Wise vs Revolut for International
Transfers: Full 2026 Comparison
Both apps promise to save you money on international transfers. But which is actually cheaper, faster, and more trustworthy — and when does each one win? We break it all down.
The Core Difference Between Wise and Revolut
Wise and Revolut are the two most popular international fintech apps globally — but they were designed with different priorities in mind, and that difference matters enormously when choosing between them.
Wise was founded in 2011 specifically to solve one problem: the enormous cost of sending money internationally. It does that one thing better than almost anyone else. Every feature — multi-currency accounts, local bank details, the debit card — is built around the core goal of moving money across borders at the real exchange rate.
Revolut, founded in 2015, is a financial super-app. It started as a low-cost travel card and expanded into full banking, stock investing, crypto, travel insurance, savings vaults, and budgeting analytics — all under one roof. International transfers are one of many features, not the singular focus.
- Mid-market exchange rate — always, 24/7
- Transparent fee shown before confirming
- 50+ currency accounts with local bank details
- LSE-listed, highest financial transparency
- Best for: transfers, travel spending, freelancers
- Free exchange up to £1,000/month (Standard)
- Interbank rate on weekdays — same as mid-market
- Stocks, ETFs, crypto, savings, insurance
- UK banking licence + FSCS deposit protection
- Best for: daily banking, small exchanges, all-in-one
Fee-by-Fee Breakdown
Both apps advertise low fees — but they calculate them very differently, and the hidden costs matter as much as the visible ones.
Wise Fees
Wise charges a transparent fee with two components: a small fixed fee and a variable percentage. Both are displayed in full before you confirm any transaction — no exceptions. For a £1,000 GBP→EUR transfer, expect to pay roughly £4.50–£7.00 total. The exact amount is shown on screen before you click confirm.
Revolut Fees
Revolut Standard (free plan) gives you £1,000/month in currency exchange at the interbank rate — completely free. Within that limit on a weekday, the fee is literally £0. Beyond that limit, a 0.5% fair usage fee kicks in. Paid plans (Plus: £2.99/month, Premium: £6.99/month) raise or remove the limit entirely.
| Scenario | Wise | Revolut Standard (Free) | Revolut Plus (£2.99/mo) |
|---|---|---|---|
| £500 transfer (weekday) | ~£3 | £0 | £0 |
| £1,000 transfer (weekday) | ~£5 | £0 | £0 |
| £2,000 transfer (weekday) | ~£12 | ~£5 (0.5% on £1k over limit) | £0 |
| £5,000 transfer (weekday) | ~£28 | ~£20 (0.5% on £4k over limit) | £0 |
| £5,000 transfer (weekend) | ~£28 | ~£25 (0.5% on all £5k) | ~£25 |
| £10,000 transfer (weekday) | ~£52 | ~£45 (0.5% on £9k) | £0 |
Exchange Rates: The Most Important Factor
The exchange rate is where the real money is. A 1% difference in exchange rate on a £10,000 transfer is £100. On a £50,000 transfer it's £500. This is why understanding exactly what rate each app applies — and when — matters far more than the visible fee.
Wise: Mid-Market Rate, Always
Wise always applies the real mid-market exchange rate — the mathematical midpoint between buy and sell prices on global currency markets. This is the exact rate you see on Google.com/currency, Reuters, and Bloomberg. Zero markup. Zero deviation. The only money Wise makes on a transfer is the transparent percentage fee — never from an inflated exchange rate.
Revolut: Interbank Rate on Weekdays, Markup on Weekends
On weekdays during market hours, Revolut uses the interbank rate — essentially equivalent to the mid-market rate and just as competitive as Wise. The critical difference appears on weekends: when currency markets close on Friday evening, Revolut applies a 0.5% markup on all exchanges to cover the exchange rate risk they absorb by offering a fixed rate while markets are closed.
🔢 What a 0.5% Weekend Markup Costs You in Real Money
£2,000 weekend exchange: £10 extra. £5,000 weekend exchange: £25 extra. £20,000 weekend exchange: £100 extra. For casual holidaymakers this is negligible. For frequent large exchangers, it adds up quickly — and Wise is always the better option for weekend transfers of any meaningful size.
The Weekend Problem — Visualised
| Transfer Amount | Day | Wise Total Cost | Revolut Standard Cost | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £1,000 | Monday | ~£5 | £0 (within limit) | Revolut wins: £5 cheaper |
| £1,000 | Saturday | ~£5 | ~£5 (0.5% markup) | Tie |
| £5,000 | Monday | ~£28 | ~£20 (0.5% on £4k) | Revolut wins: £8 cheaper |
| £5,000 | Saturday | ~£28 | ~£25 (0.5% on all) | Wise wins: £3 cheaper |
| £10,000 | Monday | ~£52 | ~£45 (0.5% on £9k) | Revolut wins: £7 cheaper |
| £10,000 | Saturday | ~£52 | ~£50 (0.5% on all) | Tie (Wise marginally) |
Transfer Speed Comparison
Both apps use local payment infrastructure rather than slow SWIFT international wires for most popular corridors — which is why they're so much faster than traditional banks.
