Wise vs Revolut 2026 — Which Money Transfer App Is Best?
Wise vs Revolut compared for international transfers, travel money, and everyday use. We analyse fees, exchange rates, features, and which is best for you.
·5 min read
Two of the most popular apps for international money — but which should you use? Here’s the definitive comparison.
Quick Comparison
Feature
Wise
Revolut
Best for
International transfers
All-round money management
Exchange rate
Mid-market (always)
Mid-market (limits apply)
Transfer fee
~0.3-1% (transparent)
Free (limits) or small fee
Monthly plan
None (pay per use)
Free, Plus, Premium, Metal
UK banking licence
No (EMI)
Yes
FSCS protection
No
Some products
Card
Yes (debit)
Yes (debit)
Best use
Moving money internationally
Travel, daily use, investing
Who Should Use Which?
Your Need
Choose
Send money abroad (large amounts)
Wise
Travel frequently
Revolut (with plan)
Need multi-currency account
Either (Revolut more features)
Want investing/crypto
Revolut
Transparency is priority
Wise
Want all-in-one app
Revolut
Business international payments
Wise
Everyday spending abroad
Revolut
Deep Dive: Exchange Rates
How Rates Work
Provider
Weekday Rate
Weekend Rate
Wise
Mid-market + fee
Same
Revolut Free
Mid-market (£1k/mo limit)
+0.5-1% markup
Revolut Plus/Premium
Mid-market (higher limits)
Better
Revolut Metal
Mid-market (unlimited)
Best
Fee Comparison
Transfer £1,000 to EUR
Wise
Revolut Free
Revolut Premium
Exchange rate
Mid-market
Mid-market
Mid-market
Fee
~£4-7
£0 (within limit)
£0
Weekend markup
None
~£5-10
None
Effective cost
~£4-7
£0-10
£0
When Each Wins
Situation
Winner
Large transfer (£10,000+)
Wise — percentage fees lower
Small frequent transfers
Revolut Premium — if within limits
Weekend transfers
Wise — no markup
One-off holiday money
Either — comparable
Regular business payments
Wise — predictable costs
Features Comparison
Transfer Features
Feature
Wise
Revolut
International transfers
✅ Core focus
✅ Good
Multi-currency account
✅ 50+ currencies
✅ 30+ currencies
Hold multiple currencies
✅
✅
Currency conversion
✅ Mid-market + fee
✅ Free/limits
Receive money internationally
✅ Local account details
✅ Local details
Business transfers
✅ Wise Business
✅ Revolut Business
Recurring transfers
✅
✅
Card Features
Feature
Wise
Revolut
Debit card
✅
✅
Virtual cards
✅
✅
Disposable virtual cards
❌
✅
Apple Pay/Google Pay
✅
✅
ATM withdrawals
Free (limits)
Free (limits)
Card spending abroad
Mid-market rate
Free (limits)
Everyday Banking
Feature
Wise
Revolut
UK account number
✅
✅
Direct debits
✅
✅
Standing orders
✅
✅
Salary payments in
✅
✅
Bill splitting
❌
✅
Budgeting tools
Basic
✅ Good
Savings vaults
❌
✅
Round-ups
❌
✅
Extra Features
Feature
Wise
Revolut
Stock trading
❌
✅
Crypto
❌
✅
Commodities
❌
✅
Insurance
❌
✅ (with plans)
Cashback
❌
✅ (Metal)
Airport lounge access
❌
✅ (Metal)
Travel insurance
❌
✅ (paid plans)
Pricing Plans
Wise
Plan
Cost
What You Get
Standard
Pay per use
Transfer fees only
Wise has no monthly subscription — you pay transparent fees per transaction.
