Wise vs Revolut: which is cheaper for Europeans in 2026?

Wise and Revolut are the two apps most Europeans open when they need to pay, send or hold money in another currency. They look alike at first glance: a multi-currency account, a debit card and a slick app. Underneath, they are built for different jobs.

Wise is a money transfer specialist that charges a small fee on every conversion and never touches the exchange rate. Revolut is a bank with a free plan, a monthly allowance of fee-free exchange and paid plans that remove the limits.

We use both. In this comparison we look at exchange fees, weekend markups, ATM withdrawals, interest on your balance and how your money is protected, with real numbers for EU residents in 2026.

Summary

• Wise: best for sending money abroad, for large conversions and for spending in other currencies on weekends. You pay a visible fee each time, at the mid-market rate, seven days a week.
• Revolut: best as an everyday account. Exchanges on weekdays are free up to €1,000 per month on the free plan, deposits are protected up to €100,000 and new customers can get a welcome bonus.

For most people who travel a few times a year and convert less than €1,000 per month, Revolut's free plan costs less. If you convert larger amounts, travel on weekends or send money to family abroad, Wise is usually cheaper and more predictable.

Comparison table

^{Sources: Wise pricing, Wise Interest (rate as of 23 September 2026), Revolut plans and Revolut Standard fees. Figures for residents of the Netherlands, checked in October 2026. Fees and rates can differ slightly by country.}

Wise overview

Wise was founded in 2011 by Kristo Käärmann and Taavet Hinrikus to make international transfers cheaper. Its model has not changed much since then: Wise converts at the mid-market rate (the one you see on Google) and shows its fee as a separate line before you confirm.

EU customers are served by Wise Europe SA, a payment institution supervised by the National Bank of Belgium. Wise is a listed company: since 11 May 2026 its primary listing is on Nasdaq, with a secondary listing in London.

With a Wise account you get local account details to receive money in 22 currencies and a debit card that spends in more than 40 currencies. You can also put your balance into Wise Interest, a money market fund run with BlackRock.

Pros and cons of Wise

Pros

• Mid-market exchange rate with the fee shown upfront
• No weekend markup
• Local account details in 22 currencies
• No monthly fee and no plans to manage
• Lower fees on large transfers (discount above €22,000 per month)

Cons

• Every conversion has a fee, even small ones
• Not a bank, so balances are not covered by a deposit guarantee
• The card costs €7

Revolut overview

Revolut started in London in 2015 as a travel card and grew into a full digital bank. In the EU it operates as Revolut Bank UAB, licensed by the European Central Bank and supervised by the Bank of Lithuania. Revolut is a private company.

The free Standard plan gives you a European IBAN, a card, 38 currencies to hold and exchange, and an allowance of fee-free exchange on weekdays. Paid plans (Plus, Premium, Metal and Ultra) raise or remove the limits and add insurance, lounge access and higher savings rates.

Revolut also offers investing, crypto, loans and savings in the same app. If investing is your main goal, read our comparison of Trade Republic vs Revolut.

Pros and cons of Revolut

Pros

• Banking licence with deposit protection up to €100,000
• Free card and no conversion fee on weekdays up to €1,000/month (Standard)
• Free SEPA transfers and instant transfers between Revolut users
• Everything in one app: savings, investing, insurance and budgeting

Cons

• 1% weekend markup on the Standard plan (0.5% on Plus)
• 1% fair usage fee above €1,000 of exchange per month (Standard)
• The best conditions require a paid plan of €10.99 to €65 per month

Exchange rates and conversion fees

This is where the two apps differ the most. Which one is cheaper depends on how much you convert and on which day.

Wise converts at the mid-market rate and adds a conversion fee that starts at 0.2% and varies by currency pair. For EUR to USD it was 0.46% in October 2026, or €4.58 per €1,000. You see the exact fee before you confirm, and it is the same on a Tuesday or a Sunday.

Revolut uses its own exchange rate. On the Standard plan, exchanges on weekdays are free up to €1,000 per month. Above that, a 1% fair usage fee applies to the extra amount. On weekends (from Friday 5pm to Sunday 6pm, New York time), a 1% fee applies on top. Crypto and commodities exchanges also count towards the €1,000 limit.

^{Sources: Wise pricing and Revolut plans, Netherlands, October 2026.}

Example: you spend €1,500 in US dollars with your card during one month.

• Revolut Standard, all on weekdays: the first €1,000 is free and 1% applies to the remaining €500, so you pay €5.
• Revolut Standard, all on a weekend: 1% weekend fee on €1,500 (€15) plus 1% fair usage on €500 (€5), so you pay €20.
• Wise: the conversion fee for EUR to USD is 0.46%, so you pay about €6.87, any day of the week.

On weekdays Revolut Standard is slightly cheaper. On a weekend, Wise costs about a third of what Revolut charges.

A simple trick on Revolut Standard: exchange the currency you need in the app on a Friday morning, before the weekend fee kicks in.

Spending abroad and ATM withdrawals

^{Sources: Wise card fees and Revolut Standard fees, October 2026. ATM operators may charge their own fee.}

On Revolut's paid plans the free ATM limit rises to €400 (Premium), €800 (Metal) or €2,000 (Ultra) per month.

