Compare
Aspire Business Account vs Business Multi-Currency Account Starter (DBS)
Aspire is a digital-first finance platform combining banking, payments, and expense management for startups, SMEs, and mid-sized businesses. DBS Business Multi-Currency Account Starter is an entry point into DBS's multi-currency business banking, suited for smaller companies starting to transact across currencies. Here's how they compare.
About Aspire
Aspire Business Account is a Multi-Currency Business Account offered by Aspire, who operates as a Payment Services Institution in Singapore.
About DBS
Business Multi-Currency Account Starter (DBS) is a Business Multi-Currency Account offered by DBS, who operates as a Local Bank in Singapore.
Aspire Business Account vs Business Multi-Currency Account Starter (DBS) key differences
Here's a side-by-side comparison of both accounts to highlight key differences and help you choose the best business account for your needs.
| Payment Services Institution | Local Bank | |
|---|---|---|
| Business account | ||
| Account type | Multi-Currency Business Account | Business Multi-Currency Account |
| Payment rails | Domestic: FAST, GIRO, MEPS, PayNow, Local TT International: ACH, SEPA, SWIFT, FPS | Domestic: FAST, GIRO International: TT |
| Local collection accounts | 8 currencies (SGD, USD, EUR, GBP, MYR, PHP, IDR, VND) | 13 currencies (SGD, USD, JPY, HKD, EUR, AUD, CAD, CHF, CNH, GBP, NOK, NZD, SEK) |
| Batch payments | Supports in SGD, INR, USD, IDR, MYR, EUR, PHP, AUD, THB, VND | Supports in SGD via DBS Ideal |
| API | Yes | Yes via DBS RAPID API |
| Expense management | Offered natively for free; full expense management: corporate cards, real-time spend tracking, approval workflows, employee claims & reimbursements, budget management, receipt upload, accounting integration | Basic monitoring only; transaction reporting and cash flow dashboards; via DBS Ideal |
| Invoicing | Offered natively | Offered via DBS Ideal (InvoiceNow) |
| Pricing and fees | ||
| Monthly fee | No monthly fee (Basic plan) / SGD $15 (Premium plan) | No monthly fee |
| Account set up fee | No account setup fee | Local Companies: Free Foreign Companies: SGD $2,500 |
| Minimum balance | No minimum balance required | Minimum balance: SGD $10,000 avg daily balance; Fall below fee: SGD $40/MONTH |
| Local transfer fee (sending) | PayNow, FAST, Recurring/ Scheduled Transfers, Local TT: Free | FAST and GIRO: Free (Unlimited) |
| International transfer fee (sending) | SWIFT: USD $15 (SHA), USD $30 (OUR) | TT: SGD $30 (excluding agent bank fees) |
| Receiving payments fee | Local Receive: Free International Receive: SGD $35 for SGD account / USD $8 for other accounts via SWIFT | Local Receive: Free International Receive: standard inward TT fee (agent bank fee) |
| FX markup | From 0.22% | Not publicly disclosed |
| Global coverage | ||
| Supported currencies | 30+ currencies: SGD, USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD, HKD, JPY, INR, IDR + 20 currencies more | 13 currencies: SGD, USD, EUR, GBP, HKD, JPY, AUD, NZD, CAD, CHF + 3 currencies more |
| Global payment network | 130+ countries | 19+ countries |
| Integrations and ecosystem | ||
| Integration with third-party apps | 30+ integrations. Key apps: Amazon, Apple Pay, Xero, Info-Tech, Stripe | 20+ integrations. Key apps: Xero, Quickbooks, Financio, SAP |
| Accounting software integrations | Integrates with 10+ softwares. Direct integration with Xero and Quickbooks | Integrates with 4 softwares. Direct integration with Xero, Quickbooks, Financio |
| E-commerce integration | Yes, with Shopify, Temu, Shopee, Amazon | No |
| ERP Integration | Yes | Yes |
| Support | ||
| Customer support | In-app live chat; email | Chatbot; live chat; phone hotline; branch; digital banking |
Business account
Pricing and fees
Global coverage
Integrations and ecosystem
Support*Fees may vary, Comparison as of July 2026
Trusted by 50,000+ modern businesses
4.5 rating
3 reasons why Aspire is better
Aspire is built to be your primary business account, helping you save more, earn more, and move faster in your day-to-day operations. Here's how Aspire stands out.
