revolut prepaid travel card review

Revolut Travel Card Review: Is Revolut Good For Traveling?

by Melissa Giroux | Last updated Dec 5, 2023 | Travel Finances , Travel Tips

If you haven’t been living under a rock, you’ve probably already heard about the Revolut card. Revolut is a digital bank that was launched in 2015.

One of the main reasons it has gained so much popularity in such a small window of time is primarily due to the fact it has everything you would need from an online bank in a simple, modern, and easy-to-use app.

Before we do a complete Revolut review and how travelers can use the Revolut travel card abroad, let’s first look at the basics.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Revolut is good for traveling, especially if you choose a paid plan.
• You can use Revolut safely abroad, and you can block and unblock your card as much as you want. This can be helpful if you think an ATM or a shop seems a bit dodgy.
• The Revolut Premium and Metal plans offer travel medical insurance options and discounts on airport lounges, which are ideal for travelers.

Revolut Card: The Basics

Revolut has three different card types and four main plans, including Standard, Standard Plus, Premium, and Metal.

The Standard card has no fee and offers some basic benefits.

However, the Premium and Metal cards provide some exciting features, especially if you are a frequent traveler.

Here is a quick breakdown of the main benefits/prices of each of the cards:

**Revolut also has Revolut Business for companies, big and small, that do business beyond borders.  

Get Revolut Now

Another major advantage of the Revolut card is that it takes minutes to open an account.

All you need is a working phone number, and with that, you’ll be able to open an account and get a virtual bank card.

To get a physical card, you’ll need to order one, and it takes around 14 days to deliver. You will also need to veri f y your identity . 

One of the disadvantages of Revolut is that, at the moment, it isn’t available to residents of all countries.

Currently, only legal residents of the European Economic Area (EEA), Australia, Singapore, Switzerland, Japan, and the United States can download the online bank.  

Once you have your card and your identity is verified, you are ready to take full advantage of your Revolut card. This is where the fun begins.

If you are a meticulous traveler who loves planning and budget travel , then the Revolut travel card is the perfect solution for you.

Revolut Travel Card: Spending, Budgeting & Saving

The best part of the Revolut card is that the account section grants you the ability to look at all of your transactions by day, week, and even month.

You can also group transactions into specific categories. So, for example, if you budgeted 200 dollars for restaurants at X location for June, you can track all those costs in the app. 

You can also download statements, upload receipts and add notes to each transaction to keep track of your spending.

You can even split the bill if you are traveling with someone or send them money by scanning their QR code.

If you are traveling abroad, the app allows you to create multiple accounts in various currencies.

This means that you can exchange your US dollar for Euro and have two separate accounts in two different currencies.

This also means that whether you are traveling in France or the US, you can pay in the local currency. Be aware that not all currencies are currently available.

Nevertheless, if you are paying for something in a different currency, Revolut converts your account balance into the local currency using the real interbank exchange rate.

This allows you to avoid being charged a fee and a mediocre exchange rate set by the ATM provider or merchant acquirer.

Another great feature is that the app sends you a notification the second you pay with your card, even before the receipt has finished printing (as long as you are connected to the Internet).

The app also has vaults, where you can save money for travel . You can create multiple vaults, like a “travel to Egypt” vault or a “weekend spa getaway” vault.

You can fund the vaults with a one-time transfer, recurring transfer, or something the Revolut card calls spare change.

Spare change means the app will round up the spare change from your Revolut card spending and place it in this vault. 

Using Revolut Abroad

Can Revolut be used abroad? Yes! 

Now, you may be wondering “Is Revolut good for traveling?” It is!

I’ve been using Revolut abroad for a few years now, and it’s my go-to card.

So, how does Revolut work abroad?

With the Revolut travel card , you can transfer money abroad in 30+ currencies with the interbank exchange rate , with a small 0.5% fee for anything above €1,000 each month during the weekdays.

However, one disadvantage is that when markets are closed on the weekend, fees are charged at 0.5% and 1% on currency exchange rates no matter the transfer amount.

Revolut also charges an international fee, which will be listed in the payment breakdown when you are sending your money. 

The major advantage of Revolut is that it offers the ability to send money around without hidden fees and provides fast and secure money transfers.

The foreign exchange rate can be viewed on the Revolut app before exchanging currency or making a bank transfer involving foreign exchange.

The Revolut travel card also allows you to withdraw cash from an ATM using your Revolut card without fees.

The disadvantage of this is that if you have the standard plan, that means that you’ll only be able to take out 200 dollars per month. 

That being said, using a Revolut card abroad is fairly easy and safe.

Security: Preventing Fraud

One of the worst feelings in the world is realizing that your main travel card has been lost or cloned.

What usually ends up happening is a mad dash to call your main bank abroad to freeze the card and ask for a replacement.

Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. The problem is that some banks can take up to 3-4 weeks before they can send you a replacement card, which can ruin your time abroad. 

Revolut claims that it is 7x better than a regular bank in stopping card fraud. This is due to their anti-fraud system that helps keep fraudulent transactions under 0.01%.

But that’s not all. Revolut allows users to freeze and unfreeze their cards easily in the app, it takes seconds. 

You can also enable location-based security to reduce fraudulent transactions, disable contactless, online, swipe payments or even choose a monthly card spending limit for extra peace of mind.

And, if you do lose your card, you can order a replacement card in the app and ask for express delivery, which usually takes around 2-3 days, depending on your location.

Also, if you lose your phone, Revolut has an automated phone line to block your card instantly.

Extra Perks When Using Revolut Abroad

Although there aren’t many perks with the Standard and Standard Plus plans, if you are a frequent traveler, then you might consider opting for the Premium or Metal Plans. 

These plans have perks like pay-per-day travel medical insurance, which means that you can get location-trigger coverage and only pay for the days you use.

You can also upgrade for the delay and lost baggage insurance, emergency dental, and medical coverage, and even insure up to three adults and all your children. 

These plans also have lounge access to +1000 airport lounges globally and SmartDelay, which allows you to get an airport lounge pass if your flight is delayed more than an hour.

Get Revolut

Revolut Sign-Up Bonus Promotion

Upgrade to a global lifestyle with Revolut. Transform your finances when you level up to Premium with Revolut’s Premium trial .

You’ll get features to help you save, spend and invest smarter than ever.

Get a 3-month Revolut Premium subscription trial, effective today.

Note that this promotion work everywhere except for Australia and Singapore, where the offer is a cash bonus of $15 AUD in Australia and $15 SGD in Singapore.

All new Revolut customers are eligible.

Final Thoughts On Revolut Travel Card

It seems as if the Revolut card is the travel card of the future.

Not only can it be one of the best cards to use while you are abroad, but it also can be a great day-to-day bank card. 

Although the card has a lot of advantages, it is also important to note that there are still some countries where the card might not work.

For example, Revolut users have noted in previous years that the Revolut card didn’t work in many establishments in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Also, be wary that their online support service is not always the best, unlike your local bank.

If you do run into problems, there isn’t a physical location where you can go and talk with a manager. You’ll need to use the chat feature on the app, which can be better than having to call from abroad.

All in all, the Revolut card is a great card to travel with, but it shouldn’t replace your main bank card and instead might be a great backup card that you can use when abroad or if you’re a European expat.

If you’re American, read our Revolut USA review .

Read more about the best banking options for expats .

If you’re not sure if Revolut is the right card for you, you may want to open a multi-currency account with Wise . Learn more about Wise here or compare both Wise and Revolut .

If you want to keep cash flowing even while abroad, you must check out these ways to make money while traveling !

MY TOP RECOMMENDATIONS

BOOK HOTEL ON BOOKING.COM

BOOK HOSTEL ON HOSTELWORLD

GET YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE

LEARN HOW TO START A TRAVEL BLOG

LEARN HOW TO VOLUNTEER ABROAD

•   Argentina
•   Australia
•   Brasil
•   Canada
•   Deutschland
•   España
•   France
•   India
•   Italia
•   Magyarország
•   Malaysia
•   New Zealand
•   Polska
•   Portugal
•   România
•   Singapore
•   United Kingdom
•   United States
•   繁體中文 (香港)

Revolut travel card review: Rates, fees & limits [2024]

The Revolut travel card is a multi-currency card you can use for convenient spending and withdrawals in the US and when you’re abroad.

This guide walks through everything you need to know about how the Revolut travel card works, its key features and benefits, and the fees associated with using it. We’ll also touch on some alternatives to use abroad, such as the Wise travel card, as a comparison.

Revolut travel card: key features

Revolut offers 3 different account plans

• The Standard plan has no monthly fee to pay, while the Premium and Metal account plans have monthly costs, but also include more features and higher no-fee transaction limits.
• All accounts come with a travel card for spending and withdrawals, but the exact card type you get will depend on the account tier you choose. With the highest tier of account you get an exclusive solid steel Metal card, while all account types can also opt for a personalized card.
• Virtual cards are also available on all account plans, which can be used for mobile and online spending, and added to a walleye like Apple Pay.

We’ll walk through the Revolut travel card in detail throughout this guide, including how it works at home and abroad.

Go to Revolut Here are a few pros and cons of the Revolut travel card to kickstart our full review:

The Revolut travel card offers an easy and flexible way to hold, spend and exchange multiple currencies, with just your card and your phone. You’ll be able to choose the plan that suits your specific needs and transaction requirements, including some with no monthly costs associated. Once you’ve opened a verified account you can order your physical card in the Revolut app, and start spending right away online or using a mobile wallet, with your virtual card.

Who is the Revolut travel card for?

The Revolut travel card can suit frequent travelers as well as anyone living, studying or working abroad. You may want to get a Revolut travel card if:

• You’re a traveler spending in foreign currencies often
• You love to shop online at home and abroad
• You want a virtual card for security
• You’d prefer to manage your money using just your phone

Go to Revolut

What is a Revolut travel card?

The Revolut travel card is a payment card linked to a Revolut digital account. There are several different Revolut cards which are issued with different Revolut account plans – all are debit cards, and all can be used for global spending and cash withdrawals.

If you are looking for more information about Revolut: Revolut review

Is the Revolut Travel card a multi-currency card?

Yes. You can hold around 25 currencies in the Revolut account and spend conveniently in multiple currencies around the world.

Compare the Revolut travel money card to alternative options like the Wise travel money card , to see which suits you best. More on that, next.

Alternatives to Revolut travel card

Non-bank providers like Revolut can be a cost effective way to spend at home and abroad. They’ve often got fairly low fees, and tend to be innovative, offering some helpful and unusual account features to suit different customer needs.

Here’s a quick look at how Revolut lines up on features and fees against a couple of other non-bank services from Wise and Chime .

*Information correct at time of writing, 13th October 2023

Go to Revolut Go to Wise

Wise travel card

Hold 40+ currencies and spend in 150+ countries, with mid-market rate currency conversion, no minimum balance and no monthly fees. You can open your Wise account online and order a card for home delivery. Use your card to spend and make cash withdrawals globally, and get instant in-app notifications to keep on top of your finances.

Go to Wise  

Learn more: Wise card review

Chime debit card

Chime accounts have no monthly fees and no minimum balance. In fact there are very few fees to worry about at all. You can only hold USD in your Chime account, but you’ll still be able to use your card around the world to spend in any currency. Your overseas spending will be converted back to USD using the network exchange rate with no foreign transaction fee.

Revolut travel card fees & spending limits

As with any travel card, there are some fees involved in using the Revolut travel card. There are also a few limits applied to keep customers and their accounts safe. Here’s a rundown of the limits for the Revolut travel card:

*Details correct at the time of research – 13th October 2023

Here are the Revolut travel card fees you’ll need to be familiar with:

Exchange rates

All Revolut accounts have some currency exchange every month which uses the mid-market exchange rate. Standard plan holders can convert up to 1,000 USD a month, Premium plan holders can get 10,000 USD a month and Metal plan holders have unlimited conversion with the mid-market rate.

It’s important to note that out of hours conversion fees apply, which means you pay 1% extra when exchanging currencies at the weekend or overnight. If your plan has a limited amount of mid-market rate conversion, you’ll be charged a 0.5% fair usage fee once this is exceeded.

How to get Revolut travel card

To order your Revolut travel card you’ll need to have an active Revolut account. Download the Revolut app, and you can get your new account in just a few taps, by entering your personal information and getting verified.

Once you’ve got your Revolut account set up all you need to do is open the Revolut app and go to the ‘Cards’ tab. Here you’ll see the option to get a physical or virtual card, and to create a card PIN.

What documents you’ll need

To verify your Revolut account you’ll need to upload a selfie and a photo of one of the following documents:

• Driving license

If you don’t have these documents available, you can reach out to Revolut to understand which other documents may be used in your specific situation.

What happens when the card expires?

Revolut will contact you 28 days before your card is due to expire, so you can order a new one in good time. Standard shipping has no fee when getting a new card to replace an expiring Revolut travel card.

How to use a Revolut travel card?

The Revolut travel card is a debit card issued on either the Visa or Mastercard network. That means you can use it to pay or make a withdrawal anywhere you see the logo of your card’s network being displayed, globally. You’ll also be able to add your card or your virtual card to your preferred mobile wallet for on the go payments.

How to withdraw cash with a Revolut travel card?

To make an ATM withdrawal with a Revolut travel card you’ll need to first find an ATM that supports your card network. You can then just insert the card into the ATM and enter your PIN, then the amount you want to withdraw. Easy.

Is the card safe?

Yes. The Revolut card in the US is issued by Community Federal Savings Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to license by Visa.

How to use the Revolut travel card overseas?

You can spend with your Revolut travel card in about 150 countries , anywhere the card network is accepted. If you hold the currency you need in your account there’s no fee, but an exchange or fair usage fee may apply in some situations – if you’ve exhausted your monthly currency exchange limits, or if you’re exchanging out of hours for example.

If Revolut doesn’t support holding the currency you need, it’s worth checking out Wise which has a broader selection of 40+ currencies for holding and exchange.

Conclusion: is the Revolut travel card worth it?

The Revolut travel card is a flexible option for holding 25+ currencies and spending globally in 150+ countries. Depending on the account tier you select you may pay a monthly fee, and some transaction fees are also likely to apply. Compare the Revolut travel card against some alternatives like the Wise travel card and the Chime debit card to see which suits you best.

The Wise card may suit you if you’re looking for a powerful international account that can hold 40+ currencies, and receive payments in multiple currencies with local bank details. Chime may be a good pick for customers looking for a USD account with pretty much no fees to pay which you can use at home and abroad.

Revolut travel card review FAQ

How does the Revolut travel card work?

The Revolut travel card is linked to a digital account you can hold about 25 currencies in. Add money to your account in USD and then you can start spending and making withdrawals globally.

Is the Revolut travel card an international card?

Yes. The Revolut travel card supports spending in about 150 countries, and you can hold 25+ currencies in your account.

Are there any alternatives to a Revolut travel card?

Other non-bank providers like Wise and Chime also offer spending cards which have their own features and fees. It’s worth comparing these against the Revolut travel card to see which suits you best.

 Get a 3 month Revolut Premium trial.  Click here

I’ve been traveling for almost 20 years, and until this year I hadn’t found a good spending solution.

I’m sure the stress (before I heard of Revolut) sounds familiar. For 20 years I went back and forth with:

Should I exchange money at the airport, or take money out from an ATM?

Why tf is my bank charging me so much more in exchange rate fees?

Wait, the bank charges a conversion fee AND an international transaction fee?!

I’d come to the conclusion that this was what it meant to be privledged to travel overseas – that you had to suck it up and eat the bank fees.

This past year though, I’ve traveled with Revolut in my wallet (both my phsical wallet, and my Apple wallet). And it’s saved me serious money.

Revolut is financial website and digital app used by 35+ million people, with the tools you need to easily spend, transfer, and protect your money overseas. You can set up accounts in multiple currencies, get a debit card for travel, and you can do it for no monthly fee on the Standard plan.

It’s quick to sign up for a standard account, and there is no monthly fee. If you click here you get a 3 month trial of Revolut premium (higher limits on ATM withdrawrals & currency exchange).

There are already a million Revolut reviews (spoiler – it’s trusted), so why bother writing another? Because the look of that sexy black metal card in my wallet ACTUALLY excites me.

So read on to get excited with me – Revolut is now the only way I spend my money. 

Revolut Travel Card Review: Why I Only Spend Money With Revolut

I’m so happy excited using revolut.

All photos in this post are of the metal card, only available on the Metal plan

I didn’t want to write about ‘just another travel card’ until I had very thoroughly tested it and finally found a permanent solution. So since May I have used my Revolut card in the UK, Greece, Spain, Australia, and Morocco.

It’s the best travel card I’ve had, has changed the way I spend money, and I do get a mini adrenalin kick whenever I see the exchange rate they charge me, and realize that I’ve just beaten the banks.

Though I do wonder if it really counts as saving if I buy another mojito with the extra cash?!

Here are 10 quick reasons to love Revolut before jumping into the full details:

• No monthly fee on Standard plan, paid plans available
• Can top-up and hold accounts in several currencies
• Make payments in 150+ countries
• Phsyical debit card
• Withdrawals at over 55,000 ATMs worldwide (Up to plan’s limits)
• Track your spending in the Revolut app
• Quick currency conversions for 30+ currencies
• Great value with the Revolut exchange rate
• Compatible with Google Pay and Apple Pay
• Fantastic security features for travelers

Who are Revolut?

Revolut is a British financial technology company who have built an amazing reputation since starting in 2015.

They offer banking and travel cards , with accounts for multiple currencies, and while these work the same as opening an account with a linked debit card with any other traditional bank, Revolut was specifically created to help you make the most of your money.

They have great features like instant accounts, and virtual cards, unlimited foreign exchange  (fees may apply outside of plan allowance), and cashback on specific purchases. You can convert currencies in an instant and load up to 30+ currencies on your travel money card, without having to exchange money at the airport again.

I’ve made cash withdrawrals in both Morocco, the UK, and Greece, on amazing exchange rates, basically as if my account was local.

After having put it to the test over the course of 6 months, Revolut has saved me a lot of money.

Withdrawing Money from ATMs

Spoiler: no fee withdrawals / great rates / find atms in the app.

When you open an account with Revolut , you instantly get access to virtual cards, which I linked to my Apple Wallet and was using to pay for things the next day (good reason to go through McDonalds for coffee – I needed to test Revolut!).

And I’ve paid for most things using my virtual Revolut card, including the London Tube, which I was incredibly impressed when I found I could just tap my phone on either end without having to fight with a ticket machine.

But despite most of the world being cash free, I still always stop by an ATM.

I’ve  always found I need cash at some point when I’m traveling. There’s always amazing street food, or someone to tip, or your phone battery dies because you’re using it 10 times more than at home, from taking 1,000 selfies, to constantly running Google maps.

And in many countries still, cash is king.

Withdrawing money from overseas ATMs can be expensive using a home bank card, and cost you a lot of money in fees.

But Revolut allows you to withdraw money from ATMs overseas without fees , within limits per month depending on the plan you’re on. I’ve taken money out in both Greece and Morocco, and it was stupidly easy.

Make sure you activate your card, set up your pin number, and turn ATM withdrawrals ON within the mobile app. If you don’t want to make ATM withdrawrals, you can turn this off, which is extra security in case your card is lost.

Pro tip: Within the mobile app is an ATM locator , which allows you to share your locaiton and it will find ATMs nearby.

Fees may apply outside of your plan allowance and ATM operator may charge their own fees.

Best Currency Exchange Rate

Spoiler: it beat the google exchange rate for me.

Revolut offers one of the best exchange rates around which is why they’re one of the most popular options for travel cards.

There’s even a currency converter  on their website (and in the app) where you can check the real exchange rate at that moment in time.

If you  really  want to get the most out of your money, you can set up multiple currency accounts, and convert your money to the local currency you plan to use when the exhange rate is at it’s best. This is called locking in your exchange rate.

Or, if you know it doesn’t really fluctuate too much, you can keep your money in your home currency account (AUD for me), and when you spend on Revolut, it converts your money based on the exchange rate of the day.

I personally leave my money in AUD because I find it simpler. Market exchange rates are changing all the time, almost every day, and I personally don’t find value in spending my time keeping an eye on the rates to decide when I’ll get the most of an exchange.

You can definitely do this, but I found I saved money all the same.

If you’re a digital nomad and you’re recieving payments in multiple currencies, Revolut accounts are also a great way to recieve money in foreign currencies without the crazy foreign currency fees, or PayPal exchange rates.

There is a weekend markup on exchange rates, so keep this in mind.

Track Your Spending in the Revolut App

The Revolut app is seriously good , and it’s very easy to track your spending, and do everything you need to do from your phone.

Keeping in mind that there is no traditional phone or in-branch banking with Revolut, everything is based off the app. Which is fortunately one of the easiest, most well thought-out and use intuitive apps I’ve used.

Through the app, you can see all of your individual transactions, and there are also instant spending notifications – alerts for transactions in and out of your account.

You can add money to your accounts, add new and exchange money between your currency accounts, access your currency converter, pull up your statements, set a monthly budget, set a spending limit on your cards.

If you’re spending one currency, and pulling it from your base currency account (ie me spending Euro in Europe, without having converted my AUD), each transaction shows you both the amount you spent in your currency, and the amount you spent in the foreign.

Choosing the Right Plan for You

Revolut standard – no fee.

The Revolut standard plan is fantastic, and doesn’t have monthly account fees. There are no fees for ATM withdrawals ($350/m limit), it comes with one debit card, and there are no currency exchange fees from Monday to Friday, to a $2,000 per month limit.

• Account fee – $0
• Australian ATM fee – $0 (up to $350/month) and 2% of withdrawal amount after that
• Foreign transaction fee – 0%- 1.5% (depending on amount and when the transfer is made)
• Overseas ATM fee – $0 (up to $350/month) and 2% of withdrawal amount after that

This is an account and card you can use at both home and abroad, with no catches or hidden fees if you use it within the above limits. 

It comes with a Revolut Visa card that connects to their app and your digital wallets, and you can spend money in over 150+ countries.

Honestly, this has everything you need if you want a basic no fills spending solution. But there are also paid plans you can consider, with some great extra features if they better suit your lifestyle.

Revolut Premium – Click here for a 3 month trial

• Account fee: $9.99/month
• Australian ATM fee: $0 (up to $700/month) and 2% of withdrawal amount after that
• Foreign transaction fee: 0%- 1.5% (depending on amount and when the transfer is made)
• Overseas ATM fee: $0 (up to $700/month) and 2% of withdrawal amount after that

With the Premium Revolut account, you pay a $9.99 AUD monthly account fee, and have benefits you don’t get with the standard account.

Premium users have transfers in 30+ major currencies up to a $20,000 monthly limit (Monday to Friday, otherwise an additional 1% fee is charged). The no-fee ATM withdrawal limit is also raised to $700 AUD.

You can choose the color of your Visa card, get priority customer support with the app, and can access disposable virtual cards for greater online security (these cards regenerate after every transaction keeping your card details safe).

You also get discounts to LoungeKey Passes which offer access to over 1,000 airport lounges around the world and can buy these within the app.

Click this link to get a 3 month trial of their premium account.

Revolut Metal – The Plan I’m On Personally

• Account fee: $24.99/month
• Australian ATM fee: $0 (up to $1,400/month) and 2% of withdrawal amount after that
• Foreign transaction fee: 0%-1% (depending on when the transfer is made)
• Overseas ATM fee: $0 (up to $1,400/month) and 2% of withdrawal amount after that

The Revolut Metal account has everything the Premium tier has to offer, but it does also come with a fancy Revolut Metal card. This is the plan I am personally on , and the Metal card is the card you see in my photos.

Metal users are also the only customers able to take advantage of the Revolut’s cashback feature. That includes 1% cashback for card payments made outside of Australia and 0.1% cashback for those made within Australia.

There is a cashback limit for metal plan, up to the cost of the plan.

Comparison of Revolut Account Plans

My travel spending and lifestyle might not be the same as yours, so do make your own decision about the plan which is right for you.

My recommendation:  Check out the standard account for yourself (or take advantage of the  premium trial while it lasts ) and then check out the paid options if you think an upgrade aligns with what you need.

This table is correct as of December 2023, but before deciding which account is right for you, I recommend you  go to the Revolut website to check if anything has changed.

I’ve been seriously impressed with Revolut’s security features , and this is not something I found mentioned in other online reviews, so I think it’s well worth writing about.

The Revolut mobile app is full of security you can tailor to your needs. While I open my online account on my browser with my passcode, I open the phone app using FaceID for extra security.

Their offer of disposable virtual cards for premium account users is fantastic. This is a single use virtual card for online shopping, which is good for one use, and then expires.

If you’re worried about entering your card details into a foreign computer while you’re traveling, or perhaps you’re forced to use public WiFi to buy something, you can use this disposable virtual card and not have to worry about exposing the main.

You can lock or freeze any cards whenever you need. And within each card settings, you have the option to tailor your card security to your needs, turning features on and off like online shopping, swipe payments, ATM withdrawrals, and contactless payments.

These security features  do  work , as the first time I tried to use my Revolut card, it declined my attempt at a contactless payment. I went into the settings, toggled contactless payments ON, and the payment then worked (check your card settings before you use).

I’ve also never had my account frozen or locked because I was spending in a foreign country, as most banks tend to do. That said, spending money overseas is the whole point of Revolut!

How to Sign Up

Offering an efficient foreign currency exchange service, no-fee ATM withdrawals, and no hidden fees when it comes to transfers, Revolut is baggage free!

Signing up to Revolut is all done via their app.

Click here and then you’ll provide your mobile number, name, address, and payment details (if you’re signing up for a Premium or Metal account).

Opening an account is instant, and you can then add money with your account details as you would by making any other domestic transfer.

Revolut will send the corresponding debit card to your given address, which you can then activate (remember to set up your security features) in the app before you start using it.

It’s that simple and easy!

My Australian credit cards have a terrible exchange rate, and have always charged me 3% per transaction overseas.

So now I exclusively travel with Revolut in my wallet.

Check out Revolut’s website to find out more and see if it’s right for you.

I’m home from my last trip and still have $62.07 sitting in my Revolut account. If I had come home with that in cash, I would have lost it to my jars of leftover foreign currency.

While I could transfer it back to my main bank, I’ll leave it sitting there knowing I’m using Revolut again , the next time I travel.

If You Liked This Post You May Also Like:

Things to Know about International Credit Card Payments

Should You Use a Debit Card or Credit Card When You’re Traveling?

How to be Smart When Spending Money Overseas

Megan is an Australian Journalist and award-winning travel writer who has been blogging since 2007. Her husband Mike is the American naturalist and wildlife photographer behind  Waking Up Wild ; an online magazine dedicated to opening your eyes to the wonders of the wild & natural world.

Having visited 100+ countries across all seven continents, Megan’s travels focus on cultural immersion, authentic discovery and incredible journeys. She has a strong passion for ecotourism, and aims to promote responsible travel experiences.

Charlie Schwab for us Amerikanski’s. Been using their debit across the world for 12 years. No fee ATM’s with unlimited rebates when machines charge, great currency conversion rates pretty much equal to the XE App

Post a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Search This Site

I am Megan Jerrard, professional travel blogger/journalist with a focus on adventure, discovery, immersion and inspiring you to explore!

Recent Posts

• The Best Sustainable Ways to Get Around on Vacation
• Navigating Food Choices Abroad for Health-Conscious Adventurers
• 6 Thoughtful Gestures to Make Mom Feel Special from Anywhere in the World
• Unforgettable Indonesian Cruise Tours & Packages: Exploring Islands from Bali to New Guinea
• Navigating Massachusetts’ Hidden Gems: A Solo Traveler’s Guide

Popular posts

• International Love: Maintaining a Long Distance Relationship
• Illegal Ink – 11 Countries Where Showing Your Tattoos Could Get You Kicked Out!
• 7 Things To Know Before Travelling by Overnight Train in Vietnam
• A Travelers Guide to Tap Water: Countries Where The Drinking Water is Unsafe
• Countries That Don’t Celebrate Christmas

Revolut Review: Is Revolut Travel Card a Good Choice for Travelers?

