SEPA Instant vs Standard transfer — what's the difference and which should I use?

When you send euros from your Juuli IBAN account, your money can travel two ways across the SEPA network: as a SEPA Instant transfer or a SEPA Standard (Credit Transfer). Both reach euro accounts in the 20 eurozone countries (the only destinations you can currently send to) — the main difference is speed.

Note: SEPA Instant applies to transfers to and from your account. Card top-ups are not instant — they are sent as standard SEPA, so the first top-up can take up to about an hour. See How to top up your Juuli card.

The quick answer

• SEPA Instant — arrives in seconds, any time of day, including weekends and holidays. Best when the recipient needs the money right away.
• SEPA Standard — arrives within one business day (often same day). A reliable choice when timing isn't urgent.

How they compare

SEPA Instant depends on the recipient's account also supporting it. If it doesn't, the transfer is simply sent as a Standard SEPA Credit Transfer instead — so your money still arrives safely, just not in seconds.

What about cost?

On Juuli, outgoing SEPA pricing depends on your plan, not on whether the transfer is Instant or Standard. On Freemium, outgoing SEPA is 0.50%. On Pro, your first 10 SEPA transfers each month are free, then €2 each. On Max, your first 30 each month are free, then €0.50 each. Incoming SEPA is free on Pro and Max.

Sending to another Juuli account?

If you're paying someone who also has a Juuli IBAN account, the transfer settles instantly on our internal ledger — it never touches the SEPA network at all, and it won't count toward your monthly free-transfer allowance.

Which should I use?

• Choose Instant when the recipient needs funds immediately or it's outside business hours.
• Choose Standard for routine, non-urgent payments — the result is the same, just not in real time.

Both options are available for euro transfers to supported EEA accounts. Juuli is a regulated platform, not a bank; e-money and payment services are provided by Stripe Technology Europe, Limited, an authorised Electronic Money Institution.

Related: How do I send a transfer from my Juuli account?, Transfer fees and plan pricing explained

Still have questions? Email our support team at support@juuli.com — we're happy to help you choose the right transfer for your payment.