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HSBC VS Airwallex: Business Banking Review & Fee Comparison


By: Ian Wright | Last Updated: May 22, 2025

Is HSBC or Airwallex better for your small business?



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Below we look at both HSBC and Airwallex reviews on Trustpilot along with their App reviews from Apple and Google.

We then look at typical fees, business savings rates, foreign currency options and a whole bunch of other account features to help you make up your mind.

HSBC Homepage
HSBC Homepage


Airwallex Homepage
Airwallex Homepage
 

HSBC vs Airwallex Trustpilot Reviews

HSBCAirwallex
Trustpilot Review Score (out of 5)1.53.9
Percent 5-Star Reviews7%67%
Percent 1- Star Reviews88%25%
Total Number of Reviews8,3991,007
Sources:
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.hsbc.co.uk
https://www.trustpilot.com/review/airwallex.com

HSBC vs Airwallex App Reviews

HSBCAirwallex
iPhone Review Score (out of 5)4.83.3
Number of iPhone Reviews1,400,00012
Android Review Score (out of 5)4.82.3
Number of Android Reviews260,000161
Sources:
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/hsbc-uk-mobile-banking/id1220329065
https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/airwallex/id1537521807

HSBC vs Airwallex Account Fees & Charges

HSBCAirwallex
Free Business Bank AccountYesYes
Free Business Account Term Length12 Months1 month
Cheapest Monthly Account Fee£6.50Free or £19/month
Most Expensive Monthly Account Fee£10£999/month
Electronic Payment Cost (in/out)35p20p
Cash Payments Cost (in/out)£1.50Free
Cheques (in/out)50p per chequeFree
CHAPS Payments Cost£17No
SEPA Payments Cost20p$2

HSBC vs Airwallex Business Savings Rates

HSBCAirwallex
Types of Business Savings AccountsBusiness Money Manager, Business Money Market, Clients DepositNone
Lowest Savings Rate (AER)0.10%NA
Maximum Savings Rate (AER)2.02%NA
Minimum Savings Amount£1NA
Interest Paid On Foreign CurrenciesYesYes
 

HSBC vs Airwallex Account Opening Times

HSBCAirwallex
Can You Apply Online?YesYes
How Long Does Opening An
Account Typically Take?
7 to 10 Working days15 minutes
Do They Check Your Credit?YesNo
Current Account Switch ServiceYesNo

HSBC vs Airwallex Features & Account Types

HSBC Account Types
HSBC Features & Account Types


Airwallex Account Types
Airwallex Features & Account Types


HSBCAirwallex
Business Current AccountYesYes
Business Savings AccountYesNo
Business Credit CardYesNo
Business OverdraftYesNo
Accounts For StartupsYesYes
Accounts For CharitiesYesNo
Accounts For Sole TradersYesYes
Joint Business Accounts AvailableYesNo
Card TypeVisaMastercard
Online BankingYesYes
Mobile BankingYesYes
In Person/Branch BankingYesNo
Branch LocationsUK-wideNone, online only

HSBC vs Airwallex Customer Support Options

HSBCAirwallex
Phone Support AvailableYesYes
Email Support AvailableYesYes
App Based Support YesYes
Web Based SupportYesYes
In person Customer SupportYesNo

HSBC vs Airwallex Foreign Currency Accounts

HSBCAirwallex
US Dollar (USD) Bank AccountsYesYes
Euro (EUR) Bank AccountsYesYes
Other Currencies Available:
  • Australian dollar (AUD)
  • Bahraini dinar (BHD)
  • Brunei dollar (BND)
  • Canadian dollar (CAD)
  • Chinese yuan (CNY)
  • Czech koruna (CZK)
  • Danish krone (DKK)
  • Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
  • Hungarian forint (HUF)
  • Indian rupee (INR)
  • Indonesian rupiah (IDR)
  • Israeli shekel (ILS)
  • Japanese yen (JPY)
  • Kuwaiti dinar (KWD)
  • Malaysian ringgit (MYR)
  • New Zealand dollar (NZD)
  • Norwegian krone (NOK)
  • Omani rial (OMR)
  • Polish zloty (PLN)
  • Qatari riyal (QAR)
  • Saudi riyal (SAR)
  • Singapore dollar (SGD)
  • South African rand (ZAR)
  • South Korean won (KRW)
  • Swiss franc (CHF)
  • Swedish krona (SEK)
  • Thai baht (THB)
  • United Arab Emirates dirham (AED)
  • AUD
  • NZD
  • CAD
  • HKD
  • SGD
  • JPY
  • CHF
  • KRW

Other Business Services From HSBC and Airwallex

HSBC Account Types
Other HSBC Services


Airwallex Account Types
Other Airwallex Services


HSBCAirwallex
Business LoansYesNo
Commercial MortgagesYesNo
Invoice FinancingYesNo
International PaymentsYesYes
Merchant Payment ServicesYesYes
Card MachinesYesNo
Free Accounting SoftwareNoNo

HSBC vs Airwallex Banking Basics

HSBCAirwallex
Bank TypeHigh StreetChallenger
FSCS ProtectionYes, up to £85,000No
FCA Number765112900876
WebsiteHSBC WebsiteAirwallex Website

Common Comparison Questions

Does HSBC or Airwallex have better customer reviews?

HSBC scores 1.5 out of 5 based 8,399 Trustpilot reviews. Of these reviews 7% are 5-star and 88% are 1-star.

Whereas, Airwallex scores 3.9 out of 5 based 1,007 Trustpilot reviews. Of which 67% are 5-star and 25% are 1-star.

Does HSBC or Airwallex have a better App?

HSBC’s iPhone App is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 1,400,000 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 4.8 out of 5 based on 260,000 reviews.

In comparison, Airwallex’s iPhone App is rated 3.3 out of 5 based on 12 reviews. And it’s Android App is rated 2.3 out of 5 based on 161 reviews.

Does HSBC or Airwallex have better business savings rates?

HSBC offers the following types of business savings accounts: Business Money Manager, Business Money Market, Clients Deposit with interest rates ranging from 0.10% to 2.02%. (AER)

In contrast, Airwallex offers None accounts with interest rates ranging from NA to NA (AER).

See Other Comparisons:
HSBC vs Triodos Bank
HSBC vs Soldo
HSBC vs Cambridge Building Society
HSBC vs PayPal Debit
HSBC vs Allica Bank


For other business bank accounts see our guide here.

 



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We do not provide merchant services nor can we recommend which solution is right for you and your business.
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