Airwallex vs Stripe: Choosing the right payment and financial platform for your business can be a game-changer, especially when scaling globally.
Two major players in this space are Airwallex and Stripe.
While Stripe is well known for its powerful APIs and billing infrastructure, Airwallex has emerged as a strong contender with its global business account offerings, low FX fees, and borderless card solutions.
So, which platform is better for your business in 2025?
In this in-depth comparison, we'll look at Airwallex vs Stripe in terms of pricing, features, supported countries, payment gateways, and business use cases. If you're looking to make a purchasing decision, this guide will help you choose the best tool.
What is Airwallex?
Airwallex is a modern financial technology platform offering borderless business banking solutions.
It supports multi-currency accounts, low-cost FX conversions, corporate cards, and fast international payments.
Airwallex is designed for global-first businesses, helping them manage finances in multiple currencies with ease.
What is Stripe?
Stripe is a payments infrastructure company that provides powerful APIs to accept payments, manage subscriptions, and handle billing.
It’s popular among developers and SaaS companies due to its robust customization capabilities and wide-ranging integrations.
Airwallex vs Stripe (In Summary)
| Feature | Airwallex | Stripe |
|---|---|---|
Global Business Account | Yes | No |
Local Bank Details | Yes | Limited |
FX Fees | 0.3%–0.6% | ~1% or more |
Borderless Cards | Yes | Limited (via Stripe Issuing) |
Yield/Earnings | Yes (Airwallex Yield) | No |
Payment Gateway | Yes | Yes |
Subscription Billing | No | Yes |
Developer APIs | Good | Excellent |
Best For | Global payments, FX, borderless accounts | Online payments, SaaS, subscription billing |
Airwallex Pricing
- No monthly fees for standard accounts
- Currency exchange at interbank + 0.3%–0.6%
- Free local transfers in many countries
- Low international SWIFT fees
- Free virtual cards; optional physical cards
Stripe Pricing
- 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction (US standard)
- International cards: +1% fee
- Currency conversion: +1% markup
- Optional products (e.g., Radar, Billing) add extra cost
Key Feature Comparisons
1. Multi-Currency Accounts
Airwallex offers true multi-currency business accounts with local bank details in USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, and more.
Stripe, while supporting multi-currency payments, doesn’t offer banking features like account numbers or the ability to hold and manage currency balances.
2. Global FX and Transfers
Airwallex specializes in international money movement.
Businesses can transfer money globally with FX fees as low as 0.3%. Stripe’s FX markup (around 1%) makes it costlier for cross-border transactions.
3. Cards and Expense Management
Airwallex lets you issue virtual and physical cards to team members. These cards are linked to multi-currency balances, allowing real-time expense tracking.
Stripe Issuing offers similar capabilities but is limited to select countries and less integrated for expense management.
4. Payment Gateway
Stripe shines in this area, offering robust APIs for card payments, ACH, Apple Pay, Google Pay, recurring billing, and more.
Airwallex also has a payment gateway that integrates with Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, and others, but it lacks the depth of Stripe's developer ecosystem.
5. Developer Tools and APIs
Stripe is the clear winner for developers. Its documentation, APIs, and SDKs are second to none.
Airwallex offers APIs too, but they’re more geared towards financial operations rather than building custom commerce flows.
6. Yield and Idle Cash Management
A newer but standout feature for Airwallex is Airwallex Yield, where businesses can earn up to 4.2% APY on USD balances.
Stripe doesn’t offer a similar option.
READ ALSO: SignNow vs DocuSign: (Which is the Best eSignature Platform for Businesses)
Airwallex vs Stripe: Business Use Case
Airwallex is ideal for:
- eCommerce businesses operating in multiple countries
- SaaS startups with remote global teams
- Agencies dealing with clients in different currencies
- Businesses looking to save on FX costs
- Companies with idle funds they’d like to grow
Stripe is ideal for:
- Developers building custom payment solutions
- SaaS companies with complex subscription billing needs
- Businesses needing advanced invoicing and recurring payment features
- Companies focused on domestic or online-first payments
Supported Countries for Airwallex and Stripe
Airwallex operates in over 130 countries and provides local accounts in major markets such as the US, UK, EU, Australia, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
Stripe supports businesses in over 40 countries but enables global payments. However, its support for issuing cards and accounts is limited compared to Airwallex.
Security & Compliance for Airwallex and Stripe
Both companies are compliant with top-tier regulations:
- Airwallex: Regulated by FCA (UK), ASIC (Australia), FinCEN (US), MAS (Singapore)
- Stripe: PCI DSS certified, regulated in relevant jurisdictions
Both platforms offer two-factor authentication, strong data encryption, and fraud protection mechanisms.
What are the Pros and Cons of Airwallex and Stripe?
Airwallex Pros
- Global business account with local account numbers
- Lower FX fees for cross-border payments
- Free multi-currency virtual cards
- Yield product to earn interest
- Expense management tools
Airwallex Cons
- Less developer-focused
- Limited support for subscriptions and custom billing
- Fewer integrations than Stripe
Stripe Pros
- Industry-leading APIs and developer tools
- Powerful billing and subscription features
- Broad payment method support
- Large integration ecosystem (Zapier, Slack, CRM tools)
Stripe Cons
- Higher international transaction and FX fees
- No ability to hold funds in multiple currencies
- No yield or interest-bearing options
In Summary: Are You Choosing Airwallex or Stripe?
If your priority is global money movement, low FX fees, borderless accounts, and cash management, Airwallex is the better fit.
It’s designed for businesses that operate across currencies and borders.
If you're building custom payment solutions, SaaS billing systems, or recurring payment flows, then Stripe remains unbeatable due to its robust infrastructure and flexibility.
Ultimately, some businesses may benefit from using both: Stripe for front-end payments and Airwallex for backend financial operations.
READ ALSO: Airwallex Business Account Review (Features, Fees and Alternatives)
FAQs on Airwallex vs Stripe
Is Airwallex better than Stripe?
It depends on your business model. Airwallex is better for global banking and expense management; Stripe is better for payment processing and developer tools.
Can I use both Stripe and Airwallex together?
Yes. Many businesses use Stripe to accept payments and Airwallex to manage funds, pay vendors, or convert currencies at lower FX rates.
Which one is cheaper?
Airwallex generally has lower fees for international money movement. Stripe charges higher FX markups and payment processing fees.
Does Airwallex support subscription billing?
No. Airwallex doesn’t offer built-in recurring billing features like Stripe.
Is Airwallex safe?
Yes. Airwallex is fully regulated in multiple countries and uses advanced encryption and fraud controls.
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