Low salaries and poor benefits - Software Engineer Wise Employee Review

2.0
Jun 5, 2022
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

- the product is cool - the company is profitable and growing - hybrid work, you can go into the office as many times as you want, from 0 to 5 days a week, you're completely free

Cons

- salaries are falling behind, and the company refuses to address this problem. Instead, management tries to sell a story along the lines of "aren't you lucky you have a job, other companies are firing people" It's only a matter of time before this is reflected on the quality of our hires and therefore product. No money = no talent - the "benefits" are overplayed -- we have average lunches once a week. Pension contributions are a meagre 5%, just above the legal minimum - employees are not appreciated/recognised. Instead of actual help (£££), we get the classic startup package of mental well-being training and so on - autonomous teams don't work, they only create technical debt - knowing people goes a long way because the company has no structure All the problems I described have been known to management for years, they just lack the will to fix them. They think things are fine as they are.

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Wise Response
3y
Hi, thank you for your review. I’m really sad to hear this was your experience at Wise. This is the opposite of how we want people to feel, in particular your concerns around recognition and compensation. If you're comfortable reaching out to talk about the issues you're facing, whether it's with me, your lead, or another trusted member of the People team to talk through things confidentially, we'd like to hear more. Feel free to slack me, Paula

Explore other reviews about Wise

5.0
Mar 12, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

flexible review pay lots of feedback

Cons

repetitive long hours can be frustrating no sponsorship for visa

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Wise Response
2mo
Thank you for taking the time to write a review. We’re pleased to hear that you appreciate the flexibility, benefits and culture. We hope you continue enjoying your experience at Wise.
3.0
Feb 25, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Mission-Driven Work: Wise’s mission of "money without borders" aligned perfectly with my personal values. I was genuinely excited to go to work every day, tackle challenges, and track our progress toward that goal. Exceptional Peer Group: The hiring bar is high; you’ll work with smart, diverse, and genuinely interesting people from all backgrounds. Cutting-Edge Product: Working on the Wise Platform is a great technical experience. As an Implementation Manager, you get excellent visibility and access to the Product and Engineering teams. Top-Tier Documentation: Internal enablement and documentation are highly organized, making it easy to self-serve and find answers quickly.

Cons

Lack of Transparency in Management: I received no negative feedback during my probation period, only to be placed on a PIP two weeks after it ended. The feedback loop is non-existent; instead of real-time coaching, minor oversights are "saved up" to justify disciplinary action. Poor Feedback Quality: The PIP I received felt AI-generated, filled with corporate jargon and lacking substantive examples of performance failure. It felt like a formality rather than a genuine attempt at development. Toxic Management Culture: There is a palpable sense of micromanagement and "back-stabbing" within certain leadership circles. The environment shifted from collaborative to manipulative, with a noticeable lack of directness and honesty. Growth Hurdles: The Sales team appears to be struggling to close deals, which impacts the overall momentum of the department.

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Wise Response
2mo
Thank you for taking the time to write a review. You raised a number of concerns and I hope you were able to discuss these before you left. If you’d be comfortable to share more details, we’d really appreciate it. Please drop us an email at employerbrand@wise.com.
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