Revolut vs Bunq
Revolut wins on travel features and global use. Bunq wins on sub-accounts and savings.
| Revolut | Bunq | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | $0 | $3 |
| Card issue fee | $0 | $11 |
| FX model | weekend markup | interbank |
| FX markup | 50 bps | — |
| Free ATM / month | unlimited | unlimited |
| Multi-currency | ||
| Apple Pay | ||
| Google Pay | ||
| Virtual cards | ||
| Crypto | ||
| Joint account | ||
| Availability | EU, UK, US, AU, JP, SG, NZ + selected | EU/EEA |
Revolut, best for
- Daily spending on the card during the week
- Stock and crypto trading inside the app
- Splitting bills and group expenses
Weak for
- Weekend FX (1% surcharge applies)
- Large transfers (use Wise instead)
Bunq, best for
- Sub-account budgets and savings goals
- Frequent travellers within EU
- Shared expenses with up to 4 people
Weak for
- Free-tier users (paid plan needed for full features)
- Non-EU residents
The verdict, in plain words
Revolut wins for daily spending and investing, Bunq for granular budgeting and EU travel.
Consider the "EU freelancer paid in USD". They need to convert USD to EUR for local bills. Revolut's free FX rates, especially on weekdays, are hard to beat. You can exchange money without paying a premium, and their stock and crypto trading features offer a bonus for those looking to grow their funds within the same app. It’s a slick, all-in-one solution for managing income that’s not in your primary currency.
Now, picture the "US founder running a remote team" spread across Europe. This nomad needs to track expenses for different projects or team members. Bunq's sub-account feature is perfect. You can create separate virtual accounts for each team, project, or even personal budget category. This means no more messy spreadsheets. Plus, if they're frequently moving between EU countries, Bunq's EU-centric structure and unlimited free ATM withdrawals make it a stable, predictable choice for day-to-day operations on the continent.
If you're on the fence, start with Revolut for its broad utility and lower barrier to entry. However, if you're an EU resident or plan to spend significant time there, and budgeting is a priority, Bunq's €3 monthly fee for its premium features is easily justified by the control it offers. The key differentiator often comes down to your residency and how much you value detailed financial segmentation versus raw trading and FX flexibility.
Affiliate disclosure: we earn a small commission if you sign up via either link. We list both because both are genuinely useful.