Revolut: Money & Investments is worth considering when your priority is Spending abroad without card surcharges. This remains the app's strongest pitch. Exchange between dozens of currencies happens at rates close to interbank, within a monthly allowance on the free plan, and the card charges no foreign-transaction markup of its own. Frequent travellers save real money compared with high-street bank cards.
Start with Multi-currency accounts and exchange: Hold, convert, and spend in a long list of currencies from a single balance screen. Free-plan users get a monthly fair-usage allowance for conversion before a markup applies, and a weekend surcharge has historically applied when markets are closed. Read the current fee page, since these limits change.
Spending abroad without card surcharges
This remains the app's strongest pitch. Exchange between dozens of currencies happens at rates close to interbank, within a monthly allowance on the free plan, and the card charges no foreign-transaction markup of its own. Frequent travellers save real money compared with high-street bank cards.
Managing money across two countries
People who earn in one currency and spend or send in another can hold balances side by side, convert when rates suit them, and get local account details for several currencies. Cross-border workers and expats make up a large share of the user base.
Budgeting and controlling subscriptions
Spending is categorised automatically, with per-category budgets, instant payment notifications, and a subscription view that flags recurring charges. Card freezing takes one tap, which turns the app into a decent damage-control tool when a card goes missing.
Multi-currency accounts and exchange
Hold, convert, and spend in a long list of currencies from a single balance screen. Free-plan users get a monthly fair-usage allowance for conversion before a markup applies, and a weekend surcharge has historically applied when markets are closed. Read the current fee page, since these limits change.
Disposable virtual cards
Paid plans include single-use virtual card numbers that regenerate after every online purchase, which neutralises card-detail theft from sketchy websites. Standard virtual cards, available to everyone, still beat typing your physical card number into an unfamiliar checkout.
Trading and savings
Stocks, ETFs, commodities, and cryptocurrencies can be traded in-app, alongside interest-bearing savings in supported countries. Convenient, but the investment products carry their own fees and risk, and the ease of one-tap crypto buying deserves more friction than it has.
Granular security controls
Location-based card security, per-card limits on contactless, swipe, and online payments, instant freeze, and biometric login are all standard. Two-factor protection is built into the login flow, which ties the account tightly to your phone number and device.