• December 22, 2019
• Categories: Travel finances , Travel tips

Click and share this article:

Traveling can free your spirit and help you gain some distance from everyday matters. But on the other hand, a well-organized trip requires a proper arrangement. Also financial. So in this article, I share with you my Revolut review – the travel prepaid card that I personally use since 2018. And I show how you can use it to reduce your travel expenses .

Years ago, before I finally learned about how to be conscious of my finances and home budget, I was struggling with using my bank cards and spending money abroad. I knew that paying with my Polish debit card in other currencies cost me money. But I was not aware of the existence of any solutions. I even didn’t know how high was the exchange rate for my card. Does it sound familiar to you?

But when I started to travel more, I knew it was the time to upgrade my financial game as well. Then I discovered the Revolut card. And ordering it was one of the best things I could do for my travel budget.

Read this article to find out if Revolut will be right for you as well and find the answer to your question “Why should I use Revolut?”

Table of contents:

Quick Revolut Review

Revolut – what is it.

• – How I discovered Revolut?
• – What is the Revolut exchange rate?
• – How to save money with Revolut card?
• – Revolut currencies
• – Who is Revolut for?
• How does Revolut work? Quick tutorials for better understanding:
• – How to create a Revolut account?
• – How to transfer money to Revolut?
• – How to exchange money in Revolut?
• – How to withdraw cash with Revolut?
• Revolut card review:
• – How to order the Revolut card?
• – Is the Revolut credit card?

Is Revolut free? What are the Revolut fees and Revolut card fees?

• – The simple rules for standard Revolut fees
• – Revolut plans comparison

Revolut for travel – is it worth it?

• – Overseas Medical Insurance
• – LoungePass
• – Concierge services

FAQ: Everything you need to know about Revolut:

• – Is Revolut a bank?
• – How does Revolut make money?
• – Is Revolut safe?
• – It helps you save money by creating dedicated vaults
• – Cryptocurrency
• – Revolut refer a friend – how it works?
• – Can I have a business account in Revolut?

Revolut review resume:

• – Why I love using Revolut card
• – What I don’t like about Revolut

Disclaimer: This post contains some affiliate links. That means that if you click on them or make any purchase via them, I receive a small commission. But don’t worry, this will not cost you anything and in a few cases, you can even receive a special discount! And I will still be able to chase my dreams. So thank you!

If you’re looking for a highly effective multicurrency card to accompany your trips, Revolut is a great solution. By many people, it is considered as number #1 among the international currency cards . If you remember about a few rules listed below you can use it almost for free. Worldwide!

I personally use Revolut for the second year already. Many times it helped me to forget about currency issues and to travel with financial peace of mind. If you’re ready to reach the same level of travel finances mastering , ordering the Revolut card by clicking below is your first step on this path.

Sign up to Revolut for free!

The obvious way to begin the Revolut review – let me explain to you what is Revolut.

In the simplest words, Revolut is a prepaid multi-currency card in which you can operate in a similar way to a traditional bank card, by using a dedicated Revolut app.

Your Revolut account is connected to your standard bank account from where you can send money immediately to the app. Once your Revolut balance is filled with money you can exchange it up to 31 currencies with only a few clicks in your Revolut app. It all happens in seconds so you can use the exchanged money on your physical card immediately !

The physical Revolut card, associated with your current Revolut account, lets you pay anywhere where Visa and Mastercard are accepted, in over 150 countries. You can also manage international money transfers and freely withdraw cash from any cash machine around the world! (you should only lookout for the hidden ATM costs – more on that later on).

How I discovered Revolut?

Before I get the Revolut card, I was also using a currency card from a Polish bank. Unfortunately, it covered only EUR currency, and to load it with money from my main account in PLN I usually needed to wait for a whole bank session (so a few hours at least).

But one day, I saw someone mentioning using Revolut abroad in one of the Facebook groups for digital nomads. Surprisingly, it had almost only positive opinions in this group.

So I decided to give it a try before my first big trip when I left for 2 months to the Caribbean. Revolut was there with me and did a perfect job!

What is the Revolut exchange rate?

While using a traditional bank card, your expenses in a currency different from the currency of your card are often charged with a bank exchange rate which is a direct bank margin for service.

Revolut exchange rate is much better for your finances because the app uses the interbank exchange rate . This is the same rate at which banks swap currencies directly between each other so there is no markup added to your Revolut money transfers.

Currently, Revolut adds a small markup of 1% only to Thai Baht and Ukrainian Hryvnia exchanges.

How to save money with Revolut card?

To understand better how Revolut can help you save some money on traveling, let me show you an example. We will compare the travel expenses for using both Revolut and my traditional bank card (with the main account in Polish Złoty, and with the bank’s markup on the exchange rate).

Our designed expenses:

• flights: 80€
• accommodation: 150€
• activities: 58€

In total we must spent 80 + 150 + 75 + 58 = 363€.

Now let’s compare the screenshots of exchange rates of Revolut and traditional bank for the day of 17.12.2019.

As you can see, the exchange rate difference is pretty big. 1 PLN in Revolut is worth 0,2346 € and at the same time, my traditional bank price it for 0,2280 €.

It means that in Revolut I can buy 1€ for 4,27 PLN, while in the bank – for 4,39 PLN. That’s the difference of 0,12 PLN!

Now you might say it’s just some cents literally. But let’s come back to our travel example. To afford our little trip I must spend:

• in Revolut: 1550,01 PLN
• in the bank: 1593,57 PLN

And that’s the difference of 43,56 PLN! And that’s already becoming a nice amount of money. For this price, I could buy an occasional flight ticket from Gdańsk to Vienna for March 2020. Did I get your curiosity already?

Read more: Wanna know more travel saving hacks? Click here to find my 15 best tips!

Revolut currencies

Currently, Revolut offers up to 31 currencies which practically allows you to pay in the most popular travel destinations with a single one prepaid card.

The actual Revolut currencies:

• AED ( The United Arab Emirates dirham)
• AUD (Australian dollar)
• BGN (Bulgarian lev)
• CAD (Canadian dollar)
• CHF (Swiss franc)
• CZK (Czech koruna)
• DKK (Danish krone)
• GBP (British pound)
• HKD (Hong Kong dollar)
• HRK (Croatian kuna)
• HUF (Hungarian forint)
• ILS (Israeli shekel)
• ISK (Iceland krona)
• JPY (Japanese yen)
• MAD (Moroccan dirham)
• MXN (Mexican peso)
• NOK (Norwegian krone)
• NZD (New Zealand dollar)
• PLN (Polish zloty)
• QAR (Qatari riyal)
• RON (Romanian leu)
• RSD (Serbian dinar)
• RUB (Russian Ruble)
• SAR (Saudi Arabian riyal)
• SEK (Swedish krona)
• SGD (Singapore dollar)
• THB (Thai baht)
• TRY (Turkish lira)
• USD (The United States dollar)
• ZAR (South African rand)

Who is Revolut for?

Revolut card is a perfect solution for anyone who travels . I would not decide to write this Revolut review if I wouldn’t use Revolut to travel on my own. Revolut allows you to create virtual wallets in your app, where with a few clicks you can exchange currencies you need for your next trip.

Moreover, Revolut offers some additional offers for travelers , such as travel insurance, concierge service, or even the entrances to airport lounges.

But in fact, Revolut is great even if you’re not traveling at a moment. You can use it in your home country as well. Personally, I use it to make purchases online – when I buy, let’s say, ebooks or digital courses which have prices in dollars or euros, I use Revolut to save some money thanks to using interbank exchange rates.

Click here to get your Revolut account!

How does Revolut work? Quick tutorials for better understanding

Now, when you get the overall idea about how does Revolut works, let’s jump into some basic operation with the app and card so you can easily start your adventure with Revolut!

How to create a Revolut account?

Creating a Revolut account couldn’t be simpler. All you need to do is to submit your phone number on the Revolut website . Then, you receive a message with a link to download the app directly to your phone. The second step is choosing your passcode and entering your personal data with the home address. And this is it! You don’t even need to leave your house to create Revolut account.

After creating a new account you should also validate your identity by scanning your ID card and taking the photo of your face. You can do it by following the steps mentioned under “Profile” -> “Personal details”.

How to transfer money to Revolut?

In order to top up your Revolut account, you need to add your standard bank card information to the app. Once you do it, you can top up money from your main bank account to your Revolut account so they will be ready to use for foreign exchange, or making Revolut money transfer.

Always remember to top up money to the Revolut account in the same currency that is operated by your bank. In another case, your bank may charge you with its exchange rates.

How to exchange money in Revolut?

Exchanging money in Revolut is so simple and you can do it with only a few clicks. In your main dashboard click “Exchange” and then choose your currency. You’ll see the actual exchange rate. It changes a little bit all the time because it’s the real interbank exchange. Choose how much money you want to exchange, click the button and voila! The exchanged money you can use while sending transfers directly from the app or by using the physical card in the local currency that you chose.

How to withdraw cash with Revolut?

You can withdraw cash from your Revolut account in any ATM anywhere in the world . Nevertheless, there are some rules you should remember in order to avoid additional costs.

• Sometimes ATM might ask you to choose between “credit”, “checking”, or “savings”. Always choose “checking” or “savings”.
• ATM might also ask if you would like to withdraw cash “with conversion” or “without conversion”. Always choose “without conversion” . Otherwise, you might be charged by some additional fees by the ATM. You should always aim to withdraw cash in the local currency of the country you’re currently in. Of course, remember to exchange this currency in the app before the withdrawal.

Revolut card review

Once you downloaded the Revolut app, created your account, and loaded it up with the money, you can order a physical card as well.

I really regret I didn’t take a photo of my card when it finally came. The user experience of opening it was designed so exciting! This Revolut card review is not completely full without showing you the opening of the colorful box, cleverly designed to deliver your card. Only confetti and trumpets were missing. Well, you must trust me it was cool!

How to order the Revolut card?

Once you created your account and topped up some money, it’s time to order a physical card. To do it through the app, simply go to “Cards” -> “Physical” and follow the instructions. The delivery time for standard shipping is actually up to 9 working days.

Is the Revolut credit card?

No, Revolut does not offer credit cards. The card that is associated with your Revolut account is a prepaid card that you can load with a money transfer from the account in your main bank.

Nothing in the world is free. But if you’re clever enough, you can enjoy many things for free. With Revolut it’s the same. Although in some cases it adds markups, there are no hidden Revolut fees for users. Here I explain to you how to use Revolut legally and efficiently during your trips.

The simple rules for standard Revolut fees:

• free cross-currency exchanges up to 5000 GBP per rolling month (during weekdays) – the exchanges above this amount applies with a 0,5% fee
• free cash withdrawals up to 200 GBP per rolling month – above this amount, a markup of 2% will be added
• a flat markup of 0,5% is added to most currency exchanges on weekends (some currencies such as Thai Baht and Ukrainian Hryvnia gets the 2% markup in total) – that’s because the currencies constantly fluctuates, and the markets are closed on Saturdays and Sundays. Thanks to this markup, Revolut protect itself against unusual fluctuations

So as you can see, the general Revolut costs are pretty simple . If you want to avoid them, simply remember to pay mostly by card and not by cash, and to exchange your currency in the app before the weekend . Easy peasy!

Revolut plans comparison

Revolut fees mentioned above regard the Standard account which is in general free. But if you’ve got more sophisticated needs, Revolut offers two other accounts – Premium and Metal – which are dedicated to more demanding users.

In this section, I tell you about the most interesting additional Revolut services from the point of view of us – travelers. By using the Revolut app you can get access to Medical Insurance Overseas and the Lounge Passes. Interested?

Overseas Medical Insurance

Revolut aims to take care of its users. That’s why they offer medical insurance as one of their additional options. You can purchase it within a few minutes in your app by choosing one of two options:

• Pay-per-Day: you set up the days of your trip and you’re charged per each of the trip days
• Annual: you can purchase the whole-year insurance for 30 GBP

Revolut uses geolocation to count the insurance price for you which is so useful from the user’s point of view.

You can also extend your insurance by adding winter sports or covering your travel companions.

The Revolut’s insurance is provided by White Horse Insurance Ireland. To know more about travel insurance, click here .

P.S. I’ve been not using Revolut insurance yet so I cannot recommend you using it or not. Although, travel insurances are an important thing, so always think about purchasing one!

If you’re a Premium or Metal account user, you can get access to over 1000 airport lounges around the world. Revolut cooperates with LoungeKey Pass and gives you the possibility to easily book your pass for you and your travel companions via the Revolut app.

Concierge services

Concierge services are one of the most exclusive Revolut options dedicated to the most demanding users of Metal cards. After filling up your profile with personal preferences, you can easily contact the concierge customer service and ask for the recommendations and help with booking accommodation, restaurants, and events in your travel destination. Kind of luxurious, right?

Here you find the answers to some common questions about this finance product. If you want me to add anything to this section of the Revolut review, leave your question in the comment section below.

Is Revolut a bank?

No, it’s not. Currently, Revolut is an Electronic Money Institution. However, Revolut already received a European banking license, but for now, it’s not officially a bank.

How does Revolut make money?

Although it seems like Revolut is almost free service, it still earns some money, mostly on Premium and Metal cards monthly fees. But also on small markups added in situations mentioned above, and on cross-selling of other services like travel insurance or concierge service. So in fact, the Revolut business model is a simple thing.

Is Revolut safe?

This is a question that any potential Revolut user should ask. At the moment of writing of this Revolut review article, Revolut was not a bank. It might be suspicious to give our money to a company like this.

But in fact, Revolut takes good care of the funds send to its accounts. In fact, the money stored by Revolut is actually directed to dedicated accounts in the British Lloyds Bank – a well established British retail and commercial bank. In case of any Revolut financial problems, your money will be refunded to you from this bank.

The Revolut cards are the propriety of well-known companies – Mastercard, Maestro, and Visa . Therefore, they are subject to their regulations.

In the end, we can say that using Revolut for spending money around the world is totally safe. The only thing that I suggest you not to do is not to deposit the savings of your life there. Revolut currently is not supported by any deposit insurance company. It means that if you’ll lose dozens of thousands of dollars or euros because of Revolut’s financial issues, you might have a problem with receiving them back.

So the savings I prefer to deposit in a traditional bank. But besides this, I found Revolut a great option to operate on the smaller amounts of money which I currently need for a trip.

It helps you save money by creating dedicated vaults

Besides my last words, Revolut still can be a good place to save money for smaller goals. Such as the next travel for instance.

In your Revolut app, you can create vaults for any goal you want . Simply fill them up with money whenever you want but you can also use clever help of Revolut. You can use a setting which saves some small change from any transaction you make with Revolut. Or, you can even set it up to double or triple each time! Thanks to this solution you can save money in your vaults almost without noticing it.

Cryptocurrency

The other interesting option for financial freaks is exchanging cryptocurrencies. Currently, via Revolut you can buy such cryptocurrencies as Bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Ethereum (ETH), Litecoin (LTC), and Ripple (XRP).

This option is dedicated to Revolut Premium cards and Revolut Metal cards. If you’re a user of Revolut Standard, you can unlock the access to cryptocurrencies by inviting 3 friends to use Revolut.

Revolut refer a friend – how it works?

Referring to a friend in Revolut is super easy. Plus, you can receive a small bonus of doing so!

To refer a friend in Revolut, go to you your dashboard, “Invite friends”, and then simply choose a friend you want to invite. You can do it by entering a phone number or email. The special invitation message with your referral link (super important) will be sent to this person to help him create his first Revolut account.

Can I have a business account in Revolut?

Of course, you can! Revolut offers special business services for companies and freelancers. If your business (big or small) is an international thing, and you manage payments in different currencies, then Revolut Business is an option for you.

Currently, it allows you to use up to 28 different currencies. It also provides you with an intuitive app to track your international spendings of yours and your employees.

Click here to learn more about Revolut Business

Personally, I found the Revolut app and card almost perfect for international traveling . I’ve been using it in many countries and it didn’t disappoint me. But still, there are some little details that I would improve regarding Revolut services. I finish this Revolut review with the section where you can see the pros and cons of using their accounts.

Why I love using Revolut card:

• The most important operations take only seconds or minutes to proceed
• Everything happens in a digital world – there’s no need to visit Revolut branches
• Revolut allows you to operate on multiple currencies which facilitate spending money in many popular travel destinations
• Using the interbank exchange rate helps you to save money in comparison with traditional exchanges in banks and cantors
• You can use different currencies with one single prepaid card
• The Standard account is practically free in use if you follow the rules

What I don’t like about Revolut:

• The only way to get into your account for individual users is to use the mobile app – it would be super comfortable to be able to do it on the computer as well
• I’ve heard that the offline card terminals sometimes have troubles with operating Revolut cards – it might happen on automated highway gates, in self-service petrol stations, or in the airplane
• Some ATMs might load you with additional fees on using Revolut – it’s not the Revolut fault actually, but I want to remind you about carefully reading ATM’s screen messages before withdrawals
• Although Revolut money transfer to the standard UK bank can take even 1 hour only, the thing gets complicated when you transfer money with the Revolut app internationally. This kind of transfer can take up to 3-5 working days .

Revolut review: is it worth to apply for the Revolut card?

In short words, for me creating a Revolut account and using the prepaid card is totally worth the trust in this company. I didn’t have a chance yet to enjoy all of their features, like medical insurance or concierge service. But the basic ones work perfectly for me and totally meet my expectations for travel prepaid cards . And I am convinced it will work for you as well.

If you have any questions about using Revolut, ask them in the comment section. I’ll be happy to answer it, so you can be sure if the Revolut services will work for you as well.

Liked this Revolut review? Here are some more useful travel tips:

• Perfect Weekender Backpacks: CabinZero vs. Doughnut Comparison
• Multipotentiality – how to accept not being a specialist and actually love it?
• 30+ Worst Travel Planning Mistakes That Ruins Your Fabulous Vacation
• Lovely Family Vacation Quotes: 29 Citations to Inspire Family Travel Spirit

Like it? Pin it!

Dominika is a founder of Sunday In Wonderland and she recently switched her life to be local independent. She aims to travel the world and admire all of its wonders. She is much focused on sustainable life, self-development and making this world a better place.

Hi there! I’m Dominika, the occasional traveler and the creator of this blog. I am here to help you plan your short and long trips around the globe and fully enjoy the time that you have to spend. Click here to get to know me better.

LATEST POSTS

20 Spot-On Travel Stocking Stuffers for Chic & Comfy Travelers

Travel Christmas Ornaments: the Loveliest Ideas for Your Christmas Tree

The Ultimate List of Well-Tried Sailing Gifts for Sailors

21 Things to Do in Colmar, France to Make a Perfect Day Trip

4 Responses

As my holiday flight with British Airways to USA has been cancelled, & I’m getting a full refund. Can I get a full refund on my travel insurance of £72 ???Tere

Hello Terence, Did you make your payment for the flight with the Revolut card? If yes, then I suppose you should get a refund to exactly the same card. You can read more directly in Revolut support by clicking here . If you made a payment with another card, and now you want to receive the refund to your Revolut card, I suppose you should contact the airline company to redirect the payment.

Terrible support! Reinstalled app and they blocked my card and app. No way to get in contact with them. Waiting in bot chat with days. It is useful as a support card. Not the main one.

I’m sad to hear that. No one’s perfect, although I had only good experiences with this company do far. But as I mentioned, Revolut is a good solution for an additional support and the way of exchanging currencies. And not keeping on all the money on this one card. But thanks for your comment!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sunday In Wonderland is a travel blog focusing on charming destinations. I also aim about educating people about more sustainable lifestyle.

Click here to learn more about me!

Affiliate disclosure

Sunday In Wonderland is an Amazon Associate which means I earn from qualifying purchases.

Follow Sunday In Wonderland!

Choose your favorite platform:

Get the cheat sheet with

21 Advanced Travel Planning Tips

and improve your travel planning process!

You can unsubscribe anytime. The administrator of your personal data will be Dominika Byś. The detailed information about the processing of personal data can be found in privacy policy .

I want to receive this list and the newsletter about the news, products, and services related to this blog and traveling.

Now check your inbox and confirm your email. Remember to check out the SPAM folder as well.

Wanna grab  21 Advanced Travel Planning Tips and make sure you will be perfectly prepared for your next trip?

Hello again!

Follow me on Instagram!

I see you’re on my blog again. Awesome! Wanna travel more?

This blog uses cookies for its proper operation, use of analytical tools (Google Analytics), social plugins (Facebook, Instagram), and a video player (YouTube). Details can be found in the privacy policy . If you agree to the use of cookies, click the “Accept & close” button. If you want to learn more, click “Learn more”.

My Honest Revolut Travel Card Review: Pros & Cons of Revolut

Posted on Last updated: March 21, 2024

I will gladly admit that 1/3 of my success in life is simply me being in the right place at the right time.  I found Revolut at a Tech startup conference in London earlier this year and they told me about their money cloud program.

Basically, you save money while traveling because Revolut holds/exchanges the Great British Pound, the U.S. Dollar, and the Euro… all in one place. Backed by Master Card, the Revolut card can be used in any country (using any currency) as a normal domestic debit card AND you can send people money via apps like Facebook and WhatsApp.

In my line of work, I get paid in USD but I need to pay my bills in GBP and I’m constantly in Europe throwing Euros like Kanye (not really).  

During my last two years abroad, I’ve been paying ridiculous fees just to access MY MONEY and The Universe has clearly brought Revolut into my life to rectify this issue.

So shut up and take my money.

Since the program is still in its developing stages, you have to be invited in order to join and the landing page doesn’t have all of the details… but I do.  So let’s break it down further.  So why is Revolut revolutionary for travelers like you and me?

What is the Revolut Travel Card?

Revolut has the vision of making sending and spending abroad as easy as it is at home, which is made of three parts:

1) Sending Money with Revolut

Revolut allows users to send money through SMS/WhatsApp/Email and via URL. The recipient can retrieve money by downloading the Revolut app or by entering their bank account details after following the link.

Revolut currently allows deposits and withdrawals in GBP, USD, and EUR as well as sending in 20 other currencies (AUS, CAD, CZK, DKK, HKD, HUF, ILS, JPY, MXN, NZD, NOK, PLN, RON, SGD, ZAR, SEK, CHF, THB, TRY, AED).

2) Exchanging Money with Revolut

Revolut provides the best possible exchange rate, the interbank rate. No hidden fees or spread! Revolut currently offers currency exchange between GBP, USD, and EUR however this will soon expand this list.

3) Spending Money with Your Revolut Card

With the multi-currency card, you can spend abroad without the horrendous fees.

Revolut’s multi-currency card currently supports GBP, USD, and EUR and can be used online as well as offline immediately after there topping up on the Revolut app. 

Even if you spend abroad Revolut will automatically do the exchange so you get the most out of your money!

Fees and Charges

Plain and simply, 1% on exchanges with maximum fee charges of GBP120 per year. 

Super low fees and capped charges ensure that whether you are sending, exchanging, or spending money, with Revolut, you avoid horrific fees so that your money can be spent on the things that really matter!

Security of the Revolut Travel Card

Revolut ensures that all money sent and stored on Revolut is secured by working with Optimal Payments, which is a registered and regulated e-money issuer by the FCA (reference FRN: 900015).

Optimal Payments manages ring-fenced Barclays accounts which means all money is secured against the possible distress of Revolut, Optimal Payments, and Barclays.

Additionally, Revolut only operates on mobile apps as these platforms provide better protection against hacking than web-based applications. Your money is also secured for up to 85,000 GBP. Awesome.

With ATM fees, transaction fees, and currency exchange fees piling up, I’ve been losing 75 USD A MONTH since I moved to London.  

That could have bought me a round trip to Paris and so much more. Join the movement. It’s your money, do what you want with it.

Disclosures 

The Revolut USA Prepaid Visa® and Prepaid Mastercard® are issued by Metropolitan Commercial Bank pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. for Visa cards, and Mastercard International for Mastercard cards, and may be used everywhere Visa or Mastercard are accepted.

Banking services are provided by Metropolitan Commercial Bank, Member FDIC, and are subject to the terms of a Cardholder Agreement. “Metropolitan Commercial Bank” and “Metropolitan” are registered trademarks of Metropolitan Commercial Bank © 2014.

A note from Metropolitan Commercial Bank: Funds in your Revolut Prepaid Card Account are held at an FDIC-insured institution. Your funds will be held at or transferred to Metropolitan Commercial Bank, an FDIC-insured institution.

While there, your funds are insured up to $250,000 by the FDIC in the event Metropolitan Commercial Bank fails if specific deposit insurance requirements are met and your card is registered. See fdic.gov/deposit/deposits/prepaid.html for details. FDIC insurance does not protect your funds in the event of Revolut’s failure or from the risk of theft or fraud.

Related Posts:

• Best Banks for Digital Nomads
• How I Made Thousands of Dollars Traveling the World as a Digital Nomad
• When Parents Say No to Traveling
• Why You Can’t Afford To Travel?
• The Challenges of Living Abroad

Thursday 3rd of December 2015

The promotion is not working anymore?

Marcus Bryant

Tuesday 8th of September 2015

It is a great idea - actually there are no transaction fees (they earn their money from the mastercard transaction fee when you use it). A Word of caution though - when attempting to credit my account via transfer the reference field got corrupted and it couldn't be processed. One week later they still haven't found my money and just keep apologizing - no offer of compensation and no solution so far. Their back office is extremely poor IF things do go wrong.

Jonas Hürbin

Thursday 4th of June 2015

Got to your post by searching the internet for a way to save money abroad. When I first read your post, revolut didn't support Android Phones, they now do, so I joined them as well. Great idea and great post. I will give it a try during my travels ;)

Sarah Elizabeth

Tuesday 14th of April 2015

Brilliant idea. Thanks for sharing. I'm lucky enough that my bank is kind to me about living abroad and withdrawing money, but there is definitely always money lost between transfers and exchange rates every now and then.

Dave's Travel Pages

Greek Island Hopping | Greece Travel Ideas | Bicycle Touring

Revolut Travel Card Review – The Best Travel Money Card?

My Revolut card review is based on a year of using it in 10 different countries. Here's what I like about the Revolut travel card, what can be improved, and why I think you should consider it as a travel money card.

Revolut Travel Card Review

Have you ever noticed, that when it comes to getting hold of travel money you get ripped off no matter what you seem to do?

Whether it's your bank charging a fee you hadn't heard of before, or a crazy exchange rate that bears no relation to reality, they seem to get you in the end. And don't get me started on airport currency exchange rates!

Surely, there must be some way to get an honest currency exchange rate?

Well, there is now, thanks to the Revolut cash card .

We've been using the Revolut cards for a little over a year, and they were our main cards to get hold of travel money during our 5-month-trip in SE Asia. Here's an explanation of how the Revolut card works, and our honest review.

What is the Revolut account?

There's two ways to look at what the Revolut account is.

One, is to think of the Revolut account as a current account that can be easily managed through your mobile phone. The big bonus here being that you can store money in different currencies. They also provide banking details for different currencies which is great for me, as I can use it as a way to receive payments into my online business.

The second, and perhaps simplest way to think of the Revolut card for most people, is that it is a pre-paid travel card. You can make transfers into the Revolut card from your bank account, and then convert it into any currency you like (well, within reason).

The truth is, it's both things, and offers a great deal of flexibility for anyone wanting to store different currencies, or who has travel plans.

The Revolut Card itself

The Revolut account comes with a card, either Visa or Mastercard, which you can use as a debit card for purchases, or for ATM withdrawals.

As we opened our accounts a year ago, I can't honestly remember if we had a choice between the two, or were given what came. However it was, I have a Visa Revolut Card, and Vanessa has a Revolut Mastercard.

The Revolut card acts as a debit card, and you can only withdraw or spend money that is available in the account. You can easily monitor the account in the Revolut app you'll need to download to a smartphone.

You can apply for a Revolut card here : Get Revolut Card

Opening a Revolut account is really straightforward and quick. You will need to provide your address and passport, and you will be sent your card in the post in a few days.

The Revolut App

The app is where you can monitor the holdings in your Revolut account. After transferring money in, you can leave it in its original currency, or exchange it straight away.

The app is very simple to use, and if you have an internet connection, will even give you real time updates when you withdraw money or spend money on the card.

Why should I open a Revolut account?

