N26 vs Revolut: How do they compare?

N26¹ and Revolut² are both financial technology companies which are disrupting traditional banks. You may hear them described as neobanks or challenger banks, as they offer ways to manage your money using a mobile app with low fees and some great perks.

Unfortunately, N26 closed their US service from January 18, 2022. After this date, N26 is only available to customers based in mainland Europe.

If you’re looking for a simple, cheap way to send money with the mid-market exchange rate, and spend and make withdrawals with an international debit card, check out the Wise account. You’ll get a free account with currency exchange at the mid-market rate, and no hidden fees. More on that later.

Get a free Wise account

📝 Table of contents
What is N26? What is Revolut? N26 vs Revolut: Pros & Cons Plans & Cards Fees Features Availability & Customer Reviews Bottom line: What's better, N26 or Revolut? Frequently Asked Questions

What is N26?

N26 is a neobank based in Germany, which holds a full European banking license. You can open an N26 account in mainland Europe, but unfortunately, N26 accounts are no longer available for new customers in the US or the UK.

From January 18th 2022, existing US customers will have their accounts closed and any balance remaining returned to them. Learn more about N26 here.

What is Revolut?

Revolut offers accounts for customers in Europe, the US and several other countries around the world. Revolut accounts allow customers to hold and exchange 28+ foreign currencies and make international money transfers around the world. You can also get free ATM withdrawals up to the value of 1,200 USD/month with a standard account.

💡 Learn more about Revolut in this full review. If you’re torn between Revolut and Wise for your new account, you can also check out a full Revolut vs Wise guide here.

N26 vs Revolut: Pros & Cons

N26’s Pros

• N26 holds a banking license in the EU
• Broad range of account services and products
• No monthly fee or minimum balance

N26’s Cons

• N26 accounts are no longer available for US based customers
• No branch network - all support is online, in app or by phone
• No cash deposits or transactions available

Revolut’s Pros

• Hold and manage 28 currencies
• Exchange currencies with the mid-market exchange rate
• Save, invest and access a range of budgeting tools to manage your money better

Revolut’s Cons

• Limited numbers of free transactions based on account type
• Currency exchange costs more on weekends
• No branches or face to face service, in-app customer support only

Get a free Wise account – and save up to 6x

N26 accounts are no longer available to US customers. But you can still save when you choose the Wise account as a smart and simple way to manage your money across currencies.

Open a free Wise account online, and send money abroad using the Wise app. There’s no monthly fee and no ongoing costs, you just pay for the services you need. And you can save up to 6x compared to traditional banks.

Hold 50+ currencies, send payments to 80+ countries, and spend with a linked debit card in 200 countries around the world. You can also get your own local bank details to get paid in 10 currencies.

Currency exchange uses the mid-market exchange rate every time - even out of hours and on the weekend.

Save up to 6x with Wise

Plans & Cards

Both Revolut and N26 offer a range of services. N26 had just one US plan on offer to customers, while Revolut offers 3 different options depending on your personal requirements³ - here are the plans and account options available to customers.

N26

N26 account holders in Europe can choose between several different plan options depending on what they want to pay and the services they intend to use, However, in the US there was only one N26 plan option. The N26 standard US plan offered no monthly fees, no minimum balance, and no foreign transaction fees for overseas use.

Accounts offer a linked N26 card for unlimited free ATM withdrawals at over 55,000 Allpoint locations in: US, Canada, Puerto Rico, Australia, Mexico, and the UK. If you’re making an international out of network withdrawal, N26 has a 2 USD + 2% fee plus any relevant charges added by the ATM operator.

Revolut Standard

Revolut’s Standard account is free to open. With your account, you’ll get a good amount of free transactions, as well as access to a Revolut card and all Revolut’s online and mobile banking functionality. Features on offer include³:

• Spend in 140 currencies with the mid-market exchange rate
• Exchange 28 currencies up to 1,000 USD/month with the mid-market rate and no fee
• Free in-network ATM withdrawals
• 1,200 USD/month of free out-of-network ATM withdrawals
• 5 free Junior accounts for kids
• 10 international transfers/month fee free
• Get 0.05% interest on savings

Revolut Premium

Premium accounts cost 9.99 USD/month and have all of the benefits of the Standard plan plus a few extras³:

• 0.07% interest on savings
• Overseas medical insurance
• Airport lounge access
• Disposable virtual cards
• Priority customer service

Revolut Metal

Revolut’s Metal account has a higher monthly fee of 16.99 USD/month³, and offers all the Premium features, plus an exclusive metal card and additional travel insurance cover for delayed flights and lost baggage.

Fees

Here’s a rundown of the Revolut and N26 standard account fees, so you can compare them side by side.

