Paying Abroad with Revolut: Everything You Need to Know

💡 Paying abroad used to mean one thing:

➡️ Cash, Cash, Cash.

Now it’s mostly contactless cards, Apple Pay, and quick ATM withdrawals when you need a bit of local money.

Revolut makes that easy. You can spend in other countries, convert currencies in the app, and withdraw cash almost anywhere. But there’s a catch: the final cost depends a lot on when you exchange money and which plan you have.

If you want predictable costs while travelling, it’s worth understanding how Revolut handles exchange rates, weekend markups, and usage limits.¹

Discover Wise 🚀

Can you use Revolut to pay abroad?

Yes. Revolut works in most countries and lets you pay in many different currencies with your physical or virtual card. You can use it in-store, online, and in many cases also add it to Apple Pay or Google Pay for quick tap-to-pay spending.

You can also withdraw cash at ATMs and exchange currencies in the Revolut app. That means Revolut can cover most travel essentials — from paying for dinner to pulling out cash for taxis or small shops.²

The part that matters most: your exchange rate

When you pay abroad, your cost is determined by the exchange rate used. Even small differences in the rate can add up quickly if you’re spending for a full weekend trip or a longer holiday.

Revolut shows exchange rates inside the app, so you can see what you’ll get before exchanging. But the price you pay can change depending on your plan, your limits, and whether it’s a weekday or weekend.³

Revolut weekend fees

💡 Here’s the thing some travellers only realise too late:

Revolut can charge extra on weekends for currency exchange.

Revolut weekend exchange fees may apply between 5pm Friday and 6pm Sunday (ET), depending on your plan. For Standard customers, the weekend fee is 1%, and for Plus customers, it’s 0.5%. Premium, Metal, and Ultra customers don’t pay this additional weekend fee.

This matters because many people travel on weekends. So if you exchange money or spend in a foreign currency during that time, you might pay more than expected — especially if you’re using Revolut’s free plan.⁴

Exchange limits at Revolut

Revolut also uses what it calls a fair usage limit for currency exchange on some plans. Once you exceed your plan’s limit, an extra fee applies.

For Revolut’s Standard plan it’s 1000 EUR per month, and once you exceed it, a 1% fair usage fee applies to additional exchanges. For the Plus plan, the exchange limit is 3000 EUR per month, and above that there’s a 0.5% fair usage fee. Premium, Metal, and Ultra plans don’t charge fair usage fees.

There is also a limit of 200 exchanges within 24 hours.

That means Revolut can still be a great travel option — but the free tier has boundaries. If you regularly spend abroad, exchange larger amounts, or travel frequently, it’s easy to hit those limits.⁵

So how expensive is Revolut abroad, really?

For many travellers, Revolut feels cheap because day-to-day spending is smooth and the app is easy. And for small trips, it can be very cost-effective — especially if you exchange money during weekdays and stay within your plan limits.

But costs can stack up quickly in a few scenarios.

💡 These are the classic cases:

➡️ You exchange money on the weekend (and your plan charges a weekend fee).

➡️ You go over your monthly exchange limit and get hit with fair usage fees.

➡️ You travel often and keep repeating those costs every month.

If you want a travel card that works without watching the calendar or tracking limits, it makes sense to consider a setup with predictable pricing.

A simpler alternative for travel: Wise

With Wise, you don’t need a subscription or a premium plan to unlock fair international spending. You get a multi-currency account built for real-life travel — and your costs stay clear whether you’re at home or abroad.

With a Wise account, you can hold money in 40+ currencies and convert whenever you need at the mid-market exchange rate (the rate you see on Google), with a small fee that’s shown upfront. There are no hidden exchange rate markups buried in the conversion.⁶

Save with Wise 💰

Spending abroad with the Wise card feels like spending at home

When you travel, the Wise card helps you pay in the local currency without turning every tap into a guessing game.

If you already have the currency you’re paying in (for example, DKK in Denmark), your card payment comes directly from that balance. If you don’t have it, Wise converts what you need automatically using the mid-market rate — with transparent fees.

