I'm sure at least one of your friends has a Revolut card, and chances are they’ve spoken highly of it. If you’ve been on the fence about trying it, I invite you to read this article to discover exactly what Revolut is and how simple it is to obtain a free card.
As you may already know, Revolut is a banking app that serves as an alternative to traditional banking products. It’s designed for those with a modern lifestyle and anyone seeking the kind of flexibility that standard banks often lack.
The app is built to meet evolving customer needs by offering global spending capabilities and international money transfers without any hidden fees. If you want to spend money abroad, Revolut makes it seamless—with no surprises.
Launched in July 2015, Revolut has already attracted over 4 million users and facilitated more than 350 million transactions. It’s supported by some of Europe’s most prominent investors—the very same backers behind global giants like Facebook, Dropbox, and Skype.
What exactly is Revolut?
If you want to manage your money more effectively, travel without worries, and send money easily and securely, you should already have the Revolut app installed—now let’s go through the registration steps together.
The Revolut card helps you save money by offering a favorable exchange rate for each payment made abroad or online, whether shopping in physical stores or making purchases from international websites.
Revolut is a fintech app that leverages modern technology to make saving and spending money simpler. You can associate multiple currencies with a single account, enjoy excellent exchange rates, send bank transfers, transfer money to friends, and much more.
The Revolut card comes in both virtual and physical formats. The physical card functions like a prepaid card, but it is personalized with your name. In everyday use, it operates just like a regular debit card.
With the physical card, you can also withdraw cash from any ATM. However, be aware that withdrawal limits apply. For amounts exceeding this limit, a 2% withdrawal fee is charged.
As I mentioned, it’s very easy to open a free Revolut account. We’ll walk through the process together. But first, you should know about the three available plans: Standard, Premium, and Metal. As you might expect, the withdrawal limit increases with Premium and Metal, and there are additional valuable benefits to explore.
Once you start using the Standard card, you may find that upgrading to Premium is a smart choice. And from there, the jump to Metal is a natural next step.
The Standard card is perfectly sufficient if you plan to use it as a backup to your personal bank card or primarily for fee-free currency exchange and money transfers.
I personally started with the Standard plan and later upgraded to Metal when a favorable opportunity arose. If you’re new to Revolut, I strongly recommend starting with a Standard account. You can explore its features, and if you find yourself wanting more functionality, you can always upgrade later.
As you’ve seen, the Premium card offers double the withdrawal limit and comes with an insurance plan, though this may not be a primary draw for everyone. The card is delivered to your home within 1–3 business days, and you can even request a replacement card if needed.
The Metal card truly lives up to its name. It’s elegant, meticulously crafted from a single piece of reinforced steel, and offers a premium experience. In addition to providing 3x the fee-free withdrawal limit compared to the Standard card and including an insurance plan, you’ll also enjoy cashback—0.1% within Europe and 1.0% outside Europe—on any card payment, across all accepted currencies, including Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ether.
It’s a card that you’ll likely want for its style and prestige. However, before making the leap, be sure that you’ll truly benefit from all of its features, as the monthly subscription cost is not insignificant.
I’ll be diving deeper into the advantages of the Metal card in a future article. In the meantime, the best step you can take is to open a free account and explore the app as much as possible.
How I used the Revolut card so far
The time when the Revolut card proved most valuable to me was during vacations. I believe this is the case for many users—Revolut often becomes an essential tool when traveling, providing a reliable alternative to traditional banking while abroad.
- I used it for currency exchange—it offers some of the best exchange rates, often far better than what banks or currency exchange offices provide.
- I transferred euros to my investment accounts, especially for peer-to-peer investments where I needed to invest in euros at a favorable rate. With Revolut, you can easily transfer money in any currency, to anywhere in the world, with zero fees.
- I withdrew Mauritian Rupees while in Mauritius, and used the card to make payments wherever possible—with 0% commission.
- I sent money to friends and family living abroad.
- I made all external payments with my Revolut card, taking advantage of its seamless international usability.
- In situations where I urgently needed cash and didn’t have access to a branch of my main bank, I used the Revolut card to withdraw cash from ATMs without commission, within the allowed free limit.
