Taking cash in or out of Canada? Read this.
Whether you call it the Great White North or just Canada, the reality is still that there are restrictions on how much cash you can take in or out. If you...
Planning to visit Canada soon from the UK? Whether you’re heading there for work or play, you’ll need to get your travel money sorted.
Revolut is one option for spending and managing your money abroad, but does it work in Canada?
We’ll cover everything you need to know about using your Revolut account in Canada here in this guide. This includes whether you can spend in Canadian dollars using your Revolut card, and if there are any fees you need to know about.
And while you’re comparing travel spending solutions, make sure to check out the Wise card from the money services provider Wise. It’s truly international, as you can use it in over 150 countries. Whenever you spend, this clever contactless card automatically converts your money to the local currency at a great exchange rate, only adding a small, transparent currency conversion fee.
Yes, you can use your Revolut account and card in Canada.
The card can be used anywhere that Visa and Mastercard are accepted¹. This includes shops, transport hubs, restaurants, bars and ATMs too.
Yes, the Canadian dollar (CAD) is one of the many major currencies that Revolut supports.
There are two options available for spending in Canada using Revolut:
It’s generally fee-free to use your Revolut card abroad. However, it depends when, how much you spend or withdraw - and whether a currency conversion is involved.
Here are some of the potential Revolut fees you need to know about when using the Standard plan (fees can differ for other tier plans):
Transaction | Revolut fee (Standard plan)³ |
---|---|
Additional merchant surcharge fees (for paying by card) | Set by the merchant (if applicable) |
Currency exchange transactions above £1,000 | 1% |
Currency exchanges on weekends | 1% |
ATM withdrawals over £200 (or more than 5 withdrawals) | 2%⁴ |
Alongside fees, it’s also important to factor in the exchange rate when comparing travel spending solutions.
Revolut uses their own Revolut exchange rate⁴ when you convert your GBP to CAD which can be different from the mid-market exchange rate. But more crucially, this is only for converting currency during the week. If you do it on a weekend, an additional 1% charge will apply to whatever you spend or convert.
If you are planning to stay in Canada for a while, you might be thinking of opening a Revolut account there. Unfortunately though, Revolut accounts, cards and the app aren’t available for customers in Canada at the moment.
Revolut had previously launched a beta version of its offering in Canada, but made the decision to withdraw from the country in March 2021. It promised to relaunch when the company had “more resources”, but there’s been no news of this yet.⁵
However, you can still send money from the UK to Canada, and use your UK-issued Revolut card when you travel to Canada.
You shouldn’t have to worry about spending on the weekends, not when you’re on holiday.
This is why alternatives providers like Wise offer the mid-market exchange rate all the time, with no extra charges for spending in CAD at weekends.
Open a Wise multi-currency account online and you can get a Wise card which you can use to spend in the local currency in over 150 countries, including Canada.
Your money is automatically converted to CAD at the mid-market exchange rate, so you don’t have to worry about pre-loading your account or converting cash. There’s only a small, upfront conversion fee to pay, or it's free if you already have CAD in your Wise account.
Need cash? You can even withdraw up to £200 a month from Canadian ATMs for free (although double-check that the ATM operator doesn’t charge its own fee).
Sources used:
Sources last checked on date: 12-Apr-2024
*Please see terms of use and product availability for your region or visit Wise fees and pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information.
This publication is provided for general information purposes and does not constitute legal, tax or other professional advice from Wise Payments Limited or its subsidiaries and its affiliates, and it is not intended as a substitute for obtaining advice from a financial advisor or any other professional.
We make no representations, warranties or guarantees, whether expressed or implied, that the content in the publication is accurate, complete or up to date.
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