Revolut Review 2026: Is It Worth Using?
If you’re looking for a bank account that does more than just sit there, Revolut is usually one of the first names that comes up. Travel spending, budgeting tools, kids’ accounts, cashback, investing — it tries to cover a lot of ground.
I’ve used Revolut for years, mainly as a secondary account rather than my main bank. Used properly, it’s very handy. Used blindly, it can feel a bit overrated.
Revolut review
Revolut is a strong all-round digital account. It’s particularly good for foreign spending and short trips abroad, offers useful budgeting tools, supports multiple currencies, and includes a free child account. Paid plans add insurance and perks, but value depends entirely on how much you’ll use them.
Pros
- Excellent for spending abroad
- Hold and exchange multiple currencies
- Free <18 child account
- Handy budgeting and security tools
Cons
- Limited fee-free allowances on the free plan
- Customer support is app-only unless you upgrade
Reviewed by Household Money SavingWhat is Revolut?
Revolut launched in 2015 with the aim of making money easier to manage internationally. There are no branches — everything is handled through the app.
In 2024, Revolut was granted a UK banking licence, and in 2026 it began transitioning customers to its new UK bank entity. Once fully rolled out, eligible deposits will be protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) up to £85,000.
You can use Revolut as:
• A travel card
• A secondary spending account
• A budgeting tool
• A kids’ account
• A light investing platform
You get a virtual card instantly and can order a physical Mastercard. It also works with Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Why people use Revolut
Spending abroad
This is Revolut’s biggest strength. You spend at the real exchange rate and can hold over 30 currencies at once.
On the free Standard plan:
• Fee-free currency exchange is capped at £1,000 per month
• A small markup applies to weekend exchanges
• ATM withdrawals are limited
For occasional travel, this is usually more than enough. I’ve used Revolut on city breaks and short holidays without paying a penny in FX fees.
If you travel frequently or spend large amounts abroad, the paid plans can work out cheaper — but only if you actually use the benefits.
Budgeting tools
Revolut’s budgeting features are genuinely useful. You can:
• Track spending by category
• Set monthly limits
• Split money into pots
• Link other bank accounts
I often use Revolut purely to separate holiday spending from my main bank, which makes keeping track far easier.
Revolut <18 (kids’ accounts)
One of the better free features. Children aged 6–17 get:
• Their own card
• A simple app to track spending
• Parental controls
You get one free <18 account on the Standard plan. Paid plans include more.
However, Revolut isn’t the only account to offer this type of feature. If you’re after a child’s account, take a look at my post on the best alternatives to GoHenry.
Virtual and disposable cards
Virtual cards are great for online shopping. Disposable virtual cards take it further by generating a new card number for every payment — ideal for subscriptions you might forget to cancel.
Is Revolut safe?
Revolut is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Historically, money held in Revolut accounts was safeguarded rather than protected by the FSCS. However, now that Revolut has a UK banking licence, customers are gradually being moved to the new bank entity where eligible balances will be covered by the FSCS up to £120,000, the same protection offered by traditional UK banks.
Security features are strong:
• Freeze and unfreeze cards instantly
• Spending notifications
• Disposable virtual cards
• App-based controls
I’ve had to freeze a card once after a suspicious transaction — it took seconds.
How much does it cost?
Feature | Standard (Free) | Plus | Premium | Metal | Ultra |
Monthly cost | £0 | £2.99 | £6.99 | £12.99 | £45 |
FX allowance | £1,000 | £1,000 | Higher fair usage | Higher fair usage | Higher fair usage |
Weekend FX markup | Yes | Yes | Reduced | Reduced | Reduced |
Fee-free ATM withdrawals | £200 | £200 | £400 | £800 | £2,000 |
Cashback on card spend | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Travel & lifestyle insurance | No | Some | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Lounge access | No | No | Discounted | Discounted | Unlimited |
Best for | Casual use | Light travel | Frequent travel | Heavy use | Power users |
For most people, the free Standard plan is enough. Paid plans only make sense if you regularly travel, withdraw cash abroad, or actually use the insurance benefits.
Ultra, at £45 per month, is very hard to justify unless you’re squeezing value out of the perks every single month.
Savings and investing
Savings Vaults
Revolut lets you earn interest on balances held in Vaults, paid daily. Rates depend on your plan.
On the Standard plan, rates are modest and easily beaten elsewhere. The headline rates (up to around 4.75%) are only available on the very expensive Ultra plan, which makes them hard to justify.
For serious savings, I’d look elsewhere. Vaults are fine for spare cash.
Investing
You can invest in stocks, crypto and commodities directly in the app. It’s convenient, but not the cheapest platform and not something I’d rely on for long-term investing. The learning modules are decent though — I’ve earned small crypto rewards just for completing them.
Revolut vs Curve: which is better?
Revolut and Curve solve different problems. Revolut is a full digital account with budgeting tools, euro balances and kids’ accounts. Curve is a smart card that links your existing debit and credit cards together.
If you’re choosing between the two, I’ve broken it down properly here:
Curve vs Revolut: which card should you actually use?
Is Revolut a good long-term euro account?
Revolut works well for short trips and occasional euro spending, especially if you stay within the free plan limits. On the Standard plan, fee-free currency exchange is capped at £1,000 per month, and weekend exchanges come with a small markup. Go over those limits and fees start to creep in.
If you regularly spend in euros, travel often, or want to hold euros long term, Revolut becomes less cost-effective. Monthly exchange caps, weekend markups and withdrawal limits can quietly add up.
In that situation, a dedicated euro account is often cheaper and easier to manage. Some UK accounts let you hold and spend euros with a single card, avoid weekend FX markups entirely, and remove monthly limits.
I’ve compared Revolut with other options here:
Best Euro accounts for UK residents (compared with Revolut)
Who Revolut isn’t ideal for
Revolut probably isn’t the right choice if you:
• Plan to hold large balances long term
• Need phone-based customer support
• Regularly exceed FX or ATM limits
What do other users think?
Revolut scores around 4.3 out of 5 on Trustpilot, with users praising the app and features. The most common complaints relate to account freezes, usually triggered by fraud checks.
Is Revolut worth it?
Yes — as a secondary account.
Revolut is excellent for:
• Travel spending
• Budgeting
• Kids’ accounts
• Online security
It’s not a full replacement for a UK current account and it’s not the best place for long-term savings.
But as a free or low-cost add-on, it earns its place.
Revolut alternatives
If Revolut isn’t quite right:
• Curve — combine multiple cards into one
• Wise — better for long-term multi-currency use
• Travel debit cards — see my best cards for travelling guide
FAQs
Is Revolut now a real bank in the UK?
Yes. Revolut received a UK banking licence in 2024 and began transitioning customers to its new UK bank entity in 2026. Once the rollout is complete, eligible balances will be protected by the FSCS up to £120,000.
Can Revolut replace your main bank account?
It can, but many people still prefer to use it as a secondary account for travel spending, budgeting or managing foreign currencies.
Is Revolut good for travel?
Not in the UK. It operates as an electronic money institution.
Can I transfer money back to my bank?
Yes. Revolut offers competitive exchange rates, supports over 30 currencies, and allows fee-free currency exchange up to £1,000 per month on the free plan.
Is there a Revolut credit card in the UK?
Currently, no. However, one is available to Lithuanian customers, so we could eventually see one in the UK.