The most important benefits of the Revolut account
1. You Travel Without Worries
One of the biggest advantages of the Revolut card is its excellent exchange rate—the kind that lets you travel with peace of mind, fully focused on relaxation.
I use it on every vacation, and it saves me the hassle of exchanging money in advance. All my spending is tracked directly in the app, so I always know where my money is going.
You can also activate travel health insurance through the app if needed. I’ve had this option enabled in the past—thankfully, I never had to use it.
2. Currency Exchange
Another major benefit: you can exchange money in over 150 currencies, all at competitive rates. Whether you're preparing for a trip or investing, this feature makes currency exchange fast and cost-effective.
3. Send and Receive Money Easily, Anywhere
With a Standard card, you can transfer up to €20,000 per month without fees. If you go over this limit, there's a small 0.5% commission, which is still very reasonable.
For larger transfers, it may be worth considering an upgrade to a Premium or Metal plan.
Overall, money transfers via Revolut are seamless, quick, and often free—a major upgrade over traditional banking methods.
4. Everything Is Safe
Security is a top priority. You can instantly lock or unlock your card from the app with just a tap, as long as you have an internet connection. This gives you total control and peace of mind.
It's a feature that really sets Revolut apart when it comes to real-time account security.
5. It Helps You Manage Your Money Better
Once you’re convinced Revolut is the right choice, I highly recommend ordering a physical card and using it for your day-to-day purchases.
Your payment history shows detailed information for each transaction, helping you track your spending habits. At the end of the week or month, it’s easy to review where your money has gone and adjust your budget accordingly.
6. Transfers Between Friends
Revolut also makes it incredibly easy to send money to friends instantly—especially those who also use the app. You can split payments, send or request money, and everything happens in real time.
Another helpful feature: you can choose to round up each purchase and automatically save the spare change. It’s a simple, effortless way to build a savings habit.
If you’re interested in cryptocurrency trading, keep in mind that this feature is only available with paid plans. However, Revolut still offers a secure and accessible wallet where you can store and view your crypto holdings instantly.
Disadvantages of Revolut
Of course, it’s important to consider some disadvantages as well.
Firstly, Revolut is not a traditional bank, so you don’t get a Euro IBAN account. This means there are some typical risks associated with app-based financial services, such as occasional payment failures or software bugs. Personally, I haven’t experienced these issues, and they don’t seem common among other users either.
With the free account, Revolut allows €800 per month withdrawal without fees and up to €2,000 per month for currency exchange. While these limits are sufficient for many users, they can be restrictive if you handle larger amounts frequently. That’s usually when upgrading to the Premium or Metal plans makes sense to increase these thresholds.
Also, keep in mind that transfers made on weekends incur commissions, so it’s best to plan your transactions during weekdays. Even so, you’ll still benefit from some of the best exchange rates available.
Why Is Everything Free on Revolut? How Does the Company Make Money?
If you’re wondering how Revolut sustains its services, the main revenue comes from Premium and Metal subscriptions. These paid plans offer perks like a more elegant card, faster bank payments, higher transaction limits, and included travel insurance.
Another revenue source is the withdrawal limits on ATMs. Each plan has a maximum free withdrawal allowance, and exceeding that means paying a commission fee.
How can I create a Revolut Account and Card?
After downloading the app and completing the installation steps, you will reach a point where you need to connect Revolut to an existing bank account.
Important: Your Revolut account must be funded from a bank account you already have. Alternatively, you can use Revolut as your primary account only if your salary or income is directly deposited into it.
To activate your card, an initial top-up of €50 is required. Once funded and your identity is verified, you can start using your card immediately.
Creating a Revolut account is straightforward and done entirely through the app. You can order a free physical card with delivery typically taking about 10 days. Sometimes, signing up via a promotional link may grant you a free card with standard delivery.
Once the app is downloaded, simply enter your phone number, set a 4-digit passcode, and fill in the required personal details. Next, you’ll proceed with loading your card and identity verification.
If you want to request a physical card, tap on “Cards” in the lower right corner of the app, enter your PIN, provide your delivery address, and place your order.
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