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Revolut travel card review: Rates, fees & limits [2024]

The Revolut travel card is a multi-currency card you can use for convenient spending and withdrawals in the US and when you’re abroad.

This guide walks through everything you need to know about how the Revolut travel card works, its key features and benefits, and the fees associated with using it. We’ll also touch on some alternatives to use abroad, such as the Wise travel card, as a comparison.

Revolut travel card: key features

Revolut offers 3 different account plans

• The Standard plan has no monthly fee to pay, while the Premium and Metal account plans have monthly costs, but also include more features and higher no-fee transaction limits.
• All accounts come with a travel card for spending and withdrawals, but the exact card type you get will depend on the account tier you choose. With the highest tier of account you get an exclusive solid steel Metal card, while all account types can also opt for a personalized card.
• Virtual cards are also available on all account plans, which can be used for mobile and online spending, and added to a walleye like Apple Pay.

We’ll walk through the Revolut travel card in detail throughout this guide, including how it works at home and abroad.

Go to Revolut Here are a few pros and cons of the Revolut travel card to kickstart our full review:

The Revolut travel card offers an easy and flexible way to hold, spend and exchange multiple currencies, with just your card and your phone. You’ll be able to choose the plan that suits your specific needs and transaction requirements, including some with no monthly costs associated. Once you’ve opened a verified account you can order your physical card in the Revolut app, and start spending right away online or using a mobile wallet, with your virtual card.

Who is the Revolut travel card for?

The Revolut travel card can suit frequent travelers as well as anyone living, studying or working abroad. You may want to get a Revolut travel card if:

• You’re a traveler spending in foreign currencies often
• You love to shop online at home and abroad
• You want a virtual card for security
• You’d prefer to manage your money using just your phone

Go to Revolut

What is a Revolut travel card?

The Revolut travel card is a payment card linked to a Revolut digital account. There are several different Revolut cards which are issued with different Revolut account plans – all are debit cards, and all can be used for global spending and cash withdrawals.

If you are looking for more information about Revolut: Revolut review

Is the Revolut Travel card a multi-currency card?

Yes. You can hold around 25 currencies in the Revolut account and spend conveniently in multiple currencies around the world.

Compare the Revolut travel money card to alternative options like the Wise travel money card , to see which suits you best. More on that, next.

Alternatives to Revolut travel card

Non-bank providers like Revolut can be a cost effective way to spend at home and abroad. They’ve often got fairly low fees, and tend to be innovative, offering some helpful and unusual account features to suit different customer needs.

Here’s a quick look at how Revolut lines up on features and fees against a couple of other non-bank services from Wise and Chime .

*Information correct at time of writing, 13th October 2023

Go to Revolut Go to Wise

Wise travel card

Hold 40+ currencies and spend in 150+ countries, with mid-market rate currency conversion, no minimum balance and no monthly fees. You can open your Wise account online and order a card for home delivery. Use your card to spend and make cash withdrawals globally, and get instant in-app notifications to keep on top of your finances.

Go to Wise  

Learn more: Wise card review

Chime debit card

Chime accounts have no monthly fees and no minimum balance. In fact there are very few fees to worry about at all. You can only hold USD in your Chime account, but you’ll still be able to use your card around the world to spend in any currency. Your overseas spending will be converted back to USD using the network exchange rate with no foreign transaction fee.

Revolut travel card fees & spending limits

As with any travel card, there are some fees involved in using the Revolut travel card. There are also a few limits applied to keep customers and their accounts safe. Here’s a rundown of the limits for the Revolut travel card:

*Details correct at the time of research – 13th October 2023

Here are the Revolut travel card fees you’ll need to be familiar with:

Exchange rates

All Revolut accounts have some currency exchange every month which uses the mid-market exchange rate. Standard plan holders can convert up to 1,000 USD a month, Premium plan holders can get 10,000 USD a month and Metal plan holders have unlimited conversion with the mid-market rate.

It’s important to note that out of hours conversion fees apply, which means you pay 1% extra when exchanging currencies at the weekend or overnight. If your plan has a limited amount of mid-market rate conversion, you’ll be charged a 0.5% fair usage fee once this is exceeded.

How to get Revolut travel card

To order your Revolut travel card you’ll need to have an active Revolut account. Download the Revolut app, and you can get your new account in just a few taps, by entering your personal information and getting verified.

Once you’ve got your Revolut account set up all you need to do is open the Revolut app and go to the ‘Cards’ tab. Here you’ll see the option to get a physical or virtual card, and to create a card PIN.

What documents you’ll need

To verify your Revolut account you’ll need to upload a selfie and a photo of one of the following documents:

• Driving license

If you don’t have these documents available, you can reach out to Revolut to understand which other documents may be used in your specific situation.

What happens when the card expires?

Revolut will contact you 28 days before your card is due to expire, so you can order a new one in good time. Standard shipping has no fee when getting a new card to replace an expiring Revolut travel card.

How to use a Revolut travel card?

The Revolut travel card is a debit card issued on either the Visa or Mastercard network. That means you can use it to pay or make a withdrawal anywhere you see the logo of your card’s network being displayed, globally. You’ll also be able to add your card or your virtual card to your preferred mobile wallet for on the go payments.

How to withdraw cash with a Revolut travel card?

To make an ATM withdrawal with a Revolut travel card you’ll need to first find an ATM that supports your card network. You can then just insert the card into the ATM and enter your PIN, then the amount you want to withdraw. Easy.

Is the card safe?

Yes. The Revolut card in the US is issued by Community Federal Savings Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to license by Visa.

How to use the Revolut travel card overseas?

You can spend with your Revolut travel card in about 150 countries , anywhere the card network is accepted. If you hold the currency you need in your account there’s no fee, but an exchange or fair usage fee may apply in some situations – if you’ve exhausted your monthly currency exchange limits, or if you’re exchanging out of hours for example.

If Revolut doesn’t support holding the currency you need, it’s worth checking out Wise which has a broader selection of 40+ currencies for holding and exchange.

Conclusion: is the Revolut travel card worth it?

The Revolut travel card is a flexible option for holding 25+ currencies and spending globally in 150+ countries. Depending on the account tier you select you may pay a monthly fee, and some transaction fees are also likely to apply. Compare the Revolut travel card against some alternatives like the Wise travel card and the Chime debit card to see which suits you best.

The Wise card may suit you if you’re looking for a powerful international account that can hold 40+ currencies, and receive payments in multiple currencies with local bank details. Chime may be a good pick for customers looking for a USD account with pretty much no fees to pay which you can use at home and abroad.

Revolut travel card review FAQ

How does the Revolut travel card work?

The Revolut travel card is linked to a digital account you can hold about 25 currencies in. Add money to your account in USD and then you can start spending and making withdrawals globally.

Is the Revolut travel card an international card?

Yes. The Revolut travel card supports spending in about 150 countries, and you can hold 25+ currencies in your account.

Are there any alternatives to a Revolut travel card?

Other non-bank providers like Wise and Chime also offer spending cards which have their own features and fees. It’s worth comparing these against the Revolut travel card to see which suits you best.

 Get a 3 month Revolut Premium trial.  Click here

I’ve been traveling for almost 20 years, and until this year I hadn’t found a good spending solution.

I’m sure the stress (before I heard of Revolut) sounds familiar. For 20 years I went back and forth with:

Should I exchange money at the airport, or take money out from an ATM?

Why tf is my bank charging me so much more in exchange rate fees?

Wait, the bank charges a conversion fee AND an international transaction fee?!

I’d come to the conclusion that this was what it meant to be privledged to travel overseas – that you had to suck it up and eat the bank fees.

This past year though, I’ve traveled with Revolut in my wallet (both my phsical wallet, and my Apple wallet). And it’s saved me serious money.

Revolut is financial website and digital app used by 35+ million people, with the tools you need to easily spend, transfer, and protect your money overseas. You can set up accounts in multiple currencies, get a debit card for travel, and you can do it for no monthly fee on the Standard plan.

It’s quick to sign up for a standard account, and there is no monthly fee. If you click here you get a 3 month trial of Revolut premium (higher limits on ATM withdrawrals & currency exchange).

There are already a million Revolut reviews (spoiler – it’s trusted), so why bother writing another? Because the look of that sexy black metal card in my wallet ACTUALLY excites me.

So read on to get excited with me – Revolut is now the only way I spend my money. 

Revolut Travel Card Review: Why I Only Spend Money With Revolut

I’m so happy excited using revolut.

All photos in this post are of the metal card, only available on the Metal plan

I didn’t want to write about ‘just another travel card’ until I had very thoroughly tested it and finally found a permanent solution. So since May I have used my Revolut card in the UK, Greece, Spain, Australia, and Morocco.

It’s the best travel card I’ve had, has changed the way I spend money, and I do get a mini adrenalin kick whenever I see the exchange rate they charge me, and realize that I’ve just beaten the banks.

Though I do wonder if it really counts as saving if I buy another mojito with the extra cash?!

Here are 10 quick reasons to love Revolut before jumping into the full details:

• No monthly fee on Standard plan, paid plans available
• Can top-up and hold accounts in several currencies
• Make payments in 150+ countries
• Phsyical debit card
• Withdrawals at over 55,000 ATMs worldwide (Up to plan’s limits)
• Track your spending in the Revolut app
• Quick currency conversions for 30+ currencies
• Great value with the Revolut exchange rate
• Compatible with Google Pay and Apple Pay
• Fantastic security features for travelers

Who are Revolut?

Revolut is a British financial technology company who have built an amazing reputation since starting in 2015.

They offer banking and travel cards , with accounts for multiple currencies, and while these work the same as opening an account with a linked debit card with any other traditional bank, Revolut was specifically created to help you make the most of your money.

They have great features like instant accounts, and virtual cards, unlimited foreign exchange  (fees may apply outside of plan allowance), and cashback on specific purchases. You can convert currencies in an instant and load up to 30+ currencies on your travel money card, without having to exchange money at the airport again.

I’ve made cash withdrawrals in both Morocco, the UK, and Greece, on amazing exchange rates, basically as if my account was local.

After having put it to the test over the course of 6 months, Revolut has saved me a lot of money.

Withdrawing Money from ATMs

Spoiler: no fee withdrawals / great rates / find atms in the app.

When you open an account with Revolut , you instantly get access to virtual cards, which I linked to my Apple Wallet and was using to pay for things the next day (good reason to go through McDonalds for coffee – I needed to test Revolut!).

And I’ve paid for most things using my virtual Revolut card, including the London Tube, which I was incredibly impressed when I found I could just tap my phone on either end without having to fight with a ticket machine.

But despite most of the world being cash free, I still always stop by an ATM.

I’ve  always found I need cash at some point when I’m traveling. There’s always amazing street food, or someone to tip, or your phone battery dies because you’re using it 10 times more than at home, from taking 1,000 selfies, to constantly running Google maps.

And in many countries still, cash is king.

Withdrawing money from overseas ATMs can be expensive using a home bank card, and cost you a lot of money in fees.

But Revolut allows you to withdraw money from ATMs overseas without fees , within limits per month depending on the plan you’re on. I’ve taken money out in both Greece and Morocco, and it was stupidly easy.

Make sure you activate your card, set up your pin number, and turn ATM withdrawrals ON within the mobile app. If you don’t want to make ATM withdrawrals, you can turn this off, which is extra security in case your card is lost.

Pro tip: Within the mobile app is an ATM locator , which allows you to share your locaiton and it will find ATMs nearby.

Fees may apply outside of your plan allowance and ATM operator may charge their own fees.

Best Currency Exchange Rate

Spoiler: it beat the google exchange rate for me.

Revolut offers one of the best exchange rates around which is why they’re one of the most popular options for travel cards.

There’s even a currency converter  on their website (and in the app) where you can check the real exchange rate at that moment in time.

If you  really  want to get the most out of your money, you can set up multiple currency accounts, and convert your money to the local currency you plan to use when the exhange rate is at it’s best. This is called locking in your exchange rate.

Or, if you know it doesn’t really fluctuate too much, you can keep your money in your home currency account (AUD for me), and when you spend on Revolut, it converts your money based on the exchange rate of the day.

I personally leave my money in AUD because I find it simpler. Market exchange rates are changing all the time, almost every day, and I personally don’t find value in spending my time keeping an eye on the rates to decide when I’ll get the most of an exchange.

You can definitely do this, but I found I saved money all the same.

If you’re a digital nomad and you’re recieving payments in multiple currencies, Revolut accounts are also a great way to recieve money in foreign currencies without the crazy foreign currency fees, or PayPal exchange rates.

There is a weekend markup on exchange rates, so keep this in mind.

Track Your Spending in the Revolut App

The Revolut app is seriously good , and it’s very easy to track your spending, and do everything you need to do from your phone.

Keeping in mind that there is no traditional phone or in-branch banking with Revolut, everything is based off the app. Which is fortunately one of the easiest, most well thought-out and use intuitive apps I’ve used.

Through the app, you can see all of your individual transactions, and there are also instant spending notifications – alerts for transactions in and out of your account.

You can add money to your accounts, add new and exchange money between your currency accounts, access your currency converter, pull up your statements, set a monthly budget, set a spending limit on your cards.

If you’re spending one currency, and pulling it from your base currency account (ie me spending Euro in Europe, without having converted my AUD), each transaction shows you both the amount you spent in your currency, and the amount you spent in the foreign.

Choosing the Right Plan for You

Revolut standard – no fee.

The Revolut standard plan is fantastic, and doesn’t have monthly account fees. There are no fees for ATM withdrawals ($350/m limit), it comes with one debit card, and there are no currency exchange fees from Monday to Friday, to a $2,000 per month limit.

• Account fee – $0
• Australian ATM fee – $0 (up to $350/month) and 2% of withdrawal amount after that
• Foreign transaction fee – 0%- 1.5% (depending on amount and when the transfer is made)
• Overseas ATM fee – $0 (up to $350/month) and 2% of withdrawal amount after that

This is an account and card you can use at both home and abroad, with no catches or hidden fees if you use it within the above limits. 

It comes with a Revolut Visa card that connects to their app and your digital wallets, and you can spend money in over 150+ countries.

Honestly, this has everything you need if you want a basic no fills spending solution. But there are also paid plans you can consider, with some great extra features if they better suit your lifestyle.

Revolut Premium – Click here for a 3 month trial

• Account fee: $9.99/month
• Australian ATM fee: $0 (up to $700/month) and 2% of withdrawal amount after that
• Foreign transaction fee: 0%- 1.5% (depending on amount and when the transfer is made)
• Overseas ATM fee: $0 (up to $700/month) and 2% of withdrawal amount after that

With the Premium Revolut account, you pay a $9.99 AUD monthly account fee, and have benefits you don’t get with the standard account.

Premium users have transfers in 30+ major currencies up to a $20,000 monthly limit (Monday to Friday, otherwise an additional 1% fee is charged). The no-fee ATM withdrawal limit is also raised to $700 AUD.

You can choose the color of your Visa card, get priority customer support with the app, and can access disposable virtual cards for greater online security (these cards regenerate after every transaction keeping your card details safe).

You also get discounts to LoungeKey Passes which offer access to over 1,000 airport lounges around the world and can buy these within the app.

Click this link to get a 3 month trial of their premium account.

Revolut Metal – The Plan I’m On Personally

• Account fee: $24.99/month
• Australian ATM fee: $0 (up to $1,400/month) and 2% of withdrawal amount after that
• Foreign transaction fee: 0%-1% (depending on when the transfer is made)
• Overseas ATM fee: $0 (up to $1,400/month) and 2% of withdrawal amount after that

The Revolut Metal account has everything the Premium tier has to offer, but it does also come with a fancy Revolut Metal card. This is the plan I am personally on , and the Metal card is the card you see in my photos.

Metal users are also the only customers able to take advantage of the Revolut’s cashback feature. That includes 1% cashback for card payments made outside of Australia and 0.1% cashback for those made within Australia.

There is a cashback limit for metal plan, up to the cost of the plan.

Comparison of Revolut Account Plans

My travel spending and lifestyle might not be the same as yours, so do make your own decision about the plan which is right for you.

My recommendation:  Check out the standard account for yourself (or take advantage of the  premium trial while it lasts ) and then check out the paid options if you think an upgrade aligns with what you need.

This table is correct as of December 2023, but before deciding which account is right for you, I recommend you  go to the Revolut website to check if anything has changed.

I’ve been seriously impressed with Revolut’s security features , and this is not something I found mentioned in other online reviews, so I think it’s well worth writing about.

The Revolut mobile app is full of security you can tailor to your needs. While I open my online account on my browser with my passcode, I open the phone app using FaceID for extra security.

Their offer of disposable virtual cards for premium account users is fantastic. This is a single use virtual card for online shopping, which is good for one use, and then expires.

If you’re worried about entering your card details into a foreign computer while you’re traveling, or perhaps you’re forced to use public WiFi to buy something, you can use this disposable virtual card and not have to worry about exposing the main.

You can lock or freeze any cards whenever you need. And within each card settings, you have the option to tailor your card security to your needs, turning features on and off like online shopping, swipe payments, ATM withdrawrals, and contactless payments.