Revolut
Plan
Monthly Cost
Key Benefits
Standard
Free
Basic features, £1k exchange limit
Plus
~£3/month
Higher limits, more features
Premium
~£8/month
Unlimited exchange, travel insurance
Metal
~£15/month
Cashback, lounges, best perks
Safety and Regulation
Wise
Aspect
Details
Regulation
FCA authorised (EMI)
FSCS protection
No
Safeguarding
Funds ringfenced
Public company
Yes (LSE listed)
Track record
Since 2011
Revolut
Aspect
Details
Regulation
UK Banking licence (2024)
FSCS protection
Yes (for banking products)
E-money
Some products EMI still
Track record
Since 2015
Important: Revolut’s FSCS protection applies to certain products — check which features are covered.
App Experience
Wise App
Aspect
Rating
Design
Clean, focused
Ease of use
Excellent
Speed
Fast
Features
Transfer-focused
Reliability
Very stable
Revolut App
Aspect
Rating
Design
Modern, feature-rich
Ease of use
Good (lots to learn)
Speed
Fast
Features
Extensive
Reliability
Good
Use Cases Compared
Sending Money to Family Abroad
Factor
Wise
Revolut
Best for
Regular, larger amounts
Occasional, smaller amounts
Cost
Predictable fee
Free with limits
Recipient experience
Direct to their bank
Same
Winner
Wise for regular transfers
Revolut for occasional
Travelling Abroad
Factor
Wise
Revolut
Card payments
Mid-market + fee
Free (limits)
ATM withdrawal
£200/mo free
Based on plan
Travel insurance
❌
✅ (paid plans)
Lounge access
❌
✅ (Metal)
Winner
Functional
Revolut (esp. Premium/Metal)
Working Abroad / Getting Paid in Foreign Currency
Factor
Wise
Revolut
Local account details
Yes (many countries)
Yes (fewer)
Hold currencies
Yes
Yes
Convert to GBP
Mid-market + fee
Free with limits
Winner
Wise (more countries)
Good alternative
Daily UK Banking
Factor
Wise
Revolut
Account/sort code
Yes
Yes
Budgeting
Basic
Good
Savings features
No
Vaults, round-ups
Full bank replacement
Not really
Closer
Winner
Use traditional bank
Revolut as supplement
Cost Comparison: Real Examples
Example 1: Send £5,000 to USA
Provider
Fee
Rate
Recipient Gets
Wise
~£25
Mid-market
~$6,220
Revolut Free
£0*
Mid-market
~$6,245
Revolut Premium
£0
Mid-market
~$6,245
Bank transfer
£25-40
Poor rate
~$5,900
*If within limits and on weekday
Example 2: Two Week Holiday Spending €1,000
Provider
Cost
Notes
Wise card
~£5-10
Fee on conversion
Revolut Free
~£0-10
Depends on weekend use
Revolut Premium
~£0
Within limits
UK bank card
£30-50
Poor rate + fees
Example 3: Receive USD Salary £3,000/month
Provider
Cost
Process
Wise
~£15-20/mo
US account details, convert
Revolut
~£0-15/mo
US details, convert
Bank
£50-100/mo
International wire + poor rate
Pros and Cons Summary
Wise
Pros
Cons
Transparent, honest pricing
Not a full bank
Best for large transfers
Fewer everyday features
No subscription needed
No investing/crypto
Excellent for business
Card less generous than Revolut
Mid-market rate always
No travel insurance
Revolut
Pros
Cons
Feature-rich
Can be complex
Good for travel
Limits on free tier
Investing and crypto
Weekend markups (without plan)
Insurance options
Customer service variable
Improving banking licence
Lots of upsells
Verdict: Which to Choose
Situation
Recommendation
Primarily sending money abroad
Wise
Frequent traveller
Revolut Premium
Want one app for everything
Revolut
Transparency is key
Wise
Don’t want subscription
Wise
Want investing/crypto too
Revolut
Business international payments
Wise Business
Best Strategy: Use Both
Many savvy users have both accounts:
Wise for international transfers (best rates on large amounts)
Revolut for travel spending (Premium for frequent travellers)