Revolut
Bankovní kartyFree travel card with virtual cards
Pros
- Free Standard plan, covers most traveler needs
- Unlimited virtual cards (including single-use) for secure online payments
- Favorable exchange rates in the app (outside weekends)
- Crypto, stocks, and commodities in one app
- Great UX and real-time notifications
Cons
- Weekend FX surcharge of 0.5–1% — exchange money during the week
- Customer support only via in-app chat, often slow
- Some features (travel insurance, higher FX limits) only in paid plans
What is Revolut?
Revolut is a British-Lithuanian fintech bank with a mobile app and card that offers favorable exchange rates abroad, virtual cards for online payments, and add-ons like cryptocurrencies or stocks.
Why I use it
I use Revolut as a backup card to Wise and for online purchases. Virtual cards are brilliant - for each e-shop, I generate a single-use card, so if someone misuses it, nothing happens.
Plans - what's worth what
- Standard (free) - covers 90% of travelers, free withdrawals up to 200 EUR/month
- Plus (~2.99 EUR/month) - higher withdrawal limit, better purchase protection
- Premium (~7.99 EUR/month) - travel insurance, priority support, higher FX limits
- Metal (~13.99 EUR/month) - metal card, cashback, better crypto exchange rates
For regular travel, Standard is sufficient. Premium only makes sense if you travel often and utilize the insurance.
Who is it ideal for?
- Online shoppers - virtual single-use cards for secure payments
- Travelers - favorable exchange rates in the app
- Amateur investors - crypto, stocks, and commodities in one app
- Backup card - if your primary card freezes, you have a way to pay
Tips for use
- Avoid weekend exchanges (Friday 10 PM - Sunday) - Revolut adds a ~0.5-1% weekend surcharge
- Generate single-use virtual cards for each new e-shop - protects you from data misuse
- The Free plan is enough for most travelers - Premium is only worth it if you truly utilize the insurance
- For large cash withdrawals, plan ahead - above 200 EUR/month, there's a 2% fee
Wise as an alternative - comparison
The most common reader question: Wise or Revolut? Truth is, the two cards complement each other beautifully. Here is a fair side-by-side:
| Criterion | Revolut | Wise |
|---|---|---|
| Exchange rate | Interbank rate, but 0.5-1 % weekend surcharge | True mid-market rate with no markup, always |
| FX fees | Free up to plan limit, then 0.5 % | Transparent fee (~0.4 %) shown upfront |
| ATM withdrawals | Free up to 200 EUR/month, then 2 % | Free up to 200 EUR/month, then 1.75 % |
| Multi-currency account | Holds several currencies, limited local IBANs | 40+ currencies with local IBANs (EUR, GBP, USD, AUD…) |
| Virtual cards | Unlimited single-use cards for free | Limited, tied to a single card |
| Crypto / stocks | Yes, inside the app | No |
| Card cost | Standard plan free | One-off ~9 USD for a physical card |
| Best for | Online shopping, crypto, daily payments | Travel, EUR/USD freelancing, transfers |
My recommendation
- Travel a lot and invoice in EUR/USD? → Wise as your primary card.
- Heavy online shopper and want crypto? → Revolut as primary.
- Best combo: carry both. Wise for transfers and FX, Revolut for virtual cards and online payments. When one card gets blocked or a terminal fails, the other saves dinner.
My verdict
I mainly use Revolut for online payments via virtual cards and as a backup to Wise. The Free plan covers everything I need. The weekend FX surcharge taught me to exchange money during the week.