These security features  do  work , as the first time I tried to use my Revolut card, it declined my attempt at a contactless payment. I went into the settings, toggled contactless payments ON, and the payment then worked (check your card settings before you use).

I’ve also never had my account frozen or locked because I was spending in a foreign country, as most banks tend to do. That said, spending money overseas is the whole point of Revolut!

How to Sign Up

Offering an efficient foreign currency exchange service, no-fee ATM withdrawals, and no hidden fees when it comes to transfers, Revolut is baggage free!

Signing up to Revolut is all done via their app.

Click here and then you’ll provide your mobile number, name, address, and payment details (if you’re signing up for a Premium or Metal account).

Opening an account is instant, and you can then add money with your account details as you would by making any other domestic transfer.

Revolut will send the corresponding debit card to your given address, which you can then activate (remember to set up your security features) in the app before you start using it.

It’s that simple and easy!

My Australian credit cards have a terrible exchange rate, and have always charged me 3% per transaction overseas.

So now I exclusively travel with Revolut in my wallet.

Check out Revolut’s website to find out more and see if it’s right for you.

I’m home from my last trip and still have $62.07 sitting in my Revolut account. If I had come home with that in cash, I would have lost it to my jars of leftover foreign currency.

While I could transfer it back to my main bank, I’ll leave it sitting there knowing I’m using Revolut again , the next time I travel.

If You Liked This Post You May Also Like:

Things to Know about International Credit Card Payments

Should You Use a Debit Card or Credit Card When You’re Traveling?

How to be Smart When Spending Money Overseas

Megan is an Australian Journalist and award-winning travel writer who has been blogging since 2007. Her husband Mike is the American naturalist and wildlife photographer behind  Waking Up Wild ; an online magazine dedicated to opening your eyes to the wonders of the wild & natural world.

Having visited 100+ countries across all seven continents, Megan’s travels focus on cultural immersion, authentic discovery and incredible journeys. She has a strong passion for ecotourism, and aims to promote responsible travel experiences.

Charlie Schwab for us Amerikanski’s. Been using their debit across the world for 12 years. No fee ATM’s with unlimited rebates when machines charge, great currency conversion rates pretty much equal to the XE App

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Revolut on the road: a review for travellers

By: Author Jaclynn Seah

Posted on June 13, 2023

Categories Review , Sponsored

I find having to deal with foreign currency on the road a real pain. In Singapore I barely use cash these days, mostly opting to use Paywave (contactless credit card) or Paynow (direct bank transfers usually via QR code) when possible, but cash still remains king in many other countries. On past trips, I’ve tried using Youtrip, Wise and Trust Card, so when Revolut [ affiliate link ] approached me to check out their offerings, I was keen to see how they would match up. Here’s my review of using Revolut for travelling.

This review is sponsored by Revolut. Sign up to Revolut for free and get 3 months of premium free [ Affiliate Link ]

What is Revolut?

To put it simply, Revolut works like a debit card when you’re travelling. For travellers using the card overseas, you can use the Revolut card to:

• spend foreign currency like you would use a debit card
• store money for use
• exchange money to foreign currencies as needed for use/storage
• withdraw foreign currency overseas
• transfer money to foreign accounts
• online shopping in local and foreign currency

You can use it for cryptocurrency and stocks as well, but I don’t really know anything about that so my main concern was how Revolut would work for a traveller like myself.

I used the Revolut card on my latest trip to Taiwan . Taiwan is still pretty cash-dependent overall (unlike South Korea for example where you can use credit cards practically anywhere), so I mostly used Revolut card in convenience stores and when my accommodation or restaurant would accept card payments.

What I like about Revolut

Decent free tier.

I’m using the free tier of Revolut – there are 2 paid tiers : Premium (S$9.99/mth) and Metal (S$19.99/mth) which I honestly don’t think you’ll need unless you are a seriously heavy user and need to withdraw or exchange very high amounts of foreign exchange. The free tier is pretty ok for vacations, but if I was on a longer trip Career Break I think I might need the premium tiers for more cash withdrawal.

Other Premium/Metal travel perks that Revolut has include:

• lounge access with smart delay
• discounted lounge access
• travel insurance

These are not things that matter much to me because I either don’t need or have it already, but it could be useful for some of you out there.

Easy to set up and use

Signing up for the card was a pretty quick and straightforward process. I downloaded the app from the Apple Store and signed up via my Singpass, ordered my free card through the app as well very easily.

The only thing I would like though would be to choose the name to put on my card. Usually I use a shorter version rather than my entire name, but since it automatically pulls from the official data, my full name is on the card.

The app is also pretty easy to use all around. Some banking apps drive me nuts when things are too well hidden, like it took me forever to find the place to swap between accounts for Trust Card for example. So far I’m liking the Revolut interface and app.

Good exchange rates

I tested the card out while I was in Taiwan, paying for one of my hotels with it. My rate was NTD 1 = S$0.0433 (NTD 100 = S$4.33) with no additional conversion or admin fees. Trust Card had similar rates as well when I used it in the past.

I did change some money at the Changi Airport before I flew off and the rate I got was about NTD 100 = $4.60, so definitely much better exchange rates on the Revolut card than in cash!

You can exchange up to 28+ currencies and hold that in your account. Some of the more relevant currencies (i.e. places that Singaporeans love to travel to best) include USD, GBP, EUR, AUD, HKD, JPY, THB. Great if you monitor the rates closely and are looking to exchange a sizeable amount. ($5k limit for free tier, $15k for Premium and unlimited for Metal)

Taiwan dollar isn’t included in this list, but you can still use the Revolut card in Taiwan, just make sure you have enough of your home currency (SGD for me) and the currency exchange happens automatically. I like that they show the rates very clearly as well in the transaction details.

A note that on weekends there is a 1% charge, which is not something I’ve noticed on other cards and honestly a bit odd to me, but something to take note of.

Free 2-way interbank transfer

I linked Revolut to my Singapore bank account and it’s both free and super quick to transfer money between my accounts money. After the initial set up, I don’t even need to key in any more bank details. Good if you need to make quick transactions on the go.

Also, I like that you can actually withdraw money from Revolut back to your bank account – I just need to add myself as a payee and transfer money back to myself almost instantly. Some cards like Youtrip are 1-way only, so if you misjudge and add too little to the Youtrip wallet, your card runs the risk of being rejected. If you add too much, you are then forced to spend from that card or leave the money in there.

For Singaporeans, Revolut uses e-Giro so you can directly link to accounts in major banks including Bank of China, DBS, Maybank, OCBC, Standard Chartered and UOB.

Safer online security

Revolut also makes it easy to set up and use disposable cards. This is especially useful if you are a bit nervous about the security of some of these online shops. I haven’t had the chance to use this yet (juggling around too many cards to make minimum spends for cashback and other rewards) but it’s something I could see myself using.

So if you’re looking for a card to use for spending while travelling, you can check out the Revolut card and see if it works for you, overall my experience with the card was quite good. I have a link below that lets you get 3 months of premium free if you’re considering using the higher tiers as well.

Sign up to Revolut for free and get 3 months of premium free [ Affiliate Link ]

Celetse Hng

Sunday 17th of September 2023

Hi Jaclynn!

Thanks for sharing your experience with Revolut! I’ll be traveling soon and this just answered many of my questions regarding Revolut.

I have a question that I still couldn’t find any answers. Are there any charges when you used Revolut as a debit card in Taiwan? Like some bank charge a 2.65% foreign transaction fee, does Revolut has the same charges? I’ve never used any of these currency cards before, in general, does this kind of currency card (Wise, YouTrip) charge any foreign transaction fees?

Jaclynn Seah

Monday 18th of September 2023

Hi Celeste, no foreign transaction fees on spending, but for Revolut there's a limit to the free withdrawal/currency exchange for the standard plan https://www.revolut.com/en-SG/legal/standard-fees/ (the limits are higher if you use the paid plans)- you'll want to avoid the higher xchange currency on weekends for Revolut!

Revolut Travel Card Review: Is Revolut Good For Traveling?

by Melissa Giroux | Last updated Dec 5, 2023 | Travel Finances , Travel Tips

If you haven’t been living under a rock, you’ve probably already heard about the Revolut card. Revolut is a digital bank that was launched in 2015.

One of the main reasons it has gained so much popularity in such a small window of time is primarily due to the fact it has everything you would need from an online bank in a simple, modern, and easy-to-use app.

Before we do a complete Revolut review and how travelers can use the Revolut travel card abroad, let’s first look at the basics.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Revolut is good for traveling, especially if you choose a paid plan.
• You can use Revolut safely abroad, and you can block and unblock your card as much as you want. This can be helpful if you think an ATM or a shop seems a bit dodgy.
• The Revolut Premium and Metal plans offer travel medical insurance options and discounts on airport lounges, which are ideal for travelers.

Revolut Card: The Basics

Revolut has three different card types and four main plans, including Standard, Standard Plus, Premium, and Metal.

The Standard card has no fee and offers some basic benefits.

However, the Premium and Metal cards provide some exciting features, especially if you are a frequent traveler.

Here is a quick breakdown of the main benefits/prices of each of the cards:

**Revolut also has Revolut Business for companies, big and small, that do business beyond borders.  

Get Revolut Now

Another major advantage of the Revolut card is that it takes minutes to open an account.

All you need is a working phone number, and with that, you’ll be able to open an account and get a virtual bank card.

To get a physical card, you’ll need to order one, and it takes around 14 days to deliver. You will also need to veri f y your identity . 

One of the disadvantages of Revolut is that, at the moment, it isn’t available to residents of all countries.

Currently, only legal residents of the European Economic Area (EEA), Australia, Singapore, Switzerland, Japan, and the United States can download the online bank.  

Once you have your card and your identity is verified, you are ready to take full advantage of your Revolut card. This is where the fun begins.

If you are a meticulous traveler who loves planning and budget travel , then the Revolut travel card is the perfect solution for you.

Revolut Travel Card: Spending, Budgeting & Saving

The best part of the Revolut card is that the account section grants you the ability to look at all of your transactions by day, week, and even month.

You can also group transactions into specific categories. So, for example, if you budgeted 200 dollars for restaurants at X location for June, you can track all those costs in the app. 

You can also download statements, upload receipts and add notes to each transaction to keep track of your spending.

You can even split the bill if you are traveling with someone or send them money by scanning their QR code.

If you are traveling abroad, the app allows you to create multiple accounts in various currencies.

This means that you can exchange your US dollar for Euro and have two separate accounts in two different currencies.

This also means that whether you are traveling in France or the US, you can pay in the local currency. Be aware that not all currencies are currently available.

Nevertheless, if you are paying for something in a different currency, Revolut converts your account balance into the local currency using the real interbank exchange rate.

This allows you to avoid being charged a fee and a mediocre exchange rate set by the ATM provider or merchant acquirer.

Another great feature is that the app sends you a notification the second you pay with your card, even before the receipt has finished printing (as long as you are connected to the Internet).

The app also has vaults, where you can save money for travel . You can create multiple vaults, like a “travel to Egypt” vault or a “weekend spa getaway” vault.

You can fund the vaults with a one-time transfer, recurring transfer, or something the Revolut card calls spare change.

Spare change means the app will round up the spare change from your Revolut card spending and place it in this vault. 

Using Revolut Abroad

Can Revolut be used abroad? Yes! 

Now, you may be wondering “Is Revolut good for traveling?” It is!

I’ve been using Revolut abroad for a few years now, and it’s my go-to card.

So, how does Revolut work abroad?

With the Revolut travel card , you can transfer money abroad in 30+ currencies with the interbank exchange rate , with a small 0.5% fee for anything above €1,000 each month during the weekdays.

However, one disadvantage is that when markets are closed on the weekend, fees are charged at 0.5% and 1% on currency exchange rates no matter the transfer amount.

Revolut also charges an international fee, which will be listed in the payment breakdown when you are sending your money. 

The major advantage of Revolut is that it offers the ability to send money around without hidden fees and provides fast and secure money transfers.

The foreign exchange rate can be viewed on the Revolut app before exchanging currency or making a bank transfer involving foreign exchange.

The Revolut travel card also allows you to withdraw cash from an ATM using your Revolut card without fees.

The disadvantage of this is that if you have the standard plan, that means that you’ll only be able to take out 200 dollars per month. 

That being said, using a Revolut card abroad is fairly easy and safe.

Security: Preventing Fraud

One of the worst feelings in the world is realizing that your main travel card has been lost or cloned.

What usually ends up happening is a mad dash to call your main bank abroad to freeze the card and ask for a replacement.

Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. The problem is that some banks can take up to 3-4 weeks before they can send you a replacement card, which can ruin your time abroad. 

Revolut claims that it is 7x better than a regular bank in stopping card fraud. This is due to their anti-fraud system that helps keep fraudulent transactions under 0.01%.

But that’s not all. Revolut allows users to freeze and unfreeze their cards easily in the app, it takes seconds. 

You can also enable location-based security to reduce fraudulent transactions, disable contactless, online, swipe payments or even choose a monthly card spending limit for extra peace of mind.

And, if you do lose your card, you can order a replacement card in the app and ask for express delivery, which usually takes around 2-3 days, depending on your location.

Also, if you lose your phone, Revolut has an automated phone line to block your card instantly.

Extra Perks When Using Revolut Abroad

Although there aren’t many perks with the Standard and Standard Plus plans, if you are a frequent traveler, then you might consider opting for the Premium or Metal Plans. 

These plans have perks like pay-per-day travel medical insurance, which means that you can get location-trigger coverage and only pay for the days you use.

You can also upgrade for the delay and lost baggage insurance, emergency dental, and medical coverage, and even insure up to three adults and all your children. 

These plans also have lounge access to +1000 airport lounges globally and SmartDelay, which allows you to get an airport lounge pass if your flight is delayed more than an hour.

Get Revolut

Revolut Sign-Up Bonus Promotion

Upgrade to a global lifestyle with Revolut. Transform your finances when you level up to Premium with Revolut’s Premium trial .

You’ll get features to help you save, spend and invest smarter than ever.

Get a 3-month Revolut Premium subscription trial, effective today.

Note that this promotion work everywhere except for Australia and Singapore, where the offer is a cash bonus of $15 AUD in Australia and $15 SGD in Singapore.

All new Revolut customers are eligible.

Final Thoughts On Revolut Travel Card

It seems as if the Revolut card is the travel card of the future.

Not only can it be one of the best cards to use while you are abroad, but it also can be a great day-to-day bank card. 

Although the card has a lot of advantages, it is also important to note that there are still some countries where the card might not work.

For example, Revolut users have noted in previous years that the Revolut card didn’t work in many establishments in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Also, be wary that their online support service is not always the best, unlike your local bank.

If you do run into problems, there isn’t a physical location where you can go and talk with a manager. You’ll need to use the chat feature on the app, which can be better than having to call from abroad.

All in all, the Revolut card is a great card to travel with, but it shouldn’t replace your main bank card and instead might be a great backup card that you can use when abroad or if you’re a European expat.

If you’re American, read our Revolut USA review .

Read more about the best banking options for expats .

If you’re not sure if Revolut is the right card for you, you may want to open a multi-currency account with Wise . Learn more about Wise here or compare both Wise and Revolut .

If you want to keep cash flowing even while abroad, you must check out these ways to make money while traveling !

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Revolut Review —Travelling For 10 Months with Only One Multi-currency Card For Money

This Revolut Review took many months to test. Download Revolut here — Apple Store or Google Play .

It’s been a while since we travelled, so when we were selected by Airbnb to Live Anywhere around the world for 10 months, we immediately got down to planning for a long trip.

Read also : Guide to Singapore’s Vaccinated Travel Lanes

One of the challenges we faced was figuring our cash situation. Do we bring 10 months’ worth of cash? Or just suck it up and pay hefty surcharges at ATMs overseas — not to mention unfavourable rates 🙁

Setting up local bank accounts in different destinations would also be too much of a hassle.

So when Revolut reached out and asked us to review their product, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to put its different functions to the test.

For our 10 month trip, it was the only financial card we brought along.

We’re not financial experts, but we tried our best to test the card in every situation common to a traveller — both long and short term travel. Hope you find this Revolut review useful!

Note: This Revolut Review is for Singapore Residents only. There are different product features for different markets around the world.

Disclosure : While the writer was provided with a spending allowance to test the card, it’s in The Travel Intern’s interest to protect the editorial integrity of our website. We have taken every reasonable effort to ensure a realistic and honest review for our readers. 

But first, what is Revolut?

Revolut is a financial super-app that is best known for its multi-currency wallet and remittance services amongst frequent travellers and expats.

Credit cards typically charge too much for currency exchange so multi-currency wallets/cards like Revolut makes it a lot more affordable and convenient to pay overseas. In fact, their exchange rates are usually very close to that of Google and often better than a physical money changer in Singapore!

Revolut also allows you to hold multiple currencies in your account, letting you lock in favourable exchange rates ahead of time.

Revolut Review: How Revolut works

Revolut works like a supercharged multi-currency pre-paid debit card, with plenty of security and lifestyle features that make it attractive to use overseas.