| Corridor | Wise Speed | Revolut Speed (external bank) |
|---|---|---|
| GBP → EUR | Same day / often instant | 1–2 business days |
| GBP → USD | 1–2 business days | 1–3 business days |
| EUR → GBP | Same day / often instant | 1–2 business days |
| USD → EUR | 1–2 business days | 1–3 business days |
| GBP → AUD | 1–3 business days | 2–3 business days |
| GBP → INR | 1–2 business days | 2–4 business days |
| Revolut → Revolut (any currency) | N/A | Instant, always |
One area where Revolut wins clearly on speed: peer-to-peer transfers between Revolut users are always instant, regardless of currency. If your recipient also uses Revolut, the money arrives in seconds at no cost. Wise has no equivalent instant transfer feature for external users.
Account Features: Full Comparison
| Feature | Wise | Revolut Standard (Free) |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-currency account | ✔ 50+ currencies | ✔ 30+ currencies |
| Local bank details (receive like a local) | ✔ 20+ currencies (US, UK, EU, AU, CA, NZ...) | ✔ UK + EU only |
| Debit card (travel spending) | ✔ Free Mastercard | ✔ Free Mastercard/Visa |
| Foreign spend fee on card | 0% | 0% |
| Free ATM withdrawals | £200/month free, then 1.75% | £200/month free, then 2% |
| Stock investing | ✗ | ✔ Stocks & ETFs |
| Cryptocurrency | ✗ | ✔ 70+ coins |
| Travel insurance | ✗ | ✗ (paid plans only) |
| Savings vaults with interest | ✔ Via Wise Assets (~4.8% AER GBP) | ✔ 4.25% AER GBP (Standard) |
| Budgeting & spending analytics | Basic | ✔ Full analytics + categories |
| Spending pots / savings goals | ✗ | ✔ Named vaults with targets |
| Instant peer-to-peer transfers | ✗ (to external accounts only) | ✔ Instant to Revolut users |
| Customer support (free tier) | ✔ 24/7 chat + phone callback | Chat only (can be slow) |
Wise Wins On:
- More currencies with local bank details (20+ vs UK + EU only)
- Consistently better customer support on the free tier
- Weekend exchange rate consistency
- Transfer transparency — full cost shown before confirming
Revolut Wins On:
- Stock and ETF investing built in
- Cryptocurrency (70+ coins)
- Spending analytics and budgeting features
- Instant transfers to other Revolut users
- Full banking licence with FSCS deposit protection
- Free exchanges up to £1,000/month on Standard plan
Safety & Regulation
Wise Safety
Wise is authorised by the FCA (UK) and regulated by equivalent authorities in 50+ countries globally. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange (ticker: WISE) — subject to the strictest financial reporting requirements available. Customer funds are held in segregated accounts at Tier 1 banks including JPMorgan Chase, Barclays, and Citibank. These accounts are completely ring-fenced from Wise's operating capital — if Wise failed, your money would be returned separately from any insolvency proceedings.
Note: Wise holds an e-money licence, not a banking licence, in most markets. This means balances are not covered by FSCS deposit insurance (£85,000 UK). The mandatory e-money safeguarding rules provide strong equivalent protection, but it is technically different from FSCS.
Revolut Safety
Revolut received its full UK banking licence in 2024 — a major milestone. UK customer deposits are now covered by FSCS protection up to £85,000 — the same as Barclays or HSBC. EU customers benefit from the Lithuanian Deposit Insurance System up to €100,000. Revolut uses real-time fraud detection, biometric authentication, instant card freeze, and 3D Secure for online payments.
Real-World Scenarios: Which App Wins?
| Scenario | Best App | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sending £800 on a Tuesday | Revolut ✓ | Within free limit — genuinely £0 |
| Sending £800 on a Saturday | Tie | Both ~£4–5; Wise marginally better |
| Sending £5,000 on a Thursday | Revolut Plus (£2.99/mo) | £0 at Plus tier vs ~£28 on Wise |
| Sending £5,000 on a Saturday | Wise ✓ | Consistent mid-market rate; Revolut adds 0.5% weekend markup |
| Receiving salary in USD | Wise ✓ | Real US bank account details in your name |
| Daily UK banking + spending | Revolut ✓ | Full bank account, analytics, pots, FSCS |
| Investing spare cash | Revolut ✓ | Stocks, ETFs, crypto built in |
| Travel spending abroad | Tie | Both charge 0% on card spending |
| Customer support needed fast | Wise ✓ | 24/7 chat + phone on all tiers; Revolut slower on free |
| Instant transfer to a friend | Revolut ✓ | Instant if both use Revolut |
Final Verdict: Who Should Use Which?
Our Verdict — Use Both Strategically
There is no single winner because they're not true competitors — they're complementary tools built for different financial jobs. Both are free to open. Both take under 10 minutes to set up. Using them together costs nothing and covers virtually every international finance scenario at the lowest possible cost.