Accounting · head to head
Airwallex vs Conta
Airwallex
Accounting
Multi currency business accounts, international payments and card issuing from a licensed payments firm rather than a bank
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Conta
Accounting
Norwegian accounting software for small and growing businesses
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Airwallex airwallex is a licensed payments firm rather than a bank, so balances sit in safeguarding accounts at partner banks and are not covered by deposit guarantee schemes, which means a treasury policy that requires insured deposits cannot hold operating cash there.; Conta norwegian pricing only: displayed in NOK without multi-currency support for international comparisons
- Prices and features above were last checked on 2 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Airwallex and Conta actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Accounting).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Airwallex
- Multi currency balances
- Local receiving accounts
- Foreign exchange conversion
- International payouts
- Card issuing
- Expense management
- Bill pay
- Payments gateway
Only in Conta
Nothing recorded that Airwallex does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Airwallex
- An exporter invoicing customers in United States dollars and euros who wants to be paid into local details rather than receive wires with correspondent deductionsnot Conta
- An agency or software company paying contractors across several countries every month and losing money on bank foreign exchange spreadsnot Conta
- An e-commerce seller collecting on multiple marketplaces in different currencies who wants to hold rather than convert on every settlementnot Conta
- A startup that needs virtual cards with per subscription limits and cannot get a workable card programme from its local banknot Conta
Conta
- Norwegian small business accounting and invoicingnot Airwallex
- Project and department cost trackingnot Airwallex
- EHF/eInvoice generation for Norwegian regulatory compliancenot Airwallex
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Airwallex
- Airwallex is a licensed payments firm rather than a bank, so balances sit in safeguarding accounts at partner banks and are not covered by deposit guarantee schemes, which means a treasury policy that requires insured deposits cannot hold operating cash there.
- Available currencies, local account details, card programmes and product features differ by the entity you contract with, so a feature demonstrated to a customer in Australia or Singapore may simply not exist for the same company registered in another country.
- Onboarding is subject to compliance review and whole categories of business are declined or later offboarded, and because the account may hold operating cash, a compliance freeze during a review is a business interruption rather than an inconvenience.
- Foreign exchange is quoted as interbank plus a markup, which is cheaper than a high street bank but is still a spread that widens on less liquid pairs and on smaller amounts, so the saving assumed in the business case should be checked against the pairs you actually trade.
- Support is largely ticket and chat based with account management reserved for larger customers, so when a payment is stuck the resolution path is a queue rather than a named person, which is a poor fit for time critical settlement.
Conta
- Norwegian pricing only: displayed in NOK without multi-currency support for international comparisons
- Annual billing required: no monthly-pay option for either tier, forcing yearly commitment
- Pro tier vaporware: listed as 'coming soon' with no pricing or feature roadmap provided
- Limited feature differentiation: Smart tier is 'most selected' by customers but does not clearly explain what additional business value justifies 62% price premium over Standard
Pricing, plan by plan
Airwallex
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Airwallex review.
Conta
Free- Conta Regnskap Standard$209/month (billed annually)
- Conta Regnskap Smart$339/month (billed annually)
- Conta Regnskap Pro$undefined/mo
Which should you pick?
Choose Airwallex if
- You need multi currency balances.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want local receiving accounts.
Questions people ask
- Is Airwallex or Conta better?
- Neither clearly leads. Airwallex starts at Free and Conta at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Airwallex or Conta?
- Airwallex starts at Free and Conta at Free.
- Does Airwallex or Conta run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Airwallex for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Airwallex best used for?
- Airwallex is most often used for an exporter invoicing customers in united states dollars and euros who wants to be paid into local details rather than receive wires with correspondent deductions, an agency or software company paying contractors across several countries every month and losing money on bank foreign exchange spreads, an e-commerce seller collecting on multiple marketplaces in different currencies who wants to hold rather than convert on every settlement, a startup that needs virtual cards with per subscription limits and cannot get a workable card programme from its local bank. Of those, an exporter invoicing customers in united states dollars and euros who wants to be paid into local details rather than receive wires with correspondent deductions and an agency or software company paying contractors across several countries every month and losing money on bank foreign exchange spreads are not what Conta is typically brought in for.
- What can Airwallex do that Conta cannot?
