You do not notice travel card fees when everything works. You notice them when an airport ATM offers to convert your withdrawal into pounds, when your “free” card hits a fair-usage limit mid-trip, or when an app review asks for documents while you are trying to pay for dinner.
That is why Wise vs Revolut travel card is not a simple winner-takes-all comparison. Both can be useful for UK travellers. Wise is closer to a specialist multi-currency account with transparent conversion pricing. Revolut is a broader finance app with free and paid plan tiers, card customisation, budgeting features, and more moving parts.
Thesis: choose between Wise and Revolut by how you actually spend abroad: card purchases, ATM withdrawals, currency conversion volume, account protection expectations, support access, and how much app friction you can tolerate.
Disclosure: this page may contain affiliate links. If you use them, Thnktnk may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Read more about our editorial policy and who we are.
Wise vs Revolut travel card: the short answer
Wise may fit you if you want a straightforward card attached to a multi-currency account, no monthly subscription, and a pricing page you can read before you travel. Wise’s UK card pricing page says card ordering costs £7, there are no subscription fees, digital cards are free, and ATM withdrawals are free up to £250 per month before a 2.69% excess fee applies. Wise also says spending in held currency is free, while conversion fees vary by currency.
Revolut may fit you if you already use the app, want richer card controls, and might use paid plans for higher exchange limits or travel-adjacent perks. Revolut’s Standard fee page says the subscription is free, the first card is free but delivery fees apply, ATM withdrawals are free up to 5 withdrawals or £200 per rolling month, then 2% with a £1 minimum applies. Its Standard plan has a £1,000 monthly exchange limit, after which a 1% fair usage fee applies.
That makes Wise simpler for travellers who want low-maintenance spending and transparent conversion checks. Revolut can make sense when the broader app is valuable enough to justify reading plan limits carefully.
Quick comparison table
| Decision point | Wise | Revolut | Practical takeaway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core travel use | Multi-currency account, debit card, transfers | Banking-style finance app, cards, budgets, transfers, plan perks | Wise is narrower; Revolut is broader |
| Subscription model | No subscription fee for the card account | Standard is free; paid plans add benefits and higher limits | Revolut needs plan comparison if you travel often |
| UK card cost | Wise lists a £7 card order fee | Revolut lists first Standard card as free, delivery fee applies | Revolut can be cheaper to start, but check delivery |
| ATM allowance | £250/month free, then 2.69% on excess | 5 withdrawals or £200/month free on Standard, then 2% min £1 | Wise has a higher free cash allowance on the public pages checked |
| FX limits | Conversion fee varies by currency; no subscription tier needed | Standard fair-usage FX limit of £1,000/month, then 1% fee | Heavy currency conversion can make Revolut plan limits important |
| Protection language | UK e-money safeguarding, not bank deposit FSCS | Revolut pages include both bank-account FSCS language and e-money terms depending on service/entity | Do not assume identical protection; check the entity in-app |
| Support and exit friction | Help centre and service status; no subscription to cancel | In-app chat, account closure process, possible paid-plan/cancel terms | Revolut has more features and more terms to read |
Difference 1: Wise is simpler; Revolut is more feature-heavy
Wise is built around moving, converting, holding, and spending money across currencies. Its card page says the digital card can be used across 40+ currencies and 160 countries and territories, and its pricing pages focus on conversion, card ordering, ATM withdrawals, and account fees.
Revolut is a broader app. The cards page presents physical, virtual, Premium, Metal, and Ultra card options, and the same site navigation includes savings, investments, international transfers, security tools, subscriptions, insurance, and money-management features. That breadth is useful if you want one app for more than travel spending. It also means more terms, limits, and product-specific risk disclosures.
For a two-week holiday, simplicity has value. For someone already using Revolut for budgeting and everyday money movement, app familiarity may be more valuable than a cleaner fee page.
Difference 2: Card and subscription fees work differently
Wise’s card pricing page is direct: no subscription fee, £7 to order the card, optional express delivery from £10.85, free digital card, and £2.50 to replace a card before expiry. That is easy to model if you only want a travel card.
Revolut Standard lists a free subscription, a free first Revolut card with delivery fee applying, free virtual cards, and charges for additional cards or special/custom cards. Paid plans have monthly fees and may change card limits, card materials, insurance benefits, or travel perks.
The key is not just “which card is free.” It is whether you will remain on the free tier or drift into a paid plan because of exchange limits, travel insurance, lounge access, card delivery, or lifestyle perks. If you only need occasional overseas spending, do the annual cost calculation before treating paid-plan benefits as free value.
Difference 3: ATM cash is where travellers often misjudge value
MoneySavingExpert’s travel card guide warns that specialist cards can reduce overseas spending costs, but cash withdrawals need separate attention because ATM operators and card providers can both affect the final cost. It also reminds travellers to pay in the local currency, not pounds, when a terminal or ATM asks.
For Wise, the public UK card fee page checked for this article gives £250 per month of free ATM withdrawals, then 2.69% on the amount above that allowance. Wise also warns that independent ATM networks may add their own charges.
For Revolut Standard, the public fee page gives free ATM withdrawals up to 5 withdrawals or £200 per rolling month, whichever comes first. After that, Revolut charges 2%, subject to a £1 minimum.
The practical rule: if you withdraw cash once or twice and mostly pay by card, either may work. If you travel somewhere cash-heavy, Wise’s higher stated free allowance may matter. If you are on a paid Revolut plan, compare the plan’s current ATM allowance before deciding.
Difference 4: FX limits are not the same as FX rates
A card can advertise strong exchange rates and still cost more if you exceed a plan allowance, exchange at a time when an additional fee applies, or use a currency pair with specific charges.
