We may earn a commission if you sign up through links on this page. It never affects our rankings or what we say — here's how we make money.
Wise is the better choice for most international transfers. It always converts at the mid-market rate, charges a small fee you see upfront, and doesn’t add weekend markups, so it’s cheap and predictable at any amount. Revolut can be cheaper for small weekday transfers that stay inside your plan’s free exchange allowance (£1,000 a month on the free Standard plan), and it’s the better everyday bank account, now with FSCS protection.
Here’s the detail, with real numbers (checked November 2026).
Wise vs Revolut at a glance
| Wise | Revolut (Standard, free plan) | |
|---|---|---|
| Exchange rate | Mid-market, always | Revolut’s rate, close to market on weekdays |
| Exchange fee | Percentage fee by currency (e.g. 0.33% + 52p GBP to EUR) | None up to £1,000/month, then 1% fair usage fee |
| Weekend markup | None | Up to 1% outside market hours (varies by plan) |
| Fee on £1,000 to EUR (weekday) | £3.81 | About £0 within allowance |
| Fee on £5,000 to EUR (weekday, nothing exchanged yet that month) | £16.96 | About £40 (1% on the £4,000 over the allowance) |
| Euro transfer to SEPA | Included in fee above | Free |
| Monthly plan cost | None | £0 (paid plans £3.99 to £7.99+) |
| Card | £7 one-off | Standard card available; paid plans add perks |
| Regulator | FCA e-money institution (FRN 900507) | PRA/FCA-authorised UK bank since March 2026 |
| Deposit protection | Safeguarding (no FSCS) | FSCS up to £120,000 for eligible deposits |
| Best for | Larger transfers, weekends, predictability | Everyday spending, small weekday exchanges |
Wise figures from live Wise quotes, paid by bank transfer. Revolut figures calculated from its published Standard plan allowance and fee. Revolut’s exact rate and any transfer fee appear in the app before you confirm.
Fees and exchange rates
Wise: one price, every day
Wise uses the mid-market rate, the same one you see on Google, and charges a transparent fee that varies by currency. Our live quotes for £1,000 by bank transfer (checked November 2026):
| Currency | Wise fee | Effective cost |
|---|---|---|
| EUR | £3.81 | 0.38% |
| USD | £4.60 | 0.46% |
| INR | £5.14 | 0.51% |
| PKR | £6.60 | 0.66% |
The percentage falls on bigger transfers. £25,000 to euros cost £76.44 (about 0.31%), and Wise applies an automatic discount once you send more than £20,000 in a month. Paying by debit card costs a little more (£6.96 for £1,000 to euros). Avoid business or credit cards, where the fee jumped to around 1.9% or more on our quote.
Revolut: free inside the allowance, extra outside it
Revolut’s pricing depends on your plan, the amount and the time of day:
| Plan | Monthly cost | Fee-free exchange allowance | Above allowance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | £0 | £1,000 a month | 1% |
| Plus | £3.99 | £3,000 a month | 0.5% |
| Premium | £7.99 | No monthly limit | None |
| Metal and Ultra | Higher monthly fees | No monthly limit | None |
The allowance covers all your currency exchanges, including card spending abroad, so a holiday can use it up before you send anything. It resets monthly.
Out-of-hours markup: When currency markets are closed, from Friday evening to Sunday evening UK time, Revolut can add up to 1% to protect itself against price moves. How much depends on your plan, and the higher plans reduce or remove it. Sending £1,000 on a Saturday could cost you around £10 extra on Standard.
Transfer fees: Euro transfers within SEPA are free. Transfers to other countries can carry a transfer fee depending on the currency and route, and higher plans get discounts. Revolut shows the fee in the app before you confirm.
Revolut changes plan terms fairly often. Check the fee screen in the app, which is the definitive figure (checked November 2026).
Worked example: the same £1,000 three ways
Mid-market rate on the day: £1 = €1.1988, so £1,000 = €1,198.83.
- Wise, any day: €1,194.26 arrives. Cost £3.81.
- Revolut Standard, Tuesday, first exchange of the month: close to €1,198. Cost close to £0.
- Revolut Standard, Saturday, after a £600 holiday spend that month: the £400 over your allowance pays 1% (£4), plus the weekend markup of up to 1% (up to £10). Cost up to about £14.
