If you are looking for apps like Chipper Cash, but with better exchange rates, cheaper virtual cards, more currencies, and the ability to receive foreign currencies into your bank account, then read on.
Here are some of the problems I found with Chipper Cash:
- The exchange rates on Chipper Cash are higher than most other international money transfer apps in Nigeria.
- The virtual cards on Chipper Cash are expensive.
- No provision for foreign bank accounts.
- The fees for creating virtual cards on Chipper Cash are high.
- Chipper Cash only supports two currencies: NGN and USD.
If you are looking for an app that solves any of these problems, then there are a few alternatives to Chipper Cash that you may want to consider.
I will go into more detail about each of these apps and how they compare to Chipper Cash in this post.
Top 7 Alternatives to Chipper Cash in Nigeria
1. Grey Finance
Grey Finance is a good app for sending and receiving money internationally and for holding multiple currencies.
Grey has better exchange rates than Chipper Cash. For example, at the time of writing this post, if you exchange NGN to USD on Grey, you will pay N934 for every $1. On Chipper Cash, you will only pay N964 for every $1. This means that you will save N30 for every $1 you buy on Grey.
If you exchange NGN to USD for $3,000 on Grey, you will save N90,000. That’s a lot of money!
Here are some of the benefits of using Grey:
- You can hold up to 7 international currencies, including USD, EUR, GBP, and NGN.
- You can get foreign bank accounts in GBP and EUR.
- You can convert funds from one currency to another.
- You can transfer money into domiciliary accounts in Nigeria.
- You can send and receive USD peer-to-peer.
- You can get a virtual dollar card for international payments.
Here are some of the problems with using Grey:
- You cannot send or receive USD via international bank transfer.
- The virtual dollar card costs $4 to create and $1 to fund each time.
- You cannot pay bills such as airtime, electricity, and other utilities on Grey.
Overall, Grey is a good app for sending and receiving money internationally, but it has some limitations. If you are looking for an app like Chipper Cash that can do everything, then Grey may not be the best option for you.
2. Eversend
Eversend is a good app for sending and receiving money across Africa and for holding multiple currencies. It has a virtual dollar card that is cheaper than Chipper Cash’s virtual dollar card.
Here are some of the benefits of using Eversend:
- You can hold up to 10 currencies, including USD, EUR, GBP, GHS, and NGN.
- You can convert funds from one currency to another.
- You can send money to banks and mobile money wallets.
- You can send and receive USD peer-to-peer.
- You can receive stablecoins such as USDC and USDT into your account.
- You can get a virtual dollar card for international payments.
- You can pay bills such as airtime, electricity, etc.
- You can earn extra money when you invite friends.
Here are some of the problems with using Eversend:
- You are charged a recurring $1 every month on card maintenance.
Overall, Eversend is a good app for sending and receiving money across Africa and for holding multiple currencies. It has a cheaper virtual dollar card than Chipper Cash, but it charges a recurring $1 per month for card maintenance.
If you are looking for an app that has a charge less for creating virtual dollar card and holding multiple currencies, then Eversend may be a better option for you. Else, Chipper Cash is just as good.
3. Payday
Payday is a money transfer and virtual card app that allows you to send money, get virtual cards, and pay bills in several currencies. It is similar to Chipper Cash, but it has some limitations.
Here are some of the benefits of using Payday:
- You can hold up to 6 currencies, including NGN, USD, KES, and GHS.
- You can send money to banks and mobile money wallets.
- You can send USD and other currencies to other Payday accounts.
- You can get a virtual dollar card for international payments.
- You can pay bills such as airtime, electricity, and more.
Here are some of the problems with using Payday:
- The exchange rates are expensive, similar to Chipper Cash.
- You are charged when you swap between currencies.
- You cannot receive international bank transfers into your Payday USD account.
Overall, Payday is a good app for sending money and paying bills in several currencies. However, it is important to be aware of the high exchange rates and fees before using it.
If you are looking for an app like Chipper Cash with the best exchange rates and lowest fees, then you may want to consider a different app, such as Grey or Eversend.
4. Bitnob
Bitnob is a digital currency transfer app that you can use to send and receive money, both in Nigeria and internationally. It also has a virtual dollar card that you can use to make online payments.
Bitnob usually has better exchange rates than Chipper Cash. For example, at the time of writing this post, if you exchange NGN to USD on Bitnob, you will pay N947 for every $1. On Chipper Cash, you will pay N964 for every $1. This means that you will save N17 for every $1 you buy on Bitnob.
The Bitnob virtual dollar card costs $1 to create and you are charged $1 or 1% when you fund the card.
Here are some of the benefits of using Bitnob:
- You can hold, send, and receive Bitcoin, USDT, and USDC.
- You can send USD and BTC to other Bitnob users.
- You can send money to banks and mobile money wallets.
- You can pay bills such as airtime, electricity, and more.
- You get competitive exchange rates.
Here are some of the problems with using Bitnob:
- You are charged when you convert between currencies or fund your virtual card.
