Personal Finance · head to head
Revolut vs Wise
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
- -
Wise
Personal Finance
Multi-currency account and international transfers priced at the mid-market rate plus an upfront fee
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
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.; Wise wise is an electronic money institution, not a bank, so balances are safeguarded rather than covered by deposit insurance schemes, and a customer who treats it as a current account is taking a different risk from a bank deposit.
- They diverge on capability: Revolut covers Revolut Bank EEA deposits, Wise covers International transfers.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Revolut and Wise actually diverge.
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
- Revolut Bank EEA deposits
- Stock, crypto and commodity trading
- Budgeting and spending analytics
- Virtual and disposable cards
- Business accounts (Revolut Business)
Only in Wise
- International transfers
- Real exchange rates
- Bill payments
- Bank accounts
- Cryptocurrency
- Web support
- IOS support
- Android support
Both cover
- Multi-currency accounts
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 Wise
- A user in the EEA who wants their balance held with a licensed bank covered by a deposit guarantee schemenot Wise
- A UK-based user who understands their balance sits under e-money safeguarding rather than FSCS bank protection, and is comfortable with thatnot Wise
- An investor wanting stock or crypto trading integrated with everyday spending in a single appnot Wise
Wise
- Budget Managementnot Revolut
- Expense Trackingnot Revolut
- Investment Trackingnot 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.
Wise
- Wise is an electronic money institution, not a bank, so balances are safeguarded rather than covered by deposit insurance schemes, and a customer who treats it as a current account is taking a different risk from a bank deposit.
- The headline percentage is a floor, not an average: it starts from 0.23 to 0.24 percent depending on region, and thin or exotic corridors cost several times that, so the advertised number tells you almost nothing about the corridor you actually use.
- Funding a transfer by debit or credit card adds a materially higher fee than funding by bank transfer, and the cheap headline rate assumes you use the slower funding route.
- Compliance holds are common and opaque: transfers can be frozen for verification with limited explanation and no branch to visit, which is painful when the money is a rent payment with a deadline.
- Fees, card issue costs, ATM allowances and available features differ by country of residence, so a price checked on one country site does not apply to an account opened elsewhere.
- It is a payments product only, with no overdraft, no lending and no domestic banking relationship, so most users still need a bank account alongside it.
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$14.99/month
- Cashback on card spending
- Higher limits across features
- Metal card and additional insurance cover
Wise
Free- Personal accountFree
- Free to register, no monthly or subscription fee
- Hold balances in dozens of currencies at no charge
- Local account details for receiving payments
- Send or convert money$undefined/per transfer
- From 0.23 percent on the US pricing page and from 0.24 percent on the UK page
- The exact percentage varies by currency pair
- Funding by card or e-wallet costs more than funding by bank transfer
- Wise debit card$9/one-time
- 9 USD one-off issue fee in the US, 7 GBP in the UK
- No subscription fee
- Spending a currency you already hold is free
Which should you pick?
Choose Revolut if
- You need revolut bank eea deposits.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on iOS, Android, Web.
- You also want stock, crypto and commodity trading.
Choose Wise if
- You need international transfers.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want real exchange rates.
Questions people ask
- Is Revolut or Wise better?
- Neither clearly leads. Revolut starts at Free and Wise at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Revolut or Wise?
- Revolut starts at Free and Wise at Free.
- Does Revolut or Wise run on more platforms?
- Revolut runs on iOS, Android, Web. Wise 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 Wise is typically brought in for.
- What can Revolut do that Wise cannot?
- Revolut covers Revolut Bank EEA deposits, Stock, crypto and commodity trading, Budgeting and spending analytics, Virtual and disposable cards. Wise covers International transfers, Real exchange rates, Bill payments, Bank accounts. Both handle Multi-currency accounts.
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.
Wise: What does Wise actually charge to send money?
A percentage of the amount, stated before you confirm, starting from 0.23 percent on the US pricing page and 0.24 percent on the UK one. The rate varies by currency pair, and paying by card costs more than paying by bank transfer.
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.
Wise: Does Wise really use the mid-market rate?
Yes. Conversion is done at the live mid-market rate with no margin added, and the cost is charged as a visible fee instead. That is the opposite of a bank that quotes a worse rate and calls the transfer free.
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.
Wise: How much is the Wise card?
A one-off issue fee of 9 USD in the United States or 7 GBP in the United Kingdom, with no subscription. ATM withdrawals are free up to 250 per calendar month in the account currency, then 1.95 USD plus 1.95 percent per withdrawal in the US and 2.69 percent of the excess in the UK.
Wise: Is a Wise account free to open?
Yes. Registering is free and there is no monthly fee. You pay only when you send or convert money, or when you order a card.
Wise: Is Wise a bank?
No. It is an authorised electronic money institution, so your money is safeguarded at partner institutions rather than protected by deposit insurance.
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