People who travel a lot can really benefit from a Revolut account, as it offers a very easy way to spend money abroad. You can send money from your primary bank account to your Revolut account, and then use your Revolut card the same way you would use any other card.

The main difference when using a Revolut card vs a bank card, is that the rate offered is interbank exchange rate, i.e. a fair rate. Depending on your bank and the type of card you have with them, you will probably discover that a Revolut card gives you a much better exchange rate, and smaller handling fees.

Why a Revolut Card was best for Vanessa

In Vanessa’s case, every Greek bank has its own policy when withdrawing or spending money abroad. Revolut rates and handling fees were much better than any of the four Greek banks she asked, for debit as well as credit cards.

Additionally, most of the Greek banks clearly stated that, even when a customer informed them in advance that they would travel abroad for an extended period of time, they could still deactivate the card if they noticed “suspicious activity” and couldn’t get in touch with the customer via the registered phone number.

Therefore, Revolut was really the easiest way to spend money abroad.

Why a Revolut Account was almost the best for Dave

In my case, I have a Halifax Clarity card from the UK. This card gives a perfect exchange rate with no fees, in a similar fashion to Revolut. What makes the Clarity card a winner over Revolut for me, is I can withdraw an unlimited amount of cash without additional fees. 

The downside to my Halifax card, is that I have to pay the amount off the same day using my online banking app in order to avoid interest charges. This is a pain, especially when travelling countries with poor connection!

So, I found the Revolut card to be a useful addition to my ‘travel toolkit', and of course it's always good to have multiple cards just in case when you travel!

How much does it cost to open a Revolut account?

We found it quite hard to believe, but opening a basic Revolut account is totally free of charge. This includes the card itself, which is perhaps what separates Revolut from other pre-paid travel cards.

OK, so what's the catch?

Well, nothing is ever entirely perfect, right?!

If you go for the basic (free) version of Revolut, you can withdraw up to 200 pounds or euro per month for free at ATMs, while for any excess there will be a fee of 2%.

However, you can still use the Revolut card as a debit card, and there are no Revolut card fees for amounts of up to 6,000 euro a month.

Revolut Card Fees

Apart from the free basic version, there are two types of upgrades that you can look into.

These are definitely worth it, especially for people travelling often for up to 40 continuous days.

If you choose any of the “premium” or “metal” upgrades, you will get a higher withdrawal limit (400 euro and 600 euro, respectively).

Many other perks, such as travel and medical insurance and a few others, are also included. In our case, travelling for five months, this wasn’t applicable, so we just went with the basic free version of Revolut which suited us just fine.

Why do you need a mobile phone to use the Revolut card?

Technically speaking, as soon as you apply to get your Revolut plastic card, you don’t really need to use a phone in order to spend your money. However, the phone is essential in order to monitor your transactions, and it’s also the only way to manually exchange money from one currency to another.

As an example, if you have GBP stored in your Revolut account and expect the GBP to drop vs the Euro, you can convert all your GBPs into Euros.

All transactions with your card are recorded instantly on the app, and you will always get an instant notification as soon as you make a payment, or whenever you are online next. We often received the notification before getting the paper receipt!

The phone is also necessary if you want to send money to a friend, transfer money to the Revolut account from another account, or vice versa.

Finally, if you need to freeze your card, it is easy to do it through the app. So if your card is stolen, lost or misplaced, you can quickly freeze it and request a new one.

Revolut and cryptocurrencies

People who are using cryptocurrencies will be pleased to know that Revolut can currently be used with Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Ethereum and XRP.

However, I personally don't think this is worth it right now, as you can't transfer in crypto from outside wallets. The day that happens, Revolut will be truly revolutionary!

Our experience with the Revolut card

Quite honestly, we can’t recommend the Revolut card highly enough. We had both a Mastercard and a Visa during our trip, and we used both of them interchangeably.

In our five months of travelling to countries such as Myanmar , Vietnam , Thailand and Singapore , there were only 2 instances where our card was rejected when trying to pay by debit card. 

As for ATMs, some of them didn’t accept a Mastercard, so we used the Visa instead – but that has nothing to do with Revolut itself.

At one point, we had to get in touch with customer service – this was all through the app, and it was quick and easy. It turned out that there was a glitch in the system at that time, and they promised to fix it soon, which they did. So, 5 stars for customer experience!

While it was a little frustrating to have to pay the 2% fee for ATM withdrawals of over 200 euro a month, it was still very little compared to any Greek ATM card. And the amount of times we did that was still cheaper than paying the monthly fee. And a LOT cheaper than using airport currency changers!

Overall, we totally suggest that you get a Revolut card, even if you don’t travel too often – it’s free, it’s generally accepted everywhere, and it’s hassle free.

Related posts on saving money when traveling:

• Money in Greece
• How much does it cost to cycle around the world
• How to book a Santorini hotel without breaking the bank
• Travel budget for a bike tour in Europe

3 thoughts on “Revolut Travel Card Review – The Best Travel Money Card?”

It’s a prepaid card Writing on the back Some car rental will not accept prepaid card

Beside that Great

Hello dave,

Obviously you are one of the lucky ones who did not have any problems during your travel.

Think of all the other customers of revolut bank who have their accounts locked during their travel. And have no access to their accounts.

And also think about the customers who have problems with transferring money that are missing or take too long to access their monies.

Think of the customers who are having problems accessing their live agents with poor customer services.

I can only write about my experiences, and so far they have all been positive. Like every bank, product or service there’s going to be people who have negative experiences, and it sounds like you are one of those. I hope whatever went wrong was resolved for you!

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Revolut Travel Card Review: Save Money Abroad

Last Updated on August 15, 2023 by Natalia

If you’re looking to avoid unnecessary charges and bad exchange rates when you travel, then this Revolut travel card review is for you. We’ve been using Revolut since 2016, and by now we can safely say it’s saved us hundreds, if not thousands of pounds. Changing money in advance is a thing of the past, as you can now arrive at your destination and use a Revolut prepaid card to get a better rate than currency exchanges ever offer. Although there are a number of different cards available, we personally think that there’s only one winner if you compare Revolut vs Monzo vs N26 travel cards or any of the other competitors. Revolut charges just 2% if you exceed your monthly withdrawal limit compared to the 3% Monzo charge, and N26 charge 1.7% on all transactions on free accounts. On top of that, the standard free Revolut accounts allows you to convert up to £1,000/€1,000 a month with no charge. If you’re looking for better features, then there’s also the option to sign up for a Premium or Metal Revolut account, although these accounts do come at a small cost. We fully recommend signing up now, but if you want to know more then check out our Revolut travel card review below!

Sign up to Revolut today via our referral link and get your first travel card delivered completely free! Click here to sign up!

Table of Contents

Available currencies

One of the most important things with any travel card is the number of currencies supported for card payments and ATM withdrawals. Revolut allows you to make card payments and ATM withdrawals in over 150 different currencies, which means it provides you with great versatility almost anywhere you travel. All major currencies are supported through the card, so unless you’re going really off the beaten path then Revolut will support almost every currency you need. We’ve been using our Revolut travel cards since 2016 and since then have been able to use them everywhere we’ve visited throughout Europe, Asia, Central America and South America.

Some of the currencies that aren’t yet supported are the Zimbabwean Dollar, Tuvaluan Dollar, Armenian Dram, Faroese Króna and Eritrean Nakfa. Even if you’re visiting one or more of the countries where the currency isn’t supported, it’s still worth getting a card for when you travel elsewhere. More and more currencies are becoming supported, so don’t be surprised if soon you’re able to use your Revolut card anywhere in the world!

Exchange Rate

Revolut travel card uses the real exchange rate, so whatever currency you’re changing you will almost always find that Revolut offer a better exchange rate than any of your other options. If you had £10, you wouldn’t actively choose to throw it away, but if you’re getting a bad currency conversion rate then throwing away money is exactly what you’re doing. Considering a Revolut travel card is completely free, you may as well get more currency for your money! Click here to save money when spending abroad by signing up for Revolut!

As the real exchange rate changes in real-time, the rate you will receive depends on when you convert your currency. Rates will fluctuate throughout the day, so you may get slightly different rates if you make a number of payments throughout the day.

Although Revolut uses the real exchange rate, the rates are fixed over the weekend to protect against fluctuations. This means that during weekends there is a fee of 1% on any transaction that involves currency conversion.

To avoid being affected by these markups we recommend making ATM withdrawals during weekdays. It will also affect card payments over the weekend, but there is no way to avoid these and it still almost always works out cheaper than using your normal debit card or a currency exchange.

How to get the best exchange rate with Revolut

There’s a very simple tip to make sure you get the best exchange rate when paying with your Revolut card. When using your card abroad you may be asked whether you would prefer to pay in the local currency or your home currency. Always opt to pay in the local currency. 

If you don’t pay in the local currency then the merchant will make the conversion, which normally means you’ll get a very bad exchange rate and will end up paying more. Paying in the local currency allows Revolut to make the conversion (if required) using the real exchange rate, which means you will get a substantially better rate. Sometimes when making card payments abroad the merchant may select for you to pay in your home currency without giving you the choice to pay in the local currency. Always check what currency you’re being charged in and ask to pay in the local currency if you notice you’re being charged in your home currency. Some merchants will insist you will get a better rate by paying in your home currency, but that is never the case.

Make sure to also check what currency you’re paying in when making an ATM withdrawal. Some ATM machines will ask whether you want to use their conversion, but through experience we can say it’s always better to reject this. The phrasing will make it sound like you may be charged more for rejecting their rate, but as Revolut use the real exchange rate you are almost always going to be getting a better rate by rejecting the machine’s conversion and allowing Revolut to convert the currency for you.

Revolut card fees and charges

There are currently three different types of Revolut account: Standard, Premium and Metal. The standard account is completely free to use, whereas the premium and metal accounts require a monthly or yearly fee. There are a number of advantages of upgrading to a metal or premium account, so it’s important to know the difference between the accounts.

Two of the main differences between the accounts are the amount you can withdraw from foreign ATMs each month without incurring a fee, and the amount of currency you can convert each month without a fee. Find out the difference in fees and charges on the different Revolut accounts below:

Standard Revolut Travel Card Account

The standard free Revolut account allows you to make cash withdrawals abroad up to the equivalent of £200/€200 a month without any extra fees or charges. Once you go over this limit there is a 2% fee on any further withdrawals for the remainder of that month.

There is a much higher fee-free limit for transactions that require a currency exchange, such as making a card payment or ATM withdrawal in Euros and paying for it in Pounds. Revolut allows you to convert up to £1,000 a month at the real exchange rate without any charges. If you go over this limit, any payment or ATM withdrawal that requires a currency exchange will incur a charge of 0.5%. Unless you’re planning to spend huge amounts then this limit is unlikely to affect you!

Plus Revolut Travel Card Account

A new option from Revolut is to upgrade the free account to Revolut Plus for £2.99 a month. Here you get some additional perks such as up to £1000 in insurance if something you have purchased with this travel card is faulty or have fraudulent activity on the account.

As well as this there are a few other benefits from upgrading, however if you are looking to upgrade in terms of value for money in our opinion it’s worth doing one of the other options such as premium or metal.

Premium Revolut Travel Card Account

Upgrading to a Revolut premium account costs £6.99/€7.99 per month, and enables you to withdraw up to £400/€400 from foreign ATMs in the local currency without any extra fees or charges. Like with the standard account, once you exceed this limit there is a 2% fee on any further withdrawals within that month.

There is no limit for the amount of currency you can exchange on the premium plan, so if you intend to regularly convert over £1,000 a month it’s worth upgrading.

Metal Revolut Travel Card Account

A Revolut metal account costs £12.99/€13.99 per month, and allows you to withdraw up to £600/€600 from foreign ATMs in the local currency without any extra charges or fees. If you exceed this monthly limit then there is a 2% fee on any further withdrawals.

Like with the premium plan, there is no limit to the amount of currency you can exchange on a Revolut metal account.

Click here to compare the fees and charges of the standard, premium and metal Revolut accounts!

It’s easy to check how much you’ve withdrawn or how much money you’ve converted each month by going to the profile section of your app and selecting ‘Price plan’. That way you can avoid accidentally going over these limits and ensure that you don’t get any charges you aren’t expecting!

In our opinion, Revolut’s fees are more reasonable than their major competitors. For example, Monzo charge a 3% fee on any withdrawals that exceed the £200 monthly limit. Another competitor, N26, charge 1.7% on all withdrawals using their standard free account. Considering Revolut only charge when you exceed £200 a month but charge less than Monzo, then in our mind the best option is Revolut.

Personally we think it’s quite easy to avoid withdrawing over £200 a month, which means you won’t be charged any extra fees. If you prefer withdrawing cash and think you’re likely to exceed this limit regularly then it’s probably worth upgrading to either the premium or metal Revolut account. These accounts not only allow you to withdraw more money without extra fees, but also have a host of other advantages which we cover at the end of this article!

Hold multiple currencies simultaneously

As well as allowing you to spend in over 150 different currencies, Revolut also has the capability to hold money in a number of currencies at once. It’s currently possible to hold money in British Pounds (GBP), American Dollars (USD), Euros (EUR) as well as 27 other currencies including New Zealand Dollars (NZD), Turkish Lira (TRY) and South African Rand (ZAR).

The ability to hold different currencies at the same time is a useful one if you’d rather change some money to another currency all in one go, instead of the conversion being made each time you make a card payment or ATM withdrawal.

It’s important to know that Revolut travel cards are unable to draw from 2 currencies to make one payment. For example if you want to pay $100 USD using the card, it will only be possible if you have a high enough balance in one currency to make the transaction. If you do not hold the equivalent of $100 USD in one currency the transaction cannot go through, even if between currencies you have enough money. This is a relatively unlikely scenario, but should you find it happens to you then just use the app to convert enough money to one currency in order to pay.

There are a number of ways to top up your Revolut travel card, all of which are extremely easy. One of the options, and our personal favourite, is to top up using your debit card. Once you’ve registered your debit card this means you can top up within the app in a matter of seconds from anywhere in the world. Competitors like Monzo and N26 don’t allow you to top up directly from your debit card, which in our opinion gives Revolut a slight edge over the competition.

Another way of topping up your Revolut account is by bank transfer. To find your account details to do this you just need to select the ‘transfer to your Revolut account’ option when you’re on the top up screen of the app. You will then be presented with your Revolut account number and relevant details to top up for both local and international payments. This option takes slightly longer than topping up by debit card as you will need to log in to your online banking to actually make the payment. If you would prefer to do it this way then you have the option, but we personally prefer to top up via our debit card as it’s quicker and can be done instantly from within the Revolut app.

Another great feature of Revolut is the ability to set an automatic top up from your bank card once your balance falls below a certain amount. This is an ideal way to make sure you don’t run out of money when you’re travelling but don’t have any access to the internet access in order to top up.

Although signing up for a Revolut travel card itself is free, you normally have to pay for the delivery of your card. Fortunately for you, if you sign up using our link then standard delivery is completely free too!  That means you won’t have to spend a penny to get yourself set up on Revolut – so you can start saving money on your next trip!

Click here to sign up for Revolut today and get free delivery of your first card!

Tracked and express delivery options are available too, but you will have to pay for these. The timeframe for delivery depends on the option you select. Standard delivery and tracked delivery both have a timeframe of 9 working days until you receive your card, although in our experience the cards are often delivered in 4-5 working days anyway. Express delivery has a timeframe of 3-4 working days to receive your card. Check out the list below to see the cost of different delivery options when you sign up for a Revolut card:

Standard Delivery – 9 working days – £4.99 GBP/€5.99 or completely free if you click here and sign up via our link!

Tracked Delivery  – 9 working days – £7.99 GBP. Tracked delivery is only available in Great Britain, Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man.

Express Delivery  – 3-4 working days – £11.99/€19.99 although the cost may be higher depending on the delivery address.

Please note that prices may vary depending on your currency and location.

Alternatively, if you sign up for either a premium or metal Revolut card account then express delivery is completely free.

Make sure to order your card in plenty of time before your trip, especially if you’re opting for the standard delivery. It’s worth planning ahead to make sure you have your card in time so that you can spend your money hassle-free on your travels.  Click here to sign up to Revolut now and get your first card completely free!

Revolut Card Limits

Although we’ve gone over some of the spending limits above, we thought it deserve its own section so that everything you need to know is in one place. The following limits apply to a standard Revolut account:

• No fee ATM withdrawals up to £200 per month. If you exceed this amount you will be charged a 2% fee.
• Convert up to £1,000 fee-free per month. If you exceed this amount you will be charged a fee of 0.5%.
• £3,000 limit for ATM withdrawals within 24 hours.

Customer service

Revolut offer great customer service for all users. There is a help chat function in the app which allows you to speak to a bot named ‘Rita’ who is able to provide generic answers to any queries you may have. If this doesn’t solve your issue then just type ‘Live Agent’ and you will be connected to a Revolut customer service representative who will be able to help. It usually only takes a few minutes to be able to speak to a representative, but if the chat function is busy it may take longer. The customer service chat is available 24/7, with priority support available for customers with a premium or metal account.

There are loads of other great benefits that come with signing up for a Revolut account, some of which don’t fit into any of the categories above. These range from push notifications on your phone when you make a payment to the ability to buy travel insurance to make sure you’re covered for your trip. The list below covers some of our favourite extras that come with signing up for a standard Revolut account:

• Alerts on your phone when you make a payment.
• Ability to disable your card instantly using the app if you lose it.
• Option to enable location based security to help prevent fraud.
• Option to buy travel insurance and device insurance through Revolut.
• Option to disable any of the following: Swipe payments, Contactless payments, ATM withdrawals and Online Transactions.
• Special edition cards are sometimes available. For example, rainbow-coloured cards were released for free to celebrate Pride in 2019.
• Revolut Vault – a money saving tool that rounds up every payment you make and puts the spare change aside in order to help you save up for a target amount of money.  Click here to find out more!
• Ability to set monthly spending limits.

What do you need to sign up for Revolut?

Revolut need to verify your identity, which means you will need to provide some ID during the sign up process. You can easily provide your ID through the app, which has easy to follow instructions to guide you through the process of signing up. To further verify your identity you will need to provide personal information including your name, address, phone number, email address and date of birth in order to set up an account.

Premium options

If you like the sound of the above but want higher limits and added perks then upgrading to either a premium or metal Revolut account is probably worth it. Signing up for a Revolut premium account costs £6.99/€7.99 per month, whereas a Revolut metal account costs £12.99/€13.99 per month. Alternatively, both plans are discounted if you pay for a year up front. Find out the additional benefits that come with Revolut premium and metal below:

Revolut Premium Account

• Ability to withdraw up to £400 per month from ATMs without any fee.
• Exchange money in 29 fiat currencies with no monthly limit.
• Free overseas medical insurance.
• Free delayed baggage/flight insurance.
• Free global express delivery.
• Priority customer support.
• Access to 5 cryptocurrencies.
• Exclusive card designs only available to Premium members.
• Disposable virtual cards for safe online shopping.
• Ability to instantly book access to over 1,000 airport lounges around the world.

Revolut Metal Account

• Ability to withdraw up to £600 per month from ATMs without any fee.
• 0.1% cashback on card payments within Europe and 1% cashback on card payments outside of Europe.
• Exclusive Revolut Metal card only available to Metal customers.
• One free airport lounge pass, plus the ability to instantly book access to over 1,000 airport lounges around the world.
• A concierge to help you manage your lifestyle.

So, is Revolut worth it?

Simply put, yes. In our opinion, you’re actively choosing to throw money away if you don’t sign up for a Revolut account. It’s completely free to sign up, and it’s certain to save you money in the long run even if you only spend a few days abroad a year. Considering there’s absolutely no cost to you, we recommend signing up now so you can start saving money on your next trip!

Ready to sign up? Click here to apply for a Revolut travel card today!

Please note that some links in this article are affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase we make a small commission at no extra cost to you. This money is used to support this website and cover the costs of keeping it online and free to access!

Like this guide to the Revolut travel card? Pin it!

Revolut Travel Card Review

If you’ve not been sleeping under the rock, you’ve likely heard of Revolut and Revolut travel Card. In this post we are going to talk all about the Revolut Travel Card to understand if it is for you or not.

Revolut is an online bank that was first introduced in the year of the year 2015.

One of the primary reasons it has gained so much acclaim within a short period is that it includes everything you’d expect from an online banking platform in an elegant and modern application.

Before we dive into a full Revolut review and explain how travellers can use Revolut travel cards  in foreign countries, Let’s start with the fundamentals

Revolut Travel Card Basics

Revolut  comes with three different card types and four plans that comprise Standard, Standard Plus, Premium Metal, and Standard Plus.

The Standard card is completely free and comes with a few primary advantages. However, the Premium and Metal cards offer several exciting options, particularly for frequent travellers.

Here’s a brief breakdown of the significant benefits and prices of each card:

Standard Plan

• Revolut Juniour Standard Card Free
• Revolut Gifting
• ATM Withdrawl (200 EUR per month free)
• Travel Savings and Protection
• Interbank Exchange Rate (up to 1,000 EUR without hidden charges)

• 2.99 EUR per month
• Free Card Delivery
• Priority Support
• Everyday Protection
• Purchase Protection
• Tickets Protection

Premium Plan

• 7.99 EUR per month
• ATM Withdrawl (400 EUR per month free)
• Discounted Device Insurance
• Smart Delay
• Ticket Cancellation
• 0.1 % Interest on Vault
• Unlimited Foreign Exchange and ATM Withdrawl Boost

• 13.99 EUR per month
• ATM Withdrawl (800 EUR per month free)
• Smart Delay – For you and upto 3 friends
• Oversies Medical Insurance
• Winter Sports cover
• Car-Hire Excess

Revolut also offers Revolut Business for small and large businesses across the borders.

Another benefit of Revolut is that it only takes a few minutes to establish an account. All you require is a phone number that is working, and you’ll be able to create an account and obtain an online card.

To obtain a physical card, you’ll need to make an order, and it will take approximately 14 days for delivery. It is also necessary to prove your identity.

One of the drawbacks of Revolut is that currently, it’s not accessible to all citizens of the world.

Only people living in the European Economic Area (EEA), Australia, Singapore, Switzerland, Japan, and the United States can download the online bank.

If you’ve got your card and identity verified, you’re ready to enjoy the maximum advantage of your Revolut travel card. The fun begins.

If you’re a committed traveller who enjoys organizing and  budget-friendly travel , The Revolut travel card is the ideal option for you.

Ads Starting

Post Continues

Revolut Travel Card – Types of Account in Detail

Free plan i.e. standard plan.

There is not much to talk about the Standard Plan because it is quiet basic but yes if you want to send money home then you can enjoy the free transfer for 1000 EUR per month.

You can use your cards cross border in 150+ countries so you don’t have to pay any fees when you use your card. You will be charged according to the current market exchange rate.

Plus Card Feature

You get a protection for 1000 EUR per year for the accidental damage and loss of the item which you bought which is kind of excellent stuff. It is not like liability Insurance of Germany if you are looking for that you have to check Lemonade .

Another interesting feature is the extension of the return window here

If for some reason you are not able to attend your event, then you get a reimbursement as well.

Fairly new, as per the current situation in Europe where banks are giving you negative interest, Revolut is going to bring some interest method on your vault. You will get around 0.01% interest if you save 33K EUR in vault for one year.

You can teach your kids the knowledge of banking with the junior account.

You can customize your card for free, normally in standard plan you have to pay around 5.99 EUR for this customization

Premium Card

One thing to note is that all the feature of Plus card is going to stay in Premium Card so I will not be explaining the same here.

Starting from Premium Card you get a new feature of Smart Delay , In case your flight is delayed by more than 1 hr you get the free airport lauinge passes for you and your friend. If you are flight is late or cancelled then you have to know the rule about Europe and Flight delay compensation program which you can check out here .

You can take out more money every month.

Your insurance of accidental and theft protection increases here to 2,500 EUR.

You earn around 1% cashback for all the transaction which you going to make with the Metal Card.

Your Smart Delay Plan here is extended to up to 3 friends.

You can take out around 800 EUR per month here.

Your interest on vault is increased here

Your insurance for theft and stolen product is increased to whooping sum of 10,000 EUR

Revolut travel card: Paying and Budgeting, as well as Saving

The most significant benefit of the Revolut card is that the account section gives you the option to view all your transactions per day, week and even by month.

You can also categorize transactions into distinct categories. For instance, if you have budgeted 200 dollars for dining out at X location in June, you’ll be able to track all the expenses through the application.

Additionally, you can download the statements as well as upload receipts. You can also note notes on every transaction to track your expenditure. Additionally, you can share the expense when you travel with someone else.

This app will allow users to open multiple accounts using various currencies if they’re travelling internationally.

You could change your US dollar into euros and maintain two separate accounts with two currencies.

It also means that it is possible to pay with the local currency no matter if you’re travelling between France and the US.

However, if you are paying for something in an alternative country, Revolut converts your account balance into native currency using the current exchange rate between banks.

This will help you not be paid a fee and receive the mediocre exchange rate determined by an ATM service provider or the merchant acquisition. And this is the best part of it, I was in Croatia last year and the exchange rate which I got by using the Revolut Travel Card was way better then going to actually exchange the currency for me.

Another excellent feature is the way the application will email you an email notification every time you pay using your card, and this happens even after the receipt is completed printing.

The app also offers vaults that allow you to save money on travel. It is possible to create multiple vaults, such as one for a “travel through Egypt” vault or one that is a “weekend spa break” vault.

You can also fund the vaults by making a one-time transfer, recurring transfer or anything else that can be referred to as spare change.  Revolut Card  refers to as spare change.

Spare change is the term used to describe how the app will add any spare change you have on your Revolut Travel card and put it in the vault. For starters it feels like nothing but I saved around 100 EUR without even noticing just by Spare Change in my vault and it was interesting to notice later.

How to Use Revolut Travel Card Abroad

Through the Revolut travel card for travel, customers can transfer money overseas in more than 30 currencies using an  Interbank Exchange Rate , a tiny 0.5 percent charge for any transaction that exceeds EUR1,000 per month on the weekdays.

One disadvantage is that the markets are closed on weekends, and charges are assessed at 0.5 percent and one percent on currency exchange rates regardless of the transfer amount.

Revolut also has an international fee. It is listed in the breakdown of your payment when you transfer your money.

The primary benefit of Revolut is the capability to transfer money without any hidden charges and offers fast and secure money transfers.

The exchange rate for foreign currency can be checked via the Revolut app before making an exchange or the bank transfer for foreign exchange.

It is also possible to withdraw cash using the Revolut travel card lets you withdraw money from ATMs with your Revolut card at no cost.

The downside is that if you’re on an ordinary plan, you’ll be able to access the equivalent of 200 bucks per month.

However, using a Revolut card abroad is relatively simple and secure.

Security: Preventing Fraud

One of the most traumatic experiences in the world is to realize that your primary travel card was stolen or duplicated.

Usually, a rush to contact your bank in another country to block the card and request a replacement. We’ve all been there. The problem is that certain banks may take as long as 3-4 weeks to provide you with a new card, which could disrupt your trip abroad.

Revolut claims to be 7x more secure than a typical bank in preventing card fraud. This is due to their anti-fraud program that keeps the number of fraudulent transactions to 0.01 percent.

But it’s not the only thing. Revolut lets users freeze and defrost their cards with ease in the app. It takes just a few seconds.

It is also possible to enable security based on location to limit fraud, block contactless, online or swipe transactions, or set a monthly credit card spending limit to provide additional protection.

If you lose your card, you can purchase a replacement card on the app and request express delivery, which typically takes 2 and 3 days, based on the location.

Revolut offers an automated line for phone calls to stop your card immediately if you lose your phone. There aren’t many advantages to these Standard or Standard Plus plans, but if you’re an avid traveller, you could consider switching to metal or premium Plans.

They also come with perks such as health insurance paid per day, meaning that you can have coverage that triggers your location and only pays for days you use.

You can also purchase an upgrade to delayed and lost bag insurance and medical insurance and provide insurance for at least three adults and all your children.

These plans also come with access to lounges to more than 1000 airport lounges across the globe and SmartDelay, which gives you the airport lounge for free when your flight is delayed for more than one hour.

