These are two of the biggest neobanks in Europe, and both let you spend and send in foreign currency at a rate close to the real one. The difference is in the fine print. Revolut charges only a small spread up to a monthly limit, then adds fees; N26 keeps it simple, with a small markup and none of the limit or weekend mechanics.
On a $1,000 dollar-to-euro transfer on a weekday, Revolut on its free plan costs about $1.00, while N26 costs about $5.00. Inside the limit, Revolut is the cheaper. Send on a weekend, and the picture flips. The figures below use the current mid-market reference; Wise may use an account-holder API estimate, while other providers use stored published fee and markup models rather than live quotes.
- Inside Revolut's monthly limit on a weekday, it is the cheaper of the two, charging only a small spread of about 0.1%.
- N26 is simpler. A small markup of about 0.5%, with no monthly limit and no weekend surcharge to track.
- Weekend pricing is not modelled here. Revolut's out-of-market-hours terms vary by country and plan, so compare the in-app quotes or wait until the next weekday.
- Both beat a traditional bank by a wide margin on everyday foreign-currency spending and sending.
How Revolut charges
This site's representative Revolut model uses a small spread on major pairs, a roughly US$1,450 Standard allowance, and 0.5% on the excess. It is a fallback scenario, not a universal plan: country-specific allowances, overage terms, paid-plan prices, and availability differ.
So a $1,000 weekday transfer on Standard costs only its small spread, about $1.00. That is the cheapest tier either neobank offers. The catch is timing and volume, which the next note explains.
How N26 charges
N26 is a German-licensed bank that lives in an app, and it keeps its FX pricing simpler. Card spending and transfers use a rate close to the mid-market one, with a small markup of about 0.5% on a route like this one and no separate fee. There is no monthly limit to track and no weekend surcharge in the model.
What you see is roughly what you get, every day of the week. The trade-off is that N26's flat 0.5% is higher than Revolut's spread-only tier on a weekday, so for a small send inside the limit, N26 is the more expensive of the two.
Head to head, by amount
Revolut leads inside its limit on a weekday; N26 is the steadier choice once weekends and limits enter the picture. Here is the same dollar-to-euro transfer at three sizes.
$1,000: inside the limit
Inside the limit, Revolut Standard sits at just its small spread (0.10%), below N26's 0.5%. On a weekday, Revolut is the cheaper neobank here.
$5,000: the limit cracks
At $5,000, Standard has gone past its monthly limit, so Revolut charges 0.5% on the amount above it. N26's flat 0.5% applies to the whole amount. The two move close together, and the order can flip depending on the exact figures.
$10,000: N26 steadier
On a large send, Standard pays 0.5% on a big amount over the limit, while N26's 0.5% is spread across the whole sum with no limit to breach. For a big one-off transfer, N26's simplicity starts to look attractive.
The pattern at a glance
The bars at $10,000 show the two close together, both far below a traditional bank. The difference between them is small next to the gap between either one and a high-street bank, which would sit past 3%.
The savings in context
Across the displayed estimates, choosing Interactive Brokers over MoneyGram leaves an extra €326.11 (3.93%) in the recipient's account.
Same 10,000 USD and the same market rate before fees. Provider availability, how you pay and the final price can change the result.
Who should pick what
Pick Revolut if you send small amounts on weekdays and can stay within the monthly limit, or you want the wider feature set (more currencies, trading, budgeting tools) that Revolut bundles into the same app. Inside the limit it is the cheaper of the two.
Pick N26 if you want a straightforward bank account with simple, predictable FX pricing and no limit or weekend mechanics to track. Its flat markup costs a little more on a small weekday send, but it never surprises you on a Sunday.
Pick a transfer specialist if moving money abroad is the main job, not a side feature of your banking. A provider like Wise charges a small visible fee at the mid-market rate with no limit or weekend surcharge, and it is often cheaper than either neobank for a dedicated transfer. See Wise vs Revolut and Wise vs N26.
The bottom line
For everyday foreign-currency spending and small weekday sends, Revolut is the cheaper neobank inside its monthly limit, where only its small spread applies. N26 costs a little more on those sends, but its flat markup has no monthly limit and no weekend surcharge, so it is the more predictable of the two, and the cheaper one on a weekend.
Decide how much you want to think about it. If you are happy to stay under the limit and avoid weekends, Revolut saves you money. If you want a bank that prices every transfer the same way, N26 is the calmer choice. Either one beats a traditional bank, which would take 3% or more on the same transfer. Our guide to cutting FX fees shows how to read a quote so nothing is hidden from you.
Frequently asked questions
Is Revolut cheaper than N26?
Inside Revolut's monthly limit on a weekday, yes, since only its small spread applies. N26 charges a flat markup of about 0.5% with no limit, so it costs a little more on a small weekday send. On a weekend or above the limit, N26 is often the cheaper of the two.
Does N26 charge a weekend markup?
In the pricing modelled here, no. N26's small markup applies every day, with no weekend surcharge and no monthly limit. That is the main way it differs from Revolut, which adds a weekend markup and a fee above its monthly limit.
Which is better for travel spending?
Both are strong for spending abroad on a card, at a rate close to the mid-market one. Revolut is cheaper inside its limit on weekdays; N26 is simpler and does not change its pricing on weekends. For a dedicated money transfer rather than card spending, a specialist like Wise is usually cheaper than either.
Are these numbers exact?
The table uses the current mid-market reference and, where available, a Wise account-holder API estimate. Other providers use stored published fee and markup models, not live quotes, so the results are modelled estimates for typical routes. Revolut's limits and plan prices vary by region, and N26's transfer and ATM rules vary by plan. Always confirm the final figure on the provider's own site before you send.
Cost figures are worked out from each provider's published fee structure applied to the current mid-market reference rate, modelled estimates for typical major-currency routes. Revolut's fair-use limits and plan prices vary by region; N26's rules vary by plan. The figures shown are representative. Always confirm the final quote on the provider's own site before you transfer. We may earn a commission from affiliate links at no extra cost to you; this never affects rankings. Nothing here is financial advice.
Sources: Revolut exchange fees (opens in a new tab), N26 pricing (opens in a new tab), Wise pricing (opens in a new tab). Accessed August 2026.