Picking a Revolut plan to suit your needs

Revolut is free to use, but you can get more features and benefits with their paid subscriptions. There are three Revolut cards with monthly subscription plans . Here’s a quick summary:

We’re on the Metal Plan and the card looks and feels gorgeous. It also gives us a higher limit for ATM withdrawals, lower currency exchange fees, priority customer support, insurance, and LoungeKey  Pass access. The Metal Card also offers 1% cashback on overseas spending .

While a free card will be suitable for most of our travels, the metal plan is super useful for long-term travelling or overseas living.

Using Revolut for cashless transactions

Revolut works like a debit card, and can be used anywhere that accepts Visa or Mastercard . The difference with traditional debit/credit cards is that it uses real exchange rate without any markup.

Read also : Multi-currency Cards vs Miles Credit Cards

According to Revolut, the ‘real’ exchange rates (or interbank rates ) are “based on the foreign exchange market data feeds that we get from a range of different independent sources.” While it sounds a little iffy, the rates we regularly got were usually the same as the internet rate or sometimes even better.

Other than using the physical card for payment, Revolut can also be linked to your smart devices (smartphones, smartwatches etc) for more convenience.

All you need is to make sure the card has a sufficient balance for your transaction.

Top-up is available via bank transfer, debit cards, credit cards, and even Apple Pay.

Once you’ve topped up the card, you can either exchange it to the local currency, or leave it in your home currency and it will use the real exchange rate at the time of transaction.

It also serves as a multi-currency wallet so you can store up to 28 different currencies at once.

Currency Exchange Fees : 0-2% depending on membership and market hours

Currency exchange fees are charged after a certain amount is spent on the card, but don’t worry, this resets each month. The amount depends on your membership plan:

Weekend fee: 1–2% depending on the currency

Revolut also charges a fee for exchanges over the weekend to protect against market fluctuations when it’s closed.

We were charged an additional 1% for transactions over the weekend when converting from SGD to EUR.

* Pro-tip: Exchange money before the weekend to avoid additional fees

The good thing is that the process is transparent and the foreign exchange rate can be viewed on the Revolut app before any transactions involving foreign exchange.

Using Revolut as a remittance service

Revolut supports over 28 currencies (including SGD), which means you can transfer money to foreign bank accounts at a much lower fee. The fees are stated upfront and uses the more favourable interbank transfer exchange rate. Perfect for those studying or working overseas who need to remit cash.

You can use their in-app or website calculator to get an estimate.

Revolut also allows you to transfer money to other Revolut users for free. As all members of our team have a Revolut account, it was easy to transfer money in the local currency to each other without having to convert to SGD first. There’s also the option of sending money in the form of gifts, which includes adorable animated cards that make it a little more fun.

You can even set up Group Bills, allowing you to split bills easily with every member of the party. Compared to other budgeting apps, you can “settle up” directly into your Revolut account.

Using Revolut to withdraw cash at local ATMs

This is generally fuss-free and ATM withdrawal on Revolut is free up to a monthly cap based on your membership level: Standard:  S$350/month Premium:  S$700/month Metal Card:  S$1050/month

A 2% usage fee is charged only after you’ve exceeded your limit. Some foreign banks may still charge a transaction fee even though Revolut doesn’t.

Here’s a 2019 community-created list of transaction fees for different banks (if any) by country .

We withdrew money at OTP Banka in Croatia for free.

Revolut App Budgeting & Lifestyle Features

Beyond using Revolut to pay for stuff, there are also a few budgeting and analytics tools on the app to help keep your spending in check. Set monthly budgets by categories, receive notifications when you are overspending, and get insights into your spending habits.

You can also set up Personal & Group Vaults to work towards your saving goals. Revolut tries to make this effortless by automatically rounding up your purchases to the nearest dollar and saving it in your account.

For online shoppers, the Rewards feature allows you to get additional cashback when you pay with Revolut.

If your flights are delayed for more than one hour, Premium and Metal Plan users also get complimentary lounge passes for their companions and themselves under Smart Delay .

Even if there’s no flight delay, Premium and Metal Plan users can purchase Lounge Passes on the App if you simply want to take a break.

Revolut Security Features Review

Convenient access and control of security features For long-term travel, these security features were extra useful. For example, we may want to disable magnetic stripe use in certain countries with a reputation for copying credit cards. In other instances, we may want to increase spending limits if we know we’ll be shopping more.

Revolut allows you to easily toggle security features like location-based security, use of contactless payments, ATM withdrawals, online payments, magnetic stripe usage, and spending limits via the app. This means even if you lose it without realising, the card cannot be misused since the features only work when you activate them.

You can easily change your PIN number, or unblock your own PIN if it has been accidentally blocked.

My favourite is the ‘Freeze card’ feature, which allows you to temporarily deactivate your card through the Revolut app . I’m sure many of us have been in situations where we think we’ve lost our credit card, only to find them a few days later after going through the trouble of calling the bank and having it deactivated permanently.

All these features make it super convenient as you can easily change them on the app instead of calling the bank.

Disposable Virtual Cards

You can also create  Disposable Virtual Cards  — perfect for times when you need to make online payments via foreign websites that might have questionable security protocols.

Disposable Virtual Cards are automatically refreshed after every use and can only be used once. So even if your details are exposed, your account will remain safe!

Revolut Review — thoughts after using Revolut for a few months

Over the last couple of months, our Revolut account generally worked really well. We used it for our everyday expenses and simply didn’t leave home without it.

The currency exchange rates were very favourable and the security controls were robust and useful. I personally loved the UI, which is intuitive and easy to navigate.

The biggest drawback would probably be the need for data connection. You need a data connection to top-up, so it’s important to make sure that you always have extra money in the account for unexpected purchases or emergencies. You don’t want to get stuck without money in a small town or rural area!

We also occasionally experienced situations where Revolut flags a suspicious transaction and blocks the card. While it’s easily resolved by logging into the app to unblock the card and mark it as a legit transaction, I can imagine how this might be a problem if you happen to be without data connection.

That said, I hardly carry my wallet around anymore and simply leave home with some emergency cash and the Revolut app on my smartphone. As the world becomes more connected and cashless, I can only imagine how using a multi-currency wallet and super-app like Revolut will become the main form of payment.

If you’d like to give Revolut a try, apply for an account and download the app here: – Apple App Store – Google Play

Revolut is also giving usersa 3% cash back on travel expenses till 23 December. More information here !

Hope you found this Revolut Review useful. Do let us know if you have any questions or suggestions to improve this review.

Disclosure : While the writer was provided with spending allowance to test the card, it’s in The Travel Intern’s interest to protect the editorial integrity of our website. We have taken every reasonable effort to ensure a realistic and honest review for our readers. 

This post was brought to you by  Revolut .

For more travel inspiration, follow us on  Facebook ,  Instagram , and  YouTube .

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Revolut Travel Card Review: Save Money Abroad

Last Updated on August 15, 2023 by Natalia

If you’re looking to avoid unnecessary charges and bad exchange rates when you travel, then this Revolut travel card review is for you. We’ve been using Revolut since 2016, and by now we can safely say it’s saved us hundreds, if not thousands of pounds. Changing money in advance is a thing of the past, as you can now arrive at your destination and use a Revolut prepaid card to get a better rate than currency exchanges ever offer. Although there are a number of different cards available, we personally think that there’s only one winner if you compare Revolut vs Monzo vs N26 travel cards or any of the other competitors. Revolut charges just 2% if you exceed your monthly withdrawal limit compared to the 3% Monzo charge, and N26 charge 1.7% on all transactions on free accounts. On top of that, the standard free Revolut accounts allows you to convert up to £1,000/€1,000 a month with no charge. If you’re looking for better features, then there’s also the option to sign up for a Premium or Metal Revolut account, although these accounts do come at a small cost. We fully recommend signing up now, but if you want to know more then check out our Revolut travel card review below!

Sign up to Revolut today via our referral link and get your first travel card delivered completely free! Click here to sign up!

Table of Contents

Available currencies

One of the most important things with any travel card is the number of currencies supported for card payments and ATM withdrawals. Revolut allows you to make card payments and ATM withdrawals in over 150 different currencies, which means it provides you with great versatility almost anywhere you travel. All major currencies are supported through the card, so unless you’re going really off the beaten path then Revolut will support almost every currency you need. We’ve been using our Revolut travel cards since 2016 and since then have been able to use them everywhere we’ve visited throughout Europe, Asia, Central America and South America.

Some of the currencies that aren’t yet supported are the Zimbabwean Dollar, Tuvaluan Dollar, Armenian Dram, Faroese Króna and Eritrean Nakfa. Even if you’re visiting one or more of the countries where the currency isn’t supported, it’s still worth getting a card for when you travel elsewhere. More and more currencies are becoming supported, so don’t be surprised if soon you’re able to use your Revolut card anywhere in the world!

Exchange Rate

Revolut travel card uses the real exchange rate, so whatever currency you’re changing you will almost always find that Revolut offer a better exchange rate than any of your other options. If you had £10, you wouldn’t actively choose to throw it away, but if you’re getting a bad currency conversion rate then throwing away money is exactly what you’re doing. Considering a Revolut travel card is completely free, you may as well get more currency for your money! Click here to save money when spending abroad by signing up for Revolut!

As the real exchange rate changes in real-time, the rate you will receive depends on when you convert your currency. Rates will fluctuate throughout the day, so you may get slightly different rates if you make a number of payments throughout the day.

Although Revolut uses the real exchange rate, the rates are fixed over the weekend to protect against fluctuations. This means that during weekends there is a fee of 1% on any transaction that involves currency conversion.

To avoid being affected by these markups we recommend making ATM withdrawals during weekdays. It will also affect card payments over the weekend, but there is no way to avoid these and it still almost always works out cheaper than using your normal debit card or a currency exchange.

How to get the best exchange rate with Revolut

There’s a very simple tip to make sure you get the best exchange rate when paying with your Revolut card. When using your card abroad you may be asked whether you would prefer to pay in the local currency or your home currency. Always opt to pay in the local currency. 

If you don’t pay in the local currency then the merchant will make the conversion, which normally means you’ll get a very bad exchange rate and will end up paying more. Paying in the local currency allows Revolut to make the conversion (if required) using the real exchange rate, which means you will get a substantially better rate. Sometimes when making card payments abroad the merchant may select for you to pay in your home currency without giving you the choice to pay in the local currency. Always check what currency you’re being charged in and ask to pay in the local currency if you notice you’re being charged in your home currency. Some merchants will insist you will get a better rate by paying in your home currency, but that is never the case.

Make sure to also check what currency you’re paying in when making an ATM withdrawal. Some ATM machines will ask whether you want to use their conversion, but through experience we can say it’s always better to reject this. The phrasing will make it sound like you may be charged more for rejecting their rate, but as Revolut use the real exchange rate you are almost always going to be getting a better rate by rejecting the machine’s conversion and allowing Revolut to convert the currency for you.

Revolut card fees and charges

There are currently three different types of Revolut account: Standard, Premium and Metal. The standard account is completely free to use, whereas the premium and metal accounts require a monthly or yearly fee. There are a number of advantages of upgrading to a metal or premium account, so it’s important to know the difference between the accounts.

Two of the main differences between the accounts are the amount you can withdraw from foreign ATMs each month without incurring a fee, and the amount of currency you can convert each month without a fee. Find out the difference in fees and charges on the different Revolut accounts below:

Standard Revolut Travel Card Account

The standard free Revolut account allows you to make cash withdrawals abroad up to the equivalent of £200/€200 a month without any extra fees or charges. Once you go over this limit there is a 2% fee on any further withdrawals for the remainder of that month.

There is a much higher fee-free limit for transactions that require a currency exchange, such as making a card payment or ATM withdrawal in Euros and paying for it in Pounds. Revolut allows you to convert up to £1,000 a month at the real exchange rate without any charges. If you go over this limit, any payment or ATM withdrawal that requires a currency exchange will incur a charge of 0.5%. Unless you’re planning to spend huge amounts then this limit is unlikely to affect you!

Plus Revolut Travel Card Account

A new option from Revolut is to upgrade the free account to Revolut Plus for £2.99 a month. Here you get some additional perks such as up to £1000 in insurance if something you have purchased with this travel card is faulty or have fraudulent activity on the account.

As well as this there are a few other benefits from upgrading, however if you are looking to upgrade in terms of value for money in our opinion it’s worth doing one of the other options such as premium or metal.

Premium Revolut Travel Card Account

Upgrading to a Revolut premium account costs £6.99/€7.99 per month, and enables you to withdraw up to £400/€400 from foreign ATMs in the local currency without any extra fees or charges. Like with the standard account, once you exceed this limit there is a 2% fee on any further withdrawals within that month.

There is no limit for the amount of currency you can exchange on the premium plan, so if you intend to regularly convert over £1,000 a month it’s worth upgrading.

Metal Revolut Travel Card Account

A Revolut metal account costs £12.99/€13.99 per month, and allows you to withdraw up to £600/€600 from foreign ATMs in the local currency without any extra charges or fees. If you exceed this monthly limit then there is a 2% fee on any further withdrawals.

Like with the premium plan, there is no limit to the amount of currency you can exchange on a Revolut metal account.

Click here to compare the fees and charges of the standard, premium and metal Revolut accounts!

It’s easy to check how much you’ve withdrawn or how much money you’ve converted each month by going to the profile section of your app and selecting ‘Price plan’. That way you can avoid accidentally going over these limits and ensure that you don’t get any charges you aren’t expecting!

In our opinion, Revolut’s fees are more reasonable than their major competitors. For example, Monzo charge a 3% fee on any withdrawals that exceed the £200 monthly limit. Another competitor, N26, charge 1.7% on all withdrawals using their standard free account. Considering Revolut only charge when you exceed £200 a month but charge less than Monzo, then in our mind the best option is Revolut.

Personally we think it’s quite easy to avoid withdrawing over £200 a month, which means you won’t be charged any extra fees. If you prefer withdrawing cash and think you’re likely to exceed this limit regularly then it’s probably worth upgrading to either the premium or metal Revolut account. These accounts not only allow you to withdraw more money without extra fees, but also have a host of other advantages which we cover at the end of this article!

Hold multiple currencies simultaneously

As well as allowing you to spend in over 150 different currencies, Revolut also has the capability to hold money in a number of currencies at once. It’s currently possible to hold money in British Pounds (GBP), American Dollars (USD), Euros (EUR) as well as 27 other currencies including New Zealand Dollars (NZD), Turkish Lira (TRY) and South African Rand (ZAR).

The ability to hold different currencies at the same time is a useful one if you’d rather change some money to another currency all in one go, instead of the conversion being made each time you make a card payment or ATM withdrawal.

It’s important to know that Revolut travel cards are unable to draw from 2 currencies to make one payment. For example if you want to pay $100 USD using the card, it will only be possible if you have a high enough balance in one currency to make the transaction. If you do not hold the equivalent of $100 USD in one currency the transaction cannot go through, even if between currencies you have enough money. This is a relatively unlikely scenario, but should you find it happens to you then just use the app to convert enough money to one currency in order to pay.

There are a number of ways to top up your Revolut travel card, all of which are extremely easy. One of the options, and our personal favourite, is to top up using your debit card. Once you’ve registered your debit card this means you can top up within the app in a matter of seconds from anywhere in the world. Competitors like Monzo and N26 don’t allow you to top up directly from your debit card, which in our opinion gives Revolut a slight edge over the competition.

Another way of topping up your Revolut account is by bank transfer. To find your account details to do this you just need to select the ‘transfer to your Revolut account’ option when you’re on the top up screen of the app. You will then be presented with your Revolut account number and relevant details to top up for both local and international payments. This option takes slightly longer than topping up by debit card as you will need to log in to your online banking to actually make the payment. If you would prefer to do it this way then you have the option, but we personally prefer to top up via our debit card as it’s quicker and can be done instantly from within the Revolut app.

Another great feature of Revolut is the ability to set an automatic top up from your bank card once your balance falls below a certain amount. This is an ideal way to make sure you don’t run out of money when you’re travelling but don’t have any access to the internet access in order to top up.

Although signing up for a Revolut travel card itself is free, you normally have to pay for the delivery of your card. Fortunately for you, if you sign up using our link then standard delivery is completely free too!  That means you won’t have to spend a penny to get yourself set up on Revolut – so you can start saving money on your next trip!

Click here to sign up for Revolut today and get free delivery of your first card!

Tracked and express delivery options are available too, but you will have to pay for these. The timeframe for delivery depends on the option you select. Standard delivery and tracked delivery both have a timeframe of 9 working days until you receive your card, although in our experience the cards are often delivered in 4-5 working days anyway. Express delivery has a timeframe of 3-4 working days to receive your card. Check out the list below to see the cost of different delivery options when you sign up for a Revolut card:

Standard Delivery – 9 working days – £4.99 GBP/€5.99 or completely free if you click here and sign up via our link!

Tracked Delivery  – 9 working days – £7.99 GBP. Tracked delivery is only available in Great Britain, Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man.

Express Delivery  – 3-4 working days – £11.99/€19.99 although the cost may be higher depending on the delivery address.