Last Thoughts on The Revolut Travel Card

It’s like Revolut is an ideal travel credit card for the next decade. It’s not just one of the top cards to use when travelling abroad. However, it can also be an excellent day-to-day bank card.

While the card comes with numerous benefits, it’s important to remember that some countries in which, the card may not function.

For instance, Revolut users have noted that they were unable to use the Revolut card was not working in several restaurants in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Also, be aware that their support online may not be the most reliable and is not as good as your bank’s local support.

If you encounter issues, there’s no physical place where you can meet with an administrator.

Overall it’s a good idea to consider it a good choice.  Revolut Card  is a fantastic card to carry around. However, it isn’t meant to substitute for your primary credit card. Instead, it could be a sound backup card you can utilize when travelling abroad or as a European ex-pat.

If you’re unsure whether Revolut would be the ideal choice for you, you might prefer to create a  multi-currency Wise account . 

If you are a travel blogger and looking for ways to Earn Money through travel blogging then check out our post.

Book cheap flights

Book train tickets, book luggage drop, visa requirements, book cheap hotels, book bus tickets, book airport transfer, take an insurance, packing list.

Get your Notion Travel Planner Template!

Embark on your next adventure with the Wanderlust Planner , the ultimate Notion Travel Planner Template . Organize your wanderlust-fueled dreams and turn them into unforgettable journeys. Whether you’re a seasoned globetrotter or a newbie explorer, this template has you covered.

Sankalp Singh is the Founder and Author of Chasing Whereabouts. He is passionate about travel, photography, and food. He has travelled across Europe extensively to experience its quirks, culture, and diversity. He is a self-taught traveller and he has been exploring the world since the age of 25. When he is not travelling, you can find him at work being a Software Engineer in 9-5 Job.

Similar Posts

XE Money Transfer Review

Do you need to transfer money to Internation Country? Then XE Money Transfer Review would help you to get started with the application. We already covered all the convinient method to Transfer Money in our…

Wise Review – The Best Travel Card You Can Get

Wise Review – Let us uncover the cheapest way to send money abroad. With all the benefits you can get in 2021.

• Destinations
• Travel Tips
• Community Trips
• TTIFridays (Community Events)
• SG Travel Insider (Telegram Grp)

Revolut Review —Travelling For 10 Months with Only One Multi-currency Card For Money

This Revolut Review took many months to test. Download Revolut here — Apple Store or Google Play .

It’s been a while since we travelled, so when we were selected by Airbnb to Live Anywhere around the world for 10 months, we immediately got down to planning for a long trip.

Read also : Guide to Singapore’s Vaccinated Travel Lanes

One of the challenges we faced was figuring our cash situation. Do we bring 10 months’ worth of cash? Or just suck it up and pay hefty surcharges at ATMs overseas — not to mention unfavourable rates 🙁

Setting up local bank accounts in different destinations would also be too much of a hassle.

So when Revolut reached out and asked us to review their product, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to put its different functions to the test.

For our 10 month trip, it was the only financial card we brought along.

We’re not financial experts, but we tried our best to test the card in every situation common to a traveller — both long and short term travel. Hope you find this Revolut review useful!

Note: This Revolut Review is for Singapore Residents only. There are different product features for different markets around the world.

Disclosure : While the writer was provided with a spending allowance to test the card, it’s in The Travel Intern’s interest to protect the editorial integrity of our website. We have taken every reasonable effort to ensure a realistic and honest review for our readers. 

But first, what is Revolut?

Revolut is a financial super-app that is best known for its multi-currency wallet and remittance services amongst frequent travellers and expats.

Credit cards typically charge too much for currency exchange so multi-currency wallets/cards like Revolut makes it a lot more affordable and convenient to pay overseas. In fact, their exchange rates are usually very close to that of Google and often better than a physical money changer in Singapore!

Revolut also allows you to hold multiple currencies in your account, letting you lock in favourable exchange rates ahead of time.

Revolut Review: How Revolut works

Revolut works like a supercharged multi-currency pre-paid debit card, with plenty of security and lifestyle features that make it attractive to use overseas.

Picking a Revolut plan to suit your needs

Revolut is free to use, but you can get more features and benefits with their paid subscriptions. There are three Revolut cards with monthly subscription plans . Here’s a quick summary:

We’re on the Metal Plan and the card looks and feels gorgeous. It also gives us a higher limit for ATM withdrawals, lower currency exchange fees, priority customer support, insurance, and LoungeKey  Pass access. The Metal Card also offers 1% cashback on overseas spending .

While a free card will be suitable for most of our travels, the metal plan is super useful for long-term travelling or overseas living.

Using Revolut for cashless transactions

Revolut works like a debit card, and can be used anywhere that accepts Visa or Mastercard . The difference with traditional debit/credit cards is that it uses real exchange rate without any markup.

Read also : Multi-currency Cards vs Miles Credit Cards

According to Revolut, the ‘real’ exchange rates (or interbank rates ) are “based on the foreign exchange market data feeds that we get from a range of different independent sources.” While it sounds a little iffy, the rates we regularly got were usually the same as the internet rate or sometimes even better.

Other than using the physical card for payment, Revolut can also be linked to your smart devices (smartphones, smartwatches etc) for more convenience.

All you need is to make sure the card has a sufficient balance for your transaction.

Top-up is available via bank transfer, debit cards, credit cards, and even Apple Pay.

Once you’ve topped up the card, you can either exchange it to the local currency, or leave it in your home currency and it will use the real exchange rate at the time of transaction.

It also serves as a multi-currency wallet so you can store up to 28 different currencies at once.

Currency Exchange Fees : 0-2% depending on membership and market hours

Currency exchange fees are charged after a certain amount is spent on the card, but don’t worry, this resets each month. The amount depends on your membership plan:

Weekend fee: 1–2% depending on the currency

Revolut also charges a fee for exchanges over the weekend to protect against market fluctuations when it’s closed.

We were charged an additional 1% for transactions over the weekend when converting from SGD to EUR.

* Pro-tip: Exchange money before the weekend to avoid additional fees

The good thing is that the process is transparent and the foreign exchange rate can be viewed on the Revolut app before any transactions involving foreign exchange.

Using Revolut as a remittance service

Revolut supports over 28 currencies (including SGD), which means you can transfer money to foreign bank accounts at a much lower fee. The fees are stated upfront and uses the more favourable interbank transfer exchange rate. Perfect for those studying or working overseas who need to remit cash.

You can use their in-app or website calculator to get an estimate.

Revolut also allows you to transfer money to other Revolut users for free. As all members of our team have a Revolut account, it was easy to transfer money in the local currency to each other without having to convert to SGD first. There’s also the option of sending money in the form of gifts, which includes adorable animated cards that make it a little more fun.

You can even set up Group Bills, allowing you to split bills easily with every member of the party. Compared to other budgeting apps, you can “settle up” directly into your Revolut account.

Using Revolut to withdraw cash at local ATMs

This is generally fuss-free and ATM withdrawal on Revolut is free up to a monthly cap based on your membership level: Standard:  S$350/month Premium:  S$700/month Metal Card:  S$1050/month

A 2% usage fee is charged only after you’ve exceeded your limit. Some foreign banks may still charge a transaction fee even though Revolut doesn’t.

Here’s a 2019 community-created list of transaction fees for different banks (if any) by country .

We withdrew money at OTP Banka in Croatia for free.

Revolut App Budgeting & Lifestyle Features

Beyond using Revolut to pay for stuff, there are also a few budgeting and analytics tools on the app to help keep your spending in check. Set monthly budgets by categories, receive notifications when you are overspending, and get insights into your spending habits.

You can also set up Personal & Group Vaults to work towards your saving goals. Revolut tries to make this effortless by automatically rounding up your purchases to the nearest dollar and saving it in your account.

For online shoppers, the Rewards feature allows you to get additional cashback when you pay with Revolut.

If your flights are delayed for more than one hour, Premium and Metal Plan users also get complimentary lounge passes for their companions and themselves under Smart Delay .

Even if there’s no flight delay, Premium and Metal Plan users can purchase Lounge Passes on the App if you simply want to take a break.

Revolut Security Features Review

Convenient access and control of security features For long-term travel, these security features were extra useful. For example, we may want to disable magnetic stripe use in certain countries with a reputation for copying credit cards. In other instances, we may want to increase spending limits if we know we’ll be shopping more.

Revolut allows you to easily toggle security features like location-based security, use of contactless payments, ATM withdrawals, online payments, magnetic stripe usage, and spending limits via the app. This means even if you lose it without realising, the card cannot be misused since the features only work when you activate them.

You can easily change your PIN number, or unblock your own PIN if it has been accidentally blocked.

My favourite is the ‘Freeze card’ feature, which allows you to temporarily deactivate your card through the Revolut app . I’m sure many of us have been in situations where we think we’ve lost our credit card, only to find them a few days later after going through the trouble of calling the bank and having it deactivated permanently.

All these features make it super convenient as you can easily change them on the app instead of calling the bank.

Disposable Virtual Cards

You can also create  Disposable Virtual Cards  — perfect for times when you need to make online payments via foreign websites that might have questionable security protocols.

Disposable Virtual Cards are automatically refreshed after every use and can only be used once. So even if your details are exposed, your account will remain safe!

Revolut Review — thoughts after using Revolut for a few months

Over the last couple of months, our Revolut account generally worked really well. We used it for our everyday expenses and simply didn’t leave home without it.

The currency exchange rates were very favourable and the security controls were robust and useful. I personally loved the UI, which is intuitive and easy to navigate.

The biggest drawback would probably be the need for data connection. You need a data connection to top-up, so it’s important to make sure that you always have extra money in the account for unexpected purchases or emergencies. You don’t want to get stuck without money in a small town or rural area!

We also occasionally experienced situations where Revolut flags a suspicious transaction and blocks the card. While it’s easily resolved by logging into the app to unblock the card and mark it as a legit transaction, I can imagine how this might be a problem if you happen to be without data connection.

That said, I hardly carry my wallet around anymore and simply leave home with some emergency cash and the Revolut app on my smartphone. As the world becomes more connected and cashless, I can only imagine how using a multi-currency wallet and super-app like Revolut will become the main form of payment.

If you’d like to give Revolut a try, apply for an account and download the app here: – Apple App Store – Google Play

Revolut is also giving usersa 3% cash back on travel expenses till 23 December. More information here !

Hope you found this Revolut Review useful. Do let us know if you have any questions or suggestions to improve this review.

Disclosure : While the writer was provided with spending allowance to test the card, it’s in The Travel Intern’s interest to protect the editorial integrity of our website. We have taken every reasonable effort to ensure a realistic and honest review for our readers. 

This post was brought to you by  Revolut .

For more travel inspiration, follow us on  Facebook ,  Instagram , and  YouTube .

View this post on Instagram A post shared by thetravelintern.com 🇸🇬 (@thetravelintern)

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

JR Pass Budget Alternatives — Is the JR Pass, Single Shinkansen Tickets or Regional Passes More Worth It?

11 Travel Hacks and Pro-tips from Frequent Travellers

Changi is Giving Away 4 Business Class Tickets/Month Until End Oct 2024 — Here’s How to Get Yours

Mobile Payment in China: Step-by-step Guide to Using Alipay and WeChat Pay without a Chinese Bank Account

9 Must-Have Remote Working Travel Essentials That Make Life Easier While on The Road

Driving in Japan — 15 Things First Timers Should Know Before Planning that Road Trip

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

20 Things to Eat-See-Do in Sabah’s Capital Besides Climbing Mount Kinabalu

Experience Macao Singapore Roadshow: Get Exclusive Deals, Experience the Macau Grand...

Ultimate 6-Day Adelaide Itinerary — The Best of South Australia’s Underrated...

30 New Deals and Attractions in Singapore this April 2024

2D1N JB Itinerary — The Broke Friends Getaway

• Terms Of Use
• Privacy Policy

• Credit cards
• View all credit cards
• Banking guide
• Loans guide
• Insurance guide
• Personal finance
• View all personal finance
• Small business
• Small business guide
• View all taxes

You’re our first priority. Every time.

We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are objective, independent, straightforward — and free.

So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products or services. Here is a list of our partners .

Revolut Review: Checking and Savings

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

Overall institution rating

Revolut offers a prepaid card for spending, along with “savings vaults” that can earn interest as well as bonus money. To maximize the bonus, you’ll need to spend an amount equal to or greater than the balance in your savings vaults each month on the linked prepaid card. If you don’t spend enough to maximize the savings bonus, your money would likely earn a better yield in a traditional high-rate savings account instead.

Revolut’s mobile-focused accounts also let you send and receive funds in multiple currencies. As an upgrade, Revolut offers premium monthly subscription plans that start at $9.99. These plans have enhanced features, such as overseas medical insurance, higher fee-free ATM withdrawal limits and slightly higher savings rates.

Revolut does not offer live customer service by telephone, which is highly unusual for a financial services company. Customers can call an automated line to block their card or reach out for help via online chat.

What to know about neobanks: Neobanks can be solid options for consumers who prefer online-only banking. Funds deposited in these accounts are usually FDIC-insured through partner banks, which will also typically receive customers’ money if a neobank closes, so customer funds are safe. Neobank accounts often have low monthly fees and earn strong rates. However, they may also lack traditional banking features, including in-person customer service and access to personal or cashier’s checks (often required for large purchases, such as buying a home) or wire transfers. Consider these details before opening an account.

Best for: Customers who need an account offering currency exchange, are mainly self-serve when it comes to banking and maintain traditional bank accounts elsewhere.

» Want more options? See NerdWallet’s analysis of the best savings accounts and the best checking accounts .

• No monthly fees on some accounts.
• Large, free, nationwide ATM network.
• Highly rated mobile apps.
• No live customer service by telephone.
• No cash or check deposit.
• No branch access.

Full review

Revolut’s standard account has no monthly fees. You can send and receive funds in more than 25 currencies for free each month. Spending with your Revolut card at certain retailers can give you access to discounts and cash-back earnings. Payments made by direct deposit are available up to two days early.

Methodology

NerdWallet’s overall ratings for banks and credit unions are weighted averages of several categories: checking, savings, certificates of deposit or credit union share certificates, banking experience and overdraft fees. Factors we consider, depending on the category, include rates and fees, ATM and branch access, account features and limits, user-facing technology, customer service and innovation. The stars represent ratings from poor (one star) to excellent (five stars). Ratings are rounded to the nearest half-star.

How we rate banks, credit unions and other financial service providers

Best Accounts

More from nerdwallet.

• Work With Me
• SEO Services
• All Destinations
• Philippines
• Timor-Leste
• United Arab Emirates
• Czech Republic
• Netherlands
• Switzerland
• ALL Oceania
• New Zealand
• ALL North America
• United States of America
• ALL South America
• South Africa
• Adventure Travel
• Budget Travel
• Nature Travel
• Digital Nomad Life
• Australia – Sydney
• Colombia – San Andres
• Costa Rica – Tamarindo
• Czech Republic – Prague
• England – London
• Guatemala – Antigua
• Labuan Bajo
• Nusa Penida
• Japan – Tokyo
• Puerto Escondido
• New Zealand – Queenstown
• Netherlands – Amsterdam
• Spain – Barcelona
• Thailand – Bangkok
• UAE – Dubai
• Atlanta, Georgia
• Los Angeles, California
• Miami, Florida
• Orlando, Florida
• Vietnam – Ho Chi Minh
• Plan Your Trip
• Blogging Tips
• Boost Your Traffic For Free!

Revolut Review – The Only Travel Spending Card You Need [Updated 2024]

 You may have heard of Wise, Monzo or even Starling. Surely you must know of Revolut too?

Over the past few years, there has been a notable shakeup in the banking industry brought on by financial technology companies and their unconventional money management methods.

Revolut is among these companies, and it has gained significant attention in the fintech world due to its diverse range of digital financial services.

For people like me who prioritize independence, adventure, and experiential travel, Revolut can be an incredibly useful financial tool.

Get 3 months of free premium offer here!

At A Glance

The Idea Behind Revolut

Revolut plans, pricing and fees, 1. free foreign exchange fees & atm withdrawals, 2. access to multiple currencies, 3. travel insurance, 4. access to airport lounges, 5. smartdelay, 6. budgeting and expense tracking, 7. revolut virtual cards, 8. group bills, 9. revolut customer support, 10. revolut security, 11. donate to your favourite charities with revolut, 12. investing in stocks and/or crypto, overall ease of use, overview of revolut’s services.

Revolut is a financial technology (fintech) company headquartered in the UK, which was established in 2015 by Nikolay Storonsky and Vlad Yatsenko. The central idea behind Revolut was to create a digital platform that could offer a broad range of financial services without the requirement for a conventional bank.

Initially, Revolut’s offerings included prepaid debit cards that allowed users to withdraw cash and make purchases abroad without incurring excessive transaction fees.

Over the years, Revolut has expanded its services to provide a plethora of features that make it an excellent tool for individuals who travel frequently.

Among the most notable benefits of using Revolut is its ability to manage multiple currencies. With Revolut, you can hold and exchange up to 29 different currencies without incurring any hidden fees.

I was offered the opportunity to use the Revolut card back in 2018 and have the Premium plan.

Today, I’ll be sharing my experience with Revolut as a digital nomad and a full-time travel blogger.

Starting with the substantial value aid that Revolut brings into the picture, here’s an overview of Revolut plans along with some key features of Revolut (including my favourite ones).

Revolut offers several different account options, including a free account , a Premium plan and a Metal plan that come with additional features such as travel insurance and higher withdrawal limits.

The app also offers a unique feature called Revolut Junior, which allows parents to set up and manage accounts for their children.

In terms of fees, Revolut charges a small fee for certain transactions over the weekend, such as ATM withdrawals and currency exchanges.

However, the app does offer fee-free spending in over 135 currencies , making it a great option for those who frequently travel abroad.

Key Useful Features of Revolut

One of the biggest concerns of digital nomads and travel bloggers is accessing their funds while on the go. Traditional banks have limited access and impose hefty charges on foreign transactions. However, with Revolut, users can access their funds instantly and securely from anywhere in the world.

I, as a digital nomad and travel blogger, often face significant foreign exchange fees when withdrawing money or making purchases abroad. However, with Revolut, things have got more efficient and cost-effective.

Revolut offers fee-free foreign exchange in 33+ currencies for up to S$15,000 per month and doesn’t charge any hidden fees. The only fee they charge is when you make these exchanges over the weekend.

Revolut allows you to withdraw from the standard plan up to £200 (or equivalent) per month from ATMs abroad without any fees . After that, a small fee of 2% applies. This can help you save money on ATM fees when you’re travelling.

One thing to note is that they also charge a fee for weekend withdrawals.

This feature is particularly useful for those who travel frequently and need to withdraw cash or make purchases in foreign currencies.

One of the biggest challenges for a digital nomad or a full-time travel blogger is dealing with multiple currencies.

Revolut allows users to hold and exchange 35+ currencies at interbank exchange rates, which can help save money on exchange fees and get the best exchange rates possible.

As a Metal or Premium user, Revolut also offers travel insurance to its users. Travel insurance covers a wide range of issues, including flight cancellations, delays, and baggage loss.

While it may seem to be a really attractive feature, they do present some strong caveats that haven’t allowed me to utilise this feature at all. Note that since this is tied to Singapore travel insurance, some of these criteria may be localised.

First, 50% of your to and fro ticket from Singapore has to be paid for using your Revolut account.

Second, the maximum trip length you can take is up to 90 days. For a digital nomad that travels most of the year, this instantly makes the travel insurance feature irrelevant.

The third thing to note is that medical is covered only in the case of an emergency. Effective to say, it doesn’t cover common colds or illnesses arising from regular illness.

The fourth thing I note, since I’m an active individual, is travel accident coverage. While they do cover Travel Accidents, they only cover it if you sustain an injury from an accident that causes death or permanent disablement. (like a loss of sight, speech, hearing, or limb). Now that severely limits the coverage from travel accidents, doesn’t it?

Revolut’s premium plan includes access to over 1,200 airport lounges worldwide . This feature is a significant advantage for frequent travellers, as it provides a comfortable space to relax and unwind before or after a flight.

The airport lounge access is available to users who have subscribed to Revolut’s Premium or Metal plan, and at a discounted price of S$44.

Despite having a Premium plan, it’s hard for me to justify paying for this fee to lounge for a half hour to an hour while waiting to board a flight, especially given how most other travel credit cards offer lounge access for free. In addition to that, access to lounges is also subject to availability.

To access the airport lounges, users must present their Revolut card at the lounge reception, along with a valid boarding pass for the same day. The lounge access is available for the primary cardholder and up to 3 additional guests, depending on the lounge’s policy.

This is a nice feature for Revolut to offer, where if your plane is delayed for more than an hour, you get access to lounges for free. It’s a feature I’ve yet to use, but will be curious to utilise it to see if it does offer free lounge access since the lounge perks are still subject to availability depending on your location.

Revolut mobile app allows you to set budgets and track your expenses in real time. This can be a great way to stay on top of your finances and make sure you’re not overspending, especially when Managing finances while on the go can be challenging.

The app also provides users with weekly spending reports, helping them identify areas where they can cut back on expenses.

Revolut’s virtual card feature is particularly for those who need to make online purchases frequently. The virtual card is linked to the user’s main account, and users can set spending limits and freeze the card if it is lost or stolen.

This feature provides an additional layer of security, ensuring that users can make online purchases without worrying about the safety of their funds.

This feature is probably in an attempt to bring friends onto the platform, but I can acknowledge its merits. You can manage and split costs easily with your friends on one app (provided they’re also on Revolut).

Revolut offers customer support via the app, website, and phone. The app includes a chatbot that can assist with basic queries, while more complex issues can be escalated to a human customer support representative.

Revolut’s customer support is prompt and helpful, although some customers have reported difficulty in resolving certain issues.

I’ve had a couple of encounters having to reach out to them via the in-app chat, and they’ve been responsible for the most part. What I find a little inconvenient is that you have to constantly have the app open to communicate otherwise it’ll show that you’re inactive which causes the support team to leave the conversation prematurely.

Revolut takes security very seriously and uses various measures to protect customers’ data and funds. These measures include two-factor authentication, device-specific authentication, and the ability to freeze and unfreeze the debit card if it’s lost or stolen. Revolut is also a licensed and regulated financial institution, which provides an additional layer of security for customers.

Other Revolut Features

These are other features of Revolut that put them at a competitive advantage but are features I don’t personally see the need to use.

Revolut’s app includes a feature that allows users to donate to their favourite charities easily. This feature is available to all Revolut users, regardless of their plan, and enables them to make donations to a wide range of charitable organizations.

To access the donation feature, users can go to the “Donations” section of the Revolut app and choose from a list of charities. The list includes both local and international organizations covering a variety of causes such as education, health, the environment, and human rights. Once a user selects a charity, they can choose the amount they want to donate and make the payment instantly using their Revolut account.

Revolut provides a one-stop shop for you to trade stocks, ETFs, bitcoin and more from the app and get real-time updates. I personally can’t speak much of it as I don’t utilise this feature.

You can easily navigate the app to access your account information, make payments, and manage your finances with its clean and modern design

The app also includes useful features such as spending analytics, real-time notifications, and transaction categorization.

For someone who prefers the simplicity of an expense tracking app, the Stocks, Crypto and Vault features provide more complexity which has swayed me more in favour of its counterpart, Wise .

That said, you can also access your account information and make transactions via Revolut’s website.

One of the standout features of Revolut is its ability to instantly exchange and transfer money in over 150 currencies, making it a great option for international travellers and those who frequently send money overseas. The app offers real-time exchange rates and even allows users to hold and exchange cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum.

Revolut has also expanded its offerings beyond just banking services. The app now offers users the ability to trade stocks and cryptocurrencies, buy travel insurance, and even access a concierge service. These additional features provide users with more value and make Revolut a one-stop shop for all their financial needs.

Digital nomads like me and anyone can now focus on exploring new destinations and creating content without worrying about financial issues.

With Revolut, managing finances while on the go has never been easier. With Revolut, you can manage your finances efficiently and easily, freeing up more time and resources to focus on your travels and experiences.

Check out Revolut here .

Happy travelling and exploring!

Isabel Leong

Full-time travel blogger at Bel Around The World and SEO coach roaming the world at a whim, Isabel helps aspiring content creators and brands get the most out of their online presence by attracting organic leads/traffic and achieving financial freedom with her Skyrocket With SEO course. She's closely involved in and has been featured as a speaker in other travel & digital nomad networks & podcasts such as Traverse, Travel Massive, The Nomadic Network and Location Indie.

Hi! I'm Isabel, a full-time traveller and digital nomad from Singapore. In the past 10 years, I've lived in New Zealand , Japan , Kauai Hawaii , Mexico , Costa Rica and Bali . Pulling from my own world travel adventures and blogging lessons, I share my tried and tested tips, so that I can get YOU to work LESS and play MORE!

Previous Post How I Achieve Financial Freedom As a Digital Nomad

Next post forget bangkok - visit chonburi in thailand instead.

Comments are closed.

• Destinations
• Privacy Policy
• Skyrocket Your Site Traffic!

Join the newsletter and get exclusive travel tips, giveaways and more!

There are times to stay put, and what you want will come to you. And there are times to go out into the world and find such a thing for yourself. – Lemony Snicket

© 2024 Bel Around The World. All Rights Reserved. Website design by Hello Pomelo .

Revolut Travel Card Review [2024]

In a Nutshell

With some of the best exchange rates around and free weekday conversions for most currencies, the Revolut card is a worthy travel companion. It comes with an easy-to-use app but strict ATM withdrawal limits can be challenging.

Revolut Travel Card

• Best Exchange rates on weekdays
• Worst Low ATM withdrawal limits
• Free account available
• Make payments in 200+ countries
• Free withdrawals at over 55,000 ATMs worldwide
• Exchange 25+ currencies
• Great value with the interbank exchange rate
• No conversion fees on weekdays for most currencies
• Track your spending in the Revolut app
• Connects with Apple Pay and Google Pay
• Easily split travel expenses with friends
• Over 25 million people have used Revolut
• Weekend markup on exchange rates
• Low ATM withdrawal limits of just A$350, or 5 ATM withdrawals per month, whichever comes first
• Limited customer support available

Revolut Card Offer

Sign up and get a $15 top-up . For new customers only, T&Cs apply .

What is the Revolut travel card?

Revolut provides a virtual account that allows you to store different currencies in a digital wallet.

With this international travel card you can make payments in Australia and overseas with virtual and physical Revolut travel cards.

With your Revolut account, you can:

• Make purchases in more than 200 countries and with 25+ currencies
• Send money to both Australian and international bank accounts
• Receive money in a range of foreign currencies
• Withdraw from more than 55,000 ATMs worldwide
• Pay like a local while you’re abroad

Unlike most other debit travel money cards , Revolut offers different plans with different fees and limits. We’ll focus on the free Standard plan in this review unless stated.

The Standard plan

Revolut is one of the best travel cards available for Australians. So what makes it so good? For a start, the Revolut Standard plan is entirely free with no monthly subscription costs or hidden fees.

You’ll get great value when converting your money since Revolut, like the Wise card , uses one of the best exchange rates globally: the interbank rate.

Unlike Wise, Revolut doesn’t charge conversion fees for weekday exchanges (except for Thai baht and Ukrainian hryvnia), making Revolut the best card option for midweek currency exchanges.

This affordability makes the Revolut card worth having if you’re likely to make most of your purchases with the card. However, if you rely on ATM withdrawals, it may not be your best choice. Revolut limits free ATM withdrawals to just A$350, or 5 ATM withdrawals per monthly billing cycle, whichever happens first, before imposing a 2% markup(minimum charge of A$1.50).

The average Trustpilot review for Revolut is 4.3 stars with many users saying they love the easy-to-use app and the ability to track their spending. However the most common complaints centre around limited customer support.

How it works

Treat your Revolut card as a prepaid travel card . As long as you have money in your Revolut account, you can use the card to make payments and withdraw cash almost anywhere in the world. You can also use it to shop online.

Revolut allows you to store 25+ currencies (although the list is continuing to grow) and you can transfer between them to lock in a favourable exchange rate before you travel.

