Revolut vs Wise for Travel: Which One Saves More Money?
Introduction
When you’re traveling, every euro counts. One of the easiest ways to save money without compromising your travel style is simply by using the right travel card.
Traditional banks often charge hidden exchange rate markups, foreign transaction fees, and expensive ATM withdrawal costs. Over the course of a long trip, those small fees can easily add up to hundreds of euros.
That’s why two names come up again and again among budget travelers: Revolut and Wise.
Both offer excellent exchange rates, multi-currency accounts, and international debit cards, but they aren’t identical. Depending on how you travel, one may save you more money than the other.
In this guide, we’ll compare Revolut and Wise based on what actually matters to travelers.
Quick Verdict
Choose Revolut if you:
✅ Travel frequently
✅ Like having extra travel features
✅ Spend mostly by card
✅ Want travel insurance options
✅ Want an all-in-one travel app
Choose Wise if you:
✅ Mainly need the cheapest international transfers
✅ Travel less frequently
✅ Want the most transparent fees
✅ Receive money internationally
Our Recommendation: Get Both!
If we had to choose only one for travel, we’d recommend Revolut.
For most backpackers and budget travelers, Revolut simply offers more value thanks to excellent exchange rates, generous fee-free spending, virtual cards, budgeting tools, and additional travel features.
That said, Wise is still fantastic and arguably the better choice if you regularly transfer money internationally.
But in reality, there is no need to choose between the two. You only have to pay 7 euros once to get your personal Wise card sent to your home. And to get a Revolut card, you only have to pay for shipping on a free plan card, while any upgrades to your plan make the card completely free. If you ask us, no reason to not get both!
Get your Revolut card here!
Revolut vs Wise Comparison Table
| Feature | Revolut | Wise |
|---|---|---|
| Exchange Rates | Excellent | Excellent |
| Foreign Transaction Fees | None (within limits) | Low transparent fee |
| Multi-Currency Account | Yes | Yes |
| Physical Debit Card | Yes | Yes |
| Virtual Cards | Yes | Limited |
| Disposable Virtual Cards | Yes | No |
| International Bank Transfers | Good | Excellent |
| ATM Withdrawals | Free limit depending on plan | Limited free withdrawals |
| Travel Insurance | Available | No |
| Lounge Access | Yes (Premium) | No |
| Budgeting Features | Excellent | Basic |
Exchange Rates
This is where both companies shine.
Unlike traditional banks that often hide currency conversion markups of 2–4%, both Revolut and Wise use exchange rates that are very close to the real market (mid-market) rate.
For most travelers, the difference between Revolut and Wise is negligible.
However, if you are traveling for long periods of time, it might be worth to get the Revolut premium plan. Which then allows you to convert currencies without any conversion fees outside of the weekends. This can save you a lot of money in the long run.
Revolut Premium also provides additional benefits, including a free global VPN from Nord, which is extremely usefull when traveling abroad, as we have already mentioned in our Best Budget Travel Apps guide.
Winner: Tie, but Revolut wins for long term travel
Paying by Card Abroad
This is where Revolut shows its strength
Whether you’re buying street food in Thailand, paying for a hostel in Albania, or grabbing groceries in Japan, Revolut makes spending abroad incredibly simple.
Benefits include:
- Apple Pay & Google Pay
- Instant spending notifications
- Automatic currency conversion
- Excellent exchange rates
- Virtual cards
Wise also works extremely well, but Revolut feels more like a modern everyday bank.
Winner: Revolut
ATM Withdrawals
Cash is still important in many countries.
Both cards allow ATM withdrawals, but they have different fee structures.
Revolut includes fee-free ATM withdrawals up to a monthly limit depending on your plan.
Opting for the premium plan doubles your limit from 200 to 400 euros already, while also giving unlimited currency conversions.
Wise also offers free withdrawals, but sits at a standard limit of 250 euros.
If you travel for extended periods, Revolut generally comes out ahead. Since you can get guaranteed value out of the premium plan.
Winner: Revolut
Sending Money Internationally
This is Wise’s specialty.
Wise was built around international transfers, and it remains one of the cheapest and most transparent services available.
If you regularly:
- transfer money between countries
- receive payments abroad
- move money between foreign bank accounts
Wise is difficult to beat.
Winner: Wise
Travel Features
Revolut offers far more than just payments.
Depending on your subscription plan, you can access:
- travel insurance
- airport lounge access
- eSIM packages
- virtual disposable cards
- budgeting tools
- cashback offers
- a free VPN from Nord and other premium app subscriptions
These extras make Revolut feel like a complete travel companion.
Wise focuses on doing one thing exceptionally well: moving money.
Winner: Revolut
Which Saves More Money?
For most travelers, the biggest savings come from avoiding:
- poor exchange rates
- foreign transaction fees
- ATM withdrawal fees
Both companies help enormously compared to traditional banks.
However, Revolut often ends up saving frequent travelers slightly more because of:
- fee-free card spending
- generous ATM allowances
- additional travel benefits
Wise wins if your trips involve frequent international bank transfers.
Which One Do We Use?
We actually use both.
Revolut is our primary travel card because it’s incredibly convenient for everyday spending while traveling.
Wise is our backup and our preferred option whenever we need to make international transfers. It also gives us an additional 250 euros per month of free ATM withdrawal with just the free card.
Using both means we’re always able to choose the cheapest option depending on the situation while utilizing the free limits of both cards.
Tips to Save Even More Money
No matter which card you choose:
- Always pay in the local currency.
- Never let ATMs convert the currency for you.
- Avoid airport exchange offices.
- Withdraw larger amounts less frequently to reduce ATM fees.
- Carry a second travel card as a backup.
- Convert your currency outside of the weekends.
These simple habits often have a bigger impact on saving money compared to choosing one provider over the other.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Revolut cheaper than Wise?
For everyday travel spending, you can usually save more money in general with Revolut. For international bank transfers, Wise is often cheaper.
Can I use Revolut everywhere?
Anywhere that accepts Mastercard or Visa, yes. It’s accepted in almost every country.
Is the Revolut premium plan worth it?
If you are planning to travel for long periods of time, then the premium plan could definitely be worth it. Not only does it allow you infinite currency exchange without any additional fees, it also increases your monthly ATM withdrawal limt and provides a bunch of additional benefits including a free VPN. Check out our guide on the Best Budget Travel Apps on why this can be very useful!
Is Wise good for traveling?
Absolutely. Wise offers excellent exchange rates and is one of the best travel cards available.
Should I bring both?
Yes.
This is what we personally do. If we travel long term, we have a premium Revolut card, but still carry a regular Wise card to utilize its free monthly ATM withdrawal limit. And having two cards from different providers provides an excellent backup if one card is lost, blocked, or an ATM rejects it.
Final Verdict
You can’t really go wrong with either card.
If your goal is simply to spend as little money as possible while traveling, Revolut is our overall winner thanks to its combination of excellent exchange rates, travel-friendly features, generous fee-free spending, and intuitive app.
That said, Wise remains one of the best financial tools every traveler should have. Especially if you regularly transfer money internationally.
Our advice? Carry both. They complement each other perfectly, giving you flexibility and peace of mind wherever your travels take you. There is honestly no real downside to getting both. And even if you end up mostly using one over the other. At the very least you double your monthly ATM withdrawal amount by utilizing both cards.
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