You've sorted the Airbnb, the group chat is buzzing, and everyone is in.

Then someone asks the question that makes the organiser pause:

"Wait, I'm in Belgium. Can I still pay into the pot?"

The short answer is yes. Friends across Europe can contribute to a Potje pot without needing a Dutch bank account. For a one-time contribution, they do not even need the Potje app. Geography is not the barrier it used to be when group money meant one person fronting the cash and spending weeks chasing everyone else.

This guide covers exactly where Potje works, which payment methods are supported, and how the whole process feels for contributors joining from outside the Netherlands.

Key takeaway: Potje is built for groups, and groups rarely live in the same postcode. Whether your friends are in Amsterdam, Brussels, or Berlin, they can contribute to a shared money pot in minutes.

Yes, Friends Outside the Netherlands Can Join a Potje Pot

Potje is a Dutch platform, but the money pots it creates are not limited to Dutch participants. When the pot organiser shares a link, anyone with access to that link can contribute. No Dutch bank account required.

The organiser is the one who sets up the pot and manages it through the Potje app. Everyone else simply receives the link and pays in using a method that works for them: in the app when the group saves together, or through a payment link for a one-time contribution.

Who needs the Potje app?

The pot organiser (the Money boss) sets up and manages the pot in the app. If your group is saving together over a longer period, we recommend that everyone gets the app for the reminders and the overview. For a one-time contribution, the organiser can also share a payment link outside the app. Contributors from Belgium, Germany, France, or any other supported country can then pay through that link without downloading the app.

This makes the experience frictionless for groups spread across different countries. Your Belgian friend and your German colleague do not need a Dutch bank account. They open the link, choose their payment method, and they are done.

Where does Potje currently work?

Potje is available throughout the European Economic Area, operating in 30+ countries. That means whether your group is based in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, or anywhere else across the EEA, everyone can contribute to the same pot.

Countries currently supported include:

• The Netherlands

• Belgium

• Germany

• France

• Spain

• Italy

• Portugal

• Austria

• Luxembourg

• Croatia

• Estonia

• Latvia

• Lithuania

• Malta

• Poland

• Slovakia

• Bulgaria

• Czech Republic

• Finland

• Greece

• Ireland

• Liechtenstein

• Norway

• Romania

• Slovenia

• Sweden

• Cyprus

• Denmark

• Iceland

The UK, Switzerland and countries outside Europe are not currently on Potje's list of supported countries. If your friend has a Visa card or a bank account in one of the countries above, they can contribute to your pot. Potje is live in 30+ countries.

How to Pay Into a Potje Pot from Outside the Netherlands

Contributing to a pot is straightforward. The organiser shares a link, and contributors follow a simple process.

Step by step for contributors

1. Receive the link from the pot organiser via WhatsApp, email, or any messaging platform

2. Open the link and join the pot in the Potje app (for a one-time contribution via a payment link, you do not need the app)

3. Enter your contribution amount (pay the payment request or choose your own amount)

4. Choose your payment method from the options available

5. Complete the payment and you are done

Contributors pay in from their own bank, so nobody needs a Dutch bank account.

Which payment methods are accepted?

Potje supports a range of payment methods so that contributors across Europe can use whatever works best for them:

This combination covers the most commonly used payment methods across the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and beyond. Whether your group is planning a ski trip from different countries or collecting for a birthday gift with friends spread across Europe, there is a payment option that works for everyone.

Pots run in euros. Friends paying from a non-euro account (for example in Poland, Sweden or Czechia) may be charged a conversion fee by their own bank.

Why Collecting Money Before Spending Changes Everything for International Groups

Most group money problems follow the same pattern.

One person books the accommodation. Everyone promises to pay them back. Weeks pass. The organiser sends reminders. Someone pays. Someone forgets. Someone gets annoyed.

This is especially painful when the group is spread across different countries. Chasing a Belgian friend for their share of the Airbnb deposit, while also waiting on your German colleague for the festival tickets, while also trying to remember who paid what, is exhausting.

Potje works differently. The idea is simple: collect the money before you spend it.

Why this matters for cross-border groups

When everyone contributes to the pot upfront, the organiser never has to front the full cost alone. There is no post-trip awkwardness. There are no international bank transfers to chase. The money is already there, sitting in the pot, ready to be used.

This approach is particularly valuable when groups span multiple countries because:

• No one person carries the financial risk of covering costs for friends in other countries

• Everyone can see the pot progress and knows exactly what has been collected

• Automated reminders go out to contributors who have not yet paid, so the organiser does not have to send individual messages across borders

• The pot is transparent, so there is no confusion about where the money went

Think about a group of eight friends planning a weekend in Barcelona. Two are from the Netherlands, two from Belgium, two from Germany, and two from France. With Potje, the organiser creates a pot, sets a goal, shares the link, and each friend pays in using their preferred local payment method. The organiser never needs to chase anyone individually or front costs they might not recover.

That is what group money management should feel like.

What Does a Potje Pot Cost?

Potje is not free forever, but the pricing is designed to be fair for groups.

Your first month is completely free. There is nothing to pay upfront. You can create a pot, invite your group, and start collecting money before you spend a single cent on the platform.

