Comparison · 2026 edition
ClearBank vs Wise Business: virtual accounts compared 2026.
ClearBank and Wise Business side by side in the Virtual Accounts and IBANs Index 2026: scores, evidence, published facts and awards.
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ClearBank and Wise Business side by side in the Virtual Accounts and IBANs Index 2026: scores, evidence, published facts and awards.
In the Virtual Accounts and IBANs Index, Wise Business scores higher overall: 4.0 out of 5 (79 out of 100) against 3.3 (66), ranking 2 and 4 of 10. ClearBank scores higher for payment and e-money firms; Wise Business scores higher for marketplaces and platforms and businesses collecting from abroad.
Overall and segment scores out of 100, and the score out of 5.
| Score | ClearBank | Wise Business |
|---|---|---|
| Score out of 5 | 3.3 | 4.0 |
| Score out of 100 | 66 | 79 |
| Overall rank | 4 of 10 | 2 of 10 |
| For payment and e-money firms (out of 100) | 76, rank 3 | 75, rank 4 |
| For marketplaces and platforms (out of 100) | 67, rank 4 | 78, rank 2 |
| For businesses collecting from abroad (out of 100) | 55, rank 4 | 84, rank 2 |
| Type | UK clearing bank with virtual IBANs | Multi-currency business account |
Each score with the evidence behind it.
| Criterion | ClearBank | Wise Business |
|---|---|---|
| Currencies and markets | 3/5 12 currencies on one IBAN published, UK only. | 5/5 22 receiving currencies published. |
| Account ownership | 5/5 Virtual IBANs, virtual safeguarding accounts and physical accounts with own sort codes published. | 3/5 Dedicated account details for the business; virtual accounts not published. |
| Published pricing | 0/5 Not published on the pages read. | 5/5 Set-up and receiving fees published. |
| Local rails and speed | 3/5 Direct UK payment systems published; EU instant receipt not described. | 3/5 Domestic receipt in nine currencies; instant rails not named. |
| Regulatory standing | 5/5 Own UK banking licence with FRN, FSCS terms and a safeguarding letter. | 4/5 FCA reference and security audits published; safeguarding terms not on the pages read. |
| Integration | 4/5 API, sandbox and a stated integration time; self-serve sign-up not offered. | 3/5 API and self-serve sign-up; sandbox and go-live time not published on the pages read. |
Each criterion is scored 0 to 5 against the best published offer in the Virtual Accounts and IBANs Index. 0 means not offered or not published. How it is scored
What each provider publishes on its own pages, read on 26 October 2026.
| Fact | ClearBank | Wise Business |
|---|---|---|
| Currencies and markets | Multi-currency IBAN in GBP plus 11 currencies (USD, EUR, CAD, CHF, DKK, NOK, SEK, PLN, CZK, HUF, RON); multi-currency accounts listed as UK only. | "Account details for receiving in 22 currencies"; hold over 50 currencies. |
| Account ownership | "Allocate up to 6 million virtual IBANs from a single parent account"; up to 6 million virtual customer segregated or client money accounts; agency banking "Physical accounts, each with their own sort code". | Account details issued to the business; naming and virtual accounts for end customers not described on the pages read. |
| Pricing | Not published on the pages read; "no minimum volume requirements". | Set-up "All in for 31 USD"; domestic (non-SWIFT) receipt in AUD, CAD, EUR, GBP, HUF, NZD, PHP, SGD and USD free; USD wire and SWIFT 6.11 USD, GBP SWIFT 2.16 GBP, EUR SWIFT 2.39 EUR per payment. |
| Local rails | Direct connection to Faster Payments, Bacs (including Direct Debit) and CHAPS; EUR held at the European Central Bank. | Not listed in this index |
| Regulatory standing | ClearBank Limited authorised by the PRA, FRN 754568; FSCS "up to £120,000 per depositor"; ClearBank Europe N.V. authorised by the ECB and regulated by De Nederlandsche Bank; FCA-compliant safeguarding letter available. | "authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011, Firm Reference 900507"; US money transmitter; "SOC 1 type 2, SOC 2 type 2, PCI DSS and ISO 27001 certified". |
| Integration | API; sandbox; "Average API integration takes 30 to 45 days". | Wise API; self-serve sign-up with a one-off fee. |
| Local rails and speed | Not listed in this index | Domestic receipt in nine currencies; payouts "more than 50%* arrive within one hour". |
| Date read | 26 October 2026 | 26 October 2026 |
Not published or not stated by ClearBank: pricing and local rails and speed.
Not published or not stated by Wise Business: account ownership, local rails and speed, regulatory standing and integration.
Facts read on 26 October 2026 from: clear.bank/products/accounts, clear.bank/faqs/accounts-and-agency-banking, clear.bank/products/multi-currency-and-fx, clear.bank/solutions/embedded-banking; and wise.com/pricing/business, wise.com/payouts.
Awards follow from the published scores and cannot be bought.
From each provider's strongest criteria and published terms.
UK payment and e-money firms needing safeguarding and virtual accounts at a bank.
Small and mid-sized businesses collecting from customers abroad.
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