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Personal Finance · head to head

PayPal vs Revolut

PayPal logo

PayPal

Personal Finance

The simpler, safer way to pay and get paid

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Revolut logo

Revolut

Personal Finance

Multi-currency financial app operating as a licensed bank in parts of the EU and as an e-money institution elsewhere

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Revolut has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: PayPal currency conversion on international purchases and sends carries a 4.00 percent fee, and 3.00 percent in other conversion scenarios; Revolut uK customer balances have historically been held under an e-money institution licence, meaning they are not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme the way a traditional UK bank deposit is, even though Revolut was granted a restricted UK banking licence in 2024.
  • They diverge on capability: PayPal covers Payment processing, Revolut covers Multi-currency accounts.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PayPal and Revolut actually diverge.

Attributes where PayPal and Revolut differ
AttributePayPalRevolut
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelusage-basedFree standard tier; paid plans add higher limits, insurance and perks
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiiOS, Android, Web
Founded1998Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Personal Finance).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in PayPal

  • Payment processing
  • PayPal Checkout
  • Invoicing
  • Business debit card
  • Working capital loans
  • Shopify
  • WooCommerce
  • BigCommerce

Only in Revolut

  • Multi-currency accounts
  • Revolut Bank EEA deposits
  • Stock, crypto and commodity trading
  • Budgeting and spending analytics
  • Virtual and disposable cards
  • Business accounts (Revolut Business)

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

PayPal

  • Paying online merchants without sharing card detailsnot Revolut
  • Sending money to friends and family domestically and internationallynot Revolut
  • Holding balances in multiple currencies for cross border purchasesnot Revolut

Revolut

  • Someone travelling or living across multiple currencies who wants low-cost exchange and spending in one accountnot PayPal
  • A user in the EEA who wants their balance held with a licensed bank covered by a deposit guarantee schemenot PayPal
  • A UK-based user who understands their balance sits under e-money safeguarding rather than FSCS bank protection, and is comfortable with thatnot PayPal
  • An investor wanting stock or crypto trading integrated with everyday spending in a single appnot PayPal

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

PayPal

  • Currency conversion on international purchases and sends carries a 4.00 percent fee, and 3.00 percent in other conversion scenarios
  • Instant transfer to a bank or debit card costs 1.75 percent of the amount, with a minimum of 0.25 USD and a maximum of 25.00 USD
  • International personal transactions carry a 5.00 percent fee regardless of payment method, with a minimum of 0.99 USD and a maximum of 4.99 USD
  • Sending domestic personal payments funded by a credit card costs 2.90 percent plus a fixed fee of 0.49 USD
  • Instant transfers are capped at 25,000.00 USD per transaction

Revolut

  • UK customer balances have historically been held under an e-money institution licence, meaning they are not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme the way a traditional UK bank deposit is, even though Revolut was granted a restricted UK banking licence in 2024.
  • Regulatory status differs by country of use, EEA versus UK versus other markets, so the actual protection on a given balance depends on where the account is domiciled, not on the brand alone.
  • Customer service has been a recurring complaint, with account freezes for fraud checks sometimes leaving customers unable to access funds for extended periods with limited direct human contact.
  • The free tier caps fee-free currency exchange at a monthly allowance, after which a fair usage fee applies, so heavy multi-currency users may need a paid plan to avoid extra charges.
  • The breadth of features, banking, trading, crypto and business accounts, spans multiple regulatory regimes and legal entities, which makes the overall structure harder for a typical customer to fully understand than a single-licence traditional bank.

Pricing, plan by plan

PayPal

$29/month
  • Standard$2.99/transaction
    • Card payments
    • PayPal checkout
    • Invoice payments

Revolut

Free
  • StandardFree
    • Free multi-currency spending up to a monthly exchange allowance
    • Basic budgeting tools
    • UK balances held under e-money safeguarding, not FSCS-protected as a standard bank deposit
  • Premium$7.99/month
    • Higher free exchange allowance
    • Travel insurance and card delivery perks
    • Priority customer support
  • Metal$14.99/month
    • Cashback on card spending
    • Higher limits across features
    • Metal card and additional insurance cover

Which should you pick?

Choose PayPal if

  • You need payment processing.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want paypal checkout.
PayPal review

Choose Revolut if

  • You need multi-currency accounts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web.
  • You also want revolut bank eea deposits.
Revolut review

Questions people ask

Is PayPal or Revolut better?
Neither clearly leads. PayPal starts at $29/month and Revolut at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, PayPal or Revolut?
Revolut has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for PayPal and Free for Revolut.
Does PayPal or Revolut run on more platforms?
PayPal runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Revolut runs on iOS, Android, Web.
Can I use Revolut for free?
Yes. Revolut has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PayPal starts at $29/month.
What is PayPal best used for?
PayPal is most often used for paying online merchants without sharing card details, sending money to friends and family domestically and internationally, holding balances in multiple currencies for cross border purchases. Of those, paying online merchants without sharing card details and sending money to friends and family domestically and internationally are not what Revolut is typically brought in for.
What can PayPal do that Revolut cannot?
PayPal covers Payment processing, PayPal Checkout, Invoicing, Business debit card. Revolut covers Multi-currency accounts, Revolut Bank EEA deposits, Stock, crypto and commodity trading, Budgeting and spending analytics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

PayPal: Does PayPal charge fees and when do they apply?

PayPal states that fees apply when converting currency and sending money to accounts in another country. Specific fee amounts are not disclosed on the homepage but are referenced in their published fee schedule.

Source
Revolut: Is my money safe with Revolut?

It depends on your country. EEA balances are held with a Lithuanian-licensed bank and generally covered by deposit guarantee up to 100,000 euro; UK balances have historically sat under e-money safeguarding rather than FSCS bank protection, though Revolut has been working toward full UK banking status since gaining a restricted licence in 2024.

PayPal: Is there a subscription cost to use PayPal's basic services?

No subscription fees are mentioned on the homepage. PayPal operates on a transaction-based fee structure for money transfers and payments rather than recurring charges.

Source
Revolut: Is Revolut a bank?

In the EEA, yes, through Revolut Bank UAB, licensed in Lithuania. In the UK, it has historically operated as an e-money institution and was granted a restricted banking licence in 2024, with full UK banking status pending completion of a mobilisation period.

PayPal: Are there restrictions on when I can use buyer protection?

PayPal offers buyer protection for eligible purchases, but coverage limitations exist. A user agreement sets the specific conditions for protection eligibility.

Source
Revolut: Does Revolut charge for currency exchange?

Exchange is free up to a monthly allowance on the standard tier, after which a fair usage fee applies; paid plans raise or remove that allowance.

PayPal: What payment methods can I link to PayPal?

PayPal's digital wallet allows storage of multiple payment methods and can be used for secure money transfers, payment requests, and checkout at major retailers.

Source
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