The Alternative Banking Platform
Alt21 vs Wise: The comparison for businesses that need more than just payments.
With Alt21 you can:
Lock in exchange rates with forward contracts
Protect your margins on future payments. Book forwards directly in the platform, no broker call needed.
See the full cost before every trade
Rate, spread, and all-in amount shown upfront on every trade type, every time. No surprises.
Earn returns on idle cash balances
Competitive returns on GBP, EUR, and USD managed alongside your FX, with no lock-in.
Book options and set target rates in the platform
Manage your FX exposure self-serve. Set target rates, automate execution, and access expert support when a trade really matters.
Create your account
Enter your name and email to get started
FCA & MFSA Regulated
Client funds safeguarded
Instant platform access
ALT 21 Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 783837) in England and Wales (number 10723112). The registered address is 45 Eagle Street, London WC1R 4FS, United Kingdom.
Alt21 Europe Limited is authorised and regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority in Malta (C 109724). The registered address is 171, Triq l-Ifran, Valletta VLT 1455, Malta.
More than a payments platform
Alt21 gives you everything Wise does for payments plus the FX tools, hedging capability, and visibility that growing businesses actually need.
Transparency
See the full cost of every trade before you confirm
Alt21 shows you the rate, the spread, and the all-in amount upfront on every trade type, every time. No surprises after the fact.
Live rate, spread, and all-in cost shown before every trade
Spot, forward, and option contracts all priced clearly
No subscription fee. No hidden charges.
In-platform hedging
Lock in rates, book options, and hedge all self-serve.
Protect your margins on future payments with forwards and options booked directly in the platform. No broker call. No relationship required to get started.
Forward contracts up to 24 months ahead
Set target rates. Alt21 executes automatically when hit.
Expert FX support available when a trade really matters
Visibility
Every balance, position, and currency in one place
See your full cash and FX position in real time. Open forwards, multi-currency balances, P&L, and exposure, without logging into multiple accounts.
Connects to Xero, QuickBooks, NetSuite, and Sage
Real-time P&L, collateral, and transaction reporting
1,200+ bank connections via Open Banking
Alt21 vs Wise
What's the difference between Alt21 and Wise?
Yes — mid-market rate, transparent fees (1)
Yes — rate, spread and all-in cost shown before every trade
Not available (2)
Self-serve in platform — up to 24 months ahead
Not available (2)
Available in platform
Not Available (2)
Yes — set a rate, Alt21 executes automatically
Free to open (Essential plan). One-time £50 fee for Advanced plan account details (UK). (3)
No setup fee. No subscription fee.
Mid-market rate shown for spot. Fees disclosed separately.(1)
Rate, spread, and all-in cost shown upfront — on every trade type
Xero, QuickBooks, Sage (4)
Xero, QuickBooks, NetSuite, and Sage
Online support only (5)
In-house FX professionals available for complex trades
FCA (UK) · National Bank of Belgium (EEA) · ASIC (Australia) · FinCEN + 48 state licences (US) · Central Bank of Brazil · FINTRAC (Canada) · and more — 65 licences worldwide (6)
FCA (UK) · MFSA (Malta) — authorised to operate across the EEA via MFSA licence
Frequent international payments at low cost (1)
Growing businesses that need transparent FX and in-platform hedging
- Wise Business — wise.com/gb/pricing/business, April 2026
- “No forward contracts, no options, no hedging instruments of any kind” — alt21.com, April 2026; confirmed by absence of these products on Wise’s own platform and pricing pages
- Wise Business Advanced plan — one-time fee of £50 (UK) — wise.com/gb/blog/wise-business-pricing-explained, February 2026
- Wise Business accounting integrations — wise.com/gb/pricing/business, April 2026
- “Most queries begin in the Help Centre before reaching a live agent” — Statrys Wise Business Review, March 2026
- Wise Payments Limited is authorised by the FCA under the Electronic Money Regulations 2011 — wise.com
- Comparison based on publicly available product information, April 2026. Features and pricing may vary by account type and region. Always verify current terms directly with each provider. This does not constitute financial advice.
Trusted by finance teams
“I need to make regular payments in Euros and recently established my account with Alt 21. It was straight forward and Patricia and colleagues really attentive. Once the rate calculation was done I realised I had been leaving money on the table using my own bank previously!”
“Alt 21 is an easy to use platform that I would recommend to everyone to use. The price of trades and the clarity and transparency is exceptional. The staff are helpful and are at hand to assist at a moments notice. I have had a great experience using this system.”
“The setup was painless and platform is simple to use. It is extremely competitive compared to the pillar banks and i'm fairly sure ALT21 will capture a large section of the FX market in time.”
The Alt21 Platform
The finance platform your bank should have built.
See the live rate, margin and all-in cost
Know exactly what you're paying before you confirm. Alt21 shows the full rate, spread, and all-in cost on every transaction.
Book forwards and options in-platform
Execute forwards and options directly with expert support available when you need it.
Log in once. See everything.
Real-time P&L, collateral, balances, and upcoming settlements all in one dashboard.
HOW TO
Onboard in Minutes.
Quick Registration
Provide your business details and verify your identity through our secure, encrypted portal..
Strategy Consultations
Speak with our FX specialists to tailor a hedging strategy that fits your unique business cycles.
Execute & Optimise
Start executing trades at institutional rates and monitoring your portfolio in real-time.
Let users protect future payments from currency swings before they send or receive them directly inside your platform.
Don’t just take our word for it
“I saved nearly $2,000 on a $100,000 transaction. Our bank had quoted over $2,000 — we completed it on Alt21 for $40. ”
Ready to optimize your currency exposure?
Join hundreds of businesses saving on every international transfer with Alt21.