Does Wise Have a Referral Code? How Wise Works in the UK (2026)

Wise doesn't have a referral code. There's nothing to type in when you sign up. You open an account on Wise's website or app, verify your ID, and send money at the mid-market exchange rate with the fee shown before you confirm.

Open a Wise account

That's my affiliate link. Wise pays me £10 when someone who signed up through it makes their first transfer between two currencies, or £50 for a business account. It costs you nothing extra, and you get the same account and prices as going to wise.com yourself.

I have used Wise for years to pay people abroad for my agency, Glide Marketing. This page covers how signing up works, what Wise costs, and my review after real use. If you are here to compare Wise with Revolut, that breakdown is further down.

Wise uses the mid-market exchange rate and shows its fee separately, before you confirm.

Does Wise Have a Referral Code?

No. Wise doesn't use typed codes and there's no box for one at sign-up. People search for "Wise referral code", "Wise promo code" and "TransferWise referral code", and the answer to all three is the same: you sign up on Wise's website or in the app.

Existing customers can invite friends from inside the Wise app. Wise sets the terms for that between you and whoever invites you, so I don't cover them here.

How to Open a Wise Account

1. Go to Wise's sign-up page: open a Wise account or download the app. No code needed.

2. Sign up

• Provide your email address
• Create a password
• Enter your basic details (name, address, date of birth)

3. Verify your identity

• Wise will ask for proof of identity (driving licence or passport works)
• Verification times vary, and Wise may ask you for more information

4. Add money

• Top up from your UK bank account

5. Send your first transfer

• Wise shows the fee, the rate and the estimated arrival time before you confirm
• Transfer to any country Wise supports

If you are using Wise for business, including freelance or sole trader work, open a Wise Business account instead, because Wise requires business payments to go through Wise Business. My Wise Business account review covers that one in depth.

What Is Wise and How Does It Work?

Wise started in 2011 (originally called TransferWise). It's FCA authorised, listed on the London Stock Exchange, and used by millions of people.

The core idea is simple: Wise gives you the mid-market exchange rate when you send money abroad, and the fee is shown upfront.

You have a multi-currency account that holds 40+ different currencies. When you send money to another country, Wise matches your payment with money moving in the opposite direction, so in many cases Wise can move the funds locally in each country. You get the mid-market exchange rate, with the fee shown separately.

Wise also offers the Wise card, a debit card (physical or digital) that spends from your Wise balance. Wise says it converts at the mid-market exchange rate, with any fee shown separately. I have never had one, so that is Wise's description, not my experience.

Is TransferWise the Same as Wise?

Yes. TransferWise and Wise are the same company. It launched as TransferWise in 2011 and dropped the "Transfer" in February 2021, because by then the product had grown past sending money into a full multi-currency account and a debit card. Nothing about your money changed with the name.

• If you already had a TransferWise account, you're an existing Wise customer. Log in rather than signing up again.
• Old TransferWise links redirect to wise.com.
• A "TransferWise referral code" doesn't exist either. Same answer as above: no code, you sign up directly.

Wise Fees, in One Table

Prices from Wise's UK personal, card and Business pricing pages, checked 5 November 2026.

My Wise Review: What I Use and What I Don't

I'll give you the real picture here, not a sales pitch. I've used Wise for a few years to pay people abroad, so this is based on that use, and I'll say plainly where I haven't tested something.

What I use it for. One job: paying suppliers and contractors abroad through Glide Marketing, my marketing agency. Wise shows me the full fee before I send anything, which is the bit I rely on.

What I haven't used. I have never had a Wise card and I have never held balances in other currencies. Wise publishes support for holding 40-plus currencies, and account details for receiving money in selected currencies, subject to eligibility, so a client abroad can pay you as a local transfer. That is Wise's documentation, not my testing. If the card or the balances are why you're reading, find a review from someone who uses them.

Fees on transfers. There are fees, and they're shown before you confirm. The fee varies by currency and route, so get your own quote on Wise rather than trusting a range from me. The part I like most is that the fee is shown separately and the conversion uses the mid-market exchange rate, so I can see what a payment costs before I send it. My Wise Business review shows the fee on a real £1,300 transfer.

The card. Wise's card is a debit card, not a credit card. Wise lists the physical card at £7 to order and a digital card for free. I can't review it, because I have never had one.

