N26 and Revolut: Europe’s top digital banking providers. Both offer online banking, debit cards, and currency exchange.
But who’s the better choice?
In this head-to-head comparison, we dissect N26 vs Revolut. We’ll analyze fees, account types, customer reviews, and more. Get ready to make an informed decision!
Overview
| N26 | Revolut | |
|---|---|---|
| New user incentive | – | – |
| Account options | 🟢 | ⚪ |
| Fees and costs | 🟢 | ⚪ |
| App experience | ⚪ | 🟢 |
| Safety | 🟢 | 🟢 |
| N26 Metal vs Revolut Premium | 🟢 | ⚪ |
| Customer reviews | ⚪ | 🟢 |
| Availability | ⚪ | 🟢 |
| Try N26 | Try Revolut |
What is N26?
N26 is a digital bank that was founded in Berlin, Germany in 2013. It operates entirely online and does not have physical branches. N26 offers a range of financial services, including online banking, debit cards, and currency exchange.
The company’s mission is to provide its customers with a modern and convenient way to manage their finances using innovative technology.
N26 is available in 25 countries in Europe, including the UK, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy. The bank is known for its user-friendly mobile app, which allows customers to perform a wide range of banking tasks, including opening an account, depositing funds, transferring money, and paying bills.
You can use the N26 MasterCard debit card to spend anywhere in the world that accepts MasterCard without incurring foreign transaction fees. Free ATM withdrawals are also available with certain N26 accounts.
N26 also offers several features that set it apart from traditional banks, such as real-time spending notifications, budgeting tools, and Robo advisor.
See our review of N26.
What is Revolut?
Revolut, established in 2015, is a fintech company that offers a range of online financial services including money transfer, cryptocurrency, multi-currency accounts, and currency exchange.
With a presence in more than 200 countries and supporting 29 currencies, it provides a convenient platform for international money transfers. The Revolut card is also great for helping travelers spend overseas in the local currency to keep their fees low.
Revolut has a unique feature in the Revolut <18 account which caters to children and teenagers aged between 6 and 17. For teenagers aged 13 and above, the service is free, and parental or guardian approval is required to open an account.
Additionally, Revolut has added features like cryptocurrency trading, stock trading, and insurance, making it a more comprehensive financial services provider.
See our review of Revolut.
N26 vs Revolut: Account and card comparison
N26
N26 offers multiple personal banking plans and cards, each with its own unique features and fees.
- N26 Standard;
- N26 Smart;
- N26 You;
- N26 Metal.
The Standard account is free, while the You, smart, and Metal accounts come with monthly fees.
N26 accounts come with a linked card that allows unlimited free ATM withdrawals at over 55,000 Allpoint locations in several countries including the US, Canada, Puerto Rico, Australia, Mexico, and the UK.
However, if you’re making an out-of-network withdrawal from an international ATM, N26 charges a fee of $2 plus 2% of the amount withdrawn, in addition to any fees that may be imposed by the ATM operator.
N26’s cards have security features that include a chip and PIN and the ability to set spending limits for individual transactions.
Revolut
Revolut offers three types of accounts:
- Standard;
- Premium;
- Metal.
It provides two types of cards for its Premium and Metal account types: a Mastercard and a Visa. The Standard account comes with a free virtual card and the option to order a physical one for a small fee.
A great benefit of the Revolut card is that it provides free ATM withdrawals for US Revolut cardholders up to $1200. For users in other countries, the free ATM withdrawal limit is £200/€200 per month. Exceeding the limit results in fees.
N26 vs Revolut: Fees and exchange rates
N26
The N26 standard account is completely free for all customers while the You and Metal accounts charge a basic monthly fee of €9.90 and €16.90 respectively.
N26 doesn’t add any markups to the exchange rates and uses the mid-market rate which is the competitive rate often used by banks.
Other fees include:
- Cash withdrawals outside of the UK – 1.7% surcharge.
- Unapproved overdraft – 14.9% EAR (equivalent annual rate).
Revolut
Revolut provides three plans:
- Standard – free;
- Premium – $9.99/month;
- Metal – $16.99/month.
Sending money to other Revolut users in the US is free, but if you want to transfer funds to a bank account that’s not linked to Revolut, you will be charged a fee.
In-network ATM withdrawals do not incur any charges, but if you withdraw money from an out-of-network ATM, US users can do so for free up to a limit of $1,200 per month. International users are limited to withdrawing £200/€200 per month. If you exceed this limit, a 2% fee will be charged on the amount withdrawn.
Additionally, there is a fee of $4.95 if you choose to deposit cash into your Revolut account. For international transfers to a foreign bank account in the same currency as the recipient’s local currency, a fee of 0.3% of the amount transferred will be charged, with a minimum fee of $0.30 and a maximum fee of $6 per transaction.
If the recipient’s bank account is in a different currency, you will be charged $4 for transfers made in US dollars, Euros, British pounds, or Swiss francs, and $6 for any other supported currency.
Additionally, Revolut doesn’t charge any markup on the exchange rate and provides interbank exchange rates.
N26 vs Revolut: App experience
Both N26 and Revolut allow customers to manage their finances easily and stay on top of their account activity via the apps.
However, Revolut’s app offers slightly more features for budgeting and tracking spending, while N26’s app offers more in-depth security features. Revolut’s app also offers real-time notifications for account activity, and customers can set up custom alerts for specific types of transactions.
The Revoluts app has much better customer reviews on multiple platforms. Ultimately, the choice between these two digital banks may come down to personal preferences regarding app design and functionality.
N26 vs Revolut: N26 Metal vs Revolut Premium
Fees and Pricing
The N26 Metal account costs €16.90 per month, while the Revolut Premium account costs £6.99 per month or €7.99 per month.
N26 Metal account also charges an additional fee of €2 per cash withdrawal made outside the Eurozone.
Card and Benefits
The N26 Metal account comes with a Mastercard debit card made of stainless steel, which offers up to 0.5% cash back on purchases made with the card.
The Revolut Premium account offers a Visa or Mastercard debit card, which offers up to 1% cash back on purchases made with the card.
Travel Benefits
Both N26 Metal and Revolut Premium offer travel insurance as part of their premium package.
N26 Metal provides medical insurance, travel accident insurance, and rental car insurance.
Revolut Premium offers medical and dental insurance, delayed baggage and delayed flight insurance, and free lounge access at airports.
N26 vs Revolut: Customer reviews
N26
N26 has received mixed feedback in terms of customer reviews and ratings. While the company boasts a solid rating of 4.6+ on the Apple Store, it has received mediocre ratings on Trustpilot and Google Play Store.
On Trustpilot, N26 has a rating of approximately 3.3/5 based on more than 25,000 reviews. Many customers praise the app’s features, but some have reported issues with the company’s customer support.
Similarly, on the Google Play Store, N26 has been rated 3.4/5 based on around 122,000 reviews.
Revolut
With over 124,000 customer reviews, it has achieved a rating of 4.3/ 5 on Trustpilot. It’s worth noting that the majority of the users have rated Revolut as ‘Excellent’. However, some users have mentioned that customer service is slow to respond.
Revolut also has a high rating of 4.7/ 5 on the Apple store with about 33,000 reviews. It’s rated 4.5/5 stars on the Google Play store.
Verdict
Choosing between N26 and Revolut as digital banking partners can be a difficult decision as both offer useful features.
For EU residents seeking a low-cost bank account with flexible spending options domestically or in Europe, we recommend N26.
On the other hand, Revolut’s card allows for international spending without being charged a foreign transaction fee which is a huge benefit. Overall, travelers may prefer the features offered by Revolut as it can be cheaper to use worldwide.
