World Card vs Wise Business card: Fees and features comparison
Last updated: 27 March 2025
Searching for the best global multi-currency card in Australia? We compare the World Card with Wise Business card
Key takeaways
- The World Card is free and supports 150+ currencies, with zero foreign exchange fees when paying with an existing balance in one of 15 currencies linked to your account
- The Wise Business card offers transactions in 40+ currencies
- Both cards offer 3D Secure (3DS) authentication for added security
Managing funds in multiple currencies can be a challenge when you have a global business with operations worldwide. You might have suppliers in China requesting payments in yuan, marketing agencies in Australia invoicing in Australian dollars, and SaaS tools charging in US dollars.
A global corporate card that supports multiple currencies can be the solution for this, letting you pay in different currencies while managing your team’s business spending in one place.
But which is the best multi-currency card for your business?
In this article, we take a look at how the World Card compares to the Wise Business card to help you make the right decision
Table of Contents
What is the World Card?
The World Card is a multi-currency debit card that lets you pay in 150+ currencies wherever Mastercard is accepted. World Account holders can apply for a World Card for free online to streamline their business spending.
The World Card is linked to your World Account, a multi-currency account that lets you pay, get paid, hold and convert funds in 15+ currencies. When you use the World Card to make payments in the 15 available currencies, there are zero foreign exchange fees (as long as you have sufficient balances in your account).
It’s possible to get multiple World Cards for your team at no extra cost to simplify accounting and tracking. You can also set custom spending limits for every card you get.
What is the Wise Business card?
Wise offers debit cards for businesses that enable you to make payments in 40+ currencies. You get a debit card that’s linked to the Wise account [1]. There are no charges for getting the card [2].
There’s an account funding fee of 2%. You can also apply for multiple debit cards for your team [2]. But you can only use three virtual cards at a time. To get more cards, you’ll have to delete and replace one of the existing cards [4].
→ Take a look at our detailed Wise Business account review to learn more about the multi-currency account and its features.
World Card vs Wise Business card: The fee breakdown
| Fees | WorldFirst | Wise [2] |
|---|---|---|
| Card issuance fee | Zero fees for all cards | Free |
| Annual fee | Zero | Zero |
| Recharge / Top-up fee | Zero | 2% of the top-up amount |
| Fee for card transactions | For supported currencies: If you have available funds in the same currency: Zero If you don't have sufficient funds in the same currency: Funds are debited from your default currency and converted to the payment currency at the WorldFirst foreign exchange rate For unsupported currencies: Mastercard exchange rate + WorldFirst margin of up to 1.5% (For Mastercard’s exchange rates, refer to their currency conversion calculator) |
If you have available funds in the same currency: Zero If you don't have sufficient funds in the same currency: Currency conversion fee starting at 0.65% |
| Account opening fee for multi-currency account linked to the card | Zero (20 currencies) | AUD 22 (22 currencies) |
*Fees as checked in March 2025
- 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 Card vs Wise Business card: Feature comparison
Global card usage
The World Card is powered by Mastercard and can be used wherever Mastercard is accepted.
The Wise Business card also operates on the Mastercard network. It supports card transactions in 40+ currencies across 160 countries [1]
Spending with your card
With the World Card, you can make payments in 150+ currencies. Plus, when you pay from your existing balance in the same currency – for example, using USD from your USD account – there are zero foreign exchange fees.
If a currency conversion is needed, the payment will be made from your default currency account. Depending on the currency, you’ll be charged a foreign exchange fee at either the WorldFirst or Mastercard rate.
Here’s how spending on your World Card works:
- Paying with existing balance: Zero foreign exchange fee
- Paying without existing balance in one of 40+ supported currencies: WorldFirst FX fee
- Paying in a WorldFirst unsupported currency: Mastercard FX rate + up to 1.5% additional margin
Wise’s debit card works similarly. If you already have funds in the same currency, there are no charges for the transaction. Without funds in the purchase currency, a currency conversion fee starting from 0.654% will be charged [2].
Getting multiple cards for your team
With WorldFirst, you can get up to 20 debit cards for your team for seamless expense management. You can even set custom spending limits for each one, making it easy to track and manage all of your outgoing payments in one place.
There are no charges for getting multiple World Cards.
Wise allows customers to use only three virtual cards at a time [4]. To get a new card, you’ll have to delete and replace an existing card. You can also set up spending limits for each card and track spending [2].
Security
Both the World Card and Wise card use 3D Secure (an additional layer of protection at checkout for online transactions to prevent card fraud [4]. You’ll be sent a 6-digit verification code, usually via SMS or email.
Cashback offers
For a limited time, you’ll receive 10% cashback* on your first $1,500 spend. You’ll also get 1% cashback on all your international spending, always.
Wise does not offer any cashback offers.
WorldFirst or Wise: Which is better for global businesses?
WorldFirst and Wise provide similar services to Australian businesses. The difference lies in the fees and the supported currencies. You can check our detailed WorldFirst vs Wise business comparison to understand how the World Account differs from the Wise business account. Take your time to compare business accounts before you make a decision.
The right global business account and international card for you will depend on your exact business needs. To find out how we can help, feel free to get in touch – we’d love to discuss how we can support your business.
Sources:
- https://wise.com/au/business/card
- https://wise.com/au/pricing/business
- https://wise.com/help/articles/2935771/where-will-my-wise-card-work
- 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
- Your money is safeguarded with leading financial institutions
