Wise vs Revolut: which is better for transfers, travel and getting paid?
Information checked on 12 October 2026 against the providers' official websites. Fees and availability change — always confirm on the provider's site before signing up.
Choose Wise if…
- you send or receive money across borders — Wise uses the mid-market rate plus a fee shown upfront (from 0.2%, varies by currency);
- you need account details to get paid in other currencies (free details in 22 currencies);
- you exchange at weekends or above €1,000 a month and don’t want plan limits.
Choose Revolut if…
- you want an all-in-one everyday account with a free plan, card, budgeting and instant transfers to other Revolut users;
- your weekday currency exchange stays within €1,000 a month (Standard plan) — no extra exchange fee within that limit;
- you want extras such as paid plans with higher limits, RevPoints, or Revolut Pro for freelance sales.
Many people use both: Revolut as the daily spending account, Wise for receiving foreign payments and larger transfers. Neither is available to residents of Ukraine; Ukrainians living in the EU can open accounts as EU residents.
Wise started as an international money-transfer service and is now a multi-currency account with a debit card. There are no plans or subscriptions: you pay a transparent fee per conversion or transfer, and Wise uses the mid-market exchange rate. Revolut is an app-based account with a free Standard plan and several paid plans. It converts at its own Revolut rate and lets you exchange a set amount each month without an additional fee, depending on your plan.
The figures below are for customers in the eurozone (Wise’s Ireland pricing page and Revolut’s Lithuanian fee terms that apply from 9 July 2026). Prices in other countries and currencies can differ.
Wise vs Revolut — Side-by-side comparison
Fees, currencies, countries, cards, speed, limits and verification at a glance.
| Feature | Wise | Revolut |
|---|---|---|
| Account fee | Free; no subscription plans. | Standard plan free; paid plans (Plus, Premium, Metal, Ultra) add benefits and higher limits. |
| Currency exchange | Mid-market rate plus a fee from 0.2% (varies by currency); volume discounts on large conversions. | Revolut rate. Standard: €1,000/month without fair-usage fee, then 1%; Plus: €3,000, then 0.5%; Premium/Metal/Ultra: no limit. |
| Weekend exchange | No separate weekend surcharge listed on Wise’s pricing page. | 1% fee on weekend exchanges (Friday 5pm to Sunday 6pm New York time) on the Standard plan. |
| Receiving money | Free account details in 22 currencies; domestic payments in 9 currencies free; Swift: 2.39 EUR, 2.16 GBP or 6.11 USD per payment. | Free European account (IBAN); instant transfers from other Revolut users are free. |
| Sending money | Fee shown before you send; same-currency transfers between Wise contacts are free. | Local and SEPA euro payments free; international payments carry a capped fee shown in the app. |
| Card | Debit card for 7 EUR, no subscription. Residents of the EEA, UK, US, Canada, Australia and other listed countries. | First physical card free plus delivery (from €6.99 on Standard); virtual cards free. |
| ATM withdrawals | 250 EUR per month free, then 2.69% of the amount over 250 EUR. | Standard: 5 withdrawals or €200 per rolling month free, then 2% (minimum €1). |
| Countries | Many countries; Ukraine is not on the list for holding money (sending to UAH is supported). | Residents of the EEA, UK, US, Switzerland, Australia, Brazil, Japan, New Zealand and Singapore. |
| Speed | Depends on the currency route; Wise shows an estimate before you pay. | Revolut-to-Revolut transfers instant; others depend on the payment scheme. |
| Verification | Identity verification required for the account. | Identity verification required; country of residence must be supported. |
Fees on real amounts
Worked examples using the providers' published fee schedules. Exchange-rate differences are not included unless stated.
- Exchanging €1,500 to US dollars on a weekday (first exchange of the month): Revolut Standard — €1,000 with no fee, €500 × 1% = €5 fair-usage fee, at Revolut’s rate. Revolut Plus — €0 extra (limit €3,000). Wise — fee from 0.2%, i.e. from €3, at the mid-market rate; the exact fee for EUR→USD is shown before you confirm.
- Exchanging €200 on a Saturday: Revolut Standard adds a 1% weekend fee — €2. Wise’s published pricing has no separate weekend fee.
- Withdrawing €300 from ATMs in a month (three withdrawals): Revolut Standard — €200 free, then 2% of €100 = €2. Wise — €250 free, then 2.69% of €50 = €1.35. The ATM operator may charge its own fee with either card.
- Getting the physical card: Wise — €7 once. Revolut Standard — card free, local standard delivery €6.99.
- A US client pays you $1,000 by wire: Wise charges a fixed 6.11 USD to receive a USD wire or Swift payment; a USD payment through Wise’s domestic US details is free.
Which to choose for…
Freelancers
Wise is usually the stronger fit for getting paid: local account details in 22 currencies, free domestic receipts in nine (including USD, GBP and EUR) and transparent conversion back to euros. Revolut answers with Revolut Pro, a free freelance account inside the app for taking sales; its payment-processing fees start at 1% + €0.20 for online payments with EEA consumer cards. See also digital wallets for freelancers.
Travel
For a typical trip, Revolut Standard is hard to beat if you exchange on weekdays and stay under €1,000 a month and €200 of cash. Heavy spenders, weekend exchangers and people who withdraw more cash may pay less with Wise (or on a paid Revolut plan). With Wise you can top up a currency in advance; spending a currency you already hold is free.
Business
Both offer separate business accounts — Wise Business and Revolut Business — with their own pricing and eligibility rules, so compare those pages rather than the personal fees above. As a rule of thumb, the same strengths carry over: Wise for receiving and paying out in many currencies at the mid-market rate, Revolut for an all-in-one app with plan-based limits. Sole traders who mainly sell to consumers can also look at Revolut Pro (see Freelancers).
Receiving payments from abroad
Wise gives you local details in 22 currencies, so a payer in the US, UK or eurozone can pay you domestically; Swift receipts cost 2.39 EUR, 2.16 GBP or 6.11 USD. Revolut gives you a European IBAN and free instant transfers between Revolut users. If you are in Ukraine and need to receive money, look at providers that serve your country of residence — see ZEN vs Wise for residency rules.
Frequently asked questions
For small weekday exchanges, Revolut Standard adds no fee up to €1,000 a month. Above that it charges 1%, and 1% at weekends. Wise charges a fee from 0.2% on every conversion at the mid-market rate, with no monthly limit. Larger or weekend exchanges therefore often favour Wise.
Yes. Revolut’s Standard terms apply a 1% fee to exchanges made between 5pm Friday and 6pm Sunday New York time.
Not as a resident of Ukraine: Ukraine is not on Revolut’s list of supported countries or on Wise’s list of countries where you can hold money. Ukrainians who live in the EU can open accounts as EU residents, and Wise supports sending money to Ukraine in UAH.
Revolut Standard: 5 withdrawals or €200 per rolling month, then 2% (minimum €1). Wise: 250 EUR per month, then 2.69% of the amount above that.
Wise has no subscription; you pay per transaction and 7 EUR for the card. Revolut’s Standard plan is free; paid plans are optional.
Wise, in most cases: it provides account details in 22 currencies and free domestic receipts in nine. Revolut provides a European IBAN and free instant transfers from other Revolut users.