Please note that prices may vary depending on your currency and location.

Alternatively, if you sign up for either a premium or metal Revolut card account then express delivery is completely free.

Make sure to order your card in plenty of time before your trip, especially if you’re opting for the standard delivery. It’s worth planning ahead to make sure you have your card in time so that you can spend your money hassle-free on your travels.  Click here to sign up to Revolut now and get your first card completely free!

Revolut Card Limits

Although we’ve gone over some of the spending limits above, we thought it deserve its own section so that everything you need to know is in one place. The following limits apply to a standard Revolut account:

• No fee ATM withdrawals up to £200 per month. If you exceed this amount you will be charged a 2% fee.
• Convert up to £1,000 fee-free per month. If you exceed this amount you will be charged a fee of 0.5%.
• £3,000 limit for ATM withdrawals within 24 hours.

Customer service

Revolut offer great customer service for all users. There is a help chat function in the app which allows you to speak to a bot named ‘Rita’ who is able to provide generic answers to any queries you may have. If this doesn’t solve your issue then just type ‘Live Agent’ and you will be connected to a Revolut customer service representative who will be able to help. It usually only takes a few minutes to be able to speak to a representative, but if the chat function is busy it may take longer. The customer service chat is available 24/7, with priority support available for customers with a premium or metal account.

There are loads of other great benefits that come with signing up for a Revolut account, some of which don’t fit into any of the categories above. These range from push notifications on your phone when you make a payment to the ability to buy travel insurance to make sure you’re covered for your trip. The list below covers some of our favourite extras that come with signing up for a standard Revolut account:

• Alerts on your phone when you make a payment.
• Ability to disable your card instantly using the app if you lose it.
• Option to enable location based security to help prevent fraud.
• Option to buy travel insurance and device insurance through Revolut.
• Option to disable any of the following: Swipe payments, Contactless payments, ATM withdrawals and Online Transactions.
• Special edition cards are sometimes available. For example, rainbow-coloured cards were released for free to celebrate Pride in 2019.
• Revolut Vault – a money saving tool that rounds up every payment you make and puts the spare change aside in order to help you save up for a target amount of money.  Click here to find out more!
• Ability to set monthly spending limits.

What do you need to sign up for Revolut?

Revolut need to verify your identity, which means you will need to provide some ID during the sign up process. You can easily provide your ID through the app, which has easy to follow instructions to guide you through the process of signing up. To further verify your identity you will need to provide personal information including your name, address, phone number, email address and date of birth in order to set up an account.

Premium options

If you like the sound of the above but want higher limits and added perks then upgrading to either a premium or metal Revolut account is probably worth it. Signing up for a Revolut premium account costs £6.99/€7.99 per month, whereas a Revolut metal account costs £12.99/€13.99 per month. Alternatively, both plans are discounted if you pay for a year up front. Find out the additional benefits that come with Revolut premium and metal below:

Revolut Premium Account

• Ability to withdraw up to £400 per month from ATMs without any fee.
• Exchange money in 29 fiat currencies with no monthly limit.
• Free overseas medical insurance.
• Free delayed baggage/flight insurance.
• Free global express delivery.
• Priority customer support.
• Access to 5 cryptocurrencies.
• Exclusive card designs only available to Premium members.
• Disposable virtual cards for safe online shopping.
• Ability to instantly book access to over 1,000 airport lounges around the world.

Revolut Metal Account

• Ability to withdraw up to £600 per month from ATMs without any fee.
• 0.1% cashback on card payments within Europe and 1% cashback on card payments outside of Europe.
• Exclusive Revolut Metal card only available to Metal customers.
• One free airport lounge pass, plus the ability to instantly book access to over 1,000 airport lounges around the world.
• A concierge to help you manage your lifestyle.

So, is Revolut worth it?

Simply put, yes. In our opinion, you’re actively choosing to throw money away if you don’t sign up for a Revolut account. It’s completely free to sign up, and it’s certain to save you money in the long run even if you only spend a few days abroad a year. Considering there’s absolutely no cost to you, we recommend signing up now so you can start saving money on your next trip!

Ready to sign up? Click here to apply for a Revolut travel card today!

Please note that some links in this article are affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase we make a small commission at no extra cost to you. This money is used to support this website and cover the costs of keeping it online and free to access!

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Revolut Card Review | How to Use Revolut Abroad

Home | Travel | Revolut Card Review | How to Use Revolut Abroad

The Revolut card is one of the cards we always carry with us while traveling since it allows us to pay and withdraw money abroad without pesky currency exchange fees. Moreover, Revolut lets us carry out transactions in different currencies, such as changing from one currency to another when the exchange rate is more favorable.

I had read many Revolut reviews , but what convinced me to try it was hearing about my cousin’s experience. He went to London for a job opportunity and used his Revolut USD account to pay for his expenses in the UK. Once he started working, he added money to his Revolut card with British pounds, which he used to pay for his expenses when he came back to the USA.

Revolut works in the U.S., and many other countries which is great for us since we travel to different countries most of the year. So, in this guide, I’ll tell you all about Revolut, including what it is exactly, how it works, and why it’s the best financial app for expats and frequent travelers.

What is Revolut?

How does Revolut work?

Types of revolut cards, how to apply for a revolut card, how to use revolut abroad, revolut fees.

• Revolut card reviews

Before we begin, I’ll tell you that we use Revolut in addition to other cards to help save money while traveling , like the Wise card . In this guide, I’ll focus on Revolut and how you can use it to make payments while avoiding currency exchange fees, withdraw money from foreign ATMs, and more .

Revolut is a financial management company that originated in the UK in 2015 and launched in the U.S. in 2020. Over 20 million people use this financial app to make payments abroad, exchange currencies, get paid in other countries, and more.

With your Revolut card , you can withdraw money from just about any ATM, including 55,000 in-network ATMs, without commission fees. Moreover, the card allows you to change your currency when the exchange rate is more favorable, so you can save more money while traveling.

Depending on the country, your Revolut card can be a Mastercard or Visa card. For example, in the UK, it’s a Revolut Mastercard , while in the U.S., it can be a Mastercard or Visa. Of course, it doesn’t matter which card you have with Revolut since the exchange rate is determined by the interbank rate, which is one of the best.

The Standard Revolut prepaid debit card has no card issuance fees (excluding the shipping cost), which makes it one of the best cards for travel out there. Also, since it’s a financial super-app, you can handle all your transactions in the Revolut app , including opening an account and ordering your card.

Revolut frequently updates its products and features, so check out the Revolut Terms and Conditions to see the latest offerings .

The Revolut app lets you take care of basic transactions like ATM withdrawals and currency exchange in one place. Money loaded on your prepaid card is held at Metropolitan Commercial Bank and is FDIC insured up to $250,000 in the event of Metropolitan Commercial Bank’s failure. Securities products are not FDIC Insured, not bank guaranteed, and may lose value.

Revolut’s international bank account number (IBAN) is European, specifically Lithuanian, so deposits to other accounts are made via SWIFT. This means that the funds usually take one to three days to appear in the account.

You can also add money to the Revolut card via the app using a debit or bank transfer. Revolut sends instant spend notifications, and you can see your real-time balance at any time, so you’re always aware of how much money you have. Revolut uses location-based security, so if it sees that your card was used in an unusual location, it’ll alert you and you can freeze and block your card instantly right in the app.

I’ll show you more specific examples of how to use Revolut abroad in the following sections. However, I want to add that during our trips, we use the Revolut card and the Wise card so we can withdraw more money each month without exceeding the limits and accruing extra fees. So, if you think you’ll have a hard time adhering to the monthly withdrawal and transfer limits, consider getting a secondary card .

While we use the Standard Revolut card , the company offers other types of cards and accounts. I’ll explain each one below, so you can choose the plan that best suits your needs. You’ll also find a comparison chart so you can quickly and easily see the benefits of each plan.

Revolut Standard (no plan fees)

The Revolut Standard card has no minimum balance requirement or monthly plan fee. This plan lets you take care of spending and transfers abroad with no hidden fees. Below are the main features you can expect from the Standard plan:

• Currency exchange up to $1,000/month with no hidden fees (rare currency and/or out-of-FX-market hour fees may apply)
• ATM withdrawals up to $400/month (or an equivalent amount in a foreign currency) without fees at 55,000 in-network ATMs
• Low fee international transfers

As long as you don’t exceed the monthly limits, you won’t be charged any extra fees. These limits aren’t a problem for us since we use our Revolut card with the Wise card , so we can withdraw an extra $200 per month.

That said, keep in mind that when you order your Revolut card from the U.S., you’ll have to pay a small delivery fee of about $5.00 for shipping.

Revolut Premium ($9.99/month)

The Revolut Premium plan costs $9.99 per month and lets you enjoy the following perks:

• Currency exchanges up to $10,000/month with no hidden fees (rare currency and/or out-of-FX-market hour fees may apply
• ATM withdrawals up to $800/month (or an equivalent amount in a foreign currency) without fees at 55,000 in-network ATMs
• Travel medical insurance
• Priority Revolut customer support
• 2 complimentary lounge passes for flight delays over an hour (requires registering your flight)
• Express delivery option for your Revolut card

Revolut Premium offers many advantages for frequent travelers, including travel medical insurance, although I still recommend you take out a policy with one of the best travel insurance companies on the market.

Revolut Metal ($16.99/month)

The Revolut Metal card costs $16.99 per month and comes with the most benefits of all the plans:

• Unlimited currency exchanges with no hidden fees (rare currency and/or out-of-FX-market-hour fees may apply)
• ATM withdrawals up to $1,200/month (or an equivalent amount in a foreign currency) without fees at 55,000 in-network ATMs
• 4 complimentary lounge passes for flight delays over an hour (requires registering your flight)
• Flight delay insurance and delayed luggage protection

Revolut cards comparison

Now that you know what Revolut is and how it works, as well as the different Revolut cards offered , here is a breakdown of each plan.

This Revolut cards comparison should help you narrow down which plan is best for your needs .

Once you find the Revolut plan that’s best for you, you’ll need to apply for a card, which takes just five minutes.

Requirements to apply for a Revolut card

First of all, it’s important to know the requirements to request a Revolut card :

• Be 18 or over
• Proper identification (passport, driver’s license)

As you can see, the requirements are very simple, so you shouldn’t have any problem applying for a Revolut account .

How to open a Revolut account

You can open a Revolut account from your phone in minutes:

• Click this link and download the Revolut app .
• Enter your phone number and agree to the Terms and Conditions. Then, choose a strong password for your Revolut account .
• Revolut will send you a text with a verification code. Enter that code into the Revolut app.
• Enter your personal info, including the address where you want to receive the Revolut card .

That’s it! You’ll receive a confirmation message stating that your Revolut account has been activated. The next thing to do is to request your Revolut card.

How to order a Revolut card

Use this link to download the Revolut app on your phone and follow these steps:

• Load the Revolut card with an initial deposit amount using a bank transfer or a credit or debit card you already have.
• Click on “Request card.”
• Verify your identity by taking a selfie and a photo of your ID through the app.
• Choose a physical card or a virtual card . I recommend the physical card since some places don’t accept digital versions.
• Select the type of shipment for your card. The Revolut Standard card comes with standard shipping, but Premium and Metal offer express shipping.
• Create a PIN for your Revolut card.

Once the card arrives, use it for the first time to activate it.

As you can see, applying for and receiving your Revolut card is quick and easy. Of course, depending on the type of plan you choose, you may have a monthly fee ($9.99 for Premium or $16.99 for Metal).

How long does the Revolut card take to arrive?

With standard shipping, it can take up to nine business days to receive your Revolut card . If you need it right away, choose express delivery to get the card within three business days (fees may apply) . 

It took five days for my Revolut prepaid debit card to arrive with standard shipping.

How to activate a Revolut card

To activate a Revolut card , make a payment with the card at any store, restaurant, or hotel. You could also use the card at any ATM since this requires you to enter your PIN. If you have a virtual card, it’s already activated.

That said, regardless of the type of card you have, you must verify your identity before you can use it .

To help you get the most out of your new debit card, I will explain all the ways you can use Revolut . We use our Revolut card with the Wise card , particularly when we need to withdraw more than the monthly ATM limit with Revolut. This helps us avoid extra commission fees.

Below are the different scenarios when you can use your Revolut debit card .

Revolut ATM withdrawal

Revolut has over 55,000 ATMs in its network, so you can enjoy withdrawals almost anywhere at no cost. Depending on which Revolut account you have, you can withdraw up to $400 (for Revolut Standard), $800 (for Revolut Premium) o $1,200 (for Revolut Metal) per month (or an equivalent amount in a foreign currency) from out-of-network ATMs with no hidden fees. If you exceed this limit, you’ll pay a 2% commission fee on the withdrawal amount in the same currency.

When doing an ATM withdrawal via Revolut , you can withdraw money in another currency and apply the interbank exchange rate for that day. Or you can change currencies in the Revolut app and withdraw the money later on or the next day. This ensures you get the best bang for your buck ( note that rare currency and/or out-of-FX-market-hour fees may apply) .

Revolut payments

Making a payment with Revolut while abroad is simple. Just pay in the local currency, and Revolut will do the currency exchange for you, using the interbank exchange rate. As long as you don’t surpass the monthly spending limit of $1,000, you won’t have any fair usage fees ( note that rare currency and/or out-of-FX-market-hour fees may apply) . If you exceed this limit, you’ll pay a 0.5% fair usage fee. The Revolut Metal plan doesn’t have a fair usage spending limit.

For person-to-person payments within the Revolut network, there is no monthly limit (though fees may apply if currency conversion is required to complete your payment). Just use your Revolut app to request and send money or split bills between friends. You can even send money via ACH to local bank accounts at no charge, so it’s one of the best apps for travelers .

Income in different currencies

If you receive income in a currency other than USD, the Revolut card lets you deposit money in up to 28+ different currencies. This way, you can use them when, where, and how you want.

If you receive direct deposit payments, you can access them from your Revolut account up to two days early.

Change currencies

With the Revolut app , you can quickly and easily exchange currencies. Just choose the amount you wish to exchange, and the type of currency. Revolut will even tell you when the exchange rate is most favorable, so you get the best deal.

Revolut money transfers

You can make unlimited U.S. ACH bank transfers with Revolut with no transfer fees in the app. Revolut also offers domestic USD wire transfers and international transfers with competitive fees.

Send money abroad with Revolut

You can send money abroad or make a transfer with Revolut in another currency right in the app. Remember that you may have to pay a conversion fee if the transfer is in a different currency than that of your Revolut account ( note that rare currency and/or out-of-FX-market-hour fees may also apply) .

Other things you can do with the Revolut app

In the Revolut app , there is a feature called Savings Vault that you can use to save money.

If you activate this feature, your Revolut purchases will be rounded up to the nearest dollar. So, if you buy something that costs $20.58, you’ll pay $21 and the extra 42 cents will go into your Savings Vault. This occurs for all your purchases, with your Savings Vault accumulating savings over time. You can withdraw or use the money whenever you’d like.

Another interesting feature, which I touched on earlier, is that you can share trip expenses with your friends if they have a Revolut account . Alternatively, you can set up recurring payments to other people in the Revolut network.

How to add money to a Revolut card

Adding money to your Revolut account is super simple. Open your Revolut app and click on “Add money” on the home screen. This will open a menu with different options.

You can then add money using a debit card, or you can add money to your Revolut account using a bank transfer. If your device supports Apple Pay or Google Pay, you can add money this way, too.

Which currencies work with the Revolut card?

You can use Revolut in over 140 currencies, but you can only do international transfers in these currencies: AED, AUD, BGN, CAD, CHF, CZK, DKK, EUR, GBP, HKD, HRK, HUF, ILS, ISK, JPY, MXN, NOK, NZD, PLN, QAR, RON, RUB, SAR, SEK, SGD, THB, TRY, USD, and ZAR .

As you saw with each Revolut plan , there is an ATM withdrawal limit of up to $1,200 per month on Metal plans (or an equivalent amount in a foreign currency). If you exceed your plan’s limit, you’ll have to pay a commission fee of 2% of the value of the withdrawal amount.

If you have Revolut Standard , you can exchange up to $1,000 per month, after which you’ll be charged a fair usage fee of 0.5% on any additional amount.

Regardless of which Revolut card you have, there is a 1% markup on foreign transactions outside of FX market hours due to market closures, so be aware of that.

I recommend having another card that you can use in addition to Revolut, so you can avoid extra fees. For example, we use our Revolut card as well as our Wise card .

Revolut card pros and cons

Before you sign up with Revolut , it’s important to look at the main benefits of the Revolut card , as well as its drawbacks.

Again, we travel with the Revolut card as well as the Wise card to avoid going over those monthly limits, which is the only disadvantage that would affect us the most.

Revolut customer service

The Revolut app is intuitive and user-friendly, so you can manage all your money and transactions in one place. However, if you need to contact Revolut customer support , you can do so in the following ways:

Revolut phone number

If you want to block your card because it was lost or stolen, you can do so in the app or call the automated Revolut phone number at +1-844-744-3512. Since it’s an automated number, it won’t call you back, but it will provide recorded information on how to block your card.