Revolut travel card fees (Standard account)

While it doesn’t cost anything to open an account and there is no subscription fee for a Standard plan, there are still certain charges to look out for, especially when you go over your spending limits.

• Opening an account: Free
• Getting your Revolut card: The first card is free. Additional cards are A$8.99 + delivery fee
• A$8.99 + A$9.99 per card for standard delivery
• A$33.99 per card for express delivery
• From Australian-issued debit cards and Australian bank accounts: Free
• From Australian-issued credit cards: Up to 1% of the transaction amount
• From debit and credit cards issued outside of Australia: Up to 2% of the transaction amount
• Spending money: Free but on weekends there is a 1% markup on transactions that require a currency exchange (see currency conversion fee below)
• Free for up to A$2,000 per month during exchange market hours
• 0.5% of the value of the exchange for any amount over A$2,000 per month
• 1% of the value of the exchange for exchanges made outside exchange market hours
• For THB and UAH: 1% of the value of the exchange
• 5 withdrawals or a total of A$350 (whatever comes first) in a rolling month: Free
• Any amount over A$350/month, or 5 ATM withdrawals per month, whichever comes first: 2% of the value of the withdrawal(minimum charge of A$1.50)

Spending limits

While spending limits can feel like a hassle, they exist to prevent fraud and provide additional security should you lose your card. You can change your spending limits within the app.

There are just two limits to watch out for in the Revolut Standard plan. The first is a A$2,000 currency exchange limit per month

The second — the ATM withdrawal limit — is restrictive, even by prepaid travel card standards. You can only withdraw up to A$350, or 5 ATM withdrawals, whichever comes first in any rolling 30 days without charge. After that, there’s a 2% markup(minimum charge of A$1.50) on all withdrawals.

Revolut card exchange rates

When it comes to exchange rates, few travel cards surpass Revolut. It can hold 25+ currencies, there are no conversion fees for most weekday exchanges, and Revolut uses the interbank exchange rate, which is one of the best rates globally.

The flip side is that there is a fee of 1% for foreign currency conversions on the weekend when the markets are closed (Friday 5pm to Sunday 6pm New York Time).

Card Provider

Exchange rate.

A$ → GBP (3pm 13 Feb 2023)

Conversion Fee

Loading A$1000

No fee on weekdays

What is the interbank exchange rate?

The interbank exchange rate is the rate banks use when they trade foreign currency with one another. It’s generally a better rate than the one you’ll find with a currency exchange provider.

The interbank rate is calculated by finding the midway point between the buy and sell rates of each currency. It’s sometimes also called the mid-market rate or the spot rate.

How the Revolut card compares

Revolut has 3 account plans, ranging from free to paid accounts but to give you the best travel card comparison , we’ll focus on the Revolut Standard plan.

Comparing the different plans

Revolut Australia offers 3 account plans to cater to different budgets and needs. Revolut Standard is a free account that covers the basics but it also imposes tighter spending and exchange limits.

Revolut Premium and Metal are paid plans with more features and greater flexibility but you may be charged a fee if you choose to downgrade your account more than 14 days after signing up and within 10 months.

Because of this, we recommend starting with the Standard plan and upgrading if you decide the additional features are worth it.

Get your Revolut card

Revolut makes it as easy as possible to open an account, choose your plan, and apply for a Revolut card.

Open account

Download the Revolut app on your phone and open your Revolut account in a matter of minutes. You’ll need ID.

Add money to your account

You can add money to your account with the Revolut app using a bank transfer, credit card, or debit card. You can even set up automatic top-ups when your balance gets low. It’s best to start with AUD in your account and then exchange currencies as needed.

Apply for your Revolut card

You can apply for a Revolut card via the Request Card tab in the app. The first card is free.

Activate your Revolut card

Activating your physical Revolut card is easy. All you have to do is make a payment at any store or withdraw from an ATM. Virtual cards are automatically activated.

Where can you use the Revolut card?

According to the Revolut website, you can use your Revolut card in more than 200 countries worldwide. Card payments and ATM withdrawals are accepted in more than 130 currencies .

Despite this, you can actually only hold 25+ currencies in your account. Once you’ve loaded Australian Dollars into your account, you can exchange them for any of the following currencies:

AED, AUD, BGN, CAD , CHF, CZK, DKK, EUR , GBP , HKD, HUF, ILS, JPY , MXN, NOK, NZD , PLN, QAR, RON, SAR, SEK, SGD, THB, TRY, USD , ZAR.

Can Revolut be used in Australia?

Your Revolut card works just like a bank card in Australia. With it, you can make payments in local stores, withdraw from local ATMs, and send money to local banks.

But it’s worth keeping in mind that the same spending limits apply whether you’re using your card in Australia or overseas. You may prefer to use a debit card from your Australian bank for purchases and withdrawals in Australia.

Revolut virtual cards & app

The Revolut app is a godsend when it comes to tracking your daily expenses overseas and managing payments in different currencies. It’s the perfect modern travel payment solution for the 21st century.

Revolut has refined its app, making it easy to create an account, load money, and view your account activities. You can exchange currency within the app and transfer money to Australian and international bank accounts.

Revolut embraces digital payment technology. While Revolut cards are compatible with digital wallets like Apple and Google Pay, the app also enables disposable virtual card technology for online payments.

This means that you can add single-use virtual cards to your account to use in addition to your physical card. Once you’ve made a payment online, the card will be destroyed and the number replaced, making it impossible to use them more than once.

Working out which is the best debit card all depends on how you like to travel and how you plan to use the card.

Many frequent travellers combine a Revolut Standard card with an additional card — such as the Wise card — to make the most of the free accounts and expand on their spending limits.

Frequent travellers and big spenders may quickly see the benefits of the Metal plan with its more generous free withdrawal and currency exchange limits — along with the added luxury of discounted lounge access (and free access for flight delays beyond one hour).

Not to mention Metal cardholders may be able to recoup the subscription costs quickly by making purchases through the cashback program.

It can take up to nine days to receive your Revolut card with standard shipping across Australia. Choosing express shipping can speed up the process, delivering your card within 3 business days.

Premium and Metal cardholders in the UK and the European Economic Area (EEA) have access to comprehensive travel insurance provided by Allianz.

While this feature isn’t available to Australian cardholders yet, it’s likely only a matter of time until Premium and Metal members here have access to it.

The advantage of Revolut is that you can manage your card and control your payment settings in the app.

To fortify your account, the Revolut app has a fingerprint ID log-in option and customisable features to allow you to disable things like contactless payments or ATM withdrawals.

You can freeze your card if it is lost or stolen to prevent further unauthorised purchases and, of course, you can also use the virtual cards we’ve mentioned above for added security.

Revolut uses the 3D Secure payments (which requires in-app payment verification) and the Sherlock anti-fraud system to receive real-time alerts on fraud activity.

Revolut Australia is regulated by Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) and your money is guaranteed up to $250,000 by a licensed bank in Australia, under the Payments Systems (Regulation) Act.

ASIC regulated

Like all reputable money exchanges, we are registered with AUSTRAC and regulated by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC).

S Money complies with the relevant laws pertaining to privacy, anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism finance. This means you are required to provide I.D. when you place an order. It also means the order must be paid for by the same person ordering the currency and you must show your identification again when receiving your order.

Andrew Henderson

Founder of Nomad Capitalist and the world’s most sought-after expert on global citizenship.

ABOUT THE COMPANY

What we’re all about

MEET OUR TEAM

Meet our 80+ global team

We’re here to serve you

Your questions answered

TESTIMONIALS

Read our testimonials

Get free email updates

ACTION PLAN

Our flagship service for entrepreneurs and investors

ACTION PLAN ELITE

Create your Action Plan directly with the Mr. Henderson himself

CITIZENSHIP BY DESCENT

Claim a second passport based on familial connections

ALL SERVICES

Click here to see all our products and services

GOING OFFSHORE

Offshore Banking

Offshore Company

Offshore Trust

Offshore Gold Storage

Offshore For Americans

SECOND CITIZENSHIP

Second Passport

Citizenship By Investment

Citizenship By Ancestry

Dual Citizenship Benefits

EU Citizenship

SECOND RESIDENCE

Second Residence

Golden Visas

Residence By Investment

EU Residence

Tax Residence

FINANCE & INVESTMENTS

Tax Reduction

International Investment

Cryptocurrency

Foreign Real Estate

Asset Protection

NOMAD LIFESTYLE

Flag Theory

Lifestyle Design

Plan B Strategy

Hiring Overseas

Living In Eastern Europe

PASSPORT INDEX

Discover the world’s best passports to have in an ever-changing world

CITIZENSHIP MAP

Explore the citizenship options using our interactive citizenship map

Explore the tax details for countries using our interactive tax map

ALL RESEARCH

Click here to see all of our research and interactive tools

THE WORLD’S #1 OFFSHORE EVENT

Learn from our R&D playbook and meet like-minded people at our annual event.

NOMAD CAPITALIST THE BOOK

Andrew Henderson wrote the #1 best-selling book that redefines life as a diversified, global citizen in the 21st century… and how you can join the movement.

Revolut Card Review – Pros and Cons for International Travel

It is an exciting time to live an international life. 

With the growing population of world travelers, companies have responded with greater effort to serve travelers in the many areas of their international life.

Handling money abroad is one area that has long presented difficulties. The typical solutions are old and inadequate, but thankfully, the FinTech revolution has finally extended its reach to the world of international travel.

The following is a review of each service that Revolut provides, with an explanation of how it is supposed to work and how it has worked for us in real life.

Nomad Capitalist is a turnkey solution for offshore tax planning, dual citizenship, asset protection, and global diversification. Find out more here . 

Accessing Your Money Abroad 

How do you access or transfer your money? How can you avoid racking up ATM fees or losing money when exchanging currencies? And what do you do when all the confusing charges start showing up on your bills?

The rapid pace of change the world over has translated into incredible benefits for anyone with the travel bug, and even more so for companies and individuals who prefer to do business overseas.

Handling money abroad is one area that has long presented difficulties for travelers. How do you access or transfer your money? How can you avoid racking up ATM fees or losing money when exchanging currencies? And what do you do when all the confusing charges start showing up on your bills?

Travelers’ checks are unwieldy, many credit and debit cards have high foreign transaction fees, and even those that don’t will cost you money as their exchange rates are always above spot. 

Revolut is a FinTech company that offers a travelers’ card that does what no other card or service has done to date: it eliminates all exchange fees and gives you instant access to a multi-currency bank account wherever you go.

The benefits of the card are clear to see just by reviewing the product and its various services on the company’s website, but we wanted to see how Revolut’s prepaid Mastercard performed in real life.

So, we decided to try the card out. 

What is Revolut?

Before we get to the specific services Revolut offers, let’s delve in a little deeper and examine the company itself. Co-founded by Nikolay Storonsky and Vladyslav Yatsenko, Revolut launched in July of 2015 as a banking and payment solution for those who refuse to settle down.

Unlike other prepaid and travel card services, Revolut was first designed as a smartphone app . While the prepaid Mastercard is beneficial, you can make purchases online through an electronic credit card via the app without ever getting the plastic in the mail.

If you still want the physical card, you can apply for one and then use it to pay abroad and withdraw up to 200-400 GBP fee-free every month. If you want to go past the limit, you will pay a fee of 2% until the end of the month when your limit is reset.

The biggest draw of the Revolut app and card is that it allows you free international money transfers , fee-free global spending, and the ability to spend in more than 90 currencies at the interbank exchange rate. 

Currently, no other service offers this. Because of the absence of fees and the spot exchange rate, Revolut has helped customers save hundreds of millions in fees since it launched. 

The company is backed by some of the most well-known investors in Europe, including those who have invested in companies like Facebook, Dropbox, and Skype. It offers a free plan, a premium plan that costs £6.99/month, and a newer setup for businesses. 

Each account can double as a regular UK and/or Euro bank account, complete with its own sort code and account number.

The free plan offers interbank exchange rates, free bank transfers in 36 currencies, and free ATM withdrawals up to £200 per month. 

The Premium plan increases the withdrawal limit to £400 per month and adds on free unlimited exchange volumes, free premium cards with free global express delivery, 24/7 access to customer support, and exclusive Premium promotions.

The Premium plan also includes overseas medical insurance . The insurance includes emergency medical and dental treatment and access to a large network of global medical centers. Reimbursement is paid into your Revolut account, making the process quick and simple.

The new business plan allows you to send and receive instant transfers from other businesses using the app. You can pay suppliers in their local currency via the 36 currencies Revolut currently uses, and you can transfer it all at the interbank exchange rate. 

The business plan also provides corporate cards that you can distribute amongst your remote team members to cut travel expenses as they spend abroad without any fees and at the best exchange rates.

Our Experience: We started out with the free plan and then upgraded to the Premium plan to get better service. While the company promises that they can deliver the card within 1-3 business days, we had not received our new Premium card after two weeks.

We contacted customer service to ask why the Premium account service was even slower than the normal account and they explained that all the Premium cards were in a “pre-ordered state.” 

The response seemed vague and rote, but they did tell us that our current card was working under the Premium subscription.

It wasn’t the most impressive answer or service, but at least they gave us instant access to the Premium account… even if they did not think to tell us this upfront and failed to fulfill their promise of a 1-3-day delivery of our new card.

Transfer Money with No Exchange Rates or Fees

Every once in a while, we will get a message from someone who is fed up with their high bank fees .  Truthfully, we don’t mind paying a little more for the kind of service we receive from the banks that charge higher monthly fees. 

Banks that keep fees low often pass the cost onto you in some other way, often through poor customer service. Revolut seems to be no different, but more on that in a minute.

However, if your aversion to high bank fees and expensive exchange rates is stronger than your desire for good customer service, then Revolut could be your solution.

Most banks make money in two different ways when you transfer money. The first way is by marking up the exchange rate when you spend or transfer money abroad. 

They earn the difference between the interbank exchange rate (the rate banks use to trade between themselves) and the rate they offer you. The more they can markup the price, the more they earn.

Revolut, on the other hand, gives you the exact interbank exchange rate – not the marked-up price, but the bank’s spot price. You will get the same exchange rate you see on Google because both Google and Revolut use Live Bank to determine their exchange rate.

However: Revolut does markup the exchange rate on the weekends. It would appear that they take the exchange rate from Friday and then add a 0.5% -1.5% markup, depending on the currency. If you want to avoid this, just make sure you make all your card purchases or withdraw money from the ATM (to use on the weekend) on weekdays.

The second way regular banks make money from your international transfers is by charging high fees. (Those that don’t are the ones that often have the largest markups on the exchange rate.) 

If you are fine with your transfer taking up to two working days, Revolut will not charge you any fees. If you want to transfer your money faster, you can “turbo-boost it” for a tiny fee.

Once you top up your card with a debit card, credit card, or bank transfer, the best way to avoid additional fees is to transfer money between currencies instantly via the app. 

If you have £100 in your GPB (British Money) account, for example, you could make a purchase in Hong Kong and the app would instantly transfer the correct amount from your GBP account to HKG without marking up the exchange rate or charging any fees.

The Revolut app also allows you to transfer money to other accounts via SMS, email, WhatsApp, and even Social Media, as long as the person you are sending money to also has the Revolut card and app.

Our Experience: The first time we sent a wire transfer, it didn’t appear in our account for more than four weeks. And it only appeared after we contacted customer service several times to fix the problem.

We transferred $1000 to our Revolut account via a bank in Singapore , and the bank confirmed that the transfer went through, but then the money never showed up on the Revolut app. We had never had problems wiring money with our Singapore bank before, so we knew the problem was on Revolut’s end.

After contacting Revolut’s customer service team several times, they were finally able to “locate the funds” and “assign them” to our account. 

We wanted to know how we could avoid the same problem happening again, and they assured us that the process would be seamless the next time if we sent money from the same account.

They also told us that it usually takes about three working days for a wire to settle. Our suggestion would be to contact Revolut any time you top up your account with a new card or bank account if you do not see the funds appear after three days.

A Multi-Currency Card

The Revolut prepaid MasterCard is a multicurrency card that functions as a local currency card. You can physically hold 36 different currencies on the app, including, AED, AUD, BGN, CAD, CHF, CLP, COP, CZK, DKK, EGP, EUR, GBP, HKD, HUF, ILS, INR, ISK, JPY, KRW, KZT, MAD, MXN, NOK, NZD, PHP, PLN, QAR, RON, RSD, SAR, SEK, SGD, THB, TRY, USD, ZAR.

You can then use the card to make purchases within the country as if you were using a local card.

You can pre-purchase any of these currencies before you travel if the exchange rate is good and you want to lock in the rate, or you can spend money as you travel and have one currency instantly exchanged into another on the list fee-free (as explained above).

You can also transfer money electronically in a total of 36 different currencies and spend money in up to 140 currencies. If the currency you are spending isn’t one of the 36 listed above, Revolut will automatically convert it at spot rate and deduct it from your largest currency account. Again, Revolut does all this without charging a fee.

This feature can also be a great way to set up multi-currency payments for your various international employees and/or investments. We haven’t tried this yet, but Revolut claims that you can set it all up in just a few seconds by adjusting when and how often you would like to pay.

ATM Withdrawals & Reliability Issues

One of the easiest ways to move money overseas is to simply take it out at a local ATM. Even if you prefer to spend on your card, ATMs can come in handy when you are in a place where most (if not all) transactions are made in cash.

The biggest issue with ATMs is that you’ll be charged various fees for using them: 

• First, you will be charged an international ATM fee by your home bank. 
• Second, you’ll often have to pay an exchange fee – typically 2.5-3% gets added to the exchange. 
• Third, you’ll get a bad conversion fee from your home bank (remember, bad exchange rates are one way banks make money off of you). 
• And fourth, the local ATM will charge you a fee before you can withdraw your cash.

With all of this, you can pay anywhere from 6-12% on the money you withdraw from an ATM!

Revolut will do none of these things. If you want to withdraw money, you will not be charged an international ATM fee or an exchange fee and you will receive the interbank exchange rate. 

And, since your card acts as if it were from a local bank, you can often avoid the local ATM charge as well. The only time you will be charged a fee is if you go over your monthly limit of 200-400 GBP.

Our Experience: While we have not had any problems withdrawing money, we have heard several reports of massive reliability issues when it comes to withdrawing money via ATM with the Revolut MasterCard. 

Numerous people have reported that their cards did not work when they went to withdraw cash. While you may not run into problems, to avoid ending up cashless, always take more than one card with you when you take a trip to the ATM.

Cryptocurrency – A Brand New Feature

In 2017, Revolut’s CEO Nikolay Storonsky announced that cryptocurrency trading would be open to all Revolut users. He also shared that, during a week-long crypto beta test, 10,000 customers had traded $1 million in cryptocurrency. 

You can now instantly buy and exchange cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ether, and Litecoin in 36 fiat currencies. You can exchange between the three types of cryptocurrency or transfer the money into your fiat accounts in a matter of seconds. And you can buy any type of cryptocurrency within minutes of setting up your Revolut account.

You can also pay your Revolut contacts in cryptocurrency, receive cryptocurrency transfers from your phone contacts, and spend your cryptocurrency on your card as you would with any other currency you have stored on the app. 

The app will even convert the necessary amount of cryptocurrency to fiat if you make a transaction with your card without enough fiat funds in your account to cover the purchase.

Revolut charges one of the most competitive crypto transaction rates: a flat 1.5% upfront fee . Other platforms can add up to 9% to any crypto purchase, so this really is a great offer. You can also buy with any of Revolut’s base currencies, so there is no need to exchange currencies before you purchase.

Our Experience: Several months ago, we tried to buy Bitcoin with our Revolut account and got a notification that the card issuer rejected our buy. We contacted customer service and Revolut informed us that they did not support any cryptocurrency related services at the time, but planned to support them in upcoming updates. 

Peer-to-Peer Lending

Probably the least appealing service from Revolut is its peer-to-peer lending platform. Revolut has partnered with Lending Works – a peer-to-peer lending company based in London – to offer its users the opportunity to take out a loan from an individual lender.

While the 9.9% APR makes me doubt that you could really save an average of 50% compared to a bank loan as Revolut claims, the service does fulfill Revolut’s goal of becoming a complete 21st-century banking alternative for your whole financial life.

If you do choose to take out a loan through Revolut, the money will appear instantly on your card and you can pay back the loan via the app.

Security Features

One of the most appealing services that Revolut offers is the app’s intuitive security features. The Revolut Location Security feature utilizes the company’s knowledge of your phone’s location via the app to identify if your card is being used somewhere other than where you are. 

Revolut can then take into account your location and your card’s location to either approve or reject a transaction.

This can come in very handy with card skimmers. One of our team members is ready to get a Revolut card just because of this feature. Her debit card was skimmed in Bali, and she had to wait two months to get a new one.

You may run into issues with the security feature if you do not have your phone’s data or GPS turned on but, overall, this type of security makes a traveler’s use of money abroad much safer and convenient. 

Customer Service

Now that we’ve looked at both “the good” and “the bad” of Revolut’s services, it’s time to talk about “the ugly”: Revolut’s customer service. The customer service department is incredibly basic. It is limited to set hours and is almost entirely controlled and managed by software that you can only access through the app.

There are very few staff, so if you get nowhere with RITA (the live chat robot) – which is usually what happens – you can expect extremely slow responses from a real person, who often does not know how to solve your problems anyway. Messages often go unread and it is typical to receive stock responses from both RITA and staff.

Many people love Revolut until they run into a problem and have to deal with the customer service department. After struggling to speak to a human and then failing to solve their problem, the love affair soon goes sour. If you’ve read a bad review about Revolut online, it has probably been because of an issue with customer service.

Our Experience: We have had many frustrating experiences with Revolut’s customer service department. At one point, we received a response from RITA that all the representatives were extremely busy at the moment and that one of the agents would be able to help in approximately two hours!

Once we were finally able to speak to a human, they asked for a screenshot of our bank transfer. When we uploaded the image to the chat, it was too large for the chat system and did not appear. After resizing the picture and uploading it again, the agent told us that it didn’t provide enough evidence to fix the problem.

The agent then asked for additional documents that would have cost us $20 per document to attain from a bank. The money wasn’t the real issue though, it was all the lost time of running around asking for favors from the bank and then coming back to deal with the frustrating customer service system all over again.

And that was just one run-in with customer service, not to mention all the other frustrating encounters.

We’d like to hope that these issues are just growing pains of a truly novel service that is taking on more and more customers each day. But, if Revolut really hopes to provide the kind of service that will keep people around, they’ll need to invest in their customer service department and soon.

How Revolut Makes Money – Where You’ll Be Charged

With fee-free transfers and interbank exchange rates, Revolut has to make up for the lost profit somewhere. Here are the fees and charges you can expect if you choose to use Revolut’s app and prepaid Mastercard:

• 1% fee to top up your card with a UK credit card and a 3-4% fee with a US debit or credit card.
• 0.5% -1.5% markup to the exchange rate over the weekend.
• £5 + £5 delivery fee for a spare Revolut card.
• £5 fee to speed up a transfer to friends or businesses from two business days to one.
• 0.5% fee for transactions over £5,000 per month.
• 1-1.5% fee when spending Thai Baht (1.5%), Russian Ruble (1.5%), or Ukrainian Hryvnia (1%).
• 2% fee if you withdraw more than your £200-£400 limit per month from an ATM.
• £6.99 monthly fee for ‘Premium’ cardholders. (Premium cardholders do not have the £5,000 per month limit on transactions.)

The company may also be making money simply by having access to your money. Revolut can take the money its customers have stored on the app and invest it like other banks do to earn interest.

Our Experience: While we knew of these different fees, we were surprised to learn that the wire transfer to top up our Revolut account was going to cost us 30 USD. After contacting customer support, we learned that the rule is that you should top-up in the currency that your bank account is held in… or you’ll be charged.

We also had an issue topping up with a credit card that had been issued in Georgia. Apparently, the Georgian Lari is not one of the 140 currencies supported by the app. After that, we switched to a Polish card and had no problem.

Is Revolut the Future?

Revolut has experienced tremendous success since it began. In its first two years, the company signed up over a million new users in Europe and processed more than 42 million transactions.

The company is also growing incredibly fast, a testament to the power of marketing to the globally minded. In 2023, it had 30 million retail customers globally, adding five million new users in the last 12 months.

With the increasing pace of globalization, freeing the movement of personal capital around the world across currencies is a logical step, but Revolut is surprisingly one of the first to successfully take that step.

They are committed to the concept of money without borders and, so far, they are delivering on their promises to provide fee-free transfers and interbank exchange rates. They certainly have their problems, but you are bound to encounter some problems along the way with a company that is pushing the limits of the financial industry like Revolut is doing.

But we doubt that Revolut alone will be the future of the financial industry. There will always be a place for traditional banks and there will definitely be competition from other companies in the coming years. 

Transferwise has already proposed a similar travel card accompanied by a “borderless account” that will be available within the next year. And WorldFirst has already introduced its own multi-currency account.

So, while Revolut may not be the sole future of global finance, the concepts that the company has embraced will certainly shape the coming years of the world-financial scene. 

For Nomad Capitalists, this is great news. Having companies compete to offer better services to the globally-minded is a dream come true, even if those services aren’t quite perfect yet. 

GET ACTIONABLE TIPS FOR REDUCING TAXES AND BUILDING FREEDOM OVERSEAS

Sign up for our Weekly Rundown packed with hand-picked insights on global citizenship, offshore tax planning, and new places to diversify.

Are you a US citizen?

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

Offshore Holding Company Benefits for Entrepreneurs and Investors

Diverse and often misunderstood, holding companies play a unique role in today's society and for...

The Tax Rebate System for Malta Companies 

My wise and aged grandmother liked nothing better than to pour cold water on any exciting...

Zero-Tax Countries: Where to Move to in 2024

Whether you’re a digital nomad, a crypto investor, a successful entrepreneur or just plain old...

Five Low-Tax Countries in Latin America

It’s hard to put a value on personal freedom.  Perhaps that’s why so many people love Latin...

9 Best Jurisdictions for Company Incorporation in 2024

When it comes to protecting and growing your wealth by structuring companies in the most efficient...

The 183-Day International Tax Myth

For many people, the mere mention of 'international tax law' and 'the 183-day tax myth' is enough...

Reduce Your Taxes And Diversify Your Wealth

Nomad Capitalist has helped 1,500+ high-net-worth clients grow and protect their wealth safe from high taxes and greedy governments. Learn how our legal, holistic approach can help you.

What do you want to accomplish?

Let us know your goal and we will tell you how we can help you based on your details.

REDUCE TAXES OFFSHORE

CREATE A GLOBAL PLAN B

DIVERSIFY AND PROTECT WEALTH

UNITED STATES

UNITED KINGDOM

EU COUNTRIES

Tax Amount ($US Dollars)

POLITICAL INSTABILITY

ECONOMIC INSTABILITY

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES

TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS

HIGH TAX LIABILITIES

RISK MANAGEMENT

MARKET PROTECTION

WEALTH PRESERVATION

OPPORTUNITY CAPITALIZATION

ESTATE PLANNING

Email Address

We handle your data according to our Privacy Policy . By entering your email address you grant us permission to send you the report and follow up emails later.

Revolut review – Is it still worth it?

Our rating:

As editor of Money Saving Answers, I discuss Revolut in a number of our travel articles. It stands out as one of the best cards for foreign travel . 

Despite me personally using Revolut since 2016, neither myself nor the team at Money Saving Answers have ever written a complete review. Today I’m going to change that which my personal Revolut review. 

Revolut review – Pros and Cons

What is revolut.

At its core Revolut is a digital banking service offering borderless multicurrency accounts, and frictionless currency exchanges. It can be used as a main bank account to receive your salary or pay bills, direct debits and standing orders, but where it really shines is currency exchange and foreign travel.

Founded in London in 2015, Revolut started as a prepaid travel card similar to that of the former TravelEx Supercard . I remember using the card in Ireland in 2016, and was impressed by the speed at which the spending notifications popped on my phone even before the cashier had handed me a receipt.  

Since then, Revolut has expanded its services and is no longer a pure prepaid travel card, but a digital account that covers ‘ all things money .’ It has over 25 million customers worldwide, and operates in over 20 countries. 

