It's close: Wise edges it 8.7 to 8.6, so the right pick depends on what you need. Wise wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Revolut on 1.
Travelers, expats and freelancers who send or receive money across borders
Frequent travelers who want one app for spending, saving and currency exchange
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Wise | Revolut |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Money & Investing | Money & Investing |
| Category rank | #4 of 10 | #5 of 10 |
| Developer | Wise plc | Revolut Ltd |
| Pricing | Free | Free + paid plans |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web | ✓ | ✓ |
Strengths and weaknesses
Wise
- Fees and exchange rate shown before you send
- Hold and convert dozens of currencies
- Fast transfers on most popular routes
- Not a bank, so it lacks loans and overdrafts
- Card and account features vary by country
Wise is the easiest way to move money across borders without losing a chunk to poor exchange rates. It uses the mid-market rate and shows its fee upfront, so you know exactly what arrives. The multi-currency account and debit card make travel and freelancing simpler. It is not a bank, though, and fees on large or unusual currency routes can add up.
Full Wise review
Revolut
- Free plan covers spending, transfers and budgeting
- Strong exchange rates on weekdays within plan limits
- Fast, feature-rich app with instant notifications
- Constant upsells and a crowded interface
- Support can be slow if your account is flagged
Revolut packs a lot into one app: multi-currency spending, budgeting tools, savings vaults, investing and travel perks. The free Standard plan is genuinely useful, and paid plans add higher limits and extras. The trade-off is complexity and constant upsells. Support can be slow if your account gets flagged for review, so keep a traditional bank account as a backup.
Full Revolut review