Revolut live chat

Revolut’s live chat is the best way to contact customer support since it’s available 24/7.

Just open your Revolut app and go to the menu in the upper left corner. Click on “Help”, then “New chat”, and you’ll be connected to one of the customer service agents. If you have the Premium or Metal plan, you’ll get priority support.

Without a doubt, this is the fastest and easiest way to get assistance .

Revolut card review

When my cousin explained his experience with Revolut to me, I had recently moved to the United States, so I decided to give it a try. While my cousin had great things to say about Revolut, I didn’t have the best experience at first because U.S. banks don’t have IBANs. So, putting money into my Revolut account from the United States was at first a hassle. Then I found out that adding money to a Revolut card using a debit card was very easy, so I’ve been doing it that way.

Of course, Revolut has been the most beneficial for us when we take trips, especially when traveling abroad, where we rely heavily on my Revolut card .

I’d also like to share some Revolut reviews from other friends and family members:

• As I mentioned, during my cousin’s trip to London, he was easily able to exchange his money from USD to GBP. He also likes how secure Revolut’s virtual cards
• My brother also uses Revolut abroad , and on his last trip to Colombia, his wallet was stolen. Fortunately, he was able to freeze his Revolut card in a matter of seconds through the app. With the rest of his cards, he had to make a phone call, which took up a lot of time.
• Finally, my friend Sarah went to study Spanish in Mexico, and she paid for her expenses with the Revolut card . She also used the Savings Vault feature and managed to save over 300 dollars in just three months.

You can check out more Revolut card reviews on Trustpilot .

FAQs about Revolut

If you have any questions about using Revolut , here are the answers to some common questions:

Is the Revolut card Visa or Mastercard?

The Revolut debit card is a Visa or Mastercard depending on the country. In the U.S., it’s a Mastercard.

How do I add money to the Revolut card?

Use the Revolut app to add money to your Revolut card, either via a debit card or via bank transfer.

Are there any Revolut fees?

The Revolut card has no fair usage fees as long as you don’t exceed the monthly limits. If you exceed the limit, the commission fee is 2% for ATM withdrawals, plus 0.5% for foreign exchanges (with an additional 1% outside of FX market hours and an additional 1% on rare currencies).

Revolut offers added benefits with their Premium and Metal plans which have monthly fees.

What is Revolut's transfer limit?

You get unlimited transfers at no cost within the Revolut network (person-to-person). You can also get low-fee international transfers with all plans.

What is the Revolut payment limit?

Revolut’s payment limits depend on the type of transactions you wish to make, but have rarely been an issue for us on our travels.

What is the Revolut cash withdrawal limit?

You can withdraw up to $1,200 per month on Metal plans (or an equivalent amount in a foreign currency) without fees at 55,000 out-ofin-network ATMs. Standard and Premium plans have lower limits.

I hope this guide helped you get familiar with Revolut , its features, and its benefits. Remember, Revolut regularly updates its products and features, so check the Revolut Terms and Conditions to see the latest promotions and deals.

If you have any questions about the Revolut app , feel free to leave me a comment below. I’d be happy to hear from you, and I’d also like to hear about your experience with the Revolut card .

Enjoy traveling with Revolut!

Disclosures: 

The Revolut USA Prepaid Visa® and Prepaid Mastercard® are issued by Metropolitan Commercial Bank pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. for Visa cards, and Mastercard International for Mastercard cards, and may be used everywhere Visa or Mastercard are accepted. Banking services are provided by Metropolitan Commercial Bank, Member FDIC, and are subject to the terms of a Cardholder Agreement. “Metropolitan Commercial Bank” and “Metropolitan” are registered trademarks of Metropolitan Commercial Bank © 2014.

A note from Metropolitan Commercial Bank: Funds in your Revolut Prepaid Card Account are held at an FDIC insured institution. Your funds will be held at or transferred to Metropolitan Commercial Bank, an FDIC-insured institution. While there, your funds are insured up to $250,000 by the FDIC in the event Metropolitan Commercial Bank fails if specific deposit insurance requirements are met and your card is registered. See fdic.gov/deposit/deposits/prepaid.html for details. FDIC insurance does not protect your funds in the event of Revolut’s failure or from the risk of theft or fraud.

Revolut Prepaid Visa Card and Revolut Prepaid Mastercard are issued by Metropolitan Commercial Bank (Member FDIC) under Visa U.S.A. Inc. license, subject to applicable terms.

Savings Vault services provided by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC.

Ascen Aynat

57 replies on “ Revolut Card Review | How to Use Revolut Abroad ”

Yes I received my card in the mail, is it already activated? When I tried doing so it said the card was already in use, so can I use it?

Hi Linda, To activate your Revolut card, simply use it to make a purchase (if you got the virtual card, it’s already activated). You need to verify your identity upon receiving your card, so if it was already activated when you received it in the mail, I would contact Revolut’s customer support for help.

I am going to FLORIDA in May, do I convert my saving to USD before I leave the UK

Will I be able to use my card for purchases as I would do in the UK ?

First time I have used REVOLUTE just want to understand how it works, I have the physical standard card

Hi David, You can use your Revolut card to make purchases in Florida, and Revolut will automatically do the currency exchange for you. Plus, the Revolut app can tell you when the exchange rate is most favorable, so if you want to change currencies in the app, you can do so.

Hello I have revolut card but now when I want open for me write phone number wrong or email address what I have to do right now.thanks

Hi Zana, I’m not sure what the problem is, but I would recommend getting in touch with Revolut customer support as soon as possible to resolve the issue.

Hello. I just received my card but I don’t have any debit card or other cards at the moment to deposit money to my revolut card. Is there any way I can put cash on my revolut card? I am in Madrid Spain.

Hi Simin, The Revolut card can connect to your Spanish bank account, so you should be able to transfer money that way.

I am traveling to Italy next week. I converted some my us dollars to Euros at what I believe is a good rate. When I present my Revolut card for payment in Italy will it debit the Euro funds or the US dollars held in my Revolut accoun

Hi Art, You should be able to pay in the local currency (U.S. dollars), and Revolut will do the currency exchange for you, using the interbank exchange rate.

My granddaughter had her Revolut card stolen while on holiday in Greece. As soon as she realised it was gone she cancelled the card and no money was taken out.

Hi Valerie, I’m glad she was able to get her card blocked before anyone took her money! I appreciate you sharing your experience with the Revolut card. 🙂

This is probably the most thorough and helpful article I’ve come across since beginning my travel research months ago. And you answer questions on every comment? You’re a rock star! 🥰

Hi Katarina, Thank you so much! I’m happy to help! 🙂

Revolut will. Not except my email or pass code which I know are both OK s

Hi Christine, That’s odd. I would reach out to Revolut’s customer support to see what the issue is. It could be that they locked your account or maybe you put in the wrong password. Good luck!

The company says they send the money to my revolut account but i didnt receive the money how many days should i wait until it is in my bank account?

Hi Abdiasis, It usually takes 1-3 business days for the transfer to complete. I would reach out to Revolut’s customer support if you have any questions or concerns.

Hi, I have just started with my resolut card and am trying to put money into my resolut account. My bank does not recognise the resolut BSB number and warns against transferring the funds. Why is the BSB not recognisable.

I am a bit confused about whether I have to first put money into the account and THEN load it to my card or just load it directly to the card.

Also, if I have not yet activated my card can I add money to it?

Hi Mary, Revolut should be able to recognize BSB numbers, so I would try again and make sure the numbers are correct. Also, you should activate your Revolut card before making transfers.

Hi, my card & currency is in GBP & I tried paying with chip & pin for a hotel in euro in person but the card was declined. Why would this be? There is plenty of money on the card to cover the cost of the hotel. Many thanks

Hi Ciara, It could be that Revolut put a block on your card. I would reach out to their customer support to see what the issue is.

A good easy to read explanation of how it works, would be interested to know which currencies are supported.

Hi Andy, Thanks! As for currencies, you can use Revolut in over 140 currencies, but you can only do international transfers in these currencies: AED, AUD, BGN, CAD, CHF, CZK, DKK, EUR, GBP, HKD, HRK, HUF, ILS, ISK, JPY, MXN, NOK, NZD, PLN, QAR, RON, RUB, SAR, SEK, SGD, THB, TRY, USD, and ZAR. Revolut plans to add more currencies in the future.

Hi.Can someone seize my revolut account?

Uldis, Revolut uses location-based security, so if it sees that your card was used in an unusual location, it’ll alert you and you can freeze and block your card instantly right in the app.

How do u cancel after the 3month promo? From the middle tier to the free one

Hi Deb, You can cancel or downgrade your plan in the Revolut app settings.

Hi when I go too France do I have too change my pounds into euros or will it do it for me

Hi Maureen, You have to exchange the currencies, but the Revolut app shows you when the exchange rate is most favorable, so you can get the best rate.

can i apply for a joint card for both me and my partner when we go abroad?

Hi, Yes, you can apply for a joint account with Revolut. Both you and your partner will have your own cards, but they’ll be for the same joint account.

Thanks for giving us very informative post. This can be very helpful for the people living abroad. You have describe everything that may help people .

Thanks so much for reading!

Sorry, my first message was incorrect. Would it be possible to transfer Euros from my Turkish bank account to the Revolut card, and if so what is the upper limit of a transfer?

Hi Beverly, Yes, you can make the transfer. Most currencies have no limit on the amount you can transfer (if there is a limit, it will be specified in the Revolut app).

Hi, fantastic review. I’m based in the UK and I am travelling to Greece next week. Do I understand correctly that ss I have UK Pounds on my Revolut card that I don’t need to convert it into Euros? Or would it be advisable to convert?

Hi Stuart, I would convert currencies. You can do it right in the Revolut app, and you can see when the exchange rate is most favorable.

Need to transfer and exchange ( euros to sterling ) funds from sale of property in Spain, how can I do this through Revolut?

Hi Tessa, You can transfer the funds right in the Revolut app.

Hi, I am in tunisia, can I withdraw cash from an atm answer use chip facility

Hi if I have £500 in my account and im going to Italy is it better to convert it to euros on the app before I go Cheers

Im going into Europe this summer and just purchased my Revolut card. How do my British pounds transfer to euros ?

Hi! If I have multiple currencies in my Revolut account from which currency does it takes the money and how can I change it? Cheers Zs

Hi Zsofi, Revolut uses the currency with the best exchange rate for you, so you don’t need to worry about that.

So it does not even make sense to convert to different currencies?

Hi Robin, It makes sense if your local currency is pretty strong now and you envision that that is going to change in the future, so you exchange the currency now, when it’s favorable for you, so you get a better convertion that what you expect you will get in the future. Does it make sense?

However, if you’re traveling this week, let say from the US to Europe, I doesn’t make sense to exchange money on the app. Let Revolut to do the currency conversion only for what you spend.

Hi, I’ve just signed up for an account and topped up my balance. It said the first top up is free so what are the charges to add money to my account please

Hi Innes, Revolut may charge a fee of 3% of the transaction amount.

Hi Going to Brazil in 3 days so dont have time to obtain a physical card. Can I use the virtual card to buy items in shops eg groceries. Is there anyway I could use a virtual card to withdraw Brazilian real in Brazil?

Hi Rachel, You can use the virtual Revolut card, but keep in mind that some stores don’t accept digital payment.

Hello and thank you for your explanations. Very useful. I hace a GBP Revolut account and added a MXN one to the same account in the app, as u will be travelling to Mexico and stay there for few months. However, I cannot find a way to transfer funds from my own GBP account and I do not even know how it works. I would be grateful if you could illustrate this to me.

Hi Estela, You don’t need to add funds to your MXN account to use your Revolut card in Mexico. Revolut will do the exchange conversion only for what you spend. As I say, it only make sense to have different currency accounts:

1. If you receive incomes in several currencies. 2. If your think your local currency will lost its value in the future.

Otherwise, don’t bother on converting into different currencies within your account. You still can travel everywhere, and use your Revolut card, and Revolut will convert to the local currency with the best exchange rate.

My revolut card has been locked as I inserted the wrong PIN twice in Cambodia . How can I change my PIN when I am in Thailand?

Hi, You can contact Revolut customer support by phone (+1-844-744-3512) or via the app for help unlocking your card. Good luck!

Hello, I’ve noticed on the app I cannot buy in a different currency. So, I’ll need to exchange it after it comes into my account. Is this a cost effective way to do it?

Hi Peta, I don’t fully understand what you mean. Can you please explain? With the Revolut Card, you can pay in any currency with your card even if you don’t have that currency in your account.

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Revolut review – Is it still worth it?

Our rating:

As editor of Money Saving Answers, I discuss Revolut in a number of our travel articles. It stands out as one of the best cards for foreign travel . 

Despite me personally using Revolut since 2016, neither myself nor the team at Money Saving Answers have ever written a complete review. Today I’m going to change that which my personal Revolut review. 

Revolut review – Pros and Cons

What is revolut.

At its core Revolut is a digital banking service offering borderless multicurrency accounts, and frictionless currency exchanges. It can be used as a main bank account to receive your salary or pay bills, direct debits and standing orders, but where it really shines is currency exchange and foreign travel.

Founded in London in 2015, Revolut started as a prepaid travel card similar to that of the former TravelEx Supercard . I remember using the card in Ireland in 2016, and was impressed by the speed at which the spending notifications popped on my phone even before the cashier had handed me a receipt.  

Since then, Revolut has expanded its services and is no longer a pure prepaid travel card, but a digital account that covers ‘ all things money .’ It has over 25 million customers worldwide, and operates in over 20 countries. 

Is Revolut a bank?

Yes, and no. It is a fully licenced bank in the EU, and has applied for a banking licence in the UK, and a bank charter in the USA. 

Interestingly, it doesn’t look likely to be granted a UK banking licence anytime soon. It originally applied in January 2021, but since then has had a number setbacks, the latest being it’s company accounts which as of January 2023 were seven months overdue. 

Who is Revolut for?

Revolut can be used in many of the same ways you’d use a normal bank account from the likes of Barclays, Santander etc… but I’d argue that’s mainly for people who want to save money when either travelling abroad, spending in foreign currencies, or exchange money without the exorbitant fees or poor rates offered on the highstreet. 

That might be digital nomads (or which there are around 2.4m Brits), Frequent travellers, foreign home owners, students taking a semester abroad, those with friends and family abroad etc. the list is endless. 

Revolut fees and plans

Revolut offers four different price plans:

• Standard – free
• Plus – £2.99 
• Premium – £6.99
• Metal – £9.99

The difference between standard and plus is mostly the fees and limits involved when using various Revolut services. Metal and Premium step this up and include travel insurance, airport lounge discounts, and other benefits. In this article though I’m mainly going to focus on the free standard plan, as that the one most will opt for. 

Fees and limits

Revolut is generally open and upfront about its fees, but there are still a few gotchas around, especially for those on the free standard plan. 

Firstly, you can exchange foreign currency fee-free up to your £1,000 fair use allowance. After that you’ll be charged 1%.

Local payments i.e., those in the UK in GBP are always free, as are transfers to other Revolut users, and bank accounts within the Single Euro Payment Area (SEPA).

On weekends, Revolut adds a 1-2% (depending on currency) mark-up on currency exchanges to cover any movement in the exchange rate when FX-markets are closed. Try to avoid exchanging any currency during these times if you can. 

Revolut ATM limits and fees

ATM withdrawals are free up to £200 per 30 day period, and up to 5 withdrawals. After this there is a 2% fee with a minimum of £1. Those who need more can withdraw up to £3,000 equivalent per day, which is the highest limit we’ve seen amongst any card. It will cost though. At 2% you’ll be charged £20 for every £1,000. 

Casual users should be able to avoid most of the fees, especially given the prevalence of contactless payments in popular holiday destinations. 

Those relying on cash, or travelling for extended period (or with a family), are likely to run into the fair use fee, and the ATM withdrawal fee. 

Exceeding the free ATM withdrawal limit catapults Revolut from one of the cheapest cards around to one that should be avoided. If you’re a heavy cash user then Starling or Chase would be better, as although the maximum daily limit is lower, you won’t be charged for withdrawals. 

Revolut prepaid card(s)

On joining Revolut you are given a free virtual card. This can be used for online, and point of sale transactions (via ApplePay or GooglePay) in either GBP or a foreign currency. 

You can also have a free physical card, but you might need to pay a delivery free of £5. Often this is waived though. 

There’s also a disposable card. This is designed for online shopping where you may not fully trust the website to store your details. On each use the card is destroyed, and replaced with a new one. Refunds still make their way to your Revolut account, but retailers cannot charge the card again. 

This is a great security feature, that I’ve found especially useful in taking advantage of free trials that require card details to be entered. 

Another useful feature for travellers is the mix of Visa and Mastercard products. The physical and disposable cards are Visa debit, while the virtual card is a Mastercard debit. It’s rare that stores won’t accept both, but it has happened to me on my travels that my Mastercards were rejected whereas Visa cards went through fine. 

The Revolut app

The Revolut app has grown over the years to encompass the company’s ‘ all things money ’ strategy. And while it offers a number of great features, I have found it has become quite bloated. 