This makes Wise especially useful for short trips and weekends away, because the pricing stays consistent and easy to understand — with no weekend markups.⁷

Cash withdrawals: you get flexibility without overpaying

Sometimes you still need cash.

With Wise, you can withdraw cash at ATMs, and you get a monthly free allowance that covers occasional withdrawals. You get 2 free withdrawals per month, as long as you don’t withdraw more than EUR 250 total. After that, you pay 1.75% on anything over EUR 250, and from the third withdrawal there’s also a EUR 0.50 fee per withdrawal.

This setup works well for travellers who mostly pay by card and only withdraw cash when necessary. And since the fees are published clearly, you always know what to expect before you withdraw.⁸

Quick travel tips to avoid extra fees (with any card)

No matter which card you use, these small habits can save real money.

➡️ When a payment terminal asks whether you want to pay in euros or the local currency, choose the local currency. Paying in euros often triggers poor conversion rates set by the merchant or ATM operator.

➡️ Avoid withdrawing cash multiple times in small amounts. One or two larger withdrawals usually cost less than many tiny withdrawals — especially when your provider charges a fixed fee after a free limit.

➡️ Exchange money when it makes sense for you. When you pay in a currency you already hold in your account, the payment comes directly from that balance. This can help you avoid unnecessary conversions while travelling, and it’s convenient because you don’t need to carry different cards or worry about choosing the right one for each country.

If you don’t have the currency you’re paying in, Wise can automatically convert the money for you, with fees shown transparently.

Final takeaway: Revolut works — but Wise stays predictable

Revolut is a convenient option for spending abroad, especially if you manage it well and stay within your plan limits. But weekend fees and exchange limits can make your trips unexpectedly more expensive if you’re not paying attention.

Wise gives you a straightforward alternative: hold 40+ currencies, convert at the mid-market rate, spend with a Wise card, and withdraw cash with clear monthly allowances — all without needing a premium subscription to unlock predictable travel pricing.

How to register with Wise

Registering with Wise is simple and straightforward. Here's how it works:

Step-by-step to your Wise account

💡 Open our website or app:

Whether on your laptop or mobile phone - start via Wise.com or directly in the Wise App.

💡 Choose account type:

Private or business - decide directly or later. Many use both, neatly separated.

💡 Register:

With email and password or via Google, Apple or Facebook. Entirely as you prefer.

💡 Verify:

Upload a valid identification document. For business accounts, additional company information is required.

💡 Confirm address:

Via electricity bill, tax assessment or bank statement - the main thing is: clearly legible and current.

💡 (Optional) Order Wise card:

Directly in the Wise App - physical or digitall. Perfect for travel, online shopping or spontaneous foreign currency expenses.

💡 Our tip:

Immediately set up a few currencies, test the Wise App, and receive your first payments. An account that thinks globally also opens up new possibilities.

Start now with your personal Wise multi-currency account 💡

FAQ

What’s the cheapest way to pay abroad with Wise?

The easiest way to keep costs low is to hold the currency you’ll spend in (for example, DKK in Denmark) and pay directly from that balance. If you don’t hold that currency, Wise converts automatically using the mid-market exchange rate with a transparent fee.

Is your money safe at Wise?

Yes — Wise Europe SA is a Payment Institution authorised by the National Bank of Belgium. Wise keeps your money safe through a mix of financial safeguards and account security features. Using a safeguarding model means your money is kept separate from Wise’s own funds.

On top of that, Wise uses security tools like two-factor authentication (2FA) and highlights biometrics and encryption to help protect your account from unauthorised access.⁹

How Wise keeps your money safe 👈

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Sources used (as of 06.05.2026):

1. Revolut fees
2. Where can I use my Revolut card
3. Exchange rate
4. Weekend fees
5. https://help.revolut.com/en-EE/help/wealth/exchanging-money/how-much-does-it-cost-to-make-an-exchange/will-i-be-charged-for-exchanging-foreign-currencies/
6. Fair usage fee
7. Wise multi-currency account
8. Wise card fees
9. ATM fees
10. Security at Wise