 10+ currencies for holding and exchange, including: Australian Dollars (AUD), United States Dollars (USD), Great British Pounds (GBP) and Euros (EUR).
Are they safe to send money with?
Both Wise and Qantas Pay are safe for the services they provide. You’ll need to set up strong passwords to secure your accounts with each service, and you can also get 24/7 help if you’re ever worried about your account safety. You’ll still have to take sensible measures like keeping your account information secret and setting up 2 factor authentication on your phone or other device to maximize safety on your account.
Are they regulated in Australia?
Yes.
Qantas Pay is issued by EML Payment Solutions Limited which holds an Australian Financial Services license (AFSL).
Wise is regulated by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and holds an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL). It is also a reporting entity with the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC).
Wise vs Qantas Pay customer service
Wise customer support: The quickest option is to open an in app chat – if you need to speak to a specific team due to the type of question you have, you’ll be connected or passed the details for contacting the best person to support you. Wise offers support 24/7 in English.
Qantas Pay customer support: get help in app by emailing on [email protected]. Alternatively if you need to you can call 1300 992 700 from Australia or look for the local number for overseas use if you’re away from the country, in the Qantas app.
Conclusion: Comparing Wise and Qantas Pay
Wise and Qantas Pay are both solid providers but the services they offer are different and therefore they are likely to appeal to different customer types.
Wise has flexible ways to manage your money in many currencies – both when you travel but also when you need to send international payments, convert between currencies or receive money from others overseas. Wise accounts and cards use the mid-market rate with low, transparent fees which makes it easy to see what you’re paying for currency exchange – and keeps the costs down overall.
Qantas Pay is intended for Qantas frequent flyers and is mainly for travel spending and earning Qantas Points. If you use Qantas a lot it can be a good way to earn extra rewards for your next trip, but do watch out for unexpected fees – particularly in the form of currency exchange markups added to the rate used when you load or convert a currency.
Compare both Wise vs Qantas Pay to see which is the best fit for the type of transactions you’ll make often.
FAQ: Wise vs Qantas Pay
What is the difference between Wise and Qantas Pay?
Wise and Qantas Pay offer different ranges of services and therefore they are likely to appeal to different customer types. Wise is good for day to day money management, payments and travel while Qantas Pay is much more focused on travel usage.
Is Wise or Qantas Pay cheaper?
Both providers offer a range of services which have their own fees. The way they charge is quite different so to see which is cheapest for you you’ll need to compare both based on the types of transactions you need to make often.
Is Wise or Qantas Pay faster?
Qantas Pay and Wise both offer transfers which can be instant, but Qantas Pay payments are sent to other Qantas Pay accounts exclusively while Wise offers transfers to bank and mobile money accounts as well as other Wise accounts.
How many currencies do Wise and Qantas Pay support?
Qantas Pay supports 16 currencies for holding and exchange. Wise supports 40+ currencies for holding and exchange, including all of those covered by Qantas Pay and many other options.
Which is better, Qantas Pay or Wise?
Compare both services to decide which is the best fit for your needs. Qantas Pay is a strong contender if you’re concerned with earning Qantas Points – but may have exchange costs for overseas spending. Wise has broad international features which make it good for travel and day to day use.