It’s still quick and easy enough to use, and shouldn’t cause anyone any problems, but the interface is a little busy for my tastes.

It makes heavy use of icons, which is fine, but the sheer number of products and services means some things can get lost in the clutter. 

When I open a banking app, I expect my money to be the main focus of the app. Revolut does show your balance when opening the app, but only in one currency. If you have balances in other currencies you have to click on a little drop down arrow to switch.

If you want to total up how much you have in your account across all currencies, you need to scroll down towards the bottom of the page past Revolut’s suggestions and cashback offers, and analytics to see your ‘net worth’ as it’s called in the app.

Adding money and transferring money options are right there up top which is great, but the option to exchange money is hidden away under a sub-menu. I find this strange as the main benefit of Revolut over other neo banks is the currency exchange feature. 

I’d really like to see that exchange button next to the ‘add money’ and ‘transfer money’ options. 

By default, the home screen shows just a single recent transaction, with the option of clicking ‘See all’ to access more. I’d like to see more transactions listed here. Instead, the bottom third of the screen is taken up by suggestions of things Revolut thinks you might be interested in. It’s basically just advertising for Revolut’s other services. 

Overall, the app is fast and functional, with most options available in one or two clicks, but with so much going on, some ability to customise at least the Home Screen would be a welcome addition.

How to open a Revolut account and get 3 months free premium

Signing up to Revolut takes less than 5 minutes, and because Revolut isn’t a bank, you don’t need to jump through as many hoops as you do with some accounts. There are no credit checks, and you don’t even need proof of address. 

For those reasons, it’s also a great first account for those new to the UK. And in some cases your Revolut account statement, can be used as proof of address when opening accounts elsewhere such as Virgin’s M account. See out guide on basic bank accounts for more information on this. 

Steps to open a Revolut account

If you sign up to Revolut via the link here , you’ll get three months of Premium for free. That includes free travel insurance so it is definitely worth it if you are travelling within the next few months. 

Download the app by clicking our link and using the QR code.

Sign up for an account: Open the app and select “Sign up”. You’ll be asked to provide some personal information, such as your name, email address, and phone number.

Verify your identity: Revolut uses a secure process to verify your identity, which typically involves taking a photo of your passport or driving licence, and a selfie.

Add a funding source: To start using your Revolut account, you’ll need to add a funding source or top up your account. You can do this by linking your bank account or debit/credit card, or via ApplePay and GooglePay.

Activate your card: Once you’ve completed the sign-up process and chosen your plan, you can order your Revolut card. You can choose between a physical or virtual card, and it will be delivered to you within a few days.

Revolut Crypto fees

Revolut launched its cryptocurrency platform in 2018. It allows all Revolut customers to buy, sell, and hold cryptocurrencies in-app. The fees for which depend on the subscription held.

• Standard and Plus users – 1.99% of the value of the transaction or £0.99 whichever is greater
• Premium and Metal users – 1.49%

Standard and Plus users should also bear in mind that crypto exchanges count towards their £1,000 monthly fair usage limit. 

I tested the platform back in 2018 amidst the Bitcoin hype. It was easier to use and understand than a dedicated crypto exchange, and used the same familiar interface you get when exchanging foreign currency. 

The fact that I had money sitting in my Revolut account at the time, made it quick and easy buy a few fractions of BTC or XRP or whatever I dabbled in at the time. 

The only drawback I found came later, when I wanted to move my crypto to an external wallet. It just wasn’t possible. Fortunately, that has now changed and you can move your crypto assets to other wallets or cold storage. 

Obviously, it’s not as detailed or full featured as dedicated crypto exchange, but it’s this simplicity that makes it great for those who are curious to learn more about crypto in general. 

Revolut vs Wise

Revolut is by far the most popular multicurrency card, but it’s not the only game town. Wise (formerly Transferwise) also has a large following. 

Both offer free multicurrency accounts with debit cards. Both can be used a bank accounts if you wish to have your salary paid into them, or set up direct debits and standing orders. There are some key differences though. 

Wise focuses on low fees, while Revolut focuses on versatility. That doesn’t mean Wise is cheaper though. In fact, in the exchanges I have conducted Revolut always won out. 

There are caveats to that though. Both use the midmarket rate for currency exchanges but and for 15 of the most common currencies Revolut is cheaper as it doesn’t charge a fee, provided you stay within the fair use policy of your plan (which for the free plan is £1,000 a month). 

Wise does charge a free, but it’s up front and transparent about this. Where is beats Revolut is on exchanges in more exotic currencies where Revolut adds a 1% mark up, and on exchanges outside of market hours, which can incur as much as a 2% mark up. 

In terms of the debit cards, Revolut edges out Wise. Both allow spending in over 150 currencies, but Revolut customers on the free standard plan withdraw up to £200 a month fee free (in one go), whereas Wise offers two free ATM withdrawals of just £100 each, then charges up to 2% thereafter. 

Bearing in mind that my experience with Wise is limited to a few small transfers in testing and a few card transactions. It is a popular card in its own right especially amongst ex-pats and is said to be better with dealing with transfers to the USA. 

Chase vs Revolut

It may seem odd to compare Chase and Revolut, but in terms of spending abroad, they both perform a similar function. The main difference is that Revolut offers in-app currency exchange and foreign bank transfers in over 15 different currencies, and spending in over 150. Chase doesn’t yet offer international transfers, nor does it offer a currency exchange function. 

In terms of holiday spending, Chase is the clear winner. Both offer fee free point of sale spending aboard, but when it comes to ATM withdrawals it’s a different story.

The free Revolut account limits monthly ATM withdrawals to just £200 equivalent. Withdrawals over this amount are charged a 2% fee. Foreign ATM withdrawals via Chase, are limited to £1,500 a month, with a maximum daily amount of £500. In addition, Chase users visiting the USA can use Chase ATMs to avoid and ATM fees charged by the foreign bank. 

That’s not all though, Chase previously offered 1% cashback on spending via its debit card even when abroad. It has now amended this offer. Customers can still earn 1% cashback on spending, but must deposit at least £500 a month into their account. The cashback is also now limited to £15 a month. 

Is Revolut safe?

In the UK Revolut is not a bank, it’s an e-money institution. Although it is still regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, it isn’t part of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. 

Instead, customer deposits are ring-fenced at Barclays and Lloyds, and cannot be used by Revolut for its own business activities. This provides a good degree of protection should anything happen to the company, but isn’t as iron-clad as full FSCS protection. 

Additionally, Revolut isn’t signatory to the voluntary Contingent Reimbursement Model Scheme (CRM) , and has receive criticism in the past for refusing to reimburse victims of fraud where seemingly authorised payments were made. 

This is something that has been highlighted recently on the BBC, as a few victims of this type of authorised fraud have had trouble claiming anything back from Revolut. 

Is Revolut still worth it?

With the growth in digital banking and increased competition across the ‘travel money’ sector, I must admit I don’t find myself using Revolut anywhere near as much as I did in the past. 

That being said, there still many reasons to love Revolut. For one, it’s just so quick and easy. Exchanges are simple, and transfers to euro accounts are always via SEPA instant, which isn’t something that can be said for Starling. It also has a ton of services and features that just available from any other UK bank or fintech. Cryptocurrency and commodities investing for example right there in the same app. Shared vaults, group bills etc..

It’s also constantly innovating and adding new features. Many of these features aren’t just limited to Premium members either, but available to all account holders. An example of this is the virtual disposable card, which is great for online shopping security. A Premium feature on Monzo, but included in free standard plan for Revolut customers. 

For mainstream currencies it’s cheaper than Wise for the most part, and wins out as a travel card against Currensea (see our Revolut vs Currensea article) provided you can live within the tight limits of the free standard account. A top foreign travel credit or debit card, such as the Barclaycard Rewards, or Starling debit card still better for day-to-day spending abroad though. 

It’s not all positive though. Critical support is abysmal, you can’t actually talk to human. There’s also the question of fees. The standard plan is free, but only to a point. The fees for going over what are quite small allowances can add up if you aren’t careful, and on top of these, you can be hit by out-of-hours fees on currency exchanges. 

The company and its management are also questionable. It has been involved in a number of scandals over the years, from a culture of bullying, to disabling money laundering checks .

The latest negative headlines centre around the lack of support for victim of fraud where seemingly ‘authorised’ transactions were made. It was also more than 7 months late filing its annual accounts . Not something you expect from a would-be bank.  

Fortunately, the vast majority of customers remain unaffected by these incidents, but it certainly doesn’t help public perception, especially in an age where banks are increasingly adopting a more ethical stance. See Kroo for example. 

As a long-time account holder, my opinion is that Revolut certainly has its benefits, and although I’m not thrilled about its corporate governance, or public image, I do still see a use case for it in certain circumstances. In particular for currency exchange and transfers to foreign accounts. Always making sure never to leave large sums of money in the account for any length of time due to the lack of FSCS protection. 

Got a Revolut story? Good or bad, we’re keen to hear your experiences.

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The original multi-currency account, and still one the best

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Travel money card

Spend like a local with a travel debit card for exploring the globe. Whether it's a virtual or a physical card, we've got all your travel money needs covered.

Need an international travel card? Take us all around the world

Exchange currencies, send money abroad, and hold 30+ local currencies in-app. These are just some of the reasons why our customers love their travel debit cards.

Built-in security features

Set spending limits, get payment notifications, and freeze or unfreeze your card in-app.

Add it to Google Pay or Apple Pay

No need to wait for your physical card to arrive — spend instantly with a virtual card.

Fee-free overseas ATM withdrawals

Get fee-free ATM withdrawals, up to per rolling month, depending on your plan type.*

Manage travel money in-app

Manage everything for your holiday money card in the Revolut app, from top-ups to transfers.

Spend like a local in 150+ currencies

No overseas ATM fees up to per month*

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Join 40+ million people worldwide saving when they spend abroad with Revolut.

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Order your travel money card to spend in 150+ currencies. Delivery fees may apply.

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Always choose the local currency.

Choose the local currency when spending with your card in shops and restaurants.

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We're not a prepaid card you just throw away after your trip. Trust us, you’ll want to use Revolut for future adventures and everyday spending.

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Holiday money card FAQs

What is a travel money card, what currencies can i spend with a travel money card, what are the limits for spending with a travel card, how can i manage my travel money card, is a travel money card safe and secure, how can i order a travel money card.

• Download the Revolut app : find it in Apple or Google Play Store
• Sign up to Revolut : apply for an account and verify your identity
• Add a debit card : go to Cards and follow the instructions to start your order
• Set your PIN : choose a PIN that you'll remember
• Arrange delivery : enter your delivery address, and select your delivery method before proceeding to checkout (Delivery fees may apply)

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Revolut launches revolut x crypto trading platform for uk retail customers.

Revolut, the global fintech company and neobank, has made a significant entry into the cryptocurrency space with the introduction of Revolut X, a specialized crypto trading platform for retail customers in the United Kingdom. The platform, which aims to rival major cryptocurrency exchanges, offers easy access and minimal fees.

Initially, Revolut X will enable trading for over 100 cryptocurrencies, including popular choices like Bitcoin (BTC), Ether (ETH), and XRP. However, the platform plans to expand its selection in the coming months. Revolut X features seamless conversion of fiat currencies like the British pound to cryptocurrencies and vice versa, referred to as "on-ramping" and "off-ramping." Notably, the platform charges fixed fees of 0% for makers and 0.09% for takers, regardless of the trading volume, potentially undercutting its competitors.

Revolut X is designed with seasoned crypto traders in mind, but all UK users with a retail account can access the platform. They can seamlessly trade between the platform and their Revolut accounts without additional fees or limitations. Revolut stated that customers' digital assets are held 1:1 and never lent out. The majority of these funds are stored in cold storage, and rigorous custodian due-diligence and constant risk monitoring ensure a market-leading solution for customers.

Revolut's move into the crypto space comes after scaling back its crypto offerings in the UK and the US due to regulatory challenges. However, with the launch of Revolut X, the company demonstrates a renewed focus on cryptocurrencies. Revolut, which initially started as a money transfers service in the UK in 2015, has grown into one of the country's largest fintech companies, boasting over 40 million users worldwide. In 2017, it began allowing users to buy, hold, and trade cryptocurrencies.

How to use Revolut for travel – 15+ ways to save money and time abroad

Finally, i have gotten to the point where i get to talk about my absolute favorite pre-paid debit card: revolut. i use it almost daily since moving to switzerland 5 years ago and have used it in a lot of countries, including japan , the maldives , iceland , sweden , the us, the czech republic , turkey, dubai, israel, poland , and all around the european union. i have specified all of these countries because they all have different currencies, and revolut was incredibly easy to use in all of them. so read more if you want to know how to use revolut for travel expenses and save money and time abroad..

Revolut is an online financial company that offers a range of financial services, including accounts and currency exchange, through its financial mobile app. One of the most popular features of Revolut is its pre-paid travel card, which allows users to spend money abroad without incurring high fees or incredibly high exchange rates. With Revolut, you can easily manage your money while on the go, making it a popular choice for frequent travelers.

Revolut’s travel card offers a number of benefits that make it an attractive option for those looking to save money while traveling. One of the key advantages of the card is that it allows users to spend money in over 150 currencies at the real exchange rate, which is often much lower than the rate offered by traditional banks.

Additionally, users can withdraw up to a certain amount of money from ATMs each month without incurring any fees (from Revolut, the ATM itself can incur fees though), making it a convenient option for those who need cash while traveling. Overall, Revolut’s travel card is a great option for those looking to manage their money efficiently while on the go.

Of course, it does have some situations when you’ll have to pay fees. Nothing is free in life, after all, and as a business, they need to make money to be able to keep the lights on. What matters is that these fees are transparent, you will always know about them before performing any action, and you can plan some things ahead so that you avoid some of them altogether. In case you didn’t know, I have a full list of free travel apps , and I absolutely loved checking all of them out for you.

And one very special disclaimer I need to make, apart from the usual one. All the information published here is valid at the moment of publication, to the best of my knowledge. Since the subject of money and healthy financial decision-making is of great importance to me, please check out the detailed Terms & Policies from Revolut for the most up-to-date information. If in doubt, always seek professional advice, no matter what anyone else might tell you.

Also, even if the Standard subscription for Revolut is technically free, it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have limits in place. You’ll have to check each situation you will use it in to see if any fees will occur. For example, ATM withdrawals are free under a certain amount per month, transfers are free under a certain amount as well, and so on. Free does not mean limitless, so check this out every time you want to make a change. Luckily, Revolut has a very transparent fee model, and you’ll know before you click what will be fees that will apply to you.

Yes, it’s true guys, there might be affiliate links in this awesome, free post. This means that if you decide to buy something that you find here, and you use one of my links to do so, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I plan to use this money on ice cream, chocolate, and to travel more so I can write these useful guides for you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Table of Contents

Using revolut abroad – the basics.

Using Revolut abroad is a great way to save money on foreign exchange fees and to have access to your funds while traveling. Here are some basic tips to keep in mind when using Revolut abroad:

• Activate Your Card: Before traveling, activate your Revolut card and verify your identity in the Personal Details section of the app. This will ensure that you can use your card without any issues.
• Top Up Your Account: To use your Revolut card abroad, you will need to top up your account with funds. The best way to do this is via a bank transfer, as it has no fees from Revolut (it can have fees from your bank though, but you’ll have to check this with them). You can also use a debit or credit card, but there may be fees associated with this.
• Use the Correct Currency: When using your Revolut card abroad, make sure to use the correct currency for the country you are in. Revolut supports over 150 currencies, so you can easily switch between them in the app.
• Avoid Weekends: Revolut adds some fees on weekends for certain actions like currency exchange, so it is best to plan such activities during the weekdays.
• Withdraw Cash Smartly : Revolut offers free ATM withdrawals up to a certain limit. However, some ATMs may charge additional fees, so it is best to withdraw larger amounts of cash to avoid multiple transactions.

As you can see, using Revolut abroad is a great way to save money on foreign exchange fees and to have access to your funds while traveling. With a little bit of planning and preparation, you can use your Revolut card with confidence and ease.

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Go cashless with revolut.

One of the very first things I can tell you is that I have started to use cash less and less since I have Revolut . In both Iceland and Sweden, I haven’t even seen a coin or bill. In Japan, we withdrew money from ATMs as the country itself is still quite cash-demanding, but we used the card as well.

Since it provides so many options to go cashless, I love Revolut for this now. You have the physical card, of course, but you also have virtual cards you can use. You can also add it to ApplePay or other wallet apps, send and receive money easily and instantly if it’s between Revolut users, and use all of the other cool features that enable you to go cash-free.

Making Payments

Revolut offers an array of convenient ways to make payments while traveling. Users can make instant payments worldwide, hassle-free, and at great rates. Here are some ways to make payments with Revolut:

• Physical Card: Ensure to order a physical card in advance for card-present payments and cash withdrawals. With a physical card, users can make payments at any Point of Sale (POS) terminal that accepts Mastercard or Visa.
• Virtual Card: Users can create virtual cards on their Revolut app. Virtual cards are ideal for online payments, as they provide an extra layer of security. Users can create a virtual card for each online store they use, and if the card is compromised, they can delete it without affecting other cards.
• QR Code: Revolut users can make payments using QR codes. To pay with a QR code, users need to scan the code using their Revolut app and confirm the payment amount.
• Peer-to-Peer Payments: Revolut allows users to send and receive money instantly with other Revolut users for free. Users can also send money to non-Revolut users by using their phone number or email address.

