Revolut vs Western Union: Which one is better for Americans?

Topping up a travel card for personal use is one thing. Sending cash to a relative overseas who needs it as soon as possible is another. Both Revolut and Western Union are popular for cross-border transfers, but they serve very different scenarios.

This guide compares Revolut vs Western Union, covering their features, fees, pros and cons, and other key details to help you choose the right option.

We'll also introduce Wise — your international money transfer alternative. Use Wise to send stress-free transfers to over 140 countries - all at the standard mid-market exchange rate.

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Revolut vs Western Union: General overview

Revolut and Western Union are popular ways for users in the US to move money.

Revolut is a digital-first financial app that lets Americans hold, exchange, and spend in multiple currencies. Users can maintain balances in over 25 currencies like USD, EUR, GBP, JPY, and more.¹ And with Revolut’s prepaid card, you can pay abroad or online in local currencies while keeping exchange costs generally competitive.

Western Union, on the other hand, is a legacy payments network designed for sending money globally, particularly when recipients require cash on hand or experience service outages.

Its strength lies in its massive physical network in over 200 countries, offering cash pickup, while also supporting digital payments to bank accounts and mobile wallets.²

For most Americans, Revolut is more than reliable for managing their own money across borders and spending digitally or while traveling. Western Union is ideal when sending funds to someone abroad who may need cash quickly or doesn’t have a bank account.

Pros & cons

Both services have their strong suits and limitations. Here’s how Revolut and Western Union stack up.

Revolut vs Western Union: Fees

These are the common fees to expect when using Revolut and Western Union.

You might compare Revolut to PayPal because both let you send money internationally. But put simply, Revolut acts more like a digital bank, supporting multi-currency accounts and various financial tools, whereas PayPal is primarily a payments platform that connects to your existing bank or card.

Meanwhile, Western Union offers a more traditional approach to sending money abroad by focusing on remittances and cash pickups. But if you’re weighing your options in terms of cost, transparency, and flexibility when sending internationally, it’s worth looking into Wise.

Revolut vs Western Union: Exchange rates

Revolut gives you competitive weekday FX, but the rate and fees depend on your plan and how much you exchange. Revolut uses its own variable exchange rate (not guaranteed to be the mid-market rate), and each plan has a monthly fair usage limit:

• Standard: 0.5% fee once you exceed $1,000 in monthly exchanges.
• Premium: 0.5% fee only after you exceed a higher monthly limit.
• Metal: No weekday exchange fee above the limit.

Weekend markups apply across all plans. Your overall FX cost depends on timing and whether you stay within your plan’s monthly allowance. These fees alone push some users to look for Revolut alternatives.

Western Union applies FX markups on international transfers, and rates vary by send amount, payout method, payment method, and destination country. It bases its rates on interbank market prices and then adds a margin. This margin is one of the ways Western Union generates revenue from transfers.¹²

Revolut vs Western Union: Supported countries

US users can send money to 140+ countries using Revolut.¹³ Through its app, you can initiate international bank transfers to external accounts in over 25 supported currencies. When sending, Revolut shows the exchange rate and fees upfront.

Western Union offers global reach into 200+ countries and territories, backed by more than 550,000 physical agent locations for cash pickup. For US senders, Western Union supports flexible payout options, giving you the choice of sending cash for pickup, depositing to a bank, or sending to a mobile wallet based on the destination country.

Revolut vs Western Union: Transfer times

Revolut transfers between Revolut users are instant. For local US transfers, ACH payments can take up to five business days, while wire transfers usually arrive the next business day. International SWIFT transfers typically take up to two business days.¹⁴ Large or first-time transfers may be delayed for verification.

Western Union transfers also vary by payout method and country. Cash pickup can often be completed within minutes, while bank deposits generally take 1–5 business days. Mobile wallet transfers may be faster, but timing depends on the receiving country and local agent hours.

Revolut vs Western Union: Safety & security

Revolut protects accounts and transactions with measures such as two-factor authentication and biometric logins. With a dedicated, 24/7 Financial Crime team, Revolut also estimates it has protected customers from over $800 million in potentially fraudulent transactions globally.¹⁵

Note, however, that while US funds held in the prepaid card account or Savings Vaults are stored in FDIC-insured partner banks, not all balances or investments, like stock or crypto holdings, are covered.

Western Union requires identity verification to comply with anti-money-laundering and anti-fraud regulations. Senders may need to provide a photo ID, proof of address, or additional documentation depending on the transaction.¹⁶ Transfers are monitored for suspicious activity, and multiple payout options come with their own security protocols.

But while Western Union has decades of experience in remittances, past consumer fraud violations highlight the importance of staying vigilant when sending money.

Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper, Revolut or Western Union?

Revolut is generally cheaper for international transfers if you’re okay with bank account payouts. It offers competitive rates for currency conversion, especially during weekdays.

Western Union, on the other hand, tends to be more expensive overall, especially for cash pickup or urgent delivery, due to higher transfer fees and a markup on the exchange rate.

How fast do transfers arrive with Revolut compared to Western Union?

Both Revolut and Western Union offer nearly instant transfers. With Revolut, transfers made between users are processed immediately. International bank (SWIFT) transfers can take up to a few business days, depending on the currency and receiving country.

Cash pickups through Western Union are usually available within minutes. Bank-based or account transfers can take up to five business days, depending on the receiving country.

Can I use Revolut for cash pickup via Western Union?

No. Revolut doesn’t support cash pickup via Western Union. Revolut is a digital-only service, so to receive cash, you’d need to use a bank account or another provider that supports Western Union cash pickup.

Final verdict: Which provider is better?

Choosing between Revolut and Western Union depends on your priorities.

Revolut works well for Americans who want digital banking capabilities while allowing them to hold and exchange multiple currencies. Western Union, by contrast, is ideal if you need widespread global reach for sending money, with multiple payout options often available within minutes.

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Sources

1. Revolut - currencies supported
2. Western Union - countries supported
3. Revolut - Fair usage fees
4. Revolut - ATM fees
5. Revolut - FDIC insurance not covered
6. U.S. Department of Justice - Western Union violations
7. Revolut - domestic wire transfer fee
8. Revolut - instant transfer fee
9. Revolut - international transfer fee
10. Western Union - US to PH transfer fees
11. Western Union - ATM withdrawal fee
12. Western Union - exchange rate margin
13. Revolut - international money transfer
14. Revolut - how long outbound transfers take
15. Revolut - dedicated financial crime team
16. Western Union - need for additional proof

Sources checked 12/16/2025