So Revolut wins the best case, Wise wins the worst case, and only Wise is the same every time.
Speed
Both are fast for common currencies. Wise shows an estimated arrival time before you pay, and many euro and sterling transfers arrive within seconds or hours. Revolut-to-Revolut payments are instant, and SEPA euro transfers are typically same day or next working day. Less common currencies can take a day or two with either, especially if extra ID or source-of-funds checks are triggered.
Limits
- Wise says personal customers can send up to £1 million per transfer by bank transfer, more from a Wise balance, with lower limits when paying by card.
- Revolut sets limits based on your account and verification. Large transfers may trigger source-of-funds checks, and the free Standard plan’s 1% fee makes big conversions expensive unless you upgrade.
For a £50,000 transfer, Revolut Standard would charge about £490 in fair usage fees (1% on £49,000). Wise would cost a fraction of that. A month of Premium removes the fee if you’re set on Revolut, but you’d still need to avoid the weekend window.
Accounts and cards
Wise is a multi-currency account. You can hold and convert dozens of currencies and get local account details in several, including a UK sort code, a euro IBAN and US account details. That’s useful if you’re paid from abroad. The Wise card costs £7 once, there’s no subscription, and ATM withdrawals are free up to £250 a month, then 2.69% on the excess (checked November 2026).
Revolut is a full current account: salary, direct debits, savings pots, budgeting tools and, since 2026, a UK banking licence. The Standard plan includes a monthly fee-free ATM allowance, with a fee above it. Paid plans add travel insurance, higher allowances and perks.
If you want one app to replace your bank, Revolut does more. If you just want a cheap, clear way to move money between currencies, Wise does that one job better.
Safety
This is where things changed in 2026:
- Revolut exited the banking “mobilisation” phase and became a fully licensed UK bank, Revolut Bank UK Ltd, in March 2026. Eligible deposits are covered by the FSCS up to £120,000. Check in the app which entity your account is with, as customers have been moved across in stages.
- Wise is an FCA-authorised e-money institution. Your money is safeguarded, held separately from Wise’s own funds, but it is not FSCS-protected. The FCA says customers of a failed e-money firm should get most of their money back, but it can take time and may not be the full amount.
For money passing through on its way abroad, both carry low risk. For a large balance you plan to keep for months, Revolut’s FSCS cover is a genuine advantage, though any UK bank gives you the same protection.
Verdict: who should choose which
Choose Wise if you:
- send more than £1,000 a month, or large one-off sums
- send at weekends or need the cost to be predictable
- receive money from abroad and want local account details
- don’t want to manage plan allowances
Choose Revolut if you:
- send small amounts on weekdays and stay within the allowance
- want a full current account with budgeting and FSCS protection
- send mostly to other Revolut users (instant and free)
Our pick: Open both. They’re free. Use Wise for transfers over your Revolut allowance or at weekends, and Revolut for everyday spending and small weekday exchanges. Before any big transfer, check both apps for the amount received.
More help
- Best way to send money abroad: every option compared, including banks and cash pickup
- Cheapest way to send money abroad: real costs from £200 to £25,000
- Revolut review: the full account, not just transfers
- Is Revolut halal?
- Transfer cost calculator
Frequently asked questions
Is Wise or Revolut cheaper for sending money abroad?
For transfers under your Revolut plan's monthly allowance on a weekday, Revolut is often slightly cheaper because you pay no exchange fee. For larger amounts, weekend transfers, or if you'd exceed the allowance, Wise is usually cheaper and more predictable, as it always uses the mid-market rate with a visible fee.
Does Revolut charge more at weekends?
Yes, on some plans. Revolut can add a markup of up to 1% on exchanges made outside currency market hours, roughly Friday evening to Sunday evening UK time. Wise doesn't add a weekend markup.
Is Revolut safer than Wise now it is a bank?
Revolut became a fully licensed UK bank in March 2026, so eligible deposits are protected by the FSCS up to £120,000. Wise is an FCA-authorised e-money institution, so it safeguards your money but isn't covered by the FSCS. For money passing through for a transfer, both are reasonable. For long-term balances, FSCS cover gives Revolut the edge.
Can I use both Wise and Revolut?
Yes, and many people do. A common setup is Revolut for everyday spending and small weekday exchanges, and Wise for larger or weekend transfers. Both accounts are free to open.