The app. Clean and quick. It shows the estimated arrival time and total cost before you send anything, which is the feature I'd miss most if I left. Setting up a transfer takes under a minute once you're verified.

What's worth knowing (the honest trade-offs)

No tool is perfect, and I'd rather you know the niggles up front:

• It's not a bank. Wise is an FCA-authorised e-money institution (FRN 900507), not a bank. Your money is safeguarded under e-money rules, but it is not FSCS-protected up to £120,000. For moving money and short-term balances that's fine. I wouldn't park my life savings there long term, and you shouldn't either.
• No interest on most balances. It's built for moving and spending money, not growing it. Don't treat it as a savings account.
• Verification times vary. Wise can ask for extra documents or information before your account is ready. Annoying if you're trying to send money urgently on day one, so open it before you need it.
• No branches. Support is through the help centre, chat and phone. There is no branch to walk into. I have never needed to ring them, so I can't tell you how quickly a real problem gets solved.
• Rates move, and exotic currencies cost more. The mid-market exchange rate moves all the time, and on less common currency pairs the fee is higher. For mainstream GBP, EUR and USD it's excellent.

None of these have made me want to switch. After a few years I still reach for Wise first whenever money needs to cross a border. But you should go in with eyes open, not expecting a high-street bank.

Why Wise Stays in My Setup

Here's the short version of why I keep using it to pay people abroad:

• Transparent fees. I know exactly what I'm paying before I transfer.
• Mid-market exchange rate. The fee is shown separately, so nothing is hidden in the rate.
• Arrival times up front. Wise shows the estimated arrival time before I send it.

Wise vs Revolut: Which Should You Pick?

This is the comparison I get asked about most, so let me be straight. I've used both, and they're aimed at slightly different jobs.

Who Wise suits. Anyone whose main job is sending money abroad, getting paid in other currencies, or spending overseas. The pricing is clear and there's no upsell. This is the one I trust with international payments.

Who Revolut suits. People who want one app for everyday money: budgeting, splitting bills, dabbling in stocks or crypto, and spending abroad. It does more, but it leans on paid tiers and adds a markup on weekend currency conversions.

Plenty of people use both. Wise for moving money abroad, Revolut for the day-to-day extras. If you only want one and your priority is international transfers, pick Wise.

If you're weighing up Revolut too, Revolut runs its sign-up bonus in short campaign windows rather than as a standing offer. See my Revolut referral code guide, which says whether one is live today.

Wise vs Your Bank: How to Check the Cost Yourself

I don't put a savings figure on this page, because what your bank charges depends on the bank, the route, the amount and how you pay, and it changes. The fair test is to price the same transfer on the same day in both places.

• Put the amount and the destination currency into Wise. It shows the fee, the mid-market exchange rate and the amount that will arrive.
• Ask your bank for the same transfer and note the exchange rate it gives you, any fee, and the amount that will arrive.
• Compare the amount that arrives. That is the number that matters.

For my own business payments, Wise has been the one I keep coming back to, and my Wise Business account review shows a real £1,300 transfer with the actual fee and rate.

Is Wise Safe and Legit?

Yes. Wise Payments Limited is authorised by the FCA under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 (FRN 900507). It's an e-money institution, not a bank, so your money is safeguarded in accounts kept separate from Wise's own funds rather than covered by the FSCS.

A few other trust signals:

• Millions of users. Over 20 million people worldwide use Wise.
• Listed on the London Stock Exchange. It's a public company and subject to strict financial reporting.
• Transparent about fees. You always see the exact fee before you confirm the transfer.
• Customer reviews. Trustpilot rating of 4.3 out of 5 (over 245,000 reviews as of August 2026).

I wouldn't use Wise for my business if I didn't trust it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Wise have a referral code?

No. Wise doesn't use typed referral codes and there's no box for one at sign-up. You open an account on Wise's website or app. Existing customers can invite friends from inside the Wise app, and Wise sets the terms for that.

Do you earn anything if I sign up through your link?

Yes. My Wise link is an affiliate link through Wise's partner programme. Wise pays me £10 when someone who signed up through it makes their first transfer between two currencies, or £50 for a business account. It costs you nothing extra and you get the same account and prices as going direct.