Is Revolut a bank?

Yes, and no. It is a fully licenced bank in the EU, and has applied for a banking licence in the UK, and a bank charter in the USA. 

Interestingly, it doesn’t look likely to be granted a UK banking licence anytime soon. It originally applied in January 2021, but since then has had a number setbacks, the latest being it’s company accounts which as of January 2023 were seven months overdue. 

Who is Revolut for?

Revolut can be used in many of the same ways you’d use a normal bank account from the likes of Barclays, Santander etc… but I’d argue that’s mainly for people who want to save money when either travelling abroad, spending in foreign currencies, or exchange money without the exorbitant fees or poor rates offered on the highstreet. 

That might be digital nomads (or which there are around 2.4m Brits), Frequent travellers, foreign home owners, students taking a semester abroad, those with friends and family abroad etc. the list is endless. 

Revolut fees and plans

Revolut offers four different price plans:

• Standard – free
• Plus – £2.99 
• Premium – £6.99
• Metal – £9.99

The difference between standard and plus is mostly the fees and limits involved when using various Revolut services. Metal and Premium step this up and include travel insurance, airport lounge discounts, and other benefits. In this article though I’m mainly going to focus on the free standard plan, as that the one most will opt for. 

Fees and limits

Revolut is generally open and upfront about its fees, but there are still a few gotchas around, especially for those on the free standard plan. 

Firstly, you can exchange foreign currency fee-free up to your £1,000 fair use allowance. After that you’ll be charged 1%.

Local payments i.e., those in the UK in GBP are always free, as are transfers to other Revolut users, and bank accounts within the Single Euro Payment Area (SEPA).

On weekends, Revolut adds a 1-2% (depending on currency) mark-up on currency exchanges to cover any movement in the exchange rate when FX-markets are closed. Try to avoid exchanging any currency during these times if you can. 

Revolut ATM limits and fees

ATM withdrawals are free up to £200 per 30 day period, and up to 5 withdrawals. After this there is a 2% fee with a minimum of £1. Those who need more can withdraw up to £3,000 equivalent per day, which is the highest limit we’ve seen amongst any card. It will cost though. At 2% you’ll be charged £20 for every £1,000. 

Casual users should be able to avoid most of the fees, especially given the prevalence of contactless payments in popular holiday destinations. 

Those relying on cash, or travelling for extended period (or with a family), are likely to run into the fair use fee, and the ATM withdrawal fee. 

Exceeding the free ATM withdrawal limit catapults Revolut from one of the cheapest cards around to one that should be avoided. If you’re a heavy cash user then Starling or Chase would be better, as although the maximum daily limit is lower, you won’t be charged for withdrawals. 

Revolut prepaid card(s)

On joining Revolut you are given a free virtual card. This can be used for online, and point of sale transactions (via ApplePay or GooglePay) in either GBP or a foreign currency. 

You can also have a free physical card, but you might need to pay a delivery free of £5. Often this is waived though. 

There’s also a disposable card. This is designed for online shopping where you may not fully trust the website to store your details. On each use the card is destroyed, and replaced with a new one. Refunds still make their way to your Revolut account, but retailers cannot charge the card again. 

This is a great security feature, that I’ve found especially useful in taking advantage of free trials that require card details to be entered. 

Another useful feature for travellers is the mix of Visa and Mastercard products. The physical and disposable cards are Visa debit, while the virtual card is a Mastercard debit. It’s rare that stores won’t accept both, but it has happened to me on my travels that my Mastercards were rejected whereas Visa cards went through fine. 

The Revolut app

The Revolut app has grown over the years to encompass the company’s ‘ all things money ’ strategy. And while it offers a number of great features, I have found it has become quite bloated. 

It’s still quick and easy enough to use, and shouldn’t cause anyone any problems, but the interface is a little busy for my tastes.

It makes heavy use of icons, which is fine, but the sheer number of products and services means some things can get lost in the clutter. 

When I open a banking app, I expect my money to be the main focus of the app. Revolut does show your balance when opening the app, but only in one currency. If you have balances in other currencies you have to click on a little drop down arrow to switch.

If you want to total up how much you have in your account across all currencies, you need to scroll down towards the bottom of the page past Revolut’s suggestions and cashback offers, and analytics to see your ‘net worth’ as it’s called in the app.

Adding money and transferring money options are right there up top which is great, but the option to exchange money is hidden away under a sub-menu. I find this strange as the main benefit of Revolut over other neo banks is the currency exchange feature. 

I’d really like to see that exchange button next to the ‘add money’ and ‘transfer money’ options. 

By default, the home screen shows just a single recent transaction, with the option of clicking ‘See all’ to access more. I’d like to see more transactions listed here. Instead, the bottom third of the screen is taken up by suggestions of things Revolut thinks you might be interested in. It’s basically just advertising for Revolut’s other services. 

Overall, the app is fast and functional, with most options available in one or two clicks, but with so much going on, some ability to customise at least the Home Screen would be a welcome addition.

How to open a Revolut account and get 3 months free premium

Signing up to Revolut takes less than 5 minutes, and because Revolut isn’t a bank, you don’t need to jump through as many hoops as you do with some accounts. There are no credit checks, and you don’t even need proof of address. 

For those reasons, it’s also a great first account for those new to the UK. And in some cases your Revolut account statement, can be used as proof of address when opening accounts elsewhere such as Virgin’s M account. See out guide on basic bank accounts for more information on this. 

Steps to open a Revolut account

If you sign up to Revolut via the link here , you’ll get three months of Premium for free. That includes free travel insurance so it is definitely worth it if you are travelling within the next few months. 

Download the app by clicking our link and using the QR code.

Sign up for an account: Open the app and select “Sign up”. You’ll be asked to provide some personal information, such as your name, email address, and phone number.

Verify your identity: Revolut uses a secure process to verify your identity, which typically involves taking a photo of your passport or driving licence, and a selfie.

Add a funding source: To start using your Revolut account, you’ll need to add a funding source or top up your account. You can do this by linking your bank account or debit/credit card, or via ApplePay and GooglePay.

Activate your card: Once you’ve completed the sign-up process and chosen your plan, you can order your Revolut card. You can choose between a physical or virtual card, and it will be delivered to you within a few days.

Revolut Crypto fees

Revolut launched its cryptocurrency platform in 2018. It allows all Revolut customers to buy, sell, and hold cryptocurrencies in-app. The fees for which depend on the subscription held.

• Standard and Plus users – 1.99% of the value of the transaction or £0.99 whichever is greater
• Premium and Metal users – 1.49%

Standard and Plus users should also bear in mind that crypto exchanges count towards their £1,000 monthly fair usage limit. 

I tested the platform back in 2018 amidst the Bitcoin hype. It was easier to use and understand than a dedicated crypto exchange, and used the same familiar interface you get when exchanging foreign currency. 

The fact that I had money sitting in my Revolut account at the time, made it quick and easy buy a few fractions of BTC or XRP or whatever I dabbled in at the time. 

The only drawback I found came later, when I wanted to move my crypto to an external wallet. It just wasn’t possible. Fortunately, that has now changed and you can move your crypto assets to other wallets or cold storage. 

Obviously, it’s not as detailed or full featured as dedicated crypto exchange, but it’s this simplicity that makes it great for those who are curious to learn more about crypto in general. 

Revolut vs Wise

Revolut is by far the most popular multicurrency card, but it’s not the only game town. Wise (formerly Transferwise) also has a large following. 

Both offer free multicurrency accounts with debit cards. Both can be used a bank accounts if you wish to have your salary paid into them, or set up direct debits and standing orders. There are some key differences though. 

Wise focuses on low fees, while Revolut focuses on versatility. That doesn’t mean Wise is cheaper though. In fact, in the exchanges I have conducted Revolut always won out. 

There are caveats to that though. Both use the midmarket rate for currency exchanges but and for 15 of the most common currencies Revolut is cheaper as it doesn’t charge a fee, provided you stay within the fair use policy of your plan (which for the free plan is £1,000 a month). 

Wise does charge a free, but it’s up front and transparent about this. Where is beats Revolut is on exchanges in more exotic currencies where Revolut adds a 1% mark up, and on exchanges outside of market hours, which can incur as much as a 2% mark up. 

In terms of the debit cards, Revolut edges out Wise. Both allow spending in over 150 currencies, but Revolut customers on the free standard plan withdraw up to £200 a month fee free (in one go), whereas Wise offers two free ATM withdrawals of just £100 each, then charges up to 2% thereafter. 

Bearing in mind that my experience with Wise is limited to a few small transfers in testing and a few card transactions. It is a popular card in its own right especially amongst ex-pats and is said to be better with dealing with transfers to the USA. 

Chase vs Revolut

It may seem odd to compare Chase and Revolut, but in terms of spending abroad, they both perform a similar function. The main difference is that Revolut offers in-app currency exchange and foreign bank transfers in over 15 different currencies, and spending in over 150. Chase doesn’t yet offer international transfers, nor does it offer a currency exchange function. 

In terms of holiday spending, Chase is the clear winner. Both offer fee free point of sale spending aboard, but when it comes to ATM withdrawals it’s a different story.

The free Revolut account limits monthly ATM withdrawals to just £200 equivalent. Withdrawals over this amount are charged a 2% fee. Foreign ATM withdrawals via Chase, are limited to £1,500 a month, with a maximum daily amount of £500. In addition, Chase users visiting the USA can use Chase ATMs to avoid and ATM fees charged by the foreign bank. 

That’s not all though, Chase previously offered 1% cashback on spending via its debit card even when abroad. It has now amended this offer. Customers can still earn 1% cashback on spending, but must deposit at least £500 a month into their account. The cashback is also now limited to £15 a month. 

Is Revolut safe?

In the UK Revolut is not a bank, it’s an e-money institution. Although it is still regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, it isn’t part of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. 

Instead, customer deposits are ring-fenced at Barclays and Lloyds, and cannot be used by Revolut for its own business activities. This provides a good degree of protection should anything happen to the company, but isn’t as iron-clad as full FSCS protection. 

Additionally, Revolut isn’t signatory to the voluntary Contingent Reimbursement Model Scheme (CRM) , and has receive criticism in the past for refusing to reimburse victims of fraud where seemingly authorised payments were made. 

This is something that has been highlighted recently on the BBC, as a few victims of this type of authorised fraud have had trouble claiming anything back from Revolut. 

Is Revolut still worth it?

With the growth in digital banking and increased competition across the ‘travel money’ sector, I must admit I don’t find myself using Revolut anywhere near as much as I did in the past. 

That being said, there still many reasons to love Revolut. For one, it’s just so quick and easy. Exchanges are simple, and transfers to euro accounts are always via SEPA instant, which isn’t something that can be said for Starling. It also has a ton of services and features that just available from any other UK bank or fintech. Cryptocurrency and commodities investing for example right there in the same app. Shared vaults, group bills etc..

It’s also constantly innovating and adding new features. Many of these features aren’t just limited to Premium members either, but available to all account holders. An example of this is the virtual disposable card, which is great for online shopping security. A Premium feature on Monzo, but included in free standard plan for Revolut customers. 

For mainstream currencies it’s cheaper than Wise for the most part, and wins out as a travel card against Currensea (see our Revolut vs Currensea article) provided you can live within the tight limits of the free standard account. A top foreign travel credit or debit card, such as the Barclaycard Rewards, or Starling debit card still better for day-to-day spending abroad though. 

It’s not all positive though. Critical support is abysmal, you can’t actually talk to human. There’s also the question of fees. The standard plan is free, but only to a point. The fees for going over what are quite small allowances can add up if you aren’t careful, and on top of these, you can be hit by out-of-hours fees on currency exchanges. 

The company and its management are also questionable. It has been involved in a number of scandals over the years, from a culture of bullying, to disabling money laundering checks .

The latest negative headlines centre around the lack of support for victim of fraud where seemingly ‘authorised’ transactions were made. It was also more than 7 months late filing its annual accounts . Not something you expect from a would-be bank.  

Fortunately, the vast majority of customers remain unaffected by these incidents, but it certainly doesn’t help public perception, especially in an age where banks are increasingly adopting a more ethical stance. See Kroo for example. 

As a long-time account holder, my opinion is that Revolut certainly has its benefits, and although I’m not thrilled about its corporate governance, or public image, I do still see a use case for it in certain circumstances. In particular for currency exchange and transfers to foreign accounts. Always making sure never to leave large sums of money in the account for any length of time due to the lack of FSCS protection. 

Got a Revolut story? Good or bad, we’re keen to hear your experiences.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

The original multi-currency account, and still one the best

Money in your inbox

Join thousands of like-minded money savers and receive money saving hints, tips, and offers, direct to your inbox.

By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from from Money Saving Answers.

International Money Made Simple

Revolut Card Review

About Author: Hi, I’m Quinn Askeland. In 2014, I started Transumo after experiencing expensive, slow, and frustrating international money transfers and payments through banks. Once I discovered how to manage my own international currencies much better, I became driven to help others improve their transfers and payments. Fortunately, today, there are many excellent options. See My Full Bio .

The Revolut Card is more than just mobile money and travel freedom while avoiding the crazy fees banks charge.

H ere’s the deal:

• You can use it to spend in over 150 currencies at a competitive exchange rate, with transparent fees .
• Lots of useful features such as instant payment notifications, budgeting tools, and a bunch of optional travel benefits .
• Revolut has a standard (zero monthly fee) option but it is interesting to compare with Wise which has is simpler with easy to understand fees.

In this Revolut card review, we’ll take a closer look at to see if Revolut has the right card for you .

We’ll also compare the different cards, uncover the card’s benefits, pricing, fees, and even shine a spotlight on the negative and positive customer reviews .

Disclosure: This post may contain offers and affiliate links to save you money and it also helps us to keep providing the best information. For more information, see our disclosures here .

Based on 143,600+ reviews on Trustpilot, Revolut has an “Excellent” rating of 4.3/5. Of these reviews, 75% are 5 stars and commend the Revolut app for its user-friendliness, features, support, currency exchange, ease of transferring money, and overall open-banking experience.

How to Choose the Right Card

1. Starting with Table 1 (below), you can quickly get an idea of which card/s are more likely to be best for you 2. Table 2 (below) will help to clarify your choices by comparing fees and limits 3. Finally (below) >> See the cards in your country

1. Revolut Cards Compared – The Basics

Table 1: standard vs plus vs premium vs metal vs ultra, table 2: standard vs plus vs premium vs metal vs ultra, 2. revolut cards compared – fees & limits, >> the cards by country.

Because of the many options you can choose with Revolut, it helps to start with the right country: For the UK  use their  latest price and feature comparison chart  (opens a new tab to keep reading).

For Europe  –  choose your country here

US residents click here  (opens a new tab to keep reading) for pricing in USD dollars and different offerings.

Australian residents click here  (opens a new tab to keep reading) for pricing in Aussie dollars and different offerings.

All other countries   select your country here .

While there are many potential fees the most important one for many people is the exchange rate.

Revolut’s currency exchange fees are subject to variability based on factors such as the time of day and your subscription plan.

• Weekdays: No fees for currency exchanges made within your plan limit between 6 PM New York time on Sunday and 5 PM New York time on Friday.
• Weekends: A fixed 1% fee is applied to all currency exchanges made between 5 PM New York time on Friday and 6 PM New York time on Sunday, regardless of your subscription plan.
• Additional Fees: If you’re a standard customer and exceed your plan limit, an extra 1% fee is imposed per exchange. However, Plus customers benefit from a reduced 0.5% fee in such cases.

2.2 Physical and Virtual Cards

All Revolut members can create disposable virtual cards. These are debit cards that only exist in the Revolut app and can be discarded at any time. You can use these card details to make transactions online without a physical card.

Revolut users can get access to disposable virtual cards. These cards get automatically deleted after they are used. This adds a further layer of security to your online transactions and is ideal for subscriptions you are not sure you want to keep.

As a Premium user, you can choose from three stylish colours for your Premium card: black, grey, and pink. These cards have a premium design that makes them stand out.

If you are a Metal customer, you can enjoy the exclusive Metal card made of solid reinforced steel. The Metal card has a luxurious design. You can select from five elegant colours for your Metal card: black, gold, rose gold, silver, and space grey.

Ultra customers can access the world of exclusivity with their Ultra card. This card is platinum-plated and has a sophisticated appearance. The Ultra card is the most premium card that Revolut offers.

Customers cannot choose between Visa or Mastercard providers for their physical cards, this is based on location.

2.3 Managing Currencies

2.4 atm withdrawals and other perks.

Revolut members can withdraw cash from ATMs in-network for free* up to a certain amount. The withdrawal limit depends on your plan. Check the below table for more details.

After hitting the withdrawal limits of your plan, you will pay a 2% fee (of the withdrawal amount**) for each withdrawal you make.

Revolut allows you to save money in saving vaults and earn interest on your savings. 

There are budgeting and analytical tools as well to manage your money better. 

3. Best Revolut Card Alternative

The Wise card is the closest rival to the Revolut card. Both are great services and have their pros and cons.

In a nutshell, Wise is about function and Revolut is about style. For example, Wise has a simpler fee structure and has a bigger reach with more comprehensive multi-currency management whereas Revolut has ridiculously hip metal or ultra cards and more tools for savers, investors and travellers through their paid subscription offerings.

Check out our detailed Revolut vs Wise comparison for more.

4. When Standard (no fee) or Paid Plans Might Be Better

The table below presents a summary of Revolut’s standard and premium cards and their pros and cons.

When Standard (no monthly fee) is Better

• You are not a frequent traveller
• You only transfer small amounts
• You are not a big spender
• You don’t need everyday insurance
• You don’t need full features access for Revoluts under 18 account
• You are not keen on lounge passes and purchase protection
• You don’t care about a higher savings interest rate
• You don’t need a discount on event ticket purchases

When Paid Plan is Better

• If you like to travel frequently
• Have no problem committing to an extra fee because the benefits outweigh it
• You want to save money on your transfers
• You like to save while spending hassle-free with your debit or credit card
• You want the travel insurance Revolut offers
• You want more under 18 account access with full features for more than one child
• You like to have lounge passes, cashback rewards, and purchase protection
• You want to save money on your travel booking and ticket purchases
• You like having a higher savings rate

5. Is Metal Worth It?

Lots of people want to know if paying a monthly subscription for a Metal card is worth the money. The truth is, some of the features make the Revolut metal card a great option for frequent travellers and big spenders who want to save money and enjoy extra perks:

• Enjoy excellent exchange rates and transparent fees when you spend in 150+ currencies
• Inexpensive compared to other travel cards and digital banks
• Access exclusive airport lounges and get priority customer support
• Make 5 international transfers/month with no fees
• Enjoy travel benefit insurance for delayed, damaged, or lost luggage, delayed or disrupted flights, global medical insurance, car hire excess insurance, winter sports insurance, and personal liability insurance*. *T&Cs apply to all insurance benefits
• Earn up to 1% cashback on your purchases in any of the 29 supported currencies when you use your Revolut Metal card. Monthly cap and terms apply.
• Book your accommodation through Revolut Metal and get up to 10% cashback
• You can take out up to £800/month (or an equivalent amount in a foreign currency) from more than 55,000 ATMs in-network with no extra charge from Revolut every rolling month*. *ATM fair-usage fees apply
• Unique and exclusive reinforced Steel Metal card design with express delivery of card in 1-3 business days.

Premium, Metal, and Ultra can get you discounted airport lounge passes, global medical insurance, winter sports insurance, luggage loss and flight delay insurance***. It also allows you to share bills with your group and get phone insurance.

*Third-party ATM providers may charge a withdrawal  fee and weekend fees may apply **subject to a min. fee of  £1/withdrawal ***T&Cs apply to all insurance benefits

6. Revolut Account Features

6.1 multi-currency account.

Revolut was specifically created to cater to travellers and international professionals. Its key strength lies in its multi-currency support, which enables fast and cost-effective currency exchange. This can be done either within the Revolut app or while making card payments or withdrawing money from ATMs.

For individuals, Revolut offers multi-currency accounts that allow you to hold and manage 30+ currencies. You can also get travel insurance if you upgrade to a paid plan. It lets you split bills with your friends and family.

Regardless of the account type, all Revolut accounts, including the standard plan, come with a debit card at no extra cost from Revolut. You can also schedule payments for your bills and subscriptions.

6.2 Currency Exchange

One reason why Revolut is an attractive choice for travel cards is that they give you some of the best transparent exchange rates you can find. 

Users can use the Revolut currency converter to see the real exchange rate at any moment for 30+ currencies. 

Revolut has a variable exchange rate for money currency exchanges, which changes all the time. You can see this rate on the app when you make an exchange.

Sometimes, Revolut also charges an exchange fee, which depends on factors like the currencies involved and the time of the exchange. You can also see this fee on the app if it applies.

6.3 Revolut App

Revolut is a monetary app that aims to be a better substitute for conventional banks. It is called “Revolut: Spend, Save, Trade” in the Google Play Store, and in the App Store its name is “Revolut – Mobile Finance.”

As a new kind of digital service, Revolut’s major goal is to provide good money-related services to on-the-go users, and that’s why the App is an important part of the user experience. It has a user-friendly design with balances and transactions clearly shown. 

The interactive nature of the whole experience also helps users to see their usage at a glance.

Revolut has a lot of features for analytics and budgeting to help users manage their money. In this section, users set monthly spending limits for each category. They can also see how they spend money by month.

Revolut app comes with industry-standard security measures and is completely safe.

6.4 Savings Vaults, Interest

When you put money into a Savings Vault, Revolut takes it from your account and sends it to a trustee, who then moves it on to the bank for you. 

You can use the Revolut app to save money to Savings Vaults instantly. Savings Vaults do not charge you any fees. You can withdraw money from them as per the terms you signed when you made the deposit. 

Everything that happens will be visible to you inside the Revolut app. The information inside the app is updated in real-time.

You can choose from fixed or variable interest rate Saving Vault.

6.5 Insurance (UK, USA, EEA, Australia)

Travel and medical insurance are part of the plan for Premium, Metal, and Ultra Revolut customers in the UK, and the European Economic Area (EEA).

Global medical insurance is not available for US and Australian customers and it seems like there are no plans to add it. 

Revolut travel insurance has specific benefits and limits in each country, so we advise you to check them for your country.

The Revolut travel insurance* covers:

• Trip disruption and cancellation 
• Emergency dental care
• Emergency medical expenses abroad
• Lost or damaged baggage protection
• Luggage delays (4 hours or more)
• Flight delays (1 hour or more)

*T&Cs apply to all insurance benefits

7. Safety, Security and Fraud Prevention

Revolut is completely safe to use. It has been around for several years and has never been compromised.

They have a full Banking Licence in Lithuania but not in the UK.

Likewise, Revolut uses location-specific security and only allows transactions when the card and phone are at the same location.

Virtual disposable cards help prevent payment fraud by automatically getting deleted after a single use. You can also disable any card from the app with a single click.

The Revolut vault app uses the latest safety protocols. It has four layers of safeguards:

• Pin & password
• 2-factor authentication (2FA)
• Fingerprint (biometrics)
• Face recognition.

All your personal data is protected using a state-of-the-art encryption protocol. They also conduct regular security audits to keep up with the latest trends.

8. What others are saying (Real Reviews)

Revolut card users like the most:

• Travel and savings made better
• Robust budgeting and expenditure tracking 
• Streamlined money transfer services
• Instant card freezing and unfreezing options

“I’ve had my metal card for a few years now. An example of my use over the last couple of weeks is that, whilst waiting for a flight to Cape Town took advantage of the heavily discounted lounge access with 3 fellow travellers. Before the flight, I changed from Sterling to Zar at a great rate without charges. What’s not to like about that? I don’t use any other card whilst away. I live in Gibraltar and flip across into Spain a couple of times a week, so I have both Sterling and Euro in my Revolut wallet permanently of course. I don’t need another card and can’t find one better than Revolut.” – Neil Crawford

What Revolut users don’t like:

• Freezing Accounts
• Customer Service

“My cards were stolen and money were withdrawn from both of my cards, so I made an objection to both of the banks and Revolut was the only bank to refuse my objection and not pay me back. They even suggested that I was informed about the withdrawal of this money (700€), although I have tried to block my card as soon as I was aware that it was stolen. I was one minute late!” – JH

By far the majority of reviews are positive but the negative ones indicate the challenges that services like Revolut face. For example, regulators require services like Revolut to jump through hoops which can often mean they need to freeze funds but generally, this gets sorted out with a small delay and some ID. Customer service is also designed to be efficient at the expense of being able to speak to a real human easily.

With Revolut card, you can experience a new way of managing your finances. It is a convenient and versatile payment card that is packed with awesome features. You can also upgrade to Revolut’s premium plans and enjoy more perks, such as no-fair usage limits on currency exchange, higher ATM withdrawal limits, lounge access, travel discounts, and more.

Revolut offers a flexible alternative to traditional banking products, especially for those who travel frequently or have a global lifestyle.

For us, one of the standout features of the Revolut card is its ability to offer multi-currency accounts with competitive exchange rates. This is very convenient for frequent travellers, freelancers, and international businesses, who don’t need to open multiple traditional bank accounts or pay excessive transaction fees. The card also gives you real-time exchange rates and instant transfers between Revolut users, simplifying and speeding up financial transactions.

Revolut is not a replacement for your regular bank, but it can be a useful addition to your financial toolkit. It is important to be aware of the fees (above) , plan limitations (above) , and security (above) before signing up. Reading customer reviews (above) can also give you more insight into the service.

A comparable choice to Revolut cards is Wise card . Wise has wider coverage, as you can transact in over 160 countries. No subscription fees and lets you exchange at the mid-market rate. There are still fees but you can also check the real amount your recipient gets with the Wise calculator (no sign-up required). Happy Money!

The opinions expressed within the content are solely the author’s and do not reflect the opinions and beliefs of Revolut. However, please be aware that a commission may be earned through affiliate links.

• T&C’s apply. See https://www.revolut.com/legal/terms/ for more detailed information

Revolut Card Review (Uncovered) → 8 Things You Must Know

In this Revolut card review, we compare the card's features, different plans and pricing, fees, benefits and perks, and customer reviews.

Similar Posts

Cash app review.

For transfers to friends, family and businesses Cash App can save you $3-$5 USD on bank transfers along with direct deposits, a free debit card, ATM withdrawals, Bitcoin and even stock purchases. But here’s the deal: For many folks, Cash App will be the right choice for your needs, but I am also going to uncover situations…

Top 5 N26 Alternatives

Can You Do Better? – Fees, Services and What Works Best N26 is a popular online banking platform and it has many features that make it attractive, but N26 is not the only option out there. There are other services that offer different benefits, such as Wise, Starling, Simple, Chime, and UP. These are just…

Borderless Review (like having a Bank Account in many Countries) from Transferwise

Like the idea of a multi-currency account, with prepaid Mastercard that gives you the ability to be paid and pay others (anywhere in the world) with very low fees? Chances are you have heard of Borderless, but is it right for you? How does it really work? And importantly – What does it do and…

Azimo Review

6 Things You Should Know – Before You Sign Up In the next few minutes you will find out if Azimo is the right money transfer service for you. Here is the deal: We uncover the good, the bad, and the ugly so you know if Azimo is your best bet. We even break down…

Bunq Review

7 Must Knows – Before Banking with Bunq Bunq’s app and service make our banking experience pleasant and easy. Unlike traditional banks in Europe, Bunq’s straightforward accounts, transparent fees, and innovative travel cards give us control over our finances. This is not just another “Bunq is awesome” type review. I am going to show you…

Sable Card Review

It’s no secret not having a credit score in the U.S. can be a big problem – makes it hard to get a cell phone plan or even a place to rent… Sable is can be a way to solve this problem with their cards (debit and credit – powered by MasterCard), which are linked…

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Travel money card

Spend like a local with a travel debit card for exploring the globe. Whether it's a virtual or a physical card, we've got all your travel money needs covered.

Need an international travel card? Take us all around the world

Exchange currencies, send money abroad, and hold 36 local currencies in-app. These are just some of the reasons why our customers love their travel debit cards.

Set spending limits, get payment notifications, and freeze or unfreeze your card in-app.

