Wise vs. Revolut for Nomads — A 2026 Side-by-Side
Both solve the "move money across borders without bleeding on FX" problem. Here is how they differ on fees, limits, banking features, and where each one breaks.
Published: 2026-04-182 min read
Every serious remote worker eventually asks the same question: Wise or Revolut? Both work. The right answer depends on what you actually do with money abroad.
TL;DR
- Pick Wise if you mostly need low-cost international transfers, multi-currency receiving, and clean accounting (invoicing, salary in foreign currency).
- Pick Revolut if you want a fuller "neobank" experience — cards, savings, stocks, crypto, and interbank FX up to a monthly ceiling.
- Many nomads use both. They complement rather than compete.
Transfer fees (the real comparison)
Both use the mid-market rate with a small transparent fee. The numbers move, but at the time of writing:
- Wise: ~0.33%–0.6% per transfer, higher for exotic currencies. No ceiling — same rate at $100 or $100,000.
- Revolut Free: interbank FX up to ~$1,000/month, then 0.5% markup (1% on weekends). Revolut Premium/Metal: higher ceiling, but the plan itself has a fee.
For a nomad invoicing $8,000/month in USD to a Euro account, Wise is usually cheaper end-to-end because you blow past the Revolut free-FX cap in week one.
Multi-currency accounts
- Wise: Real account numbers in USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD, NZD, SGD, HUF, RON, TRY + more. You get a local IBAN/routing number, so payroll or clients can pay you like a local.
- Revolut: Virtual IBANs (LT) for EUR + USD/GBP routing. Perfectly functional, but some corporate payers reject non-local IBANs.
Wise wins this category for freelancers getting paid by different countries.