If you use Wise to transfer money or even use Wise as a wallet for your money, you would need to rethink how to add money to your wallet. For the accounts in the Netherlands, iDEAL is a great way to transfer funds and make payments. Wise offers iDEAL as an integrated solution to transfer money between accounts.
I’ve been using iDEAL to add money to my Wise account and the main reason why I always chose iDEAL was:
Very simple and easy UI
Free of cost
While the core iDEAL service is still free and very simple. The ability to add money to your wallet via iDEAL is no longer free, and itis no longer a flat fee either.
How Expensive?
The amount you have to pay depends on the amount you are adding to your wallet. When you chose “External account”, you can add the amount you are transfering and then based on the amount you add a variable cost is shown. In the UI, Wise shows that the cost is not coming from Wise but from the underlying platform.
Here is a range of amount, fee, and total:
Amount
iDEAL fee
Wise fee
Total fees
Total
500
1.15
0
1.15
501.15
1000
1.85
0
1.85
1001.85
10,000
14.45
0
14.45
10,014.45
50,000
70.45
0
70.45
50,070.45
The amounts above are in euros. The maximum money that you can transfer using Wise is 50,000 EUR and this fee makes it impossible to add 50,000 EUR to your wallet.
Costs for adding 500 EUR to Wise via iDEAL.Costs for adding 1000 EUR to Wise via iDEAL.Costs for adding 10,000 EUR to Wise via iDEAL.Costs for adding 50,000 EUR to Wise via iDEAL.Alternative payment options available to transfer the amount to Wise wallet.
I’ve honestly used iDEAL to always transfer the amount, and while iDEAL still offers free of cost payments, perhaps their costs were increased to transfer money. I have no idea why this change was introduced–or who introduced this change. But, I am not a fan of paying extra; are you?
Alternative?
Disclaimer: This is neither a sponsored post nor an affiliate content to recommend any party. The content in this post is from my own experience of using the platform.
When you are adding money to Wise, you can transfer using various methods. One of the methods is bank transfer. Wise uses Tink service to connect you to your bank (via application or online) and you can transfer the money directly through your banks’s application. Safely.
Note how the regular payment methods are:
Extremely expensive.
Not fast enough.
Not available for big transfers.
As an expat, I do sometimes transfer about 5000-10,000 EUR, but not quarterly. And mainly only when there is an event or a plan. In such cases, every extra EUR counts. Look, I’m not against the fees. I understand the platforms also need to make money to pay for costs and expenses. But at least make some sense of the costs.
I haven’t actively used Tink, but I’ve transfered money via Tink a few times to Wise and the only hiccup is that it is a few extra clicks (taps) before you perform the operation and it takes a few more seconds before you receive the money in Wise wallet. Otherwise, sending 100 EUR and receiving 100 EUR is worth the extra wait.
Have you recently moved to your own place in the Netherlands? Are you looking for internet services? This blog is for you. While the network coverage on the mobile networks is excellent and can be used to stream all day and night long, you sometimes need a connection to provide Wi-Fi services and to connect your devices to the network without having your phone’s battery drained because of the hotspot.
In Pakistan, there is a limited option and availability for the internet services. The leading platform is definitely PTCL, while new players are entering the market that provide a better service, customer service, and competitive prices.
If you live in a region where the fiber service is not available, then good luck connecting to the service and internet on a rainy day. The major problem is that the top speeds in Pakistan are still limited compared to the Netherlands. Here is a quick comparison between the internet services provided in Pakistan and the Netherlands.
Comparison between the internet speed in Pakistan and in the Netherlands.
In Pakistan, the procedure is to request a connection service from the provider (PTCL, for example) and then they ask you for a connection plan. You can chose to go with basic copper-wire service or use a fiber connection to your home (if the service is available).
In the Netherlands, however, that is not the procedure. In the Netherlands, each house is equipped with the connection already. You do not need to get the underlying connection. You do need to get the connection set up.