- Airwallex covers Multi currency balances, Local receiving accounts, Foreign exchange conversion, International payouts.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Airwallex: Is Airwallex a bank?
No. It holds payment institution, electronic money or equivalent licences in the markets it serves. Funds are safeguarded at partner banks rather than being deposits, and deposit insurance schemes do not apply.
Conta: How much does Conta cost per month?
Conta Regnskap Standard costs 209 NOK/month and Smart costs 339 NOK/month, billed annually. Both exclude VAT and include a 30-day free trial option.
SourceAirwallex: Can it replace my business bank account?
For many operating flows it can, but consider what you lose: no deposit protection, no lending relationship, no cash or cheque handling, and some counterparties and government bodies still expect a conventional bank account. Most users run it alongside a bank rather than instead of one.
Conta: Can I pay monthly instead of annually?
No. Both Standard and Smart tiers require annual billing at a fixed monthly rate. Monthly-payment options are not available.
SourceAirwallex: Which countries can open an account?
It serves entities registered in a defined list of markets across Asia Pacific, Europe, the United Kingdom, the Middle East and North America, and the list changes. Check for your specific country of incorporation, because the answer determines both eligibility and feature set.
Conta: What is included in the Standard vs. Smart plan?
Standard includes accounting, invoicing, unlimited receipts, mobile app, and EHF/eInvoice. Smart adds KID numbers, unlimited EHF, project/department management, free chat/phone support, and exclusive equipment discounts.
SourceAirwallex: Does it connect to my accounting software?
It integrates with the mainstream cloud ledgers so transactions feed through rather than being imported by hand. Confirm the integration covers all the currencies you hold, since multi currency handling in the ledger is a separate question.
Conta: When will the Pro plan be available and what will it cost?
The Pro tier is listed as 'coming soon' on the pricing page with no published pricing or launch date provided.
SourceAirwallex: How does the foreign exchange rate compare with a bank?
Materially better than a typical business bank's retail rate on major pairs, because it is quoted as interbank plus a stated markup. The gap narrows on thin currency pairs and small amounts, so test with your real volumes.
Airwallex: Are the cards accepted everywhere?
They are issued on the major networks and behave like ordinary company cards for most spend. Some merchants, particularly for deposits and car hire, treat prepaid style issuance differently, so do not assume parity with a bank credit card.
Related pages
Other head to heads
- Airwallex vs Ramp
- Airwallex vs QuickBooks
- Airwallex vs Airbase
- Airwallex vs Melio
- Airwallex vs Kodo
- Airwallex vs Wise Business
- Airwallex vs RazorpayX
- Airwallex vs Sage 50
- Airwallex vs Soldo
- Airwallex vs Plaid
- Airwallex vs Spendesk
- Airwallex vs Modern Treasury
- Airwallex vs Veem
- Airwallex vs Vertex
- Airwallex vs Fyle
- Airwallex vs Microsoft Excel
- Airwallex vs Navan
- Airwallex vs Qonto
- Airwallex vs Billin
- Airwallex vs sevdesk
- Airwallex vs Zoho Books
- Airwallex vs Dinero
- Airwallex vs Fiken
- Airwallex vs Moneybird
- Airwallex vs MYOB
- Airwallex vs Pleo
- Airwallex vs Workiva
- Airwallex vs Xero
- Airwallex vs Yooz
- Airwallex vs Zoho Expense
- Conta vs Ramp
- Conta vs QuickBooks
- Conta vs Airbase
- Conta vs Melio
- Conta vs Kodo
- Conta vs Wise Business
- Conta vs RazorpayX
- Conta vs Sage 50
- Conta vs Soldo
- Conta vs Plaid
- Conta vs Spendesk
- Conta vs Modern Treasury
- Conta vs Veem
- Conta vs Vertex
- Conta vs Fyle
- Conta vs Microsoft Excel
- Conta vs Navan
- Conta vs Qonto
- Conta vs Billin
- Conta vs sevdesk
- Conta vs Zoho Books
- Conta vs Dinero
- Conta vs Fiken
- Conta vs Moneybird
- Conta vs MYOB
- Conta vs Pleo
- Conta vs Workiva
- Conta vs Xero
- Conta vs Yooz
- Conta vs Zoho Expense