It is important to note that Revolut charges a small fee for some transactions, such as ATM withdrawals and currency exchange, especially for bigger amounts of money. Users should check the fees and limits section of the app before making any payments.

Exchanging Currency

When traveling abroad, exchanging currency is a necessary task. With Revolut, travelers can exchange over 30 currencies at real rates with no admin fee. When exchanging currency, Revolut offers several options to choose from. Users can either exchange currency manually or set up automatic exchanges to avoid travel fund shortages.

It’s important to note that a small fee can apply for exchanging currencies, especially if doing so during the weekend or for bigger amounts of money in any rolling 30-day period. Before performing any exchange, you will see in the app if you have any incurring fees that will be added to your transaction. This way, you can decide for yourself if you’re willing to pay the price or not.

Send money to other Revolut users

Whether they are traveling with you or not, your friends might benefit from instant transfers if they’re Revolut users. Especially if you’re traveling as a group, common expenses will appear all the time, and it’s so easy to send money like this. The app basically works like a chat to send money, this is how simple it is.

The transfer will be instant if the recipient has a Revolut account, and they will receive a notification of the transfer. If they don’t have a Revolut account, they will receive a text message with instructions on how to sign up and claim the transfer. Revolut offers free transfers to other Revolut users, so you won’t have to worry about any fees or hidden costs.

There are quite a few ways to send money to group members through Revolut, and I will go into more detail below. But keep in mind that you can either send them money straight away, request money yourself from other people, use the Split the Bill feature, or even have group vaults.

Splitting bills in a group

When traveling with a group, splitting bills can be a hassle and cause unnecessary stress. Fortunately, Revolut offers a feature called Group Bills that makes it easy to split expenses with friends and family. To get started with Group Bills, simply create a group and invite your friends or family members to join.

Once everyone has joined, you can start adding bills to the group. Each bill can be split evenly among the members or you can specify how much each person owes. Revolut also allows users to add notes and receipts to each bill, making it easier to keep track of expenses and avoid any confusion or disputes.

When it’s time to settle up, Revolut makes it easy to transfer money between group members. You can either transfer the full amount owed or just a portion of it.

It’s important to note that Group Bills might be only available for users with a Premium or Metal account. However, even if you have a Standard account, you can still split bills with other Revolut users by using the Split Bill feature.

Overall, Revolut’s Group Bills feature is a convenient and stress-free way to split expenses when traveling with a group. By using this feature, you can avoid awkward conversations about money (I’m not the only one who feels that discussions about money are shameful, right?) and ensure that everyone pays their fair share.

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Using vaults for common expenses.

Another way to handle shared expenses with your group is by using Vaults. This is a feature that allows users to save money for specific purposes, such as (what a coincidence) travel expenses. This feature can be used to save for common expenses that travelers may encounter, such as accommodation, transportation, food, and activities.

To use Vaults for common expenses, travelers can create a Vault for each expense category and set a savings goal for each. For example, a traveler may create a Vault for accommodation and set a goal of $500. The traveler can then add money to the Vault as they save for their trip.

Using Vaults for common expenses can help travelers budget for their trips more effectively. By setting a savings goal for each expense category, travelers can ensure that they have enough money to cover all of their expenses without overspending.

In addition to setting a savings goal, travelers can also set up recurring transfers to their Vaults. This can help them save automatically and avoid the temptation to spend money that they have set aside for their trip. Travelers can also use Group Vaults to save money with friends or family members who are traveling with them. This can be useful for shared expenses, such as accommodation or transportation.

Using Vaults for common expenses can help travelers budget for their trips more effectively and avoid overspending. By setting a savings goal for each expense category and using recurring transfers, travelers can ensure that they have enough money to cover all of their expenses and enjoy their trip without worrying about money.

Setting Money Aside for Trips

Traveling can be expensive, and it’s important to budget accordingly. One way to do this is by setting money aside specifically for your trip. With Revolut , setting money aside for trips (or anything else really that you know you need to save for) is easy and convenient.

Revolut offers two features you can use to save money: Vaults and Pockets. Vaults allow you to add money to a fund (or multiple), similar to a money jar you would have on your counter. You can set recurring deposits so that you ensure you have constant input, and you can even set it so that it sends any loose change to one of the vaults. This is actually cool as you won’t miss those few dollars you save from every purchase you make, but it will all add up in your vault.

Pockets are a way to budget accordingly. Basically, you create collections of bills for different purposes, like household needs, recurring fees, and so on, and it keeps you on track with your spending habits. If you want to be financially responsible, knowing your expenses and having a good overview will help you immensely with this.

Paying for Accommodation and Flights

When it comes to paying for accommodation and flights, Revolut offers several options to make it easier for travelers to manage their expenses. They also provide cool benefits like cashback and awesome exchange rates, so booking your travel needs with Revolut is not only easy but also beneficial.

One of the simplest ways to pay for accommodation and flights is to top up your Revolut account and use the funds to make payments directly. This method is especially useful for those who prefer to have a set budget for their trip and want to avoid overspending. Also, sometimes it’s better to book them in the currency of the other party, especially when it comes to accommodation.

Revolut also offers virtual cards that can be used to pay for accommodation and flights. These cards are generated within the app and can be used for online purchases. They are especially useful for those who prefer to keep their physical card details secure and avoid the risk of fraud. We’ll discuss more about these safety features later, don’t worry, just keep it in mind for the moment.

Withdrawing Money at ATMs

Revolut offers its users a convenient and cost-effective way to withdraw cash while traveling abroad. With more than 55,000 in-network ATMs, Revolut makes cash withdrawals easy, fast, and free (under certain conditions). Users can withdraw up to $200 per month at out-of-network ATMs with no hidden fees.

When withdrawing cash from an ATM, it is important to choose either a ‘checking’ or ‘savings’ account. If the ATM asks whether you would like to complete the transaction ‘with conversion’ or ‘without conversion’, you should always choose ‘without conversion’. As a rule of thumb, users should always opt to be charged in the local currency of the country they’re in.

Revolut users should also pay attention to the “Charged by ATM” amount when checking their latest transactions. If the amount is equal to the fixed amount that the user was trying to withdraw, there is no additional fee. For example, if a user is trying to withdraw 5000 JPY in Japan and the “Charged by ATM” amount is also 5000 JPY, there is no additional fee.

It is important to note that Revolut offers a free withdrawal limit of up to 200 EUR/USD/GBP per month for basic service users. While exceeding the limit, a fee is charged. The limit mentioned above is reset after a month from the moment of making the first withdrawal.

To ensure a smooth and hassle-free experience while traveling, Revolut users should verify their identity in the Personal details section, order a physical card in advance for card-present payments and cash withdrawals, and top-up their account via bank transfer. Adding money automatically can help avoid travel fund shortages.

Using One-Time Cards

Revolut offers a unique feature called one-time cards that can be used for online purchases. These virtual cards are a great way to protect your primary card from fraud and unauthorized transactions. Especially when you’re making payments for more “exotic” things, like accommodation bought from a local guesthouse in a 3rd world country, single-use cards are a great way to protect your money from fraud.

One-time cards are generated for a single transaction and are destroyed after. Once the transaction is complete, the card becomes invalid, and a new one must be generated for the next purchase. This feature is particularly useful when making purchases on unfamiliar or untrusted websites. To use one-time cards, simply generate a new virtual card in the Revolut app , set a spending limit, and use it to make the online purchase. The spending limit can be set to a specific amount or expire after a certain time period, adding an extra layer of security.

One-time cards can also be used for recurring payments, such as subscriptions or memberships. By setting a spending limit and expiration date, you can ensure that the subscription is canceled automatically if the card is no longer valid. Another advantage of using one-time cards is that they do not reveal your primary card number, adding an extra layer of privacy. If a merchant’s website is compromised, your primary card details will not be exposed, reducing the risk of fraudulent activity.

If you’re worried about the safety of your items while traveling, check out my detailed post on ways to keep your valuables safe while traveling . You’ll find it quite useful, I’m sure!

Blocking Features for Security

Revolut offers several blocking features to help ensure the security of your account and your money while traveling. These features can be accessed through the app and can be used to block or unblock your card, set transaction limits, and more.

One of the most useful blocking features is the ability to block and unblock your card instantly. This can be done through the app, and it allows you to quickly and easily prevent any unauthorized transactions from taking place. If you suspect that your card has been lost or stolen, you can block it immediately to prevent any further transactions from occurring. Once you have found your card or received a replacement, you can unblock it just as easily.

Another useful blocking feature is the ability to set transaction limits. This allows you to limit the amount of money that can be spent on your card in a given period of time. For example, you can set a daily limit on ATM withdrawals or a monthly limit on online purchases. This can help prevent fraudulent transactions and ensure that you stay within your budget while traveling.

Revolut also offers the ability to block certain types of transactions. For example, you can disable contactless payments or enable location-based security features if you know that you won’t be using them. This can help prevent your card from being used fraudulently or cloned. In addition to these blocking features, Revolut also offers a number of security features to help protect your account. These include face ID for mobile devices, biometric login, and the ability to freeze your account if you suspect that there has been unauthorized access.

The blocking features offered by Revolut can help ensure the security of your account and your money while traveling. By taking advantage of these features, you can enjoy peace of mind and focus on enjoying your trip. And even more important, you can tailor them to your needs, straight away, from the app.

Keeping Only a Small Amount of Money

When traveling, it is important to keep only a small amount of money on hand to avoid losing a large sum of cash in case of theft or misplacement. Revolut offers a convenient solution for travelers to keep their money safe and secure while on the go. Using the top-up feature, you can keep as little or as much money as you want on Revolut, and keep your main bank card safely at home or at the hotel.

While abroad, you can think of your Revolut card as “the one you can afford to lose”. It’s not planned to do so, but in case it happens, you have minimal damage to your main account. Even if you get robbed, you can just give up on this card and at least you have your main one safe. If you don’t lose your phone in the incident, you can even block the card immediately and you’ll keep your money safe from a distance.

Exchanging Leftover Currency

When traveling abroad, it’s common to have leftover currency when returning home. Unfortunately, exchanging this currency back for your home currency can come with high fees and unfavorable exchange rates, and it’s the last thing you want to worry about right before you leave home, or worse when you arrive back in your home country. However, with Revolut, exchanging leftover currency is easy and cost-effective.

Revolut allows users to exchange over 30 currencies at a competitive exchange rate. This means that users can exchange their leftover currency without worrying about unfavorable exchange rates or high fees, wherever they are, and no matter what amount they have left. I was often left with a few dollars in foreign currency upon leaving a country, an amount any exchange office won’t even accept if I wanted to.

There are also situations when you cannot exchange currency abroad. For certain currencies, you can only get it from inside that country, and that’s it. You cannot get it abroad, at all. So if you have to change it back, you have to take this into account before leaving but keep in mind all the other expenses you have left. This makes you often exchange at the airport before departure, and we all know the exchange rates at the airport offices.

Connecting to Apple Pay or Wallet

Revolut makes it easy to connect your account to Apple Pay or Wallet, allowing you to use your Revolut card to make purchases with your Apple or Android devices. Once you have added your Revolut card to Apple Pay, you can use it to make purchases in-store, online, and in-app. One of the benefits of using Apple Pay with Revolut is that it adds an extra layer of security to your transactions. When you use Apple Pay, your card details are never shared with the merchant, reducing the risk of fraud.

In addition, using Apple Pay with Revolut allows you to take advantage of features like automatic transaction categorization and spending alerts, helping you keep track of your expenses while you travel. Plus, you don’t even take your card out, making you less noticeable to people around you that might be interested in where you’re keeping your wallet.

Creating a Revolut <18 Account

Revolut offers a great solution for parents who want to give their children a taste of financial independence while keeping a watchful eye on their spending. With a Revolut <18 account, parents can easily manage their children’s finances and teach them valuable money management skills. And when you go on vacation and they keep asking for stuff without realizing what a budget is, you might want to teach them this lesson.

What’s nice about this feature is that the parent can control everything to their own liking and comfort. As a parent, you are in full control of how much money your kid has, what expenses are made, and how much or little freedom you give them with this responsibility. This way, you ensure they learn healthy spending habits, and they get to enjoy a bit of independence. I call that a win-win!

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Revolut offers its users the opportunity to access airport lounges all around the world. This is a great feature for those who want to relax and unwind before their flight. In order to access the lounges, Revolut users need to purchase a Lounge Pass through the app.

The Lounge Pass feature is available to all only to Premium and Metal users and provides access to over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide. The Lounge Pass is valid for one visit to a lounge and can be refundable under certain conditions. This offers a nice way to wait for your flight, especially if traveling for business reasons when you might want to catch up on some extra work before take-off.

Revolut users can also access airport lounges through SmartDelay. SmartDelay is a feature that automatically sends Lounge Passes to users if their flight is delayed by an hour or more. This is available to all Revolut Premium and Metal customers. Premium customers can bring one guest into the lounge, while Metal users receive three guest passes.

It is important to note that Lounge Passes are subject to availability and some lounges may be excluded from the Lounge Pass feature. Users should also check the terms and conditions of each lounge they wish to visit, as some lounges may have specific rules or restrictions.

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Using Revolut’s Travel Insurance

Revolut offers travel insurance benefits to its Premium and Metal account holders. The insurance package is provided by Allianz Partners, a leading global insurance company.

To be eligible for the coverage, the account holder must be a resident of the UK or the EEA, between 18 and 75 years of age, and have their primary residence registered with their Revolut account. The insurance covers emergency medical expenses, trip cancellation or curtailment, personal accidents, baggage loss, and more.

The insurance is activated automatically when the account holder travels outside of their home country or more than 100 km further away from their residency home. The coverage is valid for up to 40 consecutive days per trip, with a maximum of 182 days per year. It is important to note that travel insurance is not available to Revolut Standard account holders. Moreover, the insurance does not cover pre-existing medical conditions, extreme sports, or certain high-risk activities.

To make a claim, the account holder must contact Allianz Partners directly through the Revolut app. The claims process is simple and straightforward, and the insurer aims to process claims within 48 hours. Revolut’s travel insurance benefits are a valuable addition to the company’s suite of travel-related services. However, it is important to read the terms and conditions carefully to understand the coverage and limitations of the insurance package.

If you’re planning to only use the Standard Revolut account, I cannot recommend SafetyWing enough. They have a great travel insurance policy that has unbeatable prices, great coverage, and awesome perks like being able to change it on the go and children being insured for free if traveling with their parents. Check out my detailed SafeyWing review for more information.

Referring Friends for Rewards

I know, I know, this is not precisely travel related, but hear me out. Some of these super helpful ways to use Revolut for your travel needs are dependent on your travel companions being Revolut users as well. And to be honest, once you have it, you’ll use it in your home country as well, as it’s just so easy to use for day-to-day things.

Revolut offers a referral program that rewards users for inviting friends to join the platform. The program is a win-win for both the referral and the referrer, as the referral receives an incentive for joining, and the referrer receives a reward for inviting them. The reward for referring a friend varies based on the current promotion, but it can range from a few dollars to as much as $40 per referral. Users can refer as many friends as they want, and there is no limit to the number of rewards they can earn.

It is important to note that the reward is only given once the referral completes certain steps, such as signing up for an account, verifying their identity, and making a transaction using their Revolut card. Users should also keep in mind that rewards may take up to 30 days to appear in their accounts. These steps are clearly stated when you invite your friends, so you both know what you’re getting yourself into.

FAQ about using Revolut for travel expenses

Can revolut be used as a travel card.

Yes, Revolut can be used as a travel pre-paid debit card. It is a digital financial app that offers multi-currency accounts and allows you to spend and withdraw money abroad without hidden currency exchange fees.

Is Revolut good for traveling?

Yes, Revolut is great for traveling. It is a convenient and cost-effective way to manage your money while abroad. It offers free ATM withdrawals, and competitive exchange rates, and allows you to spend in over 150 currencies without any hidden fees.

How to use Revolut abroad?

To use Revolut abroad, you need to ensure that your identity is verified in the Personal Details section. You should also order a physical card in advance for card-present payments and cash withdrawals. Top up your account, make a first payment to ensure it’s activated, and you’re good to go!

How do you spend euros on Revolut?

To spend euros on Revolut, you need to ensure that your account is topped up with euros. You can do this by transferring euros from your bank account or by exchanging currency from other accounts. All of this can easily be done from the app.

What’s the withdrawal limit for euro for Revolut?

The withdrawal limit for Revolut varies depending on the type of account you have, the amount you wish to withdraw, and some other conditions that may apply. Standard accounts have a monthly limit of €200 for ATM withdrawals, while Premium and Metal accounts have a monthly limit of €400 and €600, respectively.

Why get a Revolut card for travel?

