Wise vs Discover Bank.
Wise (W68/100) and Discover Bank (D60/100), scored on the same six pillars and compared row-by-row. Every cell is sourced from licence registers and live pricing pages, not opinion. Wise leads Discover Bank 6-1.
| D Discover Bank №51 · OCC 60 /100 | W Wise №42 · FCA 68 /100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | ||
| Composite score Out of 100 | 60 /100 | 68 /100 |
| Fees | ||
| Monthly fee Cheapest paid tier (€0 if free) | €0 Free tier | €0 /mo |
| FX markup Debit card abroad | Interbank | Interbank |
| Free FX / month EUR equivalent | €0 | €0 |
| Free ATM Before fee kicks in | — | €200 /mo |
| Protection | ||
| Banking licence Tier | Payment inst. OCC | E-money inst. FCA |
| Deposit guarantee Per depositor | Safeguarded US.FDIC | Safeguarded GB.FSCS |
| Reach | ||
| Markets served Licensed jurisdictions | 1 country | 160 countries |
| Crypto Coins available | No | No |
| Stocks & ETFs Self-directed | No | Yes |
| UX | ||
| Trustpilot Customer score | — | 4.3 ★ 220k reviews |
| App store iOS + Android avg | 4.8 ★ iOS 4.8 · And 4.7 | 4.5 ★ iOS 4.7 · And 4.2 |
| Read review → | Read review → | |
Pick Discover Bank if…
OCC-chartered direct bank, integrated with the Discover Card network. Famous for zero foreign-transaction fees + 1% cashback debit. Fully FDIC-insured. The card-network-integrated alternative to Ally for travellers + cashback-driven readers.
Pick Wise if…
Pick if FX and multi-currency receiving accounts dominate your usage — not for stocks or crypto.
- Best for fees Wise won 1 of 4
- Best for protection Wise won 1 of 2
- Best for reach Wise won 2 of 3
- Best for ux Tied
Wise vs Discover Bank — FAQ
Quick answers to the four questions the search-bar asks most about a head-to-head.
Is Discover Bank better than Wise?
Under our v3 methodology, Wise leads Discover Bank 6–1 across 12 dimensions. Composite scores: Discover Bank 60/100 vs Wise 68/100. Wise is stronger overall, but the right pick depends on which row matters most to you — fees, protection, reach, or app quality.
Is Discover Bank or Wise cheaper?
Monthly fee — Discover Bank: €0; Wise: €0. Card FX markup — Discover Bank: Interbank; Wise: Interbank. Wise wins more fee rows (1 of 4). See the Fees section of the matrix above for ATM caps and the rest.
Which is safer for deposits, Discover Bank or Wise?
Discover Bank holds a Payment inst. licence under OCC; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Wise holds a E-money inst. licence under FCA; deposit guarantee per depositor: Safeguarded. Wise is the stronger pick on regulatory protection.
Where can I use Discover Bank and Wise?
Discover Bank operates in 1 country; Wise operates in 160 countries. Check each provider's signup page for the live country list — eligibility depends on residency, not just the licence footprint.
Want a 3- or 4-way comparison?
The dynamic compare picker handles up to four banks. Add this pair plus one or two more and we'll resolve every row.