The Short Answer
Wise wins on big transfers and always gives you the mid-market rate — the same rate you see on Google — with a transparent percentage fee on top. There are no markups, no plan tiers, and no weekend surprises.
Revolut wins on small transfers if you stay within its free monthly FX allowance (~$1,000 on the free Standard plan). A $100 transfer to the UK costs about $0.50 on Revolut versus about $4.66 on Wise. But flip that to a $10,000 transfer and Revolut runs you roughly $75 versus $53.91 on Wise.
There's also a structural difference worth knowing upfront: Revolut is primarily a spending and banking app that happens to do FX. Wise is a money-transfer specialist first. That shapes everything about how they price.
Wise vs Revolut: The Fee Table
Standard-plan rates as of 2026. Revolut fees apply to the free Standard plan; paid tiers (Premium, Metal, Ultra) reduce or eliminate some charges. Always verify current figures on each provider's pricing page before a large transfer.
| Fee | Wise | Revolut (Standard) |
|---|---|---|
| Exchange rate | Mid-market, no markup | Own rate, free up to allowance then markup |
| Transfer fee | ~0.43%–0.7%, variable per currency pair | 0.3% intl in local currency, up to ~$10/transfer |
| Free FX allowance | None | ~$1,000/month interbank; then 0.5% fair-usage fee |
| Weekend markup | None | +1% on Standard (Fri 5 pm–Sun 6 pm ET); waived on Premium/Metal/Ultra |
| Monthly fee | $0 | $0 Standard; paid tiers for higher limits |
| Pricing model | Per-transaction | Plan + per-transaction |
Run your own transfer amount through both calculators to see the exact cost:
Where Wise Wins
- Always the true mid-market rate. Every transfer, every day of the week, with no hidden markup. The rate you see on Google Finance is the rate you get. Revolut only matches this up to its monthly allowance on weekdays.
- Cheaper on larger transfers. Once you exceed Revolut's ~$1,000 free allowance, Wise's ~0.5% fee plus zero markup consistently beats Revolut's rate-plus-fee combo. A $10,000 transfer is roughly $53.91 on Wise versus ~$75 on Revolut Standard.
- Transparent, predictable pricing. You see the exact fee — in dollars and cents — before you confirm any transfer. No plan tiers, no weekend gotchas.
- Better for bank-to-bank international transfers. Wise is purpose-built to move money between bank accounts in different countries, often arriving same-day or next-day for major corridors.
- 40+ currency account. Wise lets you hold and receive money in more than 40 currencies with local bank details, making it a genuine multi-currency account for freelancers and remote workers.
Where Revolut Wins
- Free monthly FX allowance makes small exchanges nearly free. Up to ~$1,000/month on the Standard plan, Revolut gives you the interbank rate with no markup. For someone exchanging $200 to cover a foreign trip, the effective cost can be close to zero.
- Cheaper on tiny, frequent transfers. That $100 send costs ~$0.50 on Revolut versus ~$4.66 on Wise — a meaningful difference if you're splitting bills or sending small amounts regularly.
- All-in-one app. Revolut combines spending, budgeting, a debit card, crypto, stocks, and international transfers in one place. If you want a full digital banking experience, it does far more than Wise.
- Great for everyday spending abroad. The Revolut card uses its competitive rate at point of sale, making it practical for travel and foreign card payments within the free allowance.
Avoid Revolut on weekends — unless you're on a paid plan
The free Standard plan adds a 1% surcharge on all currency exchanges from Friday 5 pm to Sunday 6 pm ET. On a $2,000 transfer that's an extra $20 you don't pay Monday through Friday. Schedule large transfers for the weekday if you can.
Which Should You Choose?
- Choose Wise if you send larger amounts, want the guaranteed mid-market rate every single time, or mainly do bank-to-bank international transfers. It's the specialist tool built for exactly that job.
- Choose Revolut if you exchange small amounts often, reliably stay within the ~$1,000 free monthly allowance, or want a full spending and banking app alongside your FX needs. Just avoid exchanging on weekends on the free plan.
- Use both if you want the best of each. Many people keep Revolut as their everyday spending and small-FX app, and reach for Wise when they need to move serious money internationally. There's no cost to having both open.
Want to understand how exchange rate markups work in more detail — and what "mid-market rate" actually means? Read the explainers:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Wise or Revolut cheaper?
For larger transfers, Wise — it always uses the mid-market rate and is cheaper at scale (e.g. $10,000 ≈ $53.91 vs Revolut's ≈$75). For small transfers within Revolut's free monthly allowance, Revolut can be cheaper (e.g. $100 ≈ $0.50 vs Wise's ≈$4.66).
Does Revolut use the mid-market rate?
Only up to your free monthly allowance and on weekdays. Beyond the allowance it adds a 0.5% fair-usage fee, and the free Standard plan adds a 1% surcharge on weekend exchanges. Wise gives the mid-market rate every time.
What is Revolut's free exchange allowance?
On the free Standard plan it's about $1,000 of currency exchange per month at the interbank rate; above that you pay a 0.5% fair-usage fee. The Premium plan raises the limit to roughly $10,000/month before the fee kicks in.
Is Wise better for large transfers?
Yes. Because Wise charges a small percentage on the mid-market rate with no plan limits, it's consistently cheaper than Revolut once amounts get into the thousands. There's no free-allowance ceiling to worry about and no weekend surcharge.
Can I use both Wise and Revolut?
Absolutely — many people keep Revolut as a spending and banking app for small everyday FX and use Wise for larger international transfers at the mid-market rate. Both accounts are free to open and there's no reason to pick just one.
Key Takeaways
- Wise always uses the mid-market rate — no markup, no weekend surcharge, no plan tiers.
- Revolut Standard gives ~$1,000/month free FX — great for small exchanges, but add a 1% weekend fee.
- $100 send: Revolut ≈ $0.50 vs Wise ≈ $4.66 — Revolut wins at small amounts.
- $10,000 send: Wise ≈ $53.91 vs Revolut ≈ $75 — Wise wins at scale.
- Using both apps is a perfectly sensible strategy — most frequent travelers do exactly that.
Compare on Your Own Numbers
The right answer depends on your transfer size and how often you exchange. Drop your real amounts into both calculators — and remember, using both apps together is often the smartest move of all.