No need to wait for your physical card to arrive — spend instantly with a virtual card.

Get fee-free ATM withdrawals, up to £2,000 per rolling month, depending on your plan type.*

Manage everything for your holiday money card in the Revolut app, from top-ups to transfers.

*No ATM withdrawal fees within plan limits on a rolling monthly basis. 3rd-party providers may charge a withdrawal fee and ATM fair-usage fees. Weekend markups will apply. Currency exchange fees may apply.

Spend like a local in 150+ currencies

No ATM fees up to £2,000 per month*

*No ATM withdrawals fees within plan limits on a rolling monthly basis. Third-party providers may charge a withdrawal fee and ATM fair-usage fees. Weekend markups will apply.

Spend right away with Apple Pay or Google Pay

How to get your travel money card in the UK

Get your currency debit card in 3 steps

Join 40+ million people worldwide saving when they spend abroad with Revolut.

Order your free travel money card to spend in 150+ currencies. Delivery fees may apply.

Start spending around the world. That's your travel money, sorted.

Get instant payment notifications

Spend with confidence

Built-in security measures

How to save money with travel currency cards

Tips for saving with a money travel card

Don’t exchange cash before you travel — use your travel money card to spend or withdraw money from an ATM (just watch out for ATM fees).

Choose the local currency when spending with your card in shops and restaurants.

Spend in the local currency at competitive rates on your next trip from the UK.

For life, not just for holidays

We're not a prepaid card you just throw away after your trip. Trust us, you’ll want to use Revolut for future adventures and everyday spending.

Rating as of 9 Apr 2024

697K Reviews

2.7M Reviews

Spend your holiday money in 150+ currencies

Need a little more help?

Holiday money card FAQs

What is a travel money card, what currencies can i spend with a travel money card, what are the limits for spending with a travel card, how can i manage my travel money card, is a travel money card safe and secure, how can i order a travel money card.

• Download the Revolut app : find it in Apple or Google Play Store
• Sign up to Revolut : apply for an account and verify your identity
• Add a debit card : go to Cards and follow the instructions to start your order
• Set your PIN : choose a PIN that you'll remember
• Arrange delivery : enter your delivery address, and select your delivery method before proceeding to checkout (Delivery fees may apply)

Is a travel money card better than travel money?

• Don’t exchange cash at the airport: it’s much cheaper to withdraw money from an ATM with your travel money card
• Don't carry more cash than you need: when you return home from your trip, you’ll need to re-convert this cash back to GBP, which can take time and cost you in fees
• Always choose the local currency when spending with your card in shops and restaurants
• Sign up to Revolut so you can manage your balance and get instant notifications on what you spend

What is the best bank to use when travelling abroad?

• Exchanging currency before you go, or while you're there
• Withdrawing money from ATMs
• Using your card in shops, restaurants, and more

What's the difference between using prepaid travel cards or travel debit card for spending abroad?

Revolut Card Review | How to Use Revolut Abroad

Home | Travel | Revolut Card Review | How to Use Revolut Abroad

The Revolut card is one of the cards we always carry with us while traveling since it allows us to pay and withdraw money abroad without pesky currency exchange fees. Moreover, Revolut lets us carry out transactions in different currencies, such as changing from one currency to another when the exchange rate is more favorable.

I had read many Revolut reviews , but what convinced me to try it was hearing about my cousin’s experience. He went to London for a job opportunity and used his Revolut USD account to pay for his expenses in the UK. Once he started working, he added money to his Revolut card with British pounds, which he used to pay for his expenses when he came back to the USA.

Revolut works in the U.S., and many other countries which is great for us since we travel to different countries most of the year. So, in this guide, I’ll tell you all about Revolut, including what it is exactly, how it works, and why it’s the best financial app for expats and frequent travelers.

What is Revolut?

How does Revolut work?

Types of revolut cards, how to apply for a revolut card, how to use revolut abroad, revolut fees.

• Revolut card reviews

Before we begin, I’ll tell you that we use Revolut in addition to other cards to help save money while traveling , like the Wise card . In this guide, I’ll focus on Revolut and how you can use it to make payments while avoiding currency exchange fees, withdraw money from foreign ATMs, and more .

Revolut is a financial management company that originated in the UK in 2015 and launched in the U.S. in 2020. Over 20 million people use this financial app to make payments abroad, exchange currencies, get paid in other countries, and more.

With your Revolut card , you can withdraw money from just about any ATM, including 55,000 in-network ATMs, without commission fees. Moreover, the card allows you to change your currency when the exchange rate is more favorable, so you can save more money while traveling.

Depending on the country, your Revolut card can be a Mastercard or Visa card. For example, in the UK, it’s a Revolut Mastercard , while in the U.S., it can be a Mastercard or Visa. Of course, it doesn’t matter which card you have with Revolut since the exchange rate is determined by the interbank rate, which is one of the best.

The Standard Revolut prepaid debit card has no card issuance fees (excluding the shipping cost), which makes it one of the best cards for travel out there. Also, since it’s a financial super-app, you can handle all your transactions in the Revolut app , including opening an account and ordering your card.

Revolut frequently updates its products and features, so check out the Revolut Terms and Conditions to see the latest offerings .

The Revolut app lets you take care of basic transactions like ATM withdrawals and currency exchange in one place. Money loaded on your prepaid card is held at Metropolitan Commercial Bank and is FDIC insured up to $250,000 in the event of Metropolitan Commercial Bank’s failure. Securities products are not FDIC Insured, not bank guaranteed, and may lose value.

Revolut’s international bank account number (IBAN) is European, specifically Lithuanian, so deposits to other accounts are made via SWIFT. This means that the funds usually take one to three days to appear in the account.

You can also add money to the Revolut card via the app using a debit or bank transfer. Revolut sends instant spend notifications, and you can see your real-time balance at any time, so you’re always aware of how much money you have. Revolut uses location-based security, so if it sees that your card was used in an unusual location, it’ll alert you and you can freeze and block your card instantly right in the app.

I’ll show you more specific examples of how to use Revolut abroad in the following sections. However, I want to add that during our trips, we use the Revolut card and the Wise card so we can withdraw more money each month without exceeding the limits and accruing extra fees. So, if you think you’ll have a hard time adhering to the monthly withdrawal and transfer limits, consider getting a secondary card .

While we use the Standard Revolut card , the company offers other types of cards and accounts. I’ll explain each one below, so you can choose the plan that best suits your needs. You’ll also find a comparison chart so you can quickly and easily see the benefits of each plan.

Revolut Standard (no plan fees)

The Revolut Standard card has no minimum balance requirement or monthly plan fee. This plan lets you take care of spending and transfers abroad with no hidden fees. Below are the main features you can expect from the Standard plan:

• Currency exchange up to $1,000/month with no hidden fees (rare currency and/or out-of-FX-market hour fees may apply)
• ATM withdrawals up to $400/month (or an equivalent amount in a foreign currency) without fees at 55,000 in-network ATMs
• Low fee international transfers

As long as you don’t exceed the monthly limits, you won’t be charged any extra fees. These limits aren’t a problem for us since we use our Revolut card with the Wise card , so we can withdraw an extra $200 per month.

That said, keep in mind that when you order your Revolut card from the U.S., you’ll have to pay a small delivery fee of about $5.00 for shipping.

Revolut Premium ($9.99/month)

The Revolut Premium plan costs $9.99 per month and lets you enjoy the following perks:

• Currency exchanges up to $10,000/month with no hidden fees (rare currency and/or out-of-FX-market hour fees may apply
• ATM withdrawals up to $800/month (or an equivalent amount in a foreign currency) without fees at 55,000 in-network ATMs
• Travel medical insurance
• Priority Revolut customer support
• 2 complimentary lounge passes for flight delays over an hour (requires registering your flight)
• Express delivery option for your Revolut card

Revolut Premium offers many advantages for frequent travelers, including travel medical insurance, although I still recommend you take out a policy with one of the best travel insurance companies on the market.

Revolut Metal ($16.99/month)

The Revolut Metal card costs $16.99 per month and comes with the most benefits of all the plans:

• Unlimited currency exchanges with no hidden fees (rare currency and/or out-of-FX-market-hour fees may apply)
• ATM withdrawals up to $1,200/month (or an equivalent amount in a foreign currency) without fees at 55,000 in-network ATMs
• 4 complimentary lounge passes for flight delays over an hour (requires registering your flight)
• Flight delay insurance and delayed luggage protection

Revolut cards comparison

Now that you know what Revolut is and how it works, as well as the different Revolut cards offered , here is a breakdown of each plan.

This Revolut cards comparison should help you narrow down which plan is best for your needs .

Once you find the Revolut plan that’s best for you, you’ll need to apply for a card, which takes just five minutes.

Requirements to apply for a Revolut card

First of all, it’s important to know the requirements to request a Revolut card :

• Be 18 or over
• Proper identification (passport, driver’s license)

As you can see, the requirements are very simple, so you shouldn’t have any problem applying for a Revolut account .

How to open a Revolut account

You can open a Revolut account from your phone in minutes:

• Click this link and download the Revolut app .
• Enter your phone number and agree to the Terms and Conditions. Then, choose a strong password for your Revolut account .
• Revolut will send you a text with a verification code. Enter that code into the Revolut app.
• Enter your personal info, including the address where you want to receive the Revolut card .

That’s it! You’ll receive a confirmation message stating that your Revolut account has been activated. The next thing to do is to request your Revolut card.

How to order a Revolut card

Use this link to download the Revolut app on your phone and follow these steps:

• Load the Revolut card with an initial deposit amount using a bank transfer or a credit or debit card you already have.
• Click on “Request card.”
• Verify your identity by taking a selfie and a photo of your ID through the app.
• Choose a physical card or a virtual card . I recommend the physical card since some places don’t accept digital versions.
• Select the type of shipment for your card. The Revolut Standard card comes with standard shipping, but Premium and Metal offer express shipping.
• Create a PIN for your Revolut card.

Once the card arrives, use it for the first time to activate it.

As you can see, applying for and receiving your Revolut card is quick and easy. Of course, depending on the type of plan you choose, you may have a monthly fee ($9.99 for Premium or $16.99 for Metal).

How long does the Revolut card take to arrive?

With standard shipping, it can take up to nine business days to receive your Revolut card . If you need it right away, choose express delivery to get the card within three business days (fees may apply) . 

It took five days for my Revolut prepaid debit card to arrive with standard shipping.

How to activate a Revolut card

To activate a Revolut card , make a payment with the card at any store, restaurant, or hotel. You could also use the card at any ATM since this requires you to enter your PIN. If you have a virtual card, it’s already activated.

That said, regardless of the type of card you have, you must verify your identity before you can use it .

To help you get the most out of your new debit card, I will explain all the ways you can use Revolut . We use our Revolut card with the Wise card , particularly when we need to withdraw more than the monthly ATM limit with Revolut. This helps us avoid extra commission fees.

Below are the different scenarios when you can use your Revolut debit card .

Revolut ATM withdrawal

Revolut has over 55,000 ATMs in its network, so you can enjoy withdrawals almost anywhere at no cost. Depending on which Revolut account you have, you can withdraw up to $400 (for Revolut Standard), $800 (for Revolut Premium) o $1,200 (for Revolut Metal) per month (or an equivalent amount in a foreign currency) from out-of-network ATMs with no hidden fees. If you exceed this limit, you’ll pay a 2% commission fee on the withdrawal amount in the same currency.

When doing an ATM withdrawal via Revolut , you can withdraw money in another currency and apply the interbank exchange rate for that day. Or you can change currencies in the Revolut app and withdraw the money later on or the next day. This ensures you get the best bang for your buck ( note that rare currency and/or out-of-FX-market-hour fees may apply) .

Revolut payments

Making a payment with Revolut while abroad is simple. Just pay in the local currency, and Revolut will do the currency exchange for you, using the interbank exchange rate. As long as you don’t surpass the monthly spending limit of $1,000, you won’t have any fair usage fees ( note that rare currency and/or out-of-FX-market-hour fees may apply) . If you exceed this limit, you’ll pay a 0.5% fair usage fee. The Revolut Metal plan doesn’t have a fair usage spending limit.

For person-to-person payments within the Revolut network, there is no monthly limit (though fees may apply if currency conversion is required to complete your payment). Just use your Revolut app to request and send money or split bills between friends. You can even send money via ACH to local bank accounts at no charge, so it’s one of the best apps for travelers .

Income in different currencies

If you receive income in a currency other than USD, the Revolut card lets you deposit money in up to 28+ different currencies. This way, you can use them when, where, and how you want.

If you receive direct deposit payments, you can access them from your Revolut account up to two days early.

Change currencies

With the Revolut app , you can quickly and easily exchange currencies. Just choose the amount you wish to exchange, and the type of currency. Revolut will even tell you when the exchange rate is most favorable, so you get the best deal.

Revolut money transfers

You can make unlimited U.S. ACH bank transfers with Revolut with no transfer fees in the app. Revolut also offers domestic USD wire transfers and international transfers with competitive fees.

Send money abroad with Revolut

You can send money abroad or make a transfer with Revolut in another currency right in the app. Remember that you may have to pay a conversion fee if the transfer is in a different currency than that of your Revolut account ( note that rare currency and/or out-of-FX-market-hour fees may also apply) .

Other things you can do with the Revolut app

In the Revolut app , there is a feature called Savings Vault that you can use to save money.

If you activate this feature, your Revolut purchases will be rounded up to the nearest dollar. So, if you buy something that costs $20.58, you’ll pay $21 and the extra 42 cents will go into your Savings Vault. This occurs for all your purchases, with your Savings Vault accumulating savings over time. You can withdraw or use the money whenever you’d like.

Another interesting feature, which I touched on earlier, is that you can share trip expenses with your friends if they have a Revolut account . Alternatively, you can set up recurring payments to other people in the Revolut network.

How to add money to a Revolut card

Adding money to your Revolut account is super simple. Open your Revolut app and click on “Add money” on the home screen. This will open a menu with different options.

You can then add money using a debit card, or you can add money to your Revolut account using a bank transfer. If your device supports Apple Pay or Google Pay, you can add money this way, too.

Which currencies work with the Revolut card?

You can use Revolut in over 140 currencies, but you can only do international transfers in these currencies: AED, AUD, BGN, CAD, CHF, CZK, DKK, EUR, GBP, HKD, HRK, HUF, ILS, ISK, JPY, MXN, NOK, NZD, PLN, QAR, RON, RUB, SAR, SEK, SGD, THB, TRY, USD, and ZAR .

As you saw with each Revolut plan , there is an ATM withdrawal limit of up to $1,200 per month on Metal plans (or an equivalent amount in a foreign currency). If you exceed your plan’s limit, you’ll have to pay a commission fee of 2% of the value of the withdrawal amount.

If you have Revolut Standard , you can exchange up to $1,000 per month, after which you’ll be charged a fair usage fee of 0.5% on any additional amount.

Regardless of which Revolut card you have, there is a 1% markup on foreign transactions outside of FX market hours due to market closures, so be aware of that.

I recommend having another card that you can use in addition to Revolut, so you can avoid extra fees. For example, we use our Revolut card as well as our Wise card .

Revolut card pros and cons

Before you sign up with Revolut , it’s important to look at the main benefits of the Revolut card , as well as its drawbacks.

Again, we travel with the Revolut card as well as the Wise card to avoid going over those monthly limits, which is the only disadvantage that would affect us the most.

Revolut customer service

The Revolut app is intuitive and user-friendly, so you can manage all your money and transactions in one place. However, if you need to contact Revolut customer support , you can do so in the following ways:

Revolut phone number

If you want to block your card because it was lost or stolen, you can do so in the app or call the automated Revolut phone number at +1-844-744-3512. Since it’s an automated number, it won’t call you back, but it will provide recorded information on how to block your card.

Revolut live chat

Revolut’s live chat is the best way to contact customer support since it’s available 24/7.

Just open your Revolut app and go to the menu in the upper left corner. Click on “Help”, then “New chat”, and you’ll be connected to one of the customer service agents. If you have the Premium or Metal plan, you’ll get priority support.

Without a doubt, this is the fastest and easiest way to get assistance .

Revolut card review

When my cousin explained his experience with Revolut to me, I had recently moved to the United States, so I decided to give it a try. While my cousin had great things to say about Revolut, I didn’t have the best experience at first because U.S. banks don’t have IBANs. So, putting money into my Revolut account from the United States was at first a hassle. Then I found out that adding money to a Revolut card using a debit card was very easy, so I’ve been doing it that way.

Of course, Revolut has been the most beneficial for us when we take trips, especially when traveling abroad, where we rely heavily on my Revolut card .

I’d also like to share some Revolut reviews from other friends and family members:

• As I mentioned, during my cousin’s trip to London, he was easily able to exchange his money from USD to GBP. He also likes how secure Revolut’s virtual cards
• My brother also uses Revolut abroad , and on his last trip to Colombia, his wallet was stolen. Fortunately, he was able to freeze his Revolut card in a matter of seconds through the app. With the rest of his cards, he had to make a phone call, which took up a lot of time.
• Finally, my friend Sarah went to study Spanish in Mexico, and she paid for her expenses with the Revolut card . She also used the Savings Vault feature and managed to save over 300 dollars in just three months.

You can check out more Revolut card reviews on Trustpilot .

FAQs about Revolut

If you have any questions about using Revolut , here are the answers to some common questions:

Is the Revolut card Visa or Mastercard?

The Revolut debit card is a Visa or Mastercard depending on the country. In the U.S., it’s a Mastercard.

How do I add money to the Revolut card?

Use the Revolut app to add money to your Revolut card, either via a debit card or via bank transfer.

Are there any Revolut fees?

The Revolut card has no fair usage fees as long as you don’t exceed the monthly limits. If you exceed the limit, the commission fee is 2% for ATM withdrawals, plus 0.5% for foreign exchanges (with an additional 1% outside of FX market hours and an additional 1% on rare currencies).

Revolut offers added benefits with their Premium and Metal plans which have monthly fees.

What is Revolut's transfer limit?

You get unlimited transfers at no cost within the Revolut network (person-to-person). You can also get low-fee international transfers with all plans.

What is the Revolut payment limit?

Revolut’s payment limits depend on the type of transactions you wish to make, but have rarely been an issue for us on our travels.

What is the Revolut cash withdrawal limit?

You can withdraw up to $1,200 per month on Metal plans (or an equivalent amount in a foreign currency) without fees at 55,000 out-ofin-network ATMs. Standard and Premium plans have lower limits.

I hope this guide helped you get familiar with Revolut , its features, and its benefits. Remember, Revolut regularly updates its products and features, so check the Revolut Terms and Conditions to see the latest promotions and deals.

If you have any questions about the Revolut app , feel free to leave me a comment below. I’d be happy to hear from you, and I’d also like to hear about your experience with the Revolut card .

Enjoy traveling with Revolut!

Disclosures: 

The Revolut USA Prepaid Visa® and Prepaid Mastercard® are issued by Metropolitan Commercial Bank pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. for Visa cards, and Mastercard International for Mastercard cards, and may be used everywhere Visa or Mastercard are accepted. Banking services are provided by Metropolitan Commercial Bank, Member FDIC, and are subject to the terms of a Cardholder Agreement. “Metropolitan Commercial Bank” and “Metropolitan” are registered trademarks of Metropolitan Commercial Bank © 2014.

A note from Metropolitan Commercial Bank: Funds in your Revolut Prepaid Card Account are held at an FDIC insured institution. Your funds will be held at or transferred to Metropolitan Commercial Bank, an FDIC-insured institution. While there, your funds are insured up to $250,000 by the FDIC in the event Metropolitan Commercial Bank fails if specific deposit insurance requirements are met and your card is registered. See fdic.gov/deposit/deposits/prepaid.html for details. FDIC insurance does not protect your funds in the event of Revolut’s failure or from the risk of theft or fraud.

Revolut Prepaid Visa Card and Revolut Prepaid Mastercard are issued by Metropolitan Commercial Bank (Member FDIC) under Visa U.S.A. Inc. license, subject to applicable terms.

Savings Vault services provided by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC.

Ascen Aynat

57 replies on “ Revolut Card Review | How to Use Revolut Abroad ”

Yes I received my card in the mail, is it already activated? When I tried doing so it said the card was already in use, so can I use it?

Hi Linda, To activate your Revolut card, simply use it to make a purchase (if you got the virtual card, it’s already activated). You need to verify your identity upon receiving your card, so if it was already activated when you received it in the mail, I would contact Revolut’s customer support for help.

I am going to FLORIDA in May, do I convert my saving to USD before I leave the UK

Will I be able to use my card for purchases as I would do in the UK ?

First time I have used REVOLUTE just want to understand how it works, I have the physical standard card

Hi David, You can use your Revolut card to make purchases in Florida, and Revolut will automatically do the currency exchange for you. Plus, the Revolut app can tell you when the exchange rate is most favorable, so if you want to change currencies in the app, you can do so.

Hello I have revolut card but now when I want open for me write phone number wrong or email address what I have to do right now.thanks

Hi Zana, I’m not sure what the problem is, but I would recommend getting in touch with Revolut customer support as soon as possible to resolve the issue.

Hello. I just received my card but I don’t have any debit card or other cards at the moment to deposit money to my revolut card. Is there any way I can put cash on my revolut card? I am in Madrid Spain.

Hi Simin, The Revolut card can connect to your Spanish bank account, so you should be able to transfer money that way.

I am traveling to Italy next week. I converted some my us dollars to Euros at what I believe is a good rate. When I present my Revolut card for payment in Italy will it debit the Euro funds or the US dollars held in my Revolut accoun

Hi Art, You should be able to pay in the local currency (U.S. dollars), and Revolut will do the currency exchange for you, using the interbank exchange rate.

My granddaughter had her Revolut card stolen while on holiday in Greece. As soon as she realised it was gone she cancelled the card and no money was taken out.

Hi Valerie, I’m glad she was able to get her card blocked before anyone took her money! I appreciate you sharing your experience with the Revolut card. 🙂

This is probably the most thorough and helpful article I’ve come across since beginning my travel research months ago. And you answer questions on every comment? You’re a rock star! 🥰

Hi Katarina, Thank you so much! I’m happy to help! 🙂

Revolut will. Not except my email or pass code which I know are both OK s

Hi Christine, That’s odd. I would reach out to Revolut’s customer support to see what the issue is. It could be that they locked your account or maybe you put in the wrong password. Good luck!

The company says they send the money to my revolut account but i didnt receive the money how many days should i wait until it is in my bank account?

Hi Abdiasis, It usually takes 1-3 business days for the transfer to complete. I would reach out to Revolut’s customer support if you have any questions or concerns.

Hi, I have just started with my resolut card and am trying to put money into my resolut account. My bank does not recognise the resolut BSB number and warns against transferring the funds. Why is the BSB not recognisable.

I am a bit confused about whether I have to first put money into the account and THEN load it to my card or just load it directly to the card.

Also, if I have not yet activated my card can I add money to it?

Hi Mary, Revolut should be able to recognize BSB numbers, so I would try again and make sure the numbers are correct. Also, you should activate your Revolut card before making transfers.

Hi, my card & currency is in GBP & I tried paying with chip & pin for a hotel in euro in person but the card was declined. Why would this be? There is plenty of money on the card to cover the cost of the hotel. Many thanks

Hi Ciara, It could be that Revolut put a block on your card. I would reach out to their customer support to see what the issue is.

A good easy to read explanation of how it works, would be interested to know which currencies are supported.

Hi Andy, Thanks! As for currencies, you can use Revolut in over 140 currencies, but you can only do international transfers in these currencies: AED, AUD, BGN, CAD, CHF, CZK, DKK, EUR, GBP, HKD, HRK, HUF, ILS, ISK, JPY, MXN, NOK, NZD, PLN, QAR, RON, RUB, SAR, SEK, SGD, THB, TRY, USD, and ZAR. Revolut plans to add more currencies in the future.

Hi.Can someone seize my revolut account?

Uldis, Revolut uses location-based security, so if it sees that your card was used in an unusual location, it’ll alert you and you can freeze and block your card instantly right in the app.

How do u cancel after the 3month promo? From the middle tier to the free one

Hi Deb, You can cancel or downgrade your plan in the Revolut app settings.

Hi when I go too France do I have too change my pounds into euros or will it do it for me

Hi Maureen, You have to exchange the currencies, but the Revolut app shows you when the exchange rate is most favorable, so you can get the best rate.

can i apply for a joint card for both me and my partner when we go abroad?

Hi, Yes, you can apply for a joint account with Revolut. Both you and your partner will have your own cards, but they’ll be for the same joint account.

Thanks for giving us very informative post. This can be very helpful for the people living abroad. You have describe everything that may help people .

Thanks so much for reading!

Sorry, my first message was incorrect. Would it be possible to transfer Euros from my Turkish bank account to the Revolut card, and if so what is the upper limit of a transfer?

Hi Beverly, Yes, you can make the transfer. Most currencies have no limit on the amount you can transfer (if there is a limit, it will be specified in the Revolut app).

Hi, fantastic review. I’m based in the UK and I am travelling to Greece next week. Do I understand correctly that ss I have UK Pounds on my Revolut card that I don’t need to convert it into Euros? Or would it be advisable to convert?

Hi Stuart, I would convert currencies. You can do it right in the Revolut app, and you can see when the exchange rate is most favorable.

Need to transfer and exchange ( euros to sterling ) funds from sale of property in Spain, how can I do this through Revolut?

Hi Tessa, You can transfer the funds right in the Revolut app.

Hi, I am in tunisia, can I withdraw cash from an atm answer use chip facility

Hi if I have £500 in my account and im going to Italy is it better to convert it to euros on the app before I go Cheers

Im going into Europe this summer and just purchased my Revolut card. How do my British pounds transfer to euros ?

Hi! If I have multiple currencies in my Revolut account from which currency does it takes the money and how can I change it? Cheers Zs

Hi Zsofi, Revolut uses the currency with the best exchange rate for you, so you don’t need to worry about that.

So it does not even make sense to convert to different currencies?

Hi Robin, It makes sense if your local currency is pretty strong now and you envision that that is going to change in the future, so you exchange the currency now, when it’s favorable for you, so you get a better convertion that what you expect you will get in the future. Does it make sense?

However, if you’re traveling this week, let say from the US to Europe, I doesn’t make sense to exchange money on the app. Let Revolut to do the currency conversion only for what you spend.

Hi, I’ve just signed up for an account and topped up my balance. It said the first top up is free so what are the charges to add money to my account please

Hi Innes, Revolut may charge a fee of 3% of the transaction amount.

Hi Going to Brazil in 3 days so dont have time to obtain a physical card. Can I use the virtual card to buy items in shops eg groceries. Is there anyway I could use a virtual card to withdraw Brazilian real in Brazil?

Hi Rachel, You can use the virtual Revolut card, but keep in mind that some stores don’t accept digital payment.

Hello and thank you for your explanations. Very useful. I hace a GBP Revolut account and added a MXN one to the same account in the app, as u will be travelling to Mexico and stay there for few months. However, I cannot find a way to transfer funds from my own GBP account and I do not even know how it works. I would be grateful if you could illustrate this to me.

Hi Estela, You don’t need to add funds to your MXN account to use your Revolut card in Mexico. Revolut will do the exchange conversion only for what you spend. As I say, it only make sense to have different currency accounts:

1. If you receive incomes in several currencies. 2. If your think your local currency will lost its value in the future.

Otherwise, don’t bother on converting into different currencies within your account. You still can travel everywhere, and use your Revolut card, and Revolut will convert to the local currency with the best exchange rate.

My revolut card has been locked as I inserted the wrong PIN twice in Cambodia . How can I change my PIN when I am in Thailand?

Hi, You can contact Revolut customer support by phone (+1-844-744-3512) or via the app for help unlocking your card. Good luck!

Hello, I’ve noticed on the app I cannot buy in a different currency. So, I’ll need to exchange it after it comes into my account. Is this a cost effective way to do it?

Hi Peta, I don’t fully understand what you mean. Can you please explain? With the Revolut Card, you can pay in any currency with your card even if you don’t have that currency in your account.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Revolut Review [2024] Pros and Cons

These days, 85% of Americans own a smartphone. And these magical devices are changing almost everything, including the way we bank. 

