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Personal Finance · head to head

Revolut vs Venmo

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
Venmo logo

Venmo

Personal Finance

Money transfer and social payments

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Venmo instant transfer costs 1.75 percent with a minimum fee of 0.25 USD and a maximum of 25 USD, while the free standard transfer takes 1 to 3 business days
  • They diverge on capability: Revolut covers Multi-currency accounts, Venmo covers Money transfers.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Revolut and Venmo actually diverge.

Attributes where Revolut and Venmo differ
AttributeRevolutVenmo
Pricing modelFree standard tier; paid plans add higher limits, insurance and perksfree
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebWeb, IOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2009

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 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)

Only in Venmo

  • Money transfers
  • Bill splitting
  • Social feed
  • Transaction history
  • Bank accounts
  • Debit cards
  • Web support
  • IOS support

What people use each for

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

Revolut

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

Venmo

  • Splitting bills and reimbursing friends in the United Statesnot Revolut
  • Accepting payments through a Venmo business profilenot Revolut
  • Buying and holding cryptocurrency inside the payments appnot Revolut

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Venmo

  • Instant transfer costs 1.75 percent with a minimum fee of 0.25 USD and a maximum of 25 USD, while the free standard transfer takes 1 to 3 business days
  • Sending money funded by a credit card carries a 3.00 percent fee
  • Cryptocurrency fees are tiered by trade size, from 2.20 percent on purchases of 1.00 to 74.99 USD down to 1.50 percent above 1,000 USD
  • Business profile payments cost 1.9 percent plus 0.10 USD, and Tap to Pay costs 2.29 percent plus 0.09 USD

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Venmo

Free
  • FreeFree
    • P2P transfers
    • Bill splitting
    • Mobile app

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Venmo if

  • You need money transfers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want bill splitting.
Venmo review

Questions people ask

Is Revolut or Venmo better?
Neither clearly leads. Revolut starts at Free and Venmo at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Revolut or Venmo?
Revolut starts at Free and Venmo at Free.
Does Revolut or Venmo run on more platforms?
Revolut runs on iOS, Android, Web. Venmo runs on Web, IOS, Android.
Can I use Revolut for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Revolut best used for?
Revolut is most often used for someone travelling or living across multiple currencies who wants low-cost exchange and spending in one account, a user in the eea who wants their balance held with a licensed bank covered by a deposit guarantee scheme, a uk-based user who understands their balance sits under e-money safeguarding rather than fscs bank protection, and is comfortable with that, an investor wanting stock or crypto trading integrated with everyday spending in a single app. Of those, someone travelling or living across multiple currencies who wants low-cost exchange and spending in one account and a user in the eea who wants their balance held with a licensed bank covered by a deposit guarantee scheme are not what Venmo is typically brought in for.
What can Revolut do that Venmo cannot?
Revolut covers Multi-currency accounts, Revolut Bank EEA deposits, Stock, crypto and commodity trading, Budgeting and spending analytics. Venmo covers Money transfers, Bill splitting, Social feed, Transaction history.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Venmo: Is there a monthly fee for the Venmo Debit Card?

No, the Venmo Debit Card has no monthly fee or minimum balance requirement.

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.

Venmo: Is there an annual fee for the Venmo Credit Card?

No, the Venmo Credit Card has no annual fee.

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.

Venmo: Are there fees when buying or selling cryptocurrency on Venmo?

Yes, when buying or selling crypto on Venmo, the company discloses an exchange rate and fees for each transaction. For non-stablecoin currencies, the exchange rate includes a spread that Venmo earns on each purchase and sale.

Source
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