Fee-free business banking from the moment you open your account
Aspire has no account opening fee, no monthly charge, and no minimum balance on the Basic plan, making the cost of entry and ongoing maintenance effectively zero. Business Multi-Currency Account Starter (DBS) imposes a minimum average balance and charges foreign-incorporated businesses a setup fee, barriers that Aspire removes entirely. For businesses at any stage, having a bank account without setup fees or minimum balance requirements lowers the barrier to getting started.
FX markup disclosed upfront
By publishing its FX markup from 0.22%, Aspire removes the opacity that makes international payment costs hard to manage, letting your team know the true cost before they confirm. Business Multi-Currency Account Starter (DBS) does not publicly disclose its FX rates, making it harder to plan and compare the true cost of international payments. When FX costs are disclosed upfront, your team can make informed decisions about payment timing and currency selection. That level of control is rarely available with traditional bank FX pricing.
Expense tracking that connects directly to your accounting workflow
Transactions on Aspire corporate cards flow automatically into your accounting integration, reducing the manual effort of exporting, matching, and reconciling expenses at month-end. A business with 10 or more team members managing expenses separately from their banking typically loses hours per month on reconciliation. Aspire's unified approach eliminates that overhead.
How Aspire works
Aspire brings together the security of traditional banking with the innovation of modern fintech to create the future of business finance. Here's what makes our platform uniquely powerful:
Trusted banking foundation
Your money is safeguarded in Tier 1 banks like DBS Singapore, and backed by partnerships with Citibank, JPMorgan, and Visa. Get the security of traditional banking with the speed of modern fintech - all fully compliant with MAS regulations.
Seamless global payments
Send and receive payments in 30+ currencies across 130+ countries at market-leading rates. Our transparent fee structure means no surprises, while smart workflows streamline your operations from payroll to revenue collection.
AI-powered financial control
Take charge with intelligent tools built for modern business. From multi-level approvals to real-time fraud detection, automated reconciliation to comprehensive integrations - work smarter, not harder.
Run your finances from one place
Open a multi-currency business account with no monthly fee, built-in invoicing, and real-time expense tracking.
Frequently asked questions about Aspire Business Account vs Business Multi-Currency Account Starter (DBS)
Businesses that want to move faster than traditional banking allows should choose Aspire over Business Multi-Currency Account Starter (DBS). Specifically, growing startups and SMEs will benefit from Aspire's no minimum balance requirements or setup fees, full built-in expense management and corporate cards, and 30+ integrations with tools like Xero, Shopify, and Stripe. If your team is scaling quickly and needs a platform that grows with you rather than a bank account that slows you down. Aspire is the natural choice. <div
DBS accounts suit established businesses that need the backing of Singapore's largest bank, particularly those seeking trade financing, structured credit facilities, or enterprise treasury services that fintech platforms don't offer. Companies with complex regulatory or compliance requirements that benefit from a full banking relationship will find DBS's breadth valuable. If your business needs a bank that can also provide loans, guarantees, and advisory services alongside your operating account, DBS is a natural anchor. <div
DBS Business Multi-Currency Account Starter removes the monthly fee but retains a SGD $10,000 average daily balance requirement with a SGD $40 fall-below penalty. Aspire offers local collection accounts in 8 currencies with no minimum balance and native expense management included. For businesses at an early or growth stage where capital tied to a balance floor has real operational cost, Aspire is the more flexible choice. <div
Aspire offers better value for businesses with variable cash balances. DBS Starter's minimum balance requirement and cap on free local transfers add costs that Aspire does not impose. Both have no monthly fee, putting them level on that line. For businesses whose balance fluctuates or whose transfer volumes are high, Aspire is the more cost-efficient choice. DBS Starter offers value for businesses that want DBS's institutional brand and multi-currency reach at a lower entry cost.
Hear it first from our customers
Gregory Van
CEO of Endowus
“As a startup, we needed more flexible solutions to support our increasing needs, as well as ones that’d make the most financial sense in supporting our growth.”
Saved per year
Saved per year
Holly Qian
Head of Finance at First Page
“By leveraging Aspire, First Page aimed to establish tighter control over our financial outflows, ensuring that all media spending stayed within the allocated budget limits. This was crucial for maintaining financial discipline and ensuring that our company’s marketing efforts were both effective and sustainable.”
Saved per year
Saved per year
William Chong
Finance Director at Glints
“In the past, we used different devices for calls, music, and work. Just like smartphones brought everything together, Aspire elegantly combines corporate cards, FX, business accounts, payables, and much more, into one user-friendly interface.”
Saved per year
Saved per year
Start your journey with Aspire
Open your free account