Revolut Business vs Wise Business: Which Is Better for International Payments?

The most fundamental difference between Revolut and Wise is how you pay for the service.

Revolut Business uses a tiered subscription model with four plans. The Basic plan starts at EUR 10/month and includes 10 free local transfers and a EUR 1,000–1,500 free FX allowance. Most growing businesses will need the Grow plan at EUR 35/month (100 local transfers, 5 SWIFT, EUR 15,000 free FX) or Scale at EUR 125/month (1,000 local, 25 SWIFT, EUR 60,000 free FX). Each tier unlocks more team cards, bulk payments, and API access.

Wise Business has no monthly fee on either tier. The Essential plan is completely free — you pay per transaction only. The Advanced plan has a one-time setup fee of approximately 31 USD and adds local account details in 24+ currencies, payment links, and direct debits. Transfer fees are a transparent variable percentage starting from 0.57% depending on the currency corridor.

For businesses making fewer than 20–30 international transfers per month with moderate FX volumes, Wise often works out cheaper. But for businesses converting more than EUR 15,000/month in foreign currency, Revolut's bundled free FX allowance on the Grow plan can provide significant savings.

This is where the comparison gets interesting, because both platforms advertise competitive FX rates but the mechanics are quite different.

Wise gives you the real mid-market exchange rate — the same rate you see on Google or Reuters — with zero markup. On top of this rate, Wise charges a transparent variable fee starting from 0.57% that varies by currency pair and is always shown upfront before you confirm.

Revolut includes a free FX allowance with each plan: EUR 1,000–1,500 on Basic, EUR 15,000 on Grow, and EUR 60,000 on Scale. Within the allowance, you pay no FX fees at all. Beyond the allowance, Revolut charges a 0.6% markup on the interbank rate during market hours. On weekends (Friday 17:00 to Sunday 18:00 New York time), a 1% surcharge applies to all FX conversions, even within the free allowance.

For a business on Revolut Grow converting EUR 15,000/month, the FX cost is zero (within the free allowance). On Wise, the same conversion would cost approximately EUR 85–90 at 0.57%. However, for EUR 30,000/month, Revolut charges 0.6% on the EUR 15,000 overage (EUR 90), while Wise charges from 0.57% on the full amount (~EUR 171). Revolut's tiered model rewards higher plan spending.

Where Wise pulls ahead is on weekend transfers and exotic currency pairs. Revolut's 1% weekend surcharge can be significant for businesses needing urgent payments outside market hours.

Both platforms offer multi-currency accounts, but with different strengths.

Wise provides local bank account details in 24+ currencies on the Advanced plan: EUR IBAN (via Wise Europe S.A. in Belgium), USD routing number, GBP sort code, AUD BSB, CAD, HUF, NZD, SGD, TRY, and many more. Clients in these countries pay you using local payment rails — no SWIFT fees, no intermediary banks. Free local receiving is available for AUD, CAD, EUR (SEPA), GBP, HUF, NZD, SGD, TRY, and USD (ACH).

Revolut offers multi-currency accounts in 30 currencies, including a broad range of European currencies (PLN, CZK, DKK, HUF, RON, SEK, NOK, BGN) and global currencies (AED, HKD, SGD, THB). Local receiving details are primarily available for GBP, EUR, and USD. For other currencies, you can hold and convert within Revolut, but receiving local payments is more limited.

For businesses that primarily receive international payments and want clients to pay via local rails, Wise's 24+ local account details are the stronger option. For businesses that need to hold and exchange between less common currencies, Revolut's broader 30-currency support with free FX allowances is more useful.

This is where Revolut and Wise diverge the most. Revolut is building a full business banking ecosystem; Wise is intentionally focused on international money movement.

Revolut Business offers team cards (up to 200 virtual and multiple physical per member) with granular spending limits, built-in expense management with receipt capture, sub-accounts for project budgeting, custom approval workflows (Grow+), bulk payments, accounting integrations with Xero and QuickBooks, and a comprehensive API (Grow+). Optional add-ons include Expenses (EUR 5–8/active user) and Payroll (EUR 3/active user).

Wise Business is deliberately more limited. You get a multi-user account with role-based permissions, up to 2 debit cards, batch payments for up to 1,000 recipients (CSV/XLSX), and accounting integrations with Xero and QuickBooks. But there is no expense management, no receipt scanning, no sub-accounts, and no approval workflows.

Neither platform offers built-in invoicing — for that, you would need to look at Finom or Qonto, or use a separate tool like FreshBooks.

The key question is: do you need an all-in-one business account, or the best international transfer tool to complement your existing bank? If the former, Revolut. If the latter, Wise.

Revolut Business cards come in physical, virtual, and metal formats with strong spending controls. Basic includes 1 physical card per person; Grow adds 1 metal card per member; Scale provides up to 3 physical and 2 metal per member. Virtual cards go up to 200 per member on all plans. Each card supports individual spending limits and can be frozen instantly. ATM withdrawals carry a 2% fee across all plans.

Wise Business provides up to 2 debit cards per account. The first card is free; additional cards cost 5 USD each. The Wise card lets you spend in any of the 40+ currencies in your account at the mid-market rate plus a small conversion fee from 0.57%. ATM withdrawals are free for the first 2 per month up to 100 USD total, then 2% on the overage plus 1.5 USD per extra withdrawal.

For a single business owner or freelancer who travels, Wise's card offers competitive FX on spending. For a team of 5+ people who each need controlled spending cards, Revolut's tiered card system with metal options and granular limits is the clear choice.

Revolut Bank UAB holds a full banking license from the ECB, regulated by the Bank of Lithuania. Business deposits are protected up to EUR 100,000 per depositor under the Lithuanian deposit insurance scheme. This is the same standard of protection as traditional European banks.

Wise holds an e-money institution license from the FCA in the UK (Wise Payments Limited) and operates as a Payment Institution licensed by the National Bank of Belgium (Wise Europe S.A.) in the EEA. Customer funds are safeguarded — held in cash, secure liquid assets, or comparable guarantees — but are not covered by deposit guarantee schemes.

For businesses that prioritize deposit insurance on their operating balances, Revolut's banking license is a meaningful advantage. For businesses that primarily use the account for transfers rather than holding large balances, Wise's safeguarding regime provides adequate protection.

Customer support is one of the most common discussion points for both platforms.

Revolut offers in-app chat support for all tiers, with priority support for Scale and Enterprise. Lower-tier customers frequently report chatbot-first experiences. Phone support is available on Enterprise plans. The add-on Expenses and Payroll tools have their own support channels.

Wise support is available through email and in-app chat, with generally reasonable response times within 24 hours. The support team is knowledgeable about international transfer specifics. However, there is no phone support for standard accounts, and complex verification issues can take several days.

If human-first, fast support is critical for your business, neither excels compared to traditional banks. Revolut's Enterprise plan offers the most premium support option.