Revolut vs Wise: which is best for your money?

If you're looking for fast, affordable, and flexible control over your finances, the choice often comes down to a comparison between 2 providers: Revolut and Wise.

Wise (formerly TransferWise) established itself as a global leader by prioritising low-cost international payments. Revolut, on the other hand, expanded rapidly into a financial super-app, offering everything from everyday spending and budgeting to investing. Choosing the right provider depends on whether you need a dedicated international transfer tool or a comprehensive platform for your entire financial life.

This in-depth guide provides a breakdown of both platforms. We help you navigate the differences to determine which is the best fit for your money management needs.

Exchange fees, remittance fees, fair usage limits, and T&Cs apply

For investment services, Invest T&Cs and fees apply. 18+. Investment services are provided by Revolut Trading Ltd, a firm authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 933846)

This comparison is based on publicly available information published by other providers as of 10 March 2026. You should visit their websites for confirmation of any information included below, including latest costs and charges.

Revolut vs Wise: features and pricing at a glance

When you're looking for a Wise alternative, it's important to have a good understanding of all the services provided and conditions attached. Both Revolut and Wise offer powerful accounts, but their approaches to pricing, limits, and feature access are very different.

Wise uses a simple model: use exchange rates close to the real-time rate and charge a small, variable fee on every transaction. Revolut offers a much wider ecosystem of services. The free Standard plan comes with monthly usage limits, while the paid subscription tiers unlock higher limits and additional premium benefits.

Here's a quick overview of the essential services for UK customers on the free plans:

¹Fair usage limits and weekend fees may apply. T&Cs apply.

²No fees within plan limits. Third parties may charge ATM fees.

³Capital at risk.

How much does it cost to get started?

Getting started with either service is designed to be quick and easy, reflecting the modern digital experience.

Both the Revolut Standard plan and the Wise Personal account can be opened online for free. The sign-up process for both is done online and usually takes only a few minutes. Note that for investment services an additional onboarding step is required by Revolut.

A small one-off charge is usually necessary to get a physical card delivered:

• Revolut: the first Standard card is free (delivery fees may apply)
• Wise: charges a fixed one-time card fee of £7

Currency support and account details

If you regularly deal with more than one currency — whether for travel, online shopping, or receiving international payments — the multi-currency functions of your account are important.

Here's a comparison between the currencies supported and account details of the 2 platforms:

• Wise provides unique local account details for multiple countries, letting you keep information for different currencies, including GBP, EUR, USD, CAD, and AUD. This is helpful if you're a freelancer or part of a business that needs to receive payments from specific countries as if you have a local bank account there. You can hold balances in over 40 currencies.
• With Revolut, you can hold and exchange money in 38 currencies, and make payments to over 160 countries. For receiving money, we provide local GBP account details and a set of EU IBANs for EUR accounts.

International money transfers and exchange rates

Both Revolut and Wise beat traditional banking options when it comes to speed and value for money for global payments.

Revolut vs Wise exchange rate policies

The true cost of an international transfer often depends on the exchange rate applied.

Wise exchange rate: Wise maintains a strict commitment to using the mid-market exchange rate for all currency conversions.

Revolut exchange rate: we use the competitive Revolut exchange rate. Our fee structure for conversions is defined by volume and timing:

• Weekdays: Standard customers benefit from our competitive currency exchange up to a generous monthly limit (currently £1,000). Exchanges exceeding this limit incur a small fair usage fee (currently 1%).
• Weekends (Fees apply from Friday 5 PM (ET) to Sunday 6 PM (ET)): a 1% mark-up is added to all currency conversions on the Standard plan and 0.5% on Plus (Premium, Metal, and Ultra customers don't pay an additional fee on weekends). This fee reduces the risk of market changes between the time of the transaction and when markets open again after the weekend.

Fair usage limits and weekend fees may apply. T&Cs apply.

Want to know more?Compare our exchange rates with Wise and other competitors.

Revolut vs Wise: transfer fees, speed, and limits

The fee structures differ between the 2 platforms for international transfers.

Wise transfer fees are variable and calculated as a percentage of the amount being sent, adjusted for the specific currency pair and transfer method (e.g. bank transfer or card payment). For sending very large amounts, Wise is designed to offer predictable, volume-based fees.

Revolut works a bit differently, and is a great choice for people who often send money to friends and family around the world. Payments to any other Revolut customer globally are usually instant and don’t incur transfer fees, regardless of the currency or amount.

Local payments (like EUR transfers within the SEPA zone) are usually free with us, too. International transfers outside these zones may incur a small, variable fee, which is always shown in-app so you have full visibility.

Spending abroad: cards, ATMs, and travel

For frequent travellers, both Wise and Revolut offer debit cards that effectively remove the high foreign transaction fees common with traditional high-street banks.

No ATM withdrawal fees within plan limits

Getting cash overseas is often necessary, and both providers cap the amount you can withdraw for free before paying to withdraw funds.

