Revolut Card Review 2026: Fees, Limits & Who It Suits

Revolut is the super-app approach to virtual cards: a free Standard plan with virtual and disposable single-use cards, balances in 30+ currencies, and an app that bundles banking, budgeting, investing and travel perks under one login.

Revolut built its name on cheap travel money, and the card remains its centrepiece. Every customer, including free Standard users, can create virtual cards for online spending, and its signature feature is the disposable virtual card: a card whose number self-destructs after each purchase and is replaced with a fresh one, making card-number theft from a breached merchant almost useless.

The account holds 30+ currencies and lets you exchange at interbank rates within plan allowances. Paid tiers (Premium, Metal, Ultra) raise those allowances and add travel insurance, lounge access and higher ATM limits; the free tier still covers most people's needs. One caveat to know upfront: on the free plan, currency exchange on weekends carries a 1% markup, and fair-usage caps apply to fee-free exchange amounts.

Revolut at a glance

Fees in detail

On Standard, the card itself is free and spending in a held currency is free. Currency exchange is free up to a monthly fair-usage allowance (commonly €1,000 or local equivalent) at the interbank rate on weekdays; beyond the allowance a 0.5% fee applies, and exchanges on weekends carry a 1% markup on major currencies. These two rules are where Revolut's 'free' reputation gets qualified — a big weekend currency conversion can cost more than Wise's flat conversion fee.

ATM withdrawals are free up to a plan allowance (typically €200/month on Standard), then 2%. Paid plans remove or soften most of these limits and add insurance-type benefits, but they are priced as subscriptions, so they only pay off if you use the perks. Card replacement and express delivery fees vary by country and are quoted in-app.

• Virtual and disposable cards: $0 on every plan
• Weekday FX within allowance: interbank rate, no fee (Standard)
• Weekend FX: +1% markup on Standard; FX above fair-usage cap: 0.5%
• ATM: free up to ~€200/month on Standard, then 2%
• Paid plans bundle higher limits, insurance and lounge access

Features and how it works

The disposable card is the headline, but the app depth matters too: instant spending notifications, per-card freezing, budgeting categories, vaults for saving, and junior accounts. Revolut also supports single-use and persistent virtual cards side by side, so you can keep subscriptions on a stable number while one-off purchases go through disposable numbers.

Beyond the card, Revolut offers in-app crypto and stock trading, international transfers, and travel features like eSIM data plans on higher tiers. That breadth is either the appeal or the clutter, depending on the user. For pure card purposes, the essentials — virtual cards, multi-currency balances, phone-wallet support — are all present and free.

• Disposable virtual cards that regenerate after every purchase
• Hold and exchange 30+ currencies at interbank rates (within allowances)
• Budgeting tools, vaults and instant notifications
• Apple Pay and Google Pay support
• Business accounts with team cards available

How to get the Revolut card

1. Download the Revolut app and register with your phone number and personal details.
2. Verify your identity with a government ID and a selfie — approval is usually minutes.
3. Top up by bank transfer or debit card (Apple Pay / Google Pay also work in many countries).
4. Open Cards and create a virtual card instantly; create a disposable card for one-off online purchases.
5. Optionally order a physical card, and add your cards to Apple Pay or Google Pay.

Who should choose Revolut?

Revolut suits app-first users who want one account for spending, travel money and extras — especially online shoppers who will actually use disposable cards. If you mostly convert large amounts on weekends or live outside its 30+ supported countries, Wise's simpler pricing or a regional alternative will fit better.

Practical notes

A few operational details round out the picture. Plan pricing and allowances are set per country, so the Premium or Metal subscription your friend pays for in London is not necessarily the one offered in New York or Sydney. The monthly exchange allowance resets on your billing cycle, not the calendar month, which trips up travellers who convert heavily at month-end. Never use the disposable card for hotel pre-authorisations, car rentals or anything that places a hold: the number dies after the first charge attempt, and the follow-up charge will fail. Revolut's regulatory status also varies — it operates as a licensed bank in the EEA, while in some other markets services are provided with partner institutions, which changes how deposits are protected. Finally, if you close a paid plan early after ordering a premium physical card, early-termination charges can apply; the card itself then reverts to standard terms.

Frequently asked questions

Keep comparing

Read the Wise review for the mid-market-rate alternative, or see both in our best virtual cards ranking.

Sources & methodology