Is Wise free to use?

Registering is free and there is no monthly fee. Wise's UK pricing, checked 5 November 2026, lists holding money and getting account details for a personal account as free. Converting money has a fee that varies by currency, so get your own quote on Wise before you send. A Wise Business account is also free to register, but getting account details to receive money costs a one-off £50.

Is the Wise card free?

The physical Wise debit card costs £7 to order, per Wise's UK card pricing checked 5 November 2026. A digital card is free, which is enough if you only need it for online payments or Apple Pay.

Can I use Wise for business?

Yes, and business use needs Wise Business. That includes freelance and sole trader work as well as limited companies, so do not run business payments through a personal Wise account. I use Wise for Glide Marketing to pay people abroad. Wise Business offers account details for selected currencies, subject to eligibility, and accounting integrations with Xero and QuickBooks. For a head-to-head view of how the business accounts compare, see my Wise vs Revolut Business UK guide.

How long does a Wise transfer take?

It depends on the route, the amount and how you pay. Wise shows you the estimated arrival time before you confirm the transfer, so you know what to expect.

Is Wise safe?

Yes. Wise Payments Limited is authorised by the FCA as an Electronic Money Institution (FRN 900507). It is not a bank. Your money is held in safeguarded accounts under e-money rules rather than being protected by the FSCS, so it is kept separate from Wise's own funds. Wise is also listed on the London Stock Exchange and used by over 20 million people.

Is the Wise card worth it?

I can't tell you from experience, because I have never had a Wise card. It is a debit card that spends from your Wise balance, and Wise says it converts at the mid-market exchange rate with any fee shown separately. If you spend abroad or buy in other currencies, read a review from someone who uses it regularly.

Wise vs Revolut: which is better?

They suit different people. Wise is the cleaner choice for international transfers and holding many currencies, using the mid-market exchange rate and no upsell. Revolut is more of an everyday spending app with budgeting, stock and crypto features, a paid-tier model and weekend exchange-rate markups. If your main job is moving money abroad, Wise is the one I use.

Does Wise charge fees?

Yes, and they are shown before you confirm. Registering is free, with no monthly fee. Converting money has a fee that varies by currency and route, so the honest answer is to get your own quote on Wise for the transfer you want to make. The conversion uses the mid-market exchange rate, with the fee shown separately. Wise Business charges a one-off £50 to get account details to receive money, per Wise's Business pricing checked 5 November 2026.

Is TransferWise the same as Wise?

Yes. The company rebranded from TransferWise to Wise in February 2021. Same business, same accounts. If you already had a TransferWise account, you're an existing Wise customer and can log straight in.

Can I use Wise to receive money?

Yes. One of Wise's best features is that you can receive money from abroad as a local payment. Wise offers account details for receiving money in selected currencies, such as USD, EUR and GBP, subject to eligibility, which is useful if you're a freelancer or run a business and want overseas clients to pay you directly.

Is Wise a bank?

No. Wise Payments Limited is an Electronic Money Institution authorised by the FCA (FRN 900507), not a bank. Your money sits in safeguarded accounts, held separately from Wise's own funds, rather than being covered by the FSCS up to £120,000. That is a real difference and worth understanding before you keep a large balance there long term.

Should You Open a Wise Account?

If you send money abroad, get paid in other currencies or spend overseas, yes. It's free to open, the fees are shown upfront, and conversions use the mid-market exchange rate. If all your money stays in pounds, you don't need it.

Open a Wise account or, for business use including freelance and sole trader work, a Wise Business account. Both are my affiliate links, and the payments to me are the ones set out at the top of this page.

If you want the long-form verdict on the business account, including the fee on a real £1,300 transfer and the features I have never tested, read my Wise Business account review. If you want a head-to-head view of how Wise compares to Revolut for UK business use, read my Wise vs Revolut Business comparison. For more on UK business finance, see my guide to the best UK business bank accounts for 2026 or compare Tide vs Monzo Business vs Starling. For more referral bonuses, see my guides for Revolut (campaign windows, current status on the page), Monzo (get up to £50 free), and Capital On Tap (get £75 free with a business credit card).

Mike McDonnell. I write The AI Growth Toolkit, a free Sunday email on making more profit with AI, with the setups I use in my own business explained in plain English.