Getting a Revolut card for travel is a good idea because it offers a range of benefits, including (mostly) free ATM withdrawals, competitive exchange rates, and the ability to spend in over 150 currencies with transparent fees. It is also a convenient and secure way to manage your money while abroad.

Can I use Revolut for travel?

Yes, you can use Revolut for travel. It is a digital financial app that offers multi-currency accounts and allows you to spend and withdraw money abroad without hidden currency exchange fees.

Can I use my Revolut card abroad for free?

Yes, you can use your Revolut card abroad without additional expenses. Revolut offers (mostly) free ATM withdrawals, competitive exchange rates, and the ability to spend in over 150 currencies.

What are the disadvantages of a Revolut card?

The main disadvantage of a Revolut card is that it is not accepted everywhere. Some merchants may not accept digital financial apps or may charge a fee for using them. Additionally, Revolut may not be suitable for everyone, especially those who prefer traditional banking methods.

Which ATMs can Revolut use?

Revolut can be used at any ATM that accepts Visa or Mastercard. However, some ATM operators may charge a fee for using their machines, and they should state so before you withdraw the money. Revolut has no control over these fees.

How to use Revolut for travel – The takeaway

In conclusion, Revolut is a reliable and convenient way to manage your finances while traveling. With its user-friendly app, competitive exchange rates, and low fees for international transactions, it’s no wonder why so many travelers are turning to Revolut as their go-to financial tool. By following the tips outlined in this article and taking advantage of all that Revolut has to offer, you can travel with peace of mind knowing that your money is safe and secure.

Now that you know better how to use Revolut for travel, you can better decide if it’s a good fit for you or not. So what are you waiting for? Sign up for Revolut today and start experiencing hassle-free travel like never before!

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Money latest: Chocolate is a superfood - if you buy these bars

Read all today's personal finance and consumer news below - and leave a comment on any of the stories we're covering.

Friday 10 May 2024 22:26, UK

• UK exits recession, official figures show
• Ed Conway:  Three reasons to be gleeful about the ONS figures
• Interest rate held at 5.25% | Bank of England: June rate cut 'not ruled out but not fait accompli'

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• PG Tips enlists stars in big-budget ad after falling behind competitors - but poll shows Britons prefer rival
• My daughter discovered undeclared £600 management fee after buying her flat - can we complain?
• Best of the Money blog - an archive

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If you've missed any of the features we've been running in Money this year, or want to check back on something you've previously seen in the blog, this archive of our most popular articles may help...

Loaves of bread have been recalled from shelves in Japan after they were found to contain the remains of a rat.

Production of the bread in Tokyo has been halted after parts of a "small animal" were found by at least two people.

Pasco Shikishima Corp, which produces the bread, said 104,000 packages have been recalled as it apologised and promised compensation.

A company representative told Sky News's US partner network, NBC News, that a "small black rat" was found in the bread. No customers were reported to have fallen ill as a result of ingesting the contaminated bread.

"We deeply apologise for the serious inconvenience and trouble this has caused to our customers, suppliers, and other concerned parties," the spokesman said.

Pasco added in a separate statement that "we will do our utmost to strengthen our quality controls so that this will never happen again. We ask for your understanding and your co-operation."

Japanese media reports said at least two people who bought the bread in the Gunma prefecture, north-west of Tokyo, complained to the company about finding a rodent in the bread.

Record levels of shoplifting appear to be declining as fewer shopkeepers reported thefts last year, new figures show. 

A survey by the Office for National Statistics shows 26% of retailers experienced customer theft in 2023, down from a record high of 28% in 2022.

This comes despite a number of reports suggesting shoplifting is becoming more frequent. 

A  separate ONS finding , which used police crime data, showed reports of shoplifting were at their highest level in 20 years in 2023, with law enforcements logging 430,000 instances of the crime.

Let's get you up to speed on the biggest business news of the past 24 hours. 

A privately owned used-car platform is circling Cazoo Group, its stricken US-listed rival, which is on the brink of administration.

Sky News has learnt that Motors.co.uk is a leading contender to acquire Cazoo's marketplace operation, which would include its brand and intellectual property assets.

The process to auction the used-car platform's constituent parts comes after it spent tens of millions of pounds on sponsorship deals in football, snooker and darts in a rapid attempt to gain market share.

The owner of British Airways has reported a sharp rise in profits amid soaring demand for trips and a fall in the cost of fuel.

International Airlines Group said its operating profit for the first three months of the year was €68m (£58.5m) - above expectations and up from €9m (£7.7m) during the same period in 2023.

The company, which also owns Aer Lingus, Iberia and Vueling, said earnings had soared thanks to strong demand, particularly over the Easter holidays.

The prospect of a strike across Tata Steel's UK operations has gained further traction after a key union secured support for industrial action.

Community, which has more than 3,000 members, said 85% voted in favour of fighting the India-owned company's plans for up to 2,800 job losses, the majority of them at the country's biggest steelworks in Port Talbot, South Wales.

Tata confirmed last month it was to press ahead with the closure of the blast furnaces at the plant, replacing them with electric arc furnaces to reduce emissions and costs.

In doing so, the company rejected an alternative plan put forward by the Community, GMB and Unite unions that, they said, would raise productivity and protect jobs across the supply chain.

Rishi Sunak has told Sky News that the UK exiting recession shows the economy has "turned a corner". 

He told our economics editor Ed Conway : "I am pleased that while there's more work to do, today's figures show that the economy now has real momentum, and I'm confident that with time, people will start to feel the benefits of that.

"We've had multiple months now where wages are rising, energy bills have fallen, mortgage rates are down and taxes are being cut... I'm pleased with the progress that we're making."

Mr Sunak added: "I am confident the economy is getting healthier every week."

Lidl will increase staff wages for the third time in 12 months, the supermarket has announced. 

Shop workers in London will get £13.65, up from £13.55, while staff elsewhere will get a rise from a minimum £12 to £12.40 - at a cost of £2.5m to Lidl.

The supermarket invested £37m in pay increases in March, on top of £8m in September - a total of more than £50m in the past 12 months. 

The increase comes into effect from 1 June. 

Lidl GB chief executive Ryan McDonnell said: "As we continue to expand, we are welcoming more customers and attracting more colleagues into the business every day.

"It's absolutely right, therefore, that we continue to offer industry-leading pay."

Tech giant Apple has apologised after an advert for its new iPad model prompted outrage.  

The ad promoting the thinnest-ever iPad shows creative tools including cameras, books, paint cans and musical instruments being crushed in an industrial press.

But many, including celebrities like Hugh Grant, decried the crushing of artistic objects.

In a statement released to Ad Age, Tor Myhren, Apple's vice president of marketing communications, said: "Creativity is in our DNA at Apple, and it's incredibly important to us to design products that empower creatives all over the world.

"Our goal is to always celebrate the myriad of ways users express themselves and bring their ideas to life through iPad. We missed the mark with this video, and we're sorry."

By Daniel Binns, business reporter

The FTSE 100 has been propelled to another record high this morning after official figures showed that the UK is now out of recession.

The index, of the London Stock Exchange's 100 most valuable companies, is up more than 0.5% and hit an intraday (during the day) high of 8,433 points earlier.

The score is based on a calculation of the total value of the shares on the index.

It comes after officials revealed that gross domestic product (GDP) in the UK grew by a better-than-expected 0.6% during the first three months of the year. 

However, commentators said investors had been buoyed more by the rising cost of metals, along with suggestions from the Bank of England yesterday that interest rates could be cut soon . 

Russ Mould, from investment platform AJ Bell, said: "Given its international horizons, this has little to do with the UK's better-than-expected GDP growth and is largely being driven by strength in the resources space where higher metals prices and the promise of M&A [mergers and acquisitions] are helping to stoke share prices.

"The next key test of the index's new-found vim and vigour will likely come next week in the form of US inflation figures. Investors have broadly accepted rate cuts won't be as deep or come as soon as would have been anticipated at the start of the year. However, any signs inflation is proving much more stubborn than predicted would still represent a shock to the system for financial markets."

Among the movers on Friday is UK-based mining firm Anglo American. 

Its shares are up almost 2% after reports that industry giant Rio Tinto has been considering a multibillion-pound takeover of the firm. It comes after Anglo American rejected a bid from rival BHP.  

Meanwhile, shares in Vodafone are up more than 2% after the government conditionally approved its plans to merge with fellow mobile operator Three. However, an investigation into the deal by the UK's competition watchdog is still ongoing, meaning it’s not a done deal yet. 

On the flip side, property listings website Rightmove is down nearly 6% this morning. It comes after the company cut its advertising revenue growth estimates in a trading update.

Rightmove said higher mortgage rates and lengthier completion times for sales were likely to weigh on buyer sentiment in the coming months, but it also forecast a better year for the UK residential market as a whole.

On the currency markets, £1 buys $1.25 US or €1.16.

Sainsbury's is running a scheme that allows some shoppers to earn easy Nectar card points. 

To earn extra points, shoppers just need to spend £1 across multiple transactions at Sainsbury's this month. 

The supermarket says the scheme is available to "millions" of customers, though all it would say about the eligibility criteria is that it's "based on a range of factors".

Check if you're eligible

Log into your nectar card app and check to see if you have this message...   

Make sure you opt in once you see the message. 

From there, you simply need to spend £1 or more five times - earning extra points each time. 

The number of bonus points on offer varies for each customer.

The offer runs until 4 June. 

Britain is not just out of recession. 

It is out of recession with a bang.

The economic growth reported this morning by the Office for National Statistics is not just faster than most economists expected, it's also the fastest growth we've seen since the tailend of the pandemic, when the UK was bouncing back from lockdown.

But, more than that, there are three other facts that the prime minister and chancellor will be gleeful about (and you can expect them to be talking about this number for a long time).

First, it's not just that the economy is now growing again after two quarters of contraction - that was the recession. 

An economic growth rate of 0.6% is near enough to what economists used to call "trend growth", back before the crisis - in other words, it's the kind of number that signifies the economy growing at more or less "normal" rates. 

And normality is precisely the thing the government wants us to believe we've returned to.

Second, that 0.6% means the UK is, alongside Canada, the fastest-growing economy in the G7 (we've yet to hear from Japan, but economists expect its economy to contract in the first quarter).

Third, it's not just gross domestic product that's up. So too is gross domestic product per head - the number you get when you divide our national income by every person in the country. After seven years without any growth, GDP per head rose by 0.4% in the first quarter. 

And since GDP per head is a better yardstick for the "feelgood factor", perhaps this means people will finally start to feel better off.

But this is where the problems come in. 

Because while this latest set of GDP figures is undoubtedly positive, the numbers that came before are undoubtedly grim.

GDP per head is still considerably lower, in real terms, than it was in 2022, before Liz Truss's disastrous mini-budget, or for that matter lower than in early 2019.

Raising another question: when people think about the state of the economy ahead of the election (and obviously these new figures are likely to increase the speculation about the date of the election), do they put more weight on the years of economic disappointment or the bounce back after them?

Do they focus on the fact that we're now growing at decent whack or on the fact that their income per head is, in real terms, no higher today than it was five years ago?

These are the questions we will all be mulling in the coming months - as the next election approaches. One thing is for sure: this won't be the last time you hear about these GDP numbers.

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Revolut Debuts Crypto Exchange for Professional UK Traders

British FinTech Revolut has unveiled a stand-alone cryptocurrency exchange for professional crypto traders. 

Revolut X, announced Tuesday (May 7), is designed to compete with other top exchanges by offering easy on and off ramping, and low fees, according to a Tuesday blog post from the company. 

“We put the customer at the heart of everything we do, and understand that competitive fees as well as easy on and off ramping are at the heart of what experienced traders want from a crypto platform,” said Leonid Bashlykov , head of crypto exchange product at Revolut, according to a Tuesday report from The Block.

“Revolut X along with our recent partnership with MetaMask, further consolidates our product offering in the world of Web3,” Bashlykov added, per a Payment Expert report . 

In the wake of Tuesday’s launch, crypto traders can buy and sell more than 100 tokens through a desktop version of the new stand-alone exchange platform, Revolut said in its blog post. The company said the platform offers flat fees of 0.09% for the taker and no fees for the maker. 

The company added that traders must have a Revolut retail account to use the new exchange, and issued a warning alongside the announcement:  “Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high‑risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong.”

The launch comes as Revolut’s home country is  preparing legislation  governing stablecoins and crypto staking, exchange and custody, which could arrive this summer.

“We are now working at pace to deliver the legislation to put our final proposals for our regime in place,” Economic Secretary  Bim Afolami said last month at the Innovate Finance Global Summit. “Once it goes live, a whole host of crypto asset activities, including operating an exchange, taking custody of customers’ assets and other things, will come within the regulatory perimeter for the first time.” 

The British government announced last fall plans to bring  fiat-backed stablecoins  under the oversight of the Bank of England, Financial Conduct Authority and Payment Systems Regulator. 

This “altogether will aim to minimize potential for customer harm and mitigate the conduct, prudential and financial stability risks arising from those stablecoins, particularly when used for payments,” the government said in its announcement.

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After getting billions in federal funding, Amtrak is ‘trying to claw 19th century and 20th century assets and pull them into the 21st century,’ CEO says

Every day, several speeding Amtrak trains slow down from a rip-roaring 110 miles per hour to a 30-mile-per-hour crawl as they navigate a tight turn through a 151-year-old tunnel. 

Built in 1873, the Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel was hailed at the time as an engineering marvel. It connected Washington, D.C., to Baltimore by rail and allowed farmers from Maryland to bring their crops to markets in the city. Now, more than a century and a half later, the 1.4-mile tunnel is the poster child for the country’s neglected rail infrastructure that has been so often caught up in political squabbles, leaving everyday citizens—in this case commuters—to suffer the consequences. 

Last March, Amtrak, armed with $66 billion in funding from the 2021 infrastructure bill, began a $6 billion project to build a new tunnel that’s scheduled to open in 2035. That was just one of dozens of rail updates across the country that have started since the bill was passed.

“Right now, we’re primarily trying to claw 19th century and 20th century assets and pull them into the 21st century,” Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner told Fortune in an interview.  

In fact, some trains traverse infrastructure so old it may have carried Civil War veterans on the same tracks that helped the pioneers settle the West. Along with the Baltimore and Potomac Tunnel, Amtrak has a smattering of similarly antiquated infrastructure throughout the Northeast. Elsewhere in Maryland, trains rattle over the Susquehanna Bridge that was built in 1906, when Theodore Roosevelt was president and there were still only 46 states in the U.S. Meanwhile, the Sawtooth Bridge, built just a year later, still shuttles commuters across northern New Jersey.

Bridges and tunnels more than a century old are among the most eye-popping examples of the country’s aging rail network. But throughout the U.S., there are newer, but still outdated, pieces of infrastructure that limit train speeds, regularly causing congestion and delays. Decades-old tracks mean that, on certain sections of routes, trains can’t accelerate to top speeds, rendering modern locomotives moot.  

As Amtrak’s backlog of repairs accumulated over the years, lawmakers became less and less interested in ponying up the money needed to make them. That meant as infrastructure continued to languish, the price tag to fix them kept going up, which only made it an increasingly unappealing investment. Before the infrastructure bill, Amtrak had never received so much funding from the federal government, which subsidizes much of the company’s capital expenditures. Like most passenger rail operators, Amtrak doesn’t make enough money from ticket sales to finance the tens of billions of dollars it would need to regularly upgrade its tracks, buy new locomotives, and invest in new routes. To make matters worse, it’s often caught up in the back-and-forth of congressional politics, making the necessary funding hard to come by.  

“If you have to buy new equipment or do major infrastructure moves, you have to allocate money from the government to do that,” says University of Delaware civil engineering professor Allan Zarembski. “That’s what the rest of the world does. And Amtrak historically has been subject to the whims of the current administration or the current political climate.”  

Across the country, investment in infrastructure has lagged. On the Northeast Corridor alone, the country’s busiest train route which runs from Washington, D.C., to Boston, there are $45 billion worth of repair backlogs, according to the American Society for Civil Engineers. The outdated infrastructure along that stretch of the nation’s railroads led to a total of 328,000 minutes of train delays, equivalent to roughly 700 trips from D.C. to Boston, according to the same report.  

As of last November, Amtrak made a significant stride in addressing the accumulation of repairs along the Northeast Corridor. In conjunction with the Department of Transportation, Amtrak secured $16.4 billion in funding for 25 projects along the route. Among those projects is the construction of a new Hudson River Tunnel between New York and New Jersey. The original was built in 1910 and suffered severe saltwater damage during Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Once the new tunnel opens, the original would close for repairs before eventually reopening for the more than 400 daily trains that travel on that route. 

In Maryland, the Susquehanna Bridge is set to receive $2.1 billion for a faster track. Throughout the rail corridor, outdated tracks force trains to slow down, preventing them from hitting their top speeds. Another set of repairs slated for a 117-year-old bridge over the Connecticut River would allow trains to accelerate from 45 to 70 miles per hour. 

“We’re still operating basically, in many respects, a 19th century railway network that we’ve incrementally improved,” Gardner said.

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