Overall, Bitnob is a good app for sending and receiving money, both in Nigeria and internationally. It has better exchange rates than Chipper Cash, but you are charged when you convert between currencies or fund your virtual card.
If you are looking for an app like Chipper Cash with more competitive exchange rates, then you may want to consider a different app, such as Grey. However, if you are comfortable with the fees and want to use a digital currency app, then Bitnob is a good option.
5. Wirepay
Wirepay is another money transfer app that lets you send money abroad, swap currencies, and pay for things online with a virtual card. It is similar to Chipper Cash, but it has some limitations.
Here are some of the benefits of using Wirepay:
- You can hold up to 5 currencies, including USD, GHS, KES, NGN, and CFA Franc.
- You can swap between currencies.
- You can send money to bank accounts and mobile money wallets.
- You can send money to other Wirepay accounts.
- You can get a virtual dollar card for international payments.
- You get competitive exchange rates.
Here are some of the problems with using Wirepay:
- It does not support international currencies like GBP or EUR.
- The exchange rates can be weird at times.
- There is a withdrawal fee of $2 and a funding fee of 0.5% capped at $5.
Overall, Wirepay is a good app for sending and receiving money abroad, but it is important to be aware of the limitations before using it.
If you are looking for an app like Chipper Cash that supports a wider range of currencies and has competitive exchange rates, then you may want to consider a different app, such as Grey, Bitnob or Eversend. However, if you are comfortable with the limitations and want to use an app with a cheaper virtual card fee, then Wirepay is a good option.
6. Bitmama
Bitmama is a crypto-focused remittance and exchange app that you can use to send and receive money as cryptocurrencies, get a virtual dollar card, and pay bills.
The Bitmama virtual dollar card is free to create and you can load the card with up to $100,000.
As at the time of this writing, $1 on Bitmama is ₦955 but ₦964 on Chipper Cash - that’s a difference of N9.
Here are some of the benefits of using Bitmama:
- You can send and receive cryptocurrencies such as BTC, ETH, and more.
- You can get a virtual dollar card for international payments.
- You get competitive exchange rates.
Here are some of the problems with using Bitmama:
- You can only transact in cryptocurrencies.
This means that if you want to send or receive money in NGN, you will need to convert your cryptocurrency to NGN first.
Overall, Bitmama is a good app for sending and receiving money as cryptocurrencies. It has competitive exchange rates and a free virtual dollar card. However, it is important to be aware that you can only transact in cryptocurrencies.
If you are looking for an app like Chipper that allows you to send and receive money in NGN, then you may want to consider a different app, such as Eversend, Grey and Payday.
7. Accrue
Accrue is a money transfer app that you can use to send money across Africa. It also has a virtual dollar card and allows you to save and invest in USD.
The exchange rates on Accrue are determined by independent agents, and in most cases, they are better than the exchange rates on Chipper Cash.
Here are some of the benefits of using Accrue:
- You can send and receive money across Africa.
- You can send money to other Accrue users.
- You can save and invest in USD, crypto, and stocks.
- You can get a virtual dollar card for international payments.
- You get competitive exchange rates.
Here are some of the problems with using Accrue:
- The virtual dollar card is costly. You pay $3 to create the card, 1% to fund it, and $2 to maintain the card every month.
- You can only transact in USD. There is no support for other currencies.
- You cannot pay bills such as airtime with the app.
Overall, Accrue is a good app for sending money across Africa and for saving and investing in USD. However, it is important to be aware of the costs and limitations before using it.
If you are looking for an app like Chipper Cash with a free virtual dollar card or the ability to pay bills, then you may want to consider a different app. However, if you are comfortable with the costs and limitations, then Accrue is a good option.
Final verdict
Grey, Bitnob, and Eversend are the best apps to use instead of Chipper Cash. They all have their own strengths and weaknesses, so you can choose the one that best suits your needs. If you want the best of all worlds, you can use a combination of all three apps to make international payments, invest in crypto, and pay local bills.
Here is a summary of the strengths and weaknesses of each app:
- Grey: Best exchange rates, foreign bank accounts, but expensive virtual dollar card and lack support for bill payments such as airtime, electricity, etc.
- Bitnob: Good exchange rates, get virtual dollar card for just $1, but you are charged when you convert between currencies or fund your virtual card.
- Eversend: Hold several currencies, get virtual dollar card for just $1, but recurring $1 monthly card maintenance fee and relatively high exchange rate.
If you are looking for the best exchange rates and foreign bank accounts, then Grey is the best option. If you are looking for a cheap virtual dollar card, then Eversend is the best option. If you enjoy digital currencies and are comfortable with the conversion fees, then Bitnob is the best option.
You can also use a combination of all three apps to get the best of all worlds. For example, you could use Grey to make international payments, Bitnob to transact and invest in crypto, and Eversend to pay local bills.
Ultimately, the best way to choose an app is to consider your own needs and preferences.