• Revolut ATM withdrawals: Standard customers can withdraw up to £200 (or the equivalent in the local currency) in a rolling month, across 5 withdrawals. Above this limit, a 2% fee applies. Our paid plans extend this limit significantly, which is beneficial for longer trips.
• Wise ATM withdrawals: customers also have a £200 (or currency equivalent) limit per month. However, Wise caps the £200 limit across only 2 withdrawals per month. After that, a flat fee applies, as well as a percentage fee for any amount over the £200 threshold.

If you travel a lot and prefer to make several small cash withdrawals, we offer more flexibility.

No fees within plan limits. Third parties may charge ATM fees.

Card features for global travel

The cards themselves come with different security and travel benefits.

• Wise card: spend in a currency you already hold without any added costs. If a conversion is necessary, Wise automatically converts your money at the real-time rate, applying a small conversion fee.
• Revolut card: we support 38 different currencies for your account. When you use your card abroad, we use the amount available on your currency balance. If you don't have enough of that currency in your balance or if we can't hold the currency, we'll use the competitive Revolut rate, which you'll be able to see in-app. 18+, T&Cs apply.

Beyond the account: investments, savings, and wealth

The biggest difference between Revolut and Wise is the variety of tools. We offer more than just fast and easy payments.

Investing and Saving

• Revolut investing: you can trade stocks and ETFs directly from your balance. This lets you invest small amounts at a time. Our platform is built for the everyday investor looking for diversification and accessibility, with commission rates depending on your account plan. Capital at risk.
• Revolut savings: We also offer Instant Access Savings accounts, giving you a separate, flexible option to grow your cash reserves with competitive daily interest​ rates. T&Cs apply.
• Wise investing: for passive, low-risk growth. This allows customers to hold balances in an interest-earning fund or a stock index-tracking fund. This is an option for wealth preservation, but it doesn't offer the capability for active trading or managing an individualised portfolio of digital assets or shares.

Budgeting and financial management

Smart money management tools are crucial for financial health, and both providers offer solutions, but with different levels of depth.

• Revolut budgeting: our app features advanced tools that give you deep insights into your spending. You can set customised monthly budgets for specific categories, and track recurring subscriptions. Our tools give you a complete, real-time view of your money.
• Wise budgeting: jars offer a simple way to put money aside for specific goals, separate from your main spending balance. While helpful for savings allocation, Wise's app doesn't generally offer the same level of real-time spending analytics or customisable monthly budgeting controls as ours does.

Security, regulation, and customer service

The regulatory framework is the clearest differentiator between the 2 providers:

• Revolut's FSCS protection: As of March 2026 Revolut is a fully regulated, licensed UK bank. This means eligible deposits are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) up to £120,000 per customer. However, Revolut is in the process of migrating customer accounts to its UK bank so not all deposits will benefit from FSCS protection and may be safeguarded instead. You can check the status of your account in-app.
• Wise: carries out safeguarding, where they hold customer money separately from their operational funds in secure accounts with major financial institutions.
• Customer service: We mostly use a fast, in-app chat feature. This connects you directly to customer support specialists to quickly answer your questions. Wise offers in-app and phone support for specific complex issues.

The final verdict: Revolut or Wise, which is best for you?

Revolut and Wise both have better offerings than traditional banks when it comes to international transactions. But your choice should be based on your personal needs.

You should choose Revolut if you:

• need an all-in-one financial app that combines daily banking, saving, travel, and investment in one place
• often make payments to other Revolut customers around the world (since these payments are usually instant and fee-free)
• want advanced budgeting and savings tools, and a wider variety of financial options like stocks
• want to unlock unlimited amounts of currency and comprehensive travel benefits

You should choose Wise if you:

• regularly send money on weekends and want to avoid the small fair usage fee that applies on Revolut's Standard plan
• need to use the mid-market rate
• need access to a slightly wider range of supported currencies
• primarily want a simple, reliable solution for international transfers without extra features offered by Revolut

From a quick coffee in London to trading shares or spending abroad, we offer convenience and a variety of tools that make us the optimal holistic solution. See what customers are saying about Revolut.

Ready to manage your money the smart way?

If you're ready to move beyond traditional banking and experience the full range of features we have to offer, signing up is seamless and fast.

Here's how to get started:

1. Download the app: get it in the App Store or Google Play.
2. Enter your details: follow the instructions to enter your name, address, and mobile number. You'll receive a verification code.
3. Verify your identity: you'll be prompted to take a photo of your ID (such as a passport or driving licence) and a selfie to confirm your identity. This process is usually completed in minutes.
4. Add money: link an existing account or card to securely add money to your new Revolut account.
5. Order your card: head to the Cards tab in-app to order your physical card. You can start using your virtual card right away for online purchases.

Sources

• Wise ATMs in the UK
• Wise holding money
• Wise jars
• Wise card fees
• Wise currency card
• Wise mid-market rate
• Wise pricing
• Wise large transfers
• Wise interest

This comparison is based on publicly available information published by other providers as of 10 March 2026.

You should visit their websites for confirmation of their most updated costs and charges.

Please note that actual charges and services offered may change and vary depending on individual circumstances. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, we recommend visiting each provider’s official website.

This article and the information provided herein are not intended to constitute legal, regulatory advice.