Wise says it uses the mid-market rate with low conversion fees, and its pricing page says conversion fees vary by currency. That means you should check the exact GBP-to-local-currency conversion before departure, especially for less common currencies.
Revolut’s Standard page says money currency exchanges count toward a £1,000 per month exchange limit. After that, a 1% fair usage fee applies. Plus has a higher limit and lower excess fair-usage fee; Premium, Metal, and Ultra are listed with no exchange limit on the page checked.
This is the core trade-off. Wise may feel more predictable because you pay conversion fees without needing a subscription tier. Revolut may be attractive if your usage stays under the Standard allowance or if a paid plan’s extra features justify the monthly cost.
Difference 5: Account protection needs careful wording
This is the section to read before holding a large balance in either app.
Wise says its UK entity is authorised under the Electronic Money Regulations and explains customer-money protection through safeguarding. Its help centre says Wise does not lend out customer money and handles it differently from banks. That is not the same as saying your Wise balance is a UK bank deposit covered by FSCS.
Revolut is more nuanced in 2026. Revolut’s cards and fees pages list Revolut Bank UK Ltd as authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the FCA and PRA. Revolut’s security page says bank accounts are FSCS protected up to £120,000 per person. However, Revolut’s Personal Terms also describe Revolut Ltd e-money accounts, safeguarding, and state that e-money account balances are not covered by FSCS because they are safeguarded instead.
That is not a reason to avoid either provider automatically. It is a reason to check which entity and service applies to your account inside the app before treating either as a place to store trip money long term. For travel, many readers will keep only the amount they expect to spend and retain a backup bank card elsewhere.
Difference 6: Support quality matters when the app is the branch
Neither Wise nor Revolut is a branch-based high-street bank experience. If something goes wrong abroad, your support channel is mainly digital.
Wise’s card page says support is available in multiple languages and links to help, service status, complaints, and security resources. That suits users who are comfortable solving issues through a help centre and app flow.
Revolut’s pages emphasise 24/7 support, in-app controls, card freezing, fraud warnings, and account security features. That can be strong for fast card control. The trade-off is that a broader app can also involve more account checks, feature-specific terms, and service-specific support paths.
Before travelling, do three small checks: confirm your login works, confirm you can freeze/unfreeze the card, and confirm you know how to contact support from another device if your phone is lost.
Difference 7: Exit friction is part of the cost
Exit friction is easy to ignore until you stop using a provider.
Wise’s no-subscription card model is simpler: if you only used it for travel spending, the main clean-up is reducing balances, checking statements, and deciding whether to keep or cancel the card. Replacement and card-order fees are clear on the pricing page.
Revolut’s Personal Terms say you can close your account through the app, by writing, or by emailing support, but you must withdraw remaining balances and may still owe charges you have run up. The fee page also says that if Revolut closes an account and a positive balance remains after notice, an administration fee may apply.
That does not make Revolut unusually bad; it means the broader app has broader terms. If you only want a light travel wallet, avoid leaving small residual balances, unused paid plans, or dormant features that create admin work later.
Which should you use?
Choose Wise when your priority is a specialist multi-currency card with no subscription fee, transparent conversion checks, and a clean ATM allowance structure. It is the more straightforward fit for travellers who want to load, convert, spend, withdraw modest cash, and move on.
Choose Revolut when you value the wider app: virtual cards, card controls, budgeting, instant transfers to other Revolut users, plan perks, and potentially higher limits on paid tiers. It can be a strong fit if you already use the app and understand your plan’s FX and ATM limits.
Avoid treating either as your only travel money option. Carry a backup card from another provider, keep emergency funds separate, and avoid holding more balance than you need unless you have checked the current protection language for your exact account.
For related fee discipline, read Thnktnk’s guide to comparing stocks and shares ISA platform fees. For site standards, see our editorial policy, about page, and the broader comparisons hub.
FAQ
Is Wise or Revolut cheaper for spending abroad?
It depends on currencies, monthly exchange volume, and ATM behaviour. Wise publishes currency conversion and card fees without asking you to pick a subscription tier. Revolut Standard can be cost-effective if you stay within allowances, but the £1,000 monthly exchange limit and ATM allowance matter. Heavy travellers should compare the exact trip budget against current provider pages.
Which is better for cash withdrawals abroad?
On the public UK pages checked on 3 July 2026, Wise lists a £250 monthly free ATM allowance before a 2.69% fee on excess withdrawals. Revolut Standard lists free withdrawals up to 5 withdrawals or £200 per rolling month, then 2% with a £1 minimum. ATM operators can still add local fees, so cash-heavy trips need a separate plan.
Does Wise have FSCS protection?
Wise explains UK customer-money protection through safeguarding under e-money rules, not ordinary bank deposit FSCS. That distinction matters if you intend to hold a large balance. For typical travel use, many people keep only expected trip spending in the account and retain backup access elsewhere.
Does Revolut have FSCS protection?
Revolut’s 2026 public pages include bank-account FSCS language for Revolut Bank UK Ltd, while Revolut Ltd Personal Terms still describe e-money safeguarding and no FSCS for e-money balances. The practical answer is: check the entity and account type shown in your Revolut app before relying on a protection assumption.
Should I pay in pounds or local currency with Wise or Revolut?
Usually choose the local currency when a card terminal or ATM asks. Choosing pounds can trigger dynamic currency conversion, where the merchant or ATM sets the exchange rate. That can undermine the reason for using a specialist travel card in the first place.
Source notes
This article used public source material checked on 3 July 2026:
- Wise card page
- Wise card fees
- Wise safeguarding explainer
- Revolut cards page
- Revolut Standard fees
- Revolut Personal Terms
- Revolut money-protection page
- MoneySavingExpert travel cards guide
This is editorial comparison, not regulated financial advice. Confirm current fees, limits, eligibility, account entity, and protection wording before applying or travelling.