Example: on a trip you take out €200 and later €300 in the same month.

• Revolut Standard: the first €200 is free. The second withdrawal is outside the limit, so 2% of €300 applies: €6.
• Wise: €250 is free and 2.69% applies to the remaining €250: €6.73.

For cash, the two are close. The bigger difference is still the exchange fee on what you spend by card.

Sending money abroad

Wise was built for this and it shows. Transfers to a bank account in another currency go at the mid-market rate with a fixed plus a percentage fee, and the fee falls once you send more than €22,000 in a month. Sending money to another Wise user in the same currency is free.

On Revolut, SEPA transfers in euros and transfers to other Revolut users are free on every plan. For other international payments Revolut shows a fee in the app before you send. Premium gets a 20% discount on these fees, Metal 40% and Ultra pays nothing.

If you regularly send money to a country outside the eurozone, compare both apps for your specific route before sending. For transfers in euros inside SEPA, Revolut costs nothing.

Interest on your balance

Both apps pay a return on idle money, but through different products.

^{Sources: Wise Interest (variable, 7-day performance as of 23 September 2026) and Revolut plans (variable, Netherlands, October 2026).}

Example: you keep €5,000 for a year at current rates.

• Revolut Standard: 2% on €2,500 (€50) plus 1% on €2,500 (€25) = €75, protected by the deposit guarantee.
• Wise Interest: 2.25% on €5,000 = €112.50, with no guarantee on the capital.

On Revolut, the Premium plan pays 1.5% above €2,500, Metal 2% on the whole balance and Ultra 2.5% up to €100,000. Rates are variable and taxes on the interest depend on your country.

If earning interest is your priority, neither app pays the most in Europe. Our savings accounts comparator shows the best rates by country.

Safety and regulation

^{Sources: Wise safeguarding and Revolut deposit protection, October 2026.}

Is your money safer at one of them? The answer depends on how much you keep there.

Revolut is a bank. Your deposits with Revolut Bank UAB are covered by the Lithuanian deposit insurance scheme up to €100,000 per person, the same level as any bank in the EU. Investments and crypto held in the app are not covered by this guarantee.

Wise is not a bank and does not lend out customer money. It safeguards balances in cash at JPMorgan Chase and in money market funds from BlackRock and State Street, kept separate from its own money. This protects you if Wise goes bust, but there is no state guarantee that pays you within days. Money in Wise Interest is held by Wise Assets Europe AS, supervised by the Estonian Finantsinspektsioon, and covered by the Estonian investor protection fund up to €20,000.

In practice, both are well regulated. If you plan to keep a large balance for a long time, Revolut's deposit guarantee is the stronger protection. For money that only passes through on its way somewhere else, the difference matters less.

Which one should you choose?

The answer depends on how you use foreign currencies.

Choose Revolut if:

• You want one app as your main account, with a free card and free SEPA transfers
• You convert less than €1,000 per month and can do it on weekdays
• You want your balance covered by the €100,000 deposit guarantee

Choose Wise if:

• You send money abroad to a bank account in another currency
• You convert large amounts, where Revolut's 1% fair usage fee adds up
• You spend abroad on weekends and do not want to think about markups
• You need local account details to get paid in USD, GBP or other currencies

Many people use both: Revolut as the everyday account and Wise for transfers and big conversions. Both have no monthly fee on their basic version, so holding the two costs nothing beyond the Wise card. For other options, see our list of the best online banks in Europe.

Frequently asked questions

Is Wise a bank?

No. In the EU, Wise Europe SA is a payment institution supervised by the National Bank of Belgium. It safeguards your money but balances are not covered by a deposit guarantee scheme. Revolut Bank UAB is a bank, and deposits are covered up to €100,000.

Does Wise charge more on weekends?

No. Wise uses the mid-market rate and the same fees every day. Revolut charges 1% on weekend exchanges on the Standard plan and 0.5% on Plus. Premium, Metal and Ultra have no weekend fee.

Which is cheaper for travelling?

For short trips where you spend less than €1,000 per month on weekdays, Revolut Standard is free. If you spend more, or mostly on weekends, Wise usually costs less because its fee is the same every day (0.46% for EUR to USD) and it never adds a weekend markup.

Can I withdraw cash for free?

Yes, up to a limit. Wise gives you €250 per month free. Revolut Standard gives you €200 or 5 withdrawals per rolling month, whichever comes first. The ATM operator may add its own fee in both cases.

Is Wise Interest the same as a savings account?

No. Wise Interest invests your balance in a money market fund that holds government-backed assets. It is low risk but your capital is not guaranteed and the rate changes daily. A Revolut savings account is a bank deposit covered by the deposit guarantee.

Can I have both accounts?

Yes. Both are free to open. A common setup is Revolut for everyday spending and Wise for international transfers and large conversions.

_{Disclaimer: this article is for information purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Fees, limits and interest rates are variable, differ by country of residence and were checked in October 2026. Always confirm current conditions in the Wise and Revolut apps before making a decision. Money market funds are investments: your capital is at risk and returns are not guaranteed.}