	N26	Revolut (Standard)⁴
Account opening fee	Free	Free
Monthly fee	Free	Free
Card delivery fee	Can vary by card type; express delivery fees may apply	0 USD - 16.99 USD depending on location and delivery speed
ATM Fees	Free in-network withdrawals Out of network 2 USD + 2% charge	Free in-network withdrawals Out of network - withdraw up to 1,200 USD/month fee free; 2% charge applies after that
Spending limit	Can be adjusted within the app	Can be adjusted within the app
International money transfers (within exchange hours)	Not available to US customers N26 customers in Europe can transfer money using the mid-market exchange rate and low fees, through Wise	Currency exchange at mid-market exchange rate up to 1,000 USD/month 0.5% - 1% fee after that 10 fee free transfers/month - 0.3% fee after that
International money transfers (outside exchange hours)	Not available to US customers N26 customers in Europe can transfer money using the mid-market exchange rate and low fees, through Wise	1% - 2% currency exchange fee 10 fee free transfers/month - 0.3% fee after that

Features

While both N26 and Revolut offer some good features for account holders, they may suit different customers. Picking the right account and service for you may come down to the transactions you need to make. Here’s a summary of the features available from both providers.

N26’s Features

You can use the N26 digital bank account much like a regular checking account - but without ever needing to visit a branch to arrange transactions. Manage your money in the N26 app or online banking service for convenience, and use your linked card for payments and withdrawals.

Notable features of N26 accounts include:

• Direct deposit early payday - get your paycheck early
• No foreign transaction fees
• Free in network ATM withdrawals
• Save with N26 Spaces - create separate savings pots within your account
• Budgeting tools to track and manage spending
• Instant payments to other N26 users
• Cashback on card spending

N26 does not offer all the features you may expect from a big US bank. There are no credit cards or IRAs, for example, but the service is still impressive for its ease of use and convenience. And best of all, there’s no monthly fee to pay.

Revolut’s Features

Revolut's accounts are offered in 3 different tiers - the Standard plan is free, but you can trade up to a 9.99 USD/month Premium or 16.99 USD/month Metal account to unlock more features. This means that customers can access the services they need by picking between the account tiers.

Revolut offers great options for people who need to hold and exchange currencies. Accounts can handle 28 currencies, and even the fee free standard account allows customers to exchange currencies with the mid-market exchange rate up to 1,000 USD/month. Additional fees apply for a couple of currencies (Thai baht and Ukrainian hryvnia) or if you want to exchange funds outside of market hours.

Here’s an overview of key Revolut account features:

• Hold and exchange 28 currencies
• Spend with your linked debit card in 140 currencies
• Free in network ATM withdrawals
• Up to 1,200 USD/Month free out-of-network ATM withdrawals
• Junior accounts available
• Budgeting tools to allow you to save, manage your finances and invest

Availability & Customer Reviews

Whether you use a traditional bank or a challenger bank, you want to know the service you get will be reliable, and there will be someone on hand to help if you need it. Here’s a run down of the availability by country for N26 and Revolut, as well as what customers say about the providers.

Availability

N26 was previously available in most European countries, the UK and the US. However, recently it has announced that it is going to focus its time on customers based in mainland Europe. Countries served are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Revolut is available in almost all countries in Europe, UK, US, Australia, Japan, Singapore.

Customer Reviews

Let’s take a look at what customers have to say about the Revolut vs N26 debate, including customer reviews and how to get customer support with your digital bank account when you need it.

	N26	Revolut
Available languages	English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German and Italian	Revolut’s app is available in the official language of all countries it serves. English is also available in all countries
Available countries	Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland	Most countries in Europe, UK, US, Australia, Japan, Singapore
Customer support	Online and in-app chat, phone for Premium account holders	In-app chat - Premium and Metal account holders get priority
Customer support languages	English, French, Spanish, German and Italian	Multilingual options available
Trustpilot score	3.5/5 Average rating from 20,000+ reviews⁵	4.4/5 Excellent rating from 101,000+ reviews⁶
Google Play score	3.7/5	4.6/5
App Store score	4.7/5	4.7/5

Bottom line: What's better, N26 or Revolut?

Both N26 and Revolut offer some great account options - the right one for you may depend on your specific needs.

N26 aimed to be an alternative to a checking account and offered solid services which reflect those you might expect from a regular bank. Revolut on the other hand calls itself a financial super-app and has more features relating to holding and exchanging currencies, and international travel.

Unfortunately, N26 accounts are no longer available to US residents - but Revolut is still an option. Not sure Revolut is for you? Compare the Revolut account plans against the free Wise account, to help you choose the best account for you. Wise accounts offer currency exchange with the mid-market rate, and low, transparent fees for international payments.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is N26 closing?

N26 has announced that it’s closing its US business to focus on its European services. From 18th January 2022, US account holders will no longer be able to access N26 services.

Can N26 be trusted?

N26 no longer offers services to new customers in the US. However, the European arm of N26 is still available and is operated by N26 Bank GmbH, which is a bank licensed in the EU.

Is there anything better than Revolut?

If you’re looking for an alternative way to hold and exchange multiple currencies in one account, check out the Wise account. You can hold 50+ currencies - more than the 28 on offer with Revolut - and there’s no monthly fee to pay.

---

Sources:

1] N26 US home page
2] Revolut US homepage
3] Revolut US pricing
4] Revolut US Standard account fees
5] Trustpilot N26
6] Trustpilot Revolut

All sources checked on 24 January 2022