Comparison · Banking abroad
Revolut vs N26: which is better for living abroad?
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Moving countries, or working from the road? Revolut and N26 are the first two apps everyone names, and it's easy to assume they do the same job. They don't. One is a currency-juggling Swiss-army knife. The other is a proper licensed bank account that happens to live on your phone. Choosing well really comes down to two questions: how many currencies you actually touch, and how much you care about bank-grade deposit protection on your main balance.
Think of this as the version a friend who's already done the move would give you. We take no cut from either provider, and there's no winner to crown here — both are good, just for different people. Fees, plan names and FX caps keep shifting and differ by country, so read every number below as a planning estimate and check the live figure on the provider’s own pricing page.
Side by side
| What | Revolut | N26 |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | E-money / fintech app with a full bank licence in some regions | A fully licensed German bank N26 holds a German banking licence (BaFin-regulated), so euro balances sit in a bank account with deposit protection. Revolut operates as e-money in much of Europe but holds a Lithuanian bank licence used to roll out full banking in more EU countries over time. |
| Deposit protection | Varies: bank-licence countries up to €100k; e-money is safeguarded, not insured | Up to €100,000 per customer (German deposit guarantee) This is the single biggest structural difference. N26 euro deposits are covered by the German scheme. Revolut funds are protected by the local scheme only where it operates under its bank licence; elsewhere your money is "safeguarded" in client accounts, which is not the same as deposit insurance. |
| Where you can open it | EEA, UK, US, Australia, Singapore, Japan and more | Most of the EU/EEA plus a few extra European markets For someone moving outside Europe, Revolut’s wider footprint is often the deciding factor. N26 has pulled back from some markets (it exited the US and UK), so check it actually serves your destination before you rely on it. |
| Account currencies | 25+ currencies held in-app, plus currency exchange and sub-accounts | Primarily a euro account (some plans add limited multi-currency features) Revolut is the stronger multi-currency tool: hold balances in many currencies and convert between them. N26 is euro-first, which is clean if you earn and spend mostly in euros but weaker if your income arrives in several currencies. |
| FX / currency exchange | Interbank-style rate on weekdays; monthly fee-free FX cap on free plan, then ~0.5%+; weekend markup | Card spending uses Mastercard rate with no N26 markup on most plans Revolut can be cheaper for active currency conversion if you stay under the free cap and avoid weekends. For simply paying abroad with a card, N26’s no-markup Mastercard spending is very competitive and simpler to reason about. |
| ATM withdrawals abroad | Free monthly allowance, then ~2% fee on the free plan; higher caps on paid plans | A number of free withdrawals per month, then a flat fee; more free ones on paid plans Both meter free ATM use on their lower tiers. If you withdraw cash often, compare the specific monthly allowance on the exact plan you would choose, not the headline. |
| Plans & monthly cost | Free tier; paid tiers roughly from a few euros up to ~€45/month | Free tier; paid tiers roughly from a few euros up to ~€16/month Prices vary by country. Revolut’s premium tiers reach higher but bundle travel insurance, higher FX/ATM limits and perks. N26’s paid tiers are usually cheaper and centre on travel insurance and partner offers. |
| IBAN type | Country-local IBANs in several markets; Lithuanian IBAN in others | German IBAN for most customers A non-local IBAN can occasionally be rejected by employers, landlords or local direct-debit systems (so-called "IBAN discrimination", which is illegal in the SEPA zone but still happens). Check whether you’ll get a local IBAN for your destination. |
| Best fit | Multi-currency earners, frequent country-hoppers, FX-heavy users | Euro-based residents who want a real licensed bank account Neither is universally "better" — the right answer depends on how many currencies you touch and whether you want bank-grade deposit protection. |
Fees, plan tiers, FX caps and coverage differ by country and change often. The figures here are flagged as unverified in our notes, so confirm them on each provider’s current pricing page before you lean on any of them.
Which to pick when
Pick Revolut if you earn or spend in several currencies, or you move around a lot.
Revolut is the stronger travel and multi-currency tool. Hold and convert many currencies in one app, lean on a wider reach outside Europe, and unlock higher FX and ATM limits on the paid tiers. The catch: in a lot of countries it runs as e-money, so your balance is safeguarded rather than bank-insured. Fine for working money; worth a second thought for large balances.
Pick N26 if you live in the eurozone and want a real licensed bank account.
N26 is a fully licensed German bank, so euro deposits sit under the German guarantee up to €100,000, and card spending abroad runs at the Mastercard rate with no markup on most plans. It's simpler and euro-first — a solid primary account when your life is mostly in euros. The flip side is its smaller footprint, which means it may not follow you outside Europe.
Don’t make either your only account.
Whichever you pick, most people abroad still keep a local account in their country of residence. App-only providers can freeze accounts during fraud reviews, sometimes hand you a non-local IBAN that a landlord or payroll system rejects, and can pull out of a market with little warning. A second account is cheap insurance against getting locked out of your own money at exactly the wrong moment.
Voymo gives general information to help you organise your move. It is not legal, tax, or immigration advice, always confirm with an official source or a qualified professional before you act.
Compare against the rest, not just these two
Revolut and N26 get the headlines, but they aren’t the only sensible options for life abroad. Wise, bunq, local challengers and your destination’s own banks can all matter, depending on where you land and how you get paid. Run your own situation through our best bank for nomads picker to weigh deposit protection, multi-currency support, fees and country coverage for your case, then decide on your money rather than the marketing.
Frequently asked questions
Is Revolut or N26 a "real" bank? +
N26 is a fully licensed German bank, so your euro balance sits in a bank account covered by the German deposit guarantee up to €100,000. Revolut does hold a banking licence in some regions (including a Lithuanian EU licence), but in many countries it still runs as regulated e-money, where your money is safeguarded in client accounts rather than insured. If bank-grade deposit protection on your main balance matters to you, that is the first thing worth checking for your specific country.
Which is cheaper for spending and withdrawing money abroad? +
It depends on how you use it. For everyday card payments in foreign currencies, N26 applies the Mastercard rate with no markup on most plans — simple and competitive. Revolut can work out cheaper when you are actively converting between currencies, as long as you stay within the free monthly FX allowance and steer clear of weekend markups. Both also meter free ATM withdrawals on their lower tiers, then charge a percentage or flat fee beyond that. Compare the exact allowances on the specific plan you would choose, because the free plan and the paid plans behave very differently.
Can I use Revolut or N26 if I move outside Europe? +
Revolut usually travels further: it operates in the UK, US, Australia, Singapore, Japan and other markets, so it is often still usable after a move outside the EU. N26 stays focused on Europe and has pulled out of some markets, including the US and UK, so confirm it actually serves your destination before you depend on it. Plenty of people abroad keep one of these alongside a local account instead of treating it as their only bank.
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Voymo gives general information to help you organise your move. It is not legal, tax, or immigration advice, always confirm with an official source or a qualified professional before you act.