Figure 1: The optic fiber installation procedure details on the Odido website.
If you’d like to read the specifics, check it out here on Odido’s website. Let’s start by reviewing the providers available and what services they offer.
Internet Providers
In the Netherlands, you can pick your own providers, the contract terms, the speed, and any additional add-ons. The internet providers provide:
Internet (of course)
Phone services (landline connections)
TV-connections
Each service provider offers the same bunch of services, just at a different rate, different offerings, and different contract terms. The usual contract terms are fixed for 1 year and then you can switch to a new provider. Every year there is a promotion for new customers and you can save a lot of money if you switch to the new provider. This is a big challenge, given you may have to change the Wi-Fi passwords on all devices. The leading internet providers are:
As a consumer, you do not need to worry about what and how the underlying elements work. You only buy a subscription, have a technician connect you to the network and surf cat videos.
Quick facts:
The Netherlands plans to have fiber optics installed in nearly all homes by the end of 2026. You can find the fiber coverage on most websites, like this one.
You can transfer your phone number to a new service provider free of cost when you take out a new subscription.
You always get a 14-day cooldown period, during which you can change or cancel your subscription free of cost.
Price Comparison
In the Netherlands, the best option is to be able to compare your subscription and switch to a better option. One of the leading platforms for the Independer, and you can just input your Postcode and House Number combination to receive up-to-date information about the latest and most excellent options.
Figure 2: Independer is a leading comparison site for various services available in the Netherlands.
Once you input the details, you will be redirected to the Mobiel.nl website, where you will see all available options. The website separates the options into categories, such as “affordable”, “fastest”, and among others it also shows the terms for the contract.
Figure 3: Mobiel.nl is a website for purchasing and comparing mobile services.
You can take out a subscription from here or upgrade to a new one. Remember, in the Netherlands, you receive 14 days of mind change period during which you can cancel a subscription without any costs to you. Beyond the 14 days period the terms of the contract dictate what is possible and if any charges will be applied. Usually, you have to pay 1 month 100% (that is the notice period) and then you may have to pay at least 50% of the remaining contract months amount if you cancel early.
Personal Choice and Experience
I have been an Odido (formerly T-Mobile) customer for the last 5 years. My personal experience with Odido has been very stable, and their service doesn’t really need a reboot or a technician.
Service timeline
While I did not change my service provider, I did upgrade the connection and subscription a few times.
When I became a customer of T-Mobile, I ordered a 100 mbps plan for a year. The plan was quite cheap and they handled the installation. They usually send in a technician from Guidion. The installer set ups the device, and activates your connection. You can start surfing the internet the same day.
2
400 mbps
Soon after, T-Mobile updated their offerings and added a 400 mbps plan. I did not move to the 400 mbps plan, as 100 mbps was already stable, and enough for myself and my partner.
3
1000 mbps
I moved to a new house in 2022, and that is when I decided to upgrade the internet for a few years. I decided to go with a 1000 mbps subscription for two years, as the plan was at 50% discount for 6 months and costed me about the same as 100 mbps for the first 6 months. I am very glad I chose 1000 mbps plan.
I am still on the same 1000 Mbps plan, even though I plan to upgrade to 2000 Mbps soon.
Note: This is my personal blog, and this post is not sponsored by any providers that I have mentioned or not mentioned. 🙂
There are no flexible costs, hidden costs, you just pay one fixed monthly cost for your subscription. Here is the contract cost for my network connection.
Figure 4: My Odido invoice for the December 2025 month with an outline of what was paid and what was the discount.
This is the invoice for the month of December 2025. The fixed monthly costs are EUR 58.30 and I receive a discount of EUR 5 because I have two other connections (Odido offers a EUR 2.5 discount per connection on the same house address). The invoice is paid automatically from my bank account and I just recieve an email notification that everything is clear.
That’s it for this piece. Good luck with your service connection, and enjoy all the cat videos.