After the free month, an active pot costs €5.00 per month in total. That fee is shared automatically across the whole group, not paid by the organiser alone.

How the cost splits down

For a group of ten friends planning a holiday together, that works out to fifty cents each per month. Less than a coffee.

Instant payouts, no minimum, no fee on partial payouts

When the money is ready to use, the organiser can pay it out instantly. There is no minimum payout amount, and there is no fee on partial payouts. If the group has collected €300 and needs to pay a deposit of €150 today, that is possible without penalty.

This flexibility matters for real group planning, where costs come in stages. A deposit here, a booking there, and then the final payment closer to the date. Potje handles all of that without locking your money away until the full goal is reached.

For a closer look at the ways your group can pay in, read our guide on multiple ways to pay into a group pot.

Real Scenarios Where Cross-Border Pots Work Well

It helps to see how this plays out in practice. Here are a few situations where a Potje pot solves the cross-border group money problem.

Planning a group trip across Europe

A group of friends from the Netherlands and Belgium are planning a week in Lisbon. The organiser, based in Rotterdam, creates a pot with a goal of €2,400 to cover the villa rental and flights. They share the link in the group chat.

The Dutch friends pay via iDEAL | Wero. The Belgian friends pay via Bancontact. Everyone can see the pot filling up. When it hits the goal, the organiser pays out the villa deposit instantly.

No spreadsheet. No one fronting €2,400 and hoping everyone pays back.

Collecting for a group gift

A team of colleagues spread across Germany, the Netherlands, and France want to buy a leaving gift for their manager. The organiser creates a pot with a target of €300, shares the link over email, and contributors pay in using Visa or SEPA transfer from wherever they are.

The pot reaches its goal, the organiser pays out, and the gift gets bought. No one had to collect cash. No one had to send bank transfer details to twelve different people.

Saving for a festival or event

A friend group is heading to a music festival in Belgium. Tickets, accommodation, and travel all need to be booked at different times. The organiser creates a pot, everyone contributes their share upfront, and the organiser pays out each cost as it comes due.

Partial payouts mean there is no need to wait until the full amount is collected before making the first booking.

For more ideas on how groups use shared money pots, take a look at how to collect money for a group trip without the awkward chasing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone outside the Netherlands join a Potje pot?

Yes. Anyone with the link can contribute to a Potje pot from any supported country in Europe. Contributors do not need a Dutch bank account, and for a one-time contribution they do not need the Potje app either. They open the link and pay using a supported method such as Visa, Bancontact, iDEAL | Wero, SEPA transfer, or Revolut.

Do contributors need to download the Potje app?

Not for a one-time contribution. The Money boss can also share a payment link outside the app, so friends making a one-time contribution can pay without downloading the Potje app. If your group is saving together over a longer period, we recommend that everyone gets the app for the reminders and the overview.

Which countries can use Potje?

Potje is available throughout the European Economic Area and is live in 30+ countries, including the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Austria, Luxembourg, Croatia, Estonia, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Ireland, Norway, and more. If your contributor has a Visa card or a bank account in a supported EEA country, they can pay in.

What payment methods does Potje accept?

Potje accepts Visa, Bancontact, iDEAL | Wero, SEPA bank transfer, and Revolut. This covers the most popular payment methods used across Europe, making it easy for friends in different countries to pay in.

Is there a fee on partial payouts?

No. Potje does not charge a fee on partial payouts. You can pay out any amount at any time, which is ideal when group costs come in stages such as a deposit now and a final payment later.

How much does Potje cost?

Your first month is free. After that, an active pot costs €5.00 per month in total, shared automatically across the group. For a group of ten, that is just €0.50 per person per month.

Can I pay out money instantly?

Yes. Potje offers instant payouts of any amount. There is no minimum payout threshold and no waiting period.

Can the organiser see who has paid?

Yes. The organiser, like the rest of the group, can see in the app who has paid and who has not. Automated reminders can be sent to contributors who have not yet paid, removing the need for awkward individual follow-ups.

What if my group is saving for something that costs money in stages?

Potje is ideal for this. You can make partial payouts at any time and at any amount, with no fee. So whether you need to pay a deposit this week and the full balance next month, the pot handles it without locking your money away.

What is the difference between Potje and a split app?

A split app tracks who owes what after money has already been spent. Potje collects money before spending begins. For groups planning trips, events, or gifts, collecting upfront means no one carries the cost alone and no one has to chase anyone after the fact. Read more in our guide on group money management: shared expense tracker vs shared savings account.

Start Your Group Pot Today, Wherever Your Friends Are

Group money does not have to be complicated just because your friends live in different countries.

Potje was built to make collecting money simple, transparent, and fair for everyone involved, regardless of where they are based. Your first month is free. Payouts are instant. And your Belgian, German, or French friends can contribute from their own bank, and for a one-time contribution they do not even need the app.

The old way meant one person carrying the financial burden while everyone else promised to pay later. The new way is everyone contributing first, the pot filling up together, and the organiser spending the money when it is actually needed.

Ready to start? Create your first pot for free at Potje and share the link with your group today.