For proof, just look at Revolut . 

This “all-in-one” digital banking app lets you manage your finances from the palm of your hand, and it can also make real financial sense.

In this complete Revolut Review , I’ll explain exactly how the platform works. 

I’ll also provide a Revolut Vault Review, so you can decide whether this modern banking solution is the best way to grow your savings. 

What is Revolut?

Revolut is a digital banking platform designed for everyday convenience and hassle-free international travel. 

On its official website, Revolut calls itself a single app “for all things money,” and that’s actually a pretty good description of what this platform has become. 

Revolut offers a wide variety of services, including:

• Digital payments
• Currency exchange 
• International money transfers
• Debit cards (with ATM access)
• Early access to paychecks
• Stock trading
• “Savings Vaults,” which currently earn up to 4.25% annual percentage yield (APY)

Thanks to those “Saving Vaults” and the easy access to funds, a Revolut plan basically acts as a savings account and a checking account rolled into a single package and managed through a user-friendly app.

Welcome to 21st-century banking! 

How Does Revolut Work?

An all-in-one money app sounds like an amazing idea, but it’s important to understand the nuts and bolts before signing up. 

First of all, it’s important to understand that Revolut offers “plans,” not accounts.

There are three plans to choose from:

• Standard (free)
• Premium ($9.99/month)
• Metal ($16.99/month)

Each plan gives you a different level of access to Revolut’s central features.

With the Standard Plan, you’ll get:

• A debit card with access to over 55,000 fee-free ATMs
• Fee-free currency exchange for over 25 currencies (up to $1,000 a month)
• 3.25% APY on savings (rate active at the time of this publication)
• 24/7 customer service

That’s pretty solid. The paid plans allow you to:

• Exchange even more money for free (up to $10,000 a month for Premium Plan; unlimited with the Metal Plan) 
• Earn 4.25% APY on savings (rate active at the time of this publication)

The higher-level plans also give you increased access to a wide range of travel perks, including:

• Ticket protection
• Purchase protection
• Trip cancellation protection
• Trip delay protection
• Medical insurance
• Discounted access to airport lounges
• Lost/delayed baggage protection
• Priority customer service support

Once you’ve chosen your plan and signed up , you can deposit money and then begin using the platform features. 

And one option is to put money into a “Savings Vault,” which is how you can grow your savings and keep your money FDIC-insured.

Read more in the Revolut Vault review below!

How Does The Vault Work in Revolut?

The “Vault” is an important feature of Revolut, so I’ve included a mini-section with a specific Revolut Vault review.

In the Revolut App, a “Vault” is basically a savings account. The main difference is that a Vault doesn’t exist as a separate account but as a feature within your Revolut “plan.”

Once you sign up for Revolut and choose a plan (Standard, Premium, or Metal), you can then open a Vault where you stash your savings.

And there’s something this Revolut Vault review should make clear: A Vault has some real advantages over standard savings accounts.

For one thing, the Revolut app allows you to enable automatic saving mechanisms. One option is to round up the spare change when you make a purchase and deposit it into the Vault. You can also set up recurring payments, which means a set amount of money is automatically transferred to the Vault on a regular basis.

While the money sits in the Vault, it will earn some serious interest (up to 4.25% APY for paid plans). 

Another perk of the Revolut Vault is that the first $250,000 deposited is FDIC-insured, just like with a traditional bank!

Is Revolut Legit? 

Revolut is absolutely a legitimate platform. It has more than 30 million personal users and over 500,000 business clients. This means a lot of people trust Revolut to meet their banking needs.

And those users often have good things to say about the platform. Revolut currently has an excellent 4.3-star rating on Trustpilot, which is pretty amazing for a financial institution. After all, people often get frustrated when dealing with a bank!

Is Revolut Safe?

Depositing money with Revolut is safe, especially if you put your money in a Savings Vault. 

Here’s why:

Revolut’s Saving Vaults are insured up to $250,000 by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). That means that if Revolut were to somehow lose your money, Uncle Sam would step in to pay you back.

Interested in the technical details? Revolut itself isn’t FDIC-insured, but it partners with Sutton Bank to provide its Saving Vault services. And Sutton Bank is FDIC-insured, which means your money (up to $250,000) is government-protected. 

Pros and Cons of Revolut

This wouldn’t be a full Revolut review without a careful look at the pros and cons of the platform. 

Here are the details:

• The Standard Plan is free. It also gives you access to most (not all) of the most important features.
• You can earn up to 4.25% APY with paid plans. And even the free Standard Plan earns you 3.25% APY on savings (at the time of this publication). 
• The convenience of an app, but with a real-world presence. You can handle your finances right on your smartphone, then use your physical debit card to withdraw cash from over 55,000 fee-free ATMs. 
• You need to pay for full access to features. The Premium and Metal Plans really are better, but they cost $9.99/month and $16.99/month. 
• There are no physical branches. When you bank with Revolut, you’re going fully digital. 
• Not-so-great customer support. Several online reviewers say it can be tough to get help when issues come up.

Revolut Reviews

Revolut gets a lot of online reviews, and many of them are super positive. 

I found one Revolut review from a customer who successfully used the app in multiple countries. 

Of course, not every Revolut review is positive. One user complained that their money was frozen, but they also acknowledged that the issue was at least dealt with quickly.

And another negative review went so far as to call Revolut “the worst so-called banking system ever.”

Now, this last Revolut review needs some unpacking because it reveals something important about the platform. 

In the U.S., the first $250,000 you deposit in Revolut is insured by the FDIC, but only if you put it in a Savings Vault. So make sure you take that essential step to keep your money safe!

Revolut Reviews Reddit

Over on Reddit, a user started a thread by asking, “Is Revolut really as bad as people say it is?” Apparently, they’d noticed a lot of Redditors saying bad things about the app.

The responses showed that Revolut isn’t bad at all. In fact, a lot of people reported positive experiences.

One user praised the convenience of being able to use different currencies. 

Another person said they’ve personally had no issues, but mentioned that other people have had their accounts suddenly banned.

And I really like how one user summed up Revolut by calling it “a good introduction to lots of things but not the best at any one particular thing.” 

Just one note on that last Revolut review: The user talks about using Revolut for crypto, which is an option in the U.K., but it does not seem to be available for American users just yet.

Is Revolut Worth It?

Revolut is definitely worth considering, especially if you’re a world traveler.

Imagine taking an international trip as a Revolut user. Thanks to a single app, you’d be able to:

• Easily exchange currencies,
• Transfer money from one country to another,
• Protect your money in case of cancellations (with a paid plan), and
• Hang out in airport lounges at a discounted price (with a paid plan). 

And that’s all on top of the basic banking services. You know, the debit card, ATM access, and interest earned on savings.

Now, Revolut does have its drawbacks. There are no physical branches, and you can’t just call up a local company representative when you have an issue.

But if you’re a tech-savvy person and you like the idea of app-based banking, Revolut is a game-changer! 

Commonly Asked Questions About Revolut

What are alternatives to revolut.

Revolut isn’t the only app-based banking platform. Other options include: 

• Fierce (read full Fierce Finance review here )
• Current (read full Current Bank review here )
• SoFi Relay  
• Chime (read full Chime review here )
• Bright Money (read full Bright Money review here )
• Raisin (read Raisin review here )

You can also check out this list of the best banks in America . 

And if you’re looking ot boost your new bank account fast, check out these banks with immediate sign-up bonus .

Is Revolut a Scam?

Revolut isn’t a scam. It has a 4.3-star on Trustpilot, and it partners with Sutton Bank to provide “Saving Vaults” that are insured by the FDIC. 

What is the Catch with Revolut?

There is no “catch” with Revolut . The platform makes money through its paid “Premium” and “Metal” plans, not through some sneaky, backhanded scheme. That said, Revolut does have drawbacks, including the lack of physical branches. 

Revolut Card Review?

Revolut cards are basically debit cards, allowing you to make purchases and withdraw cash from over 55,000 fee-free ATMs. They’re solid cards overall, but they’re especially great for international travel because you can use them abroad in over 150 currencies.

See how much you could save by learning how to cancel all subscriptions on your debit card or credit card. 

Revolut Travel Card Review?

All Revolut cards are “travel cards” because they let you spend money abroad in over 150 currencies. This feature makes them an excellent choice for international travelers. And for domestic travel, you’ll have access to a network of 55,000 fee-free ATMs, so cash will likely be within reach!

What is the Downside of Revolut?

The major downside of Revolut is that you have to purchase a paid plan to get some of the best features, including unlimited currency exchange, travel expense protection, and the highest APY on savings – which is currently 4.25%.  

If you’d like to learn which budgeting app could best help you manage your finances, check out these comparisons:

• Rocket Money vs YNAB
• Rocket Money vs Simplifi
• Rocket Money vs Copilot

Then use a net worth tracker to see how your new financial strategies are paying off. 

Does Revolut Charge Fees?

Revolut does charge some fees, including:

• Currency exchange fees (If you’ve reached your monthly limit or you make a weekend exchange, varies based on plan)
• Stock trading fees
• Monthly fees (only for the Premium and Metal plans)

READ MORE ABOUT Banking

Make money like everyone is watching.

Get simple tips and news to Make Money delivered to your inbox

By submitting this form you agree to receive emails from The Money Manual and to the privacy policy and terms .

MORE TO READ

Personal Finance

Best prepaid debit cards for 2024.

Our evaluations and opinions are not influenced by our advertising relationships, but we may earn a commission from our partners’ links. This content is created independently from TIME’s editorial staff. Learn more about it.

Prepaid debit cards—also known as “reloadable” debit cards—allow you to add money to your debit card in advance, so it’s there when you need it. Once you add money to the card, you can use it as you would use a traditional debit card. Uses might include withdrawing cash, paying bills, or purchasing online or in a store.

The main benefit of reloadable debit cards is the ability to add only as much money as you need. This prevents you from overdrawing your account or going into debt. Result—a flexibility that makes them a useful tool when it’s important to limit spending, such as with a child who gets their first debit card. The cards on this list are among the best prepaid debit cards available today.

Best prepaid debit cards compared 2024

Our recommendations for the best reloadable debit card, best for cash app customers: cash app card.

Why we picked it : The Cash Card is the logical choice if you frequently use Cash App, but it’s a good choice in general thanks to its $0 reload fees. The account has no minimum deposit or monthly fees, so you won’t have to worry about junk fees eating away at your balance.

If you regularly use Cash App, the Cash Card is a convenient way to access the money in your Cash App account. The card is a Visa , so it’s accepted at most online and retail stores. Stored balances on your Cash Card are FDIC-insured up to $250,000, so your money is safe. Another benefit of this card is that you can add offers via the Cash App, allowing you to save money on purchases.

However, this card doesn’t earn rewards in the form of cash back, so you won’t get extra earnings on every purchase. In addition, no free ATM network is available. You will pay $2.50 any time you make a withdrawal, even at in-network ATMs. Out-of-network ATMs may charge an additional fee.

• No monthly or annual fees.
• Get direct deposits up to two days early.
• Save money with Cash App Offers.
• Fees apply for instant deposits.
• There are daily and weekly ATM withdrawal limits.

Learn more on our full review .

Best for Paypal Customers: PayPal Prepaid Mastercard

PayPal Prepaid Mastercard®

Why we picked it : If you frequently send and receive money with PayPal, it could make sense to get the PayPal Prepaid Mastercard. It lets you access your PayPal balance with a physical card anywhere Mastercard is accepted. Plus, it doesn’t cost anything to add money to your account via direct deposit.

The PayPal Prepaid Mastercard is a prepaid debit card you link to your PayPal account. The card lets you transfer money from your PayPal account and add money at MoneyPass ATMs without incurring a fee. You can use the card anywhere Mastercard is accepted and it includes other features like direct deposit and cash reload. It also includes special offers called Payback Rewards that let you save money at select retailers.

• Link directly to PayPal account for easy transfers.
• Savings account with 5% APY on balances of up to $1,000.
• Early direct deposit available.
• $4.95 monthly fee.
• Must have a PayPal account to access all features.
• Cash reload fee of up to $3.95.

Best for Financial Education: GoHenry

GoHenry Debit Card

Why we picked it : Financial literacy is important, but GoHenry understands kids may not always be excited to learn about it. Its Money Missions feature provides fun videos and quizzes to teach kids and teens money skills even at a young age. Its allowance feature also allows parents to give kids an allowance automatically.

The GoHenry card is designed for kids and teens ages 6 to 18 to help them learn valuable financial skills. These include setting savings goals, making spending decisions, and tracking their balance. Kids can get paid for tasks like chores and receive an automatic allowance. In the app, parents can set spending limits, receive real-time notifications, and block or unblock the card. The app also has the option to set up donations to charities like the Boys & Girls Club of America.

• Teaches kids financial literacy
• Offers parental control
• No risk of overdrafts or debt for kids
• Requires a monthly subscription fee of $4.99 per child
• No investing options for children or parents
• No free ATM withdrawals

Best for Walmart customers: Walmart MoneyCard

Walmart Money Card

Why we picked it : Walmart is still the largest retailer in the U.S., maintaining a sizeable lead over Amazon in total sales. That means there are a lot of opportunities to earn cash back on Walmart purchases, and this card capitalizes on that, paying 3% on Walmart purchases. That, combined with other benefits like earning interest on savings, make this a great choice for Walmart customers.

Purchases at Walmart.com earn 3% cash back with this card, while purchases at Walmart fuel stations earn 2% cash back. At Walmart stores you will earn 1% cash back. You can also earn 2% annual percentage yield (APY) on savings, up to a maximum average daily balance of $1,000. There is also up to $200 of overdraft protection and no monthly fee. Despite this card’s benefits, there is a big caveat to keep in mind: Cash back is limited to just $75 annually.

• High cash-back rates.
• Early direct deposit.
• Mobile check deposit.
• Monthly fee if you don’t receive at least $500 in direct deposits.
• Foreign transaction fees, ATM withdrawal fees and other fees.
• $15 fee for overdrafts.

Best for pairing with a savings account: Netspend® Visa® Prepaid Card

Netspend® Visa® Prepaid Card

Why we picked it : NetSpend offers a high APY on its savings accounts, letting you earn a little extra on your savings. However, one caveat is that you only earn 5% APY on balances of up to $1,000. You also have to have the NetSpend Card, which has monthly fees of up to $9.95. Still, it’s nice to see that you can earn some interest with this account.

The Netspend® Visa® Prepaid Card has many benefits, including no credit check, no minimum balance requirements, and no activation fees. In addition, you can get paid via direct deposit up to two days early. There is also a “purchase cushion” that will cover you for up to $10 if you don’t have enough money to pay for a purchase.

• No minimum balance or activation fees.
• No credit check required.
• Earn a high yield with a linked savings account.
• $9.95 per month for the monthly plan.
• Pay-as-you-go plan charges $1.95 per transaction.
• No fee-free ATM network.

Best for building credit: Extra Debit Card

Extra Debit Card

Why we picked it : This card can help you build credit, reporting your credit usage to credit bureaus Experian and Equifax at the beginning of the month. The caveat is that it doesn’t report to TransUnion. It’s also impressive that it helps you build credit without requiring a credit check. This means you can get credit-building benefits without a negative impact on your credit score.

The Extra Debit Card is issued by Evolve Bank & Trust or Patriot Bank, N.A. With the Extra Debit Card , you use Plaid to connect the card to your existing bank account. It then uses your bank account balance to assign you a spending limit, which it calls Spend Power. When you buy something with the card, Extra covers the transaction and then pays itself back the next business day.

Although Extra reports your on-time and late payment activity to credit bureaus, a credit check isn’t necessary since you use your checking account balance to pay for your purchases. Two plans are available with this card: The Credit Building plan costs $20 per month or $150 per year. You can also opt for the Credit Building + Rewards plan, which costs $25 per month or $199 per year. With the rewards plan, you can earn 1% in points for everyday purchases.

• Reports credit usage to Experian and Equifax monthly.
• Earns 1% cash back.
• Cheapest plan costs $149 per year
• Doesn’t report to TransUnion.
• Plan that earns rewards is more expensive.

Best for No Credit Check: Current Build

Current Build Card

Why we picked it : Access to credit-building features can be rare with prepaid cards, especially if you want to avoid fees. That’s not the case with the Current Build Card, as it reports to credit bureaus and charges no monthly or annual fees. Credit cards in this sector can sometimes hold people back, but the Current Build Card is a clear exception.

The Current Build Card is a secured credit card designed to help you build credit while you bank. No credit check is required, making it ideal for people with poor or limited credit. With this card, you add cash to your Current account, which becomes your spending limit. When you spend money with the card, Current sets money aside to cover the amount of the transaction.

Since the money in your account is equal to your card’s limit, it won’t let you overdraw with the card. Current also reports your activity to credit bureaus, allowing you to build credit while using the card. There is no APR, either, so using the card won’t result in burdensome interest costs.

• No annual fee or APR.
• Helps build credit
• $3.50 fee to add cash to your account.
• Can’t upgrade to an unsecured card.
• Requires a current account.

Best for avoiding fees: Bluebird by American Express

Bluebird Prepaid Debit Card

Why we picked it : The last thing prepaid debit card users need is to be hit with a slew of unnecessary fees, and that’s where the Bluebird card stands out. There are no monthly fees, foreign transaction fees or fees to add cash at Family Dollar. It even gives you access to early direct deposit for free.

The Bluebird by American Express has the lowest fees overall. It won’t nickel-and-dime you with card fees or monthly fees. In addition, there are no cash reload fees at Family Dollar and a lower $3.74 fee at Walmart locations. You can make free cash withdrawals at 37,000 locations in the MoneyPass ATM network. Plus, you can use the card to get paid up to two days sooner with Early Direct Deposit.Pros:

• No monthly fees.
• Free withdrawals at MoneyPass ATMs.
• Supports mobile check deposit.
• $5 fee to get a card.
• Reload fees of up to $3.95.
• There are daily and monthly spending limits.

Best for earning rewards: Serve American Express Prepaid Debit Account

Serve Prepaid Debit Card

Why we picked it : For the right customer, this card can be free to use and earn some extra cash back. Specifically, it’s ideal for those who receive a direct deposit of at least $500, as that lets you avoid the monthly fee. Notably, customers in New York, Texas, and Vermont can also avoid the monthly fee even without a direct deposit.

The Serve prepaid debit account from Amex earns unlimited 1% cash back on in-store and online purchases. Funds are added to your account as soon as the transaction settles with Serve. Debit cards, as opposed to credit cards , aren’t known for earning cash back, making the Serve prepaid debit account a notable exception. You can redeem your cash back on purchases made in-store or online.

• Earns cash back.
• No monthly fees with a $500 direct deposit.
• Free ATM network.
• A monthly fee applies if you don’t receive the minimum direct deposit.
• Charges fees for out-of-network withdrawals.
• Charges foreign transaction fees.

Best for supporting underserved communities: ONE VIP Visa Prepaid Card

ONE VIP Visa Prepaid Card

Why we picked it : If voting with your wallet is important to you, it’s worth taking a look at the ONE VIP Visa. It earns 1.5% cash back on Netflix, Uber and Sephora purchases. It also earns 1.5% cash back at select Black-owned businesses. All other purchases earn 0.5% cash back.

The ONE VIP Visa Prepaid Card is another prepaid card that earns cash back. This includes one point for every $2 you spend, plus 1.5 points for every $1 spent on Netflix, Uber, Sephora, and at select Black-owned businesses. Currently, there is a list of 25 Black-owned businesses that earn 1.5 points per $1 spent. The downsides are that this card has a $7.95 monthly fee and lacks a free ATM network.

• Earns rewards you can redeem for cash back or donate to charity.
• No minimum balance or overdraft fees.
• $7.95 monthly fee.
• Lower monthly fee ($4.95) with direct deposit, but still not free.
• $2.95 ATM withdrawal fee.

Best for families: FamZoo Prepaid Card

FamZoo Prepaid Card

Why we picked it : Even though money is one of the most important things in our lives, financial education among children is sorely lacking. FamZoo is working to change that by offering children of all ages a prepaid card. The card gives parents control over their children’s spending habits, allowing kids to learn about money management in the process. Doing so helps them prepare to manage their money in the real world.

The FamZoo Prepaid Card is great for the whole family. With FamZoo, parents control accounts and money rules. They can see their own account details and their kids’ accounts, while kids can only see their own account information. In addition, you can instantly move money between family member accounts, just in case someone is running low on funds. However, this account isn’t free. Fees start at $2.50 per month if you pay for 24 months or $5.99 per month if you pay monthly.

• Helps teach kids about money.
• Gives parents control over their children's accounts.
• Parents can pay their kids interest.
• No option to avoid the monthly fee.
• The interface could be more user-friendly.

Best for kids/teens: Greenlight Prepaid Mastercard

Greenlight Prepaid Mastercard

Why we picked it : It’s important for children to develop financial literacy, and Greenlight does more than just let kids learn by doing. It actively involves parents in children’s financial decisions while offering educational tools to help kids learn. Plus, kids can start building wealth by investing in the stock market.

The Greenlight Prepaid Mastercard is a great choice if you want to help your kids use a debit card responsibly. It includes a plethora of features, such as the option to tie allowance to chores and set spending limits for your kids. In addition, you can earn up to 5% on savings and 1% cash back. Parents can earn up to 3% cash back. Monthly plans start at $4.99.

• Lets parents set flexible controls on their children’s spending.
• Offers educational tools to help children learn financial literacy.
• Paid plans let children invest in stocks with parental approval.
• No free plans available.
• Requires active parental involvement (though this can be a pro, too.)

Best for virtual debit cards: Movo Virtual Prepaid Visa Card

Movo Virtual Prepaid Visa Card

Why we picked it : Things don’t always change quickly in the financial world, and not many cards have the modern features available with the Movo card. Specifically, you rarely see the ability to convert crypto into cash. The fee for ordering a physical card is high, but this card is meant to be digital.

With more and more transactions happening online or with virtual wallets, the Movo Virtual Prepaid Visa Card feels like a card for the 21st century. Instead of having another physical card to avoid losing, this card is entirely digital. In addition, the card uses the Mastercard network, so millions of merchants in the U.S. and worldwide accept it. You can also use your card at a Mastercard ATM in your area.

• Lets you create temporary card numbers for extra security.
• Movo Chain lets you convert crypto into cash.
• Send money to a person instantly for free.
• Charges a $4.95 monthly fee.
• Charges inactivity fees if you don’t use your account for 30 days.
• $9.95 fee to order a physical card.

Our methodology

We selected the best prepaid credit cards based primarily on which cards have the lowest fees for cash reloads. Similarly, we also considered which cards have the largest networks of free ATMs. We also screened for other factors, such as finding prepaid cards that work well for families. Overall, we looked for cards that meet the needs of prepaid cardholders, which may differ from those with traditional debit cards.

How to select the best prepaid debit card

There are many features you may look for in a prepaid debit card, and those features won’t always be the same. However, below are some features for those with a prepaid debit card.

Prepaid debit cards often come with fees, and no one likes paying just to access their money. Fees might include monthly fees, cash reload fees, and ATM withdrawal fees. Pay attention to the fees and look for a prepaid debit card that doesn’t have an excessively long list of them.

Free ATM network

Most prepaid debit cards don’t come from big banks with a vast network of ATMs. This could be a problem, as you typically must pay a fee to withdraw cash from an ATM that isn’t in your network. However, some prepaid debit cards partner with large ATM networks, enabling fee-free withdrawals at ATMs around the country.

Ease of reloading

Reloading your prepaid debit card shouldn’t be a challenge, and the best cards have many reload options. This might include cash reloads, direct deposits, or bank transfers. Before signing up for a prepaid debit card, check to see if you can use your preferred reload method.

Benefits and perks

Prepaid debit cards sometimes have extra benefits and perks, such as cash back, rewards programs, or discounts at certain retailers. While these are mostly an added bonus, they could tip the scales if you are trying to decide between two cards. However, it’s worth noting that the prepaid debit cards with the best perks sometimes have monthly fees.

Low-fee alternatives to prepaid cards

Prepaid debit cards can be useful, but they may not always be the best choice. Depending on the situation, one of these low-fee alternatives may be worth considering:

• Online checking accounts . These accounts let you manage your money online, often with no monthly fees or minimum balances. Online banks typically have no physical branches, and they share those savings with customers. What’s more, these banks usually offer debit cards, giving you easy access to your money.

Chase Total Checking®

• Credit unions. Some credit unions may have lower fees than large banks. They also may be more willing to work with families and underserved communities. Of course, this varies by credit union, but it’s worth investigating choices in your area.
• Mobile money management apps. Apps such as Paypal offer money management services. In addition, they offer a debit card, allowing you to use them much as you would a prepaid debit card.
• Mobile payment apps. Mobile apps such as Venmo and Cash App also offer a debit card without charging monthly fees. These let you use only as much money as you have in your account, similar to a prepaid debit card.
• Secured credit cards. If you haven’t established a healthy credit history, a secured credit card can help you build your credit. These often report to the major credit bureaus, and some don’t charge usage fees.

The best choice depends on your personal situation. However, it’s best to look for options that do away with excessive fees and make it easy to access your money.

Where to buy prepaid debit cards

There are many ways to buy prepaid debit cards, both online and in person. Below are some common places and methods.

One of the easiest ways to buy a prepaid debit card is often on the card issuer’s website. Check the websites of the card issuers mentioned in the list above, as you can typically sign up online. For those who don’t have internet access, one of the methods below might work.

Retail stores

You can check your local retail stores to see if they sell prepaid debit cards. This might include grocery stores, convenience stores, and large retailers such as Target and Walmart. You may find them near the cashiers or in a display case near other financial products, like gift cards.

Bank and credit union branches

Some banks and credit unions offer prepaid debit cards to their customers. Even if you don’t have a checking or savings account with them, you can still visit a branch near you and ask if it offers prepaid debit cards.

Check cashing stores

Check cashing or payday loan stores sometimes offer prepaid debit cards along with their other products. If you visit one of these stores, you can find out if it offers prepaid debit cards.

Large pharmacy chains, such as Walgreens and CVS, often have prepaid debit cards available for purchase. If you intend to visit one of these stores soon, look for prepaid cards near the front of the store.

Prepaid vs regular debit cards: What’s the difference?

Time stamp: prepaid debit cards are safe and convenient, but watch the fees.

Prepaid debit cards let you add money in advance and use them as needed. You can typically only spend up to the amount on the card, and overdrafts aren’t usually possible. This can help control overspending and be a good option for those who are unbanked. Just pay attention to the fees, which can be high.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

How do prepaid debit cards work.

Prepaid debit cards allow you to add money to the card in advance. Common reload methods include cash reloads, bank transfers, and direct deposit. Once the money is on the card, you can use them like traditional debit cards for in-store or online purchases. However, you typically can’t overdraw a prepaid debit card.

Who is eligible for a prepaid debit card?

Prepaid debit cards are available to almost anyone in the United States. There may be basic eligibility requirements, such as being 18 years old and providing a form of identification. However, some prepaid card accounts are intended for families and allow you to request debit cards for children who are under the age of 18.

Is there a fee to cancel a prepaid debit card?

Some prepaid cards may charge a fee to cancel, but this varies by card issuer. In some cases there may not be a fee to cancel the card if it has a zero balance. Others may charge a fee to close the account or for sending a check with the remaining balance. Check your card’s terms and conditions for specifics about fees.

How do you add money to a reloadable debit card?

There are many options, including in-person cash deposits, bank transfers, direct deposits, and check deposits via mobile app. Remember that there may be fees associated with some or all of these methods, so check with your card issuer for details.

How do you apply for a prepaid debit card?

Often, the easiest and most straightforward way to apply is through the card issuer’s website. However, you may also be able to apply at convenience stores, pharmacies, grocery stores, and other retail locations. Typically, you must fill out and submit the application, then wait for processing. If your application is approved, you should receive your prepaid debit card within seven to 10 business days.

Best Credit Cards Best Cash Back Credit Cards Best Rewards Credit Cards Best Travel Credit Cards Best Balance Transfer Credit Cards Best Small-Business Credit Cards Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit

The information presented here is created independently from the TIME editorial staff. To learn more, see our About page.