Revolut vs bunq: Which Is Better in 2026?

I’ve used both Revolut and bunq as an expat in Europe, and they solve different problems.

Revolut is the financial super-app: spending, saving, investing, crypto, insurance, eSIMs. If a financial product exists, Revolut has probably built a version of it. I first opened a Revolut account almost a decade ago.

bunq is the more opinionated alternative. Fewer features, but the ones it has — multi-IBAN sub-accounts, automation rules, a proper developer API — are built with real care. It’s a licensed Dutch bank that positions itself as “the bank of the free.”

Both hold EU banking licenses, both protect deposits up to EUR 100,000, and both now have a free plan. The short answer: Revolut is the better pick for travel, currency exchange and investing. bunq is the better pick if you want several IBANs inside one account, automation and API access.

Here’s how they compare across every dimension that matters.

Quick Comparison: Revolut vs bunq

Pricing and Plans

Both banks now have a free plan, and their paid tiers line up closely. Prices below are the Spanish ones as of October 2026.

Revolut’s Standard plan costs nothing and gives you a full IBAN, a debit card, interbank exchange rates on weekdays (up to EUR 1,000 a month), EUR 200/month or 5 fee-free ATM withdrawals, savings, and instant notifications. For a free account, it’s very capable.

bunq Free also costs nothing and includes a bank account, a savings account and up to 3 Pockets, each with its own IBAN. Foreign-currency card spending is limited to EUR 1,000 a year at the standard rate, then 1.5%. Core (EUR 3.99/month) raises that to 5 Pockets, Pro (EUR 9.99/month) to 25, and Elite (EUR 18.99/month) adds travel insurance and mobile data.

Revolut’s paid tiers run from EUR 3.99 (Plus) through EUR 9.99 (Premium) and EUR 15.99 (Metal) up to EUR 55/month (Ultra, introductory price). Premium removes the exchange limit and weekend markup. Ultra only makes sense if you travel constantly.

For a no-frills account, either free plan works. If you want bunq’s full budgeting setup, you’ll pay EUR 9.99/month for Pro. Revolut’s travel extras start at the same price with Premium.

Features

This is where the two banks diverge most clearly.

Revolut is wide. It tries to be the only financial app on your phone. Stocks, crypto, travel insurance, eSIMs, junior accounts, RevPoints rewards, airport lounge access. The app has become a financial super-app, and for the most part, each feature works well enough to be useful — even if no single feature is best-in-class.

bunq is deep. It does fewer things, but the things it does are thoughtfully built. The standout feature is multi-IBAN sub-accounts: create separate bank accounts within your main account, each with its own IBAN, and use automation rules to sort income, allocate money for bills, and fund savings goals automatically. For freelancers managing taxes, couples splitting expenses, or anyone who wants precise control over cash flow, this is genuinely powerful.

bunq also has a public developer API — rare for a consumer bank. If you want to build automations, connect to accounting software, or create custom workflows, bunq lets you. Revolut doesn’t offer anything comparable for personal accounts.

For investing, both offer stocks and ETFs, and both have crypto. Revolut has the edge in breadth, while bunq’s stocks come through Ginmon and its crypto through Kraken, with staking available.

If you live in Spain, both support Bizum, the peer-to-peer payment system everyone there uses. Revolut added it in September 2024 and bunq in May 2025.

Banking License and Safety

Both are real, licensed banks. This isn’t the early neobank era where “but is my money safe?” was a legitimate concern.

Revolut holds its EU banking license through Revolut Bank UAB in Lithuania, supervised by the Bank of Lithuania and the European Central Bank. Deposits are covered by the Lithuanian Deposit Guarantee Scheme up to EUR 100,000 — the same level of protection you’d get at Deutsche Bank or BBVA.

bunq holds its license from De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB), the Dutch central bank. Deposits are protected under the Dutch Deposit Guarantee Scheme, also up to EUR 100,000.

Both schemes operate under the same EU Deposit Guarantee Schemes Directive. In practical terms, your money is equally safe at either bank.

In the UK, Revolut Bank UK Ltd exited the PRA’s mobilisation phase in March 2026 and now offers FSCS-protected accounts. bunq has faced its own compliance scrutiny, including an AML-related fine the bank disputes.

Neither issue should keep you up at night. Standard advice applies: keep a backup account elsewhere. Not because either bank is likely to fail, but because any app-based bank can temporarily freeze an account during automated compliance checks, and you don’t want to be locked out of your only source of funds.

Ease of Use and App Experience

Revolut’s app is packed. The home screen shows your balance, recent transactions, and quick access to payments. But deeper features — insurance, eSIMs, investing — take some digging. If you use Revolut for everything it offers, the app feels like a financial control center. If you just want to check your balance and send money, it can feel like overkill.

Revolut has a web app at app.revolut.com where you can view transactions and card details, download statements and freeze cards. It’s still a mobile-first product, and most features live in the phone app.

bunq also offers web access. You can log in from a browser and manage your account from a desktop. For anyone who works from a computer, that’s a meaningful quality-of-life advantage. The app itself is cleaner and more focused than Revolut’s. The multi-account view makes it easy to see exactly where your money sits across sub-accounts. Automation rules are intuitive to set up.

Both apps have real-time notifications, card controls (freeze/unfreeze, toggle contactless and online payments), and biometric authentication. Both support Apple Pay and Google Pay. The core banking experience is polished on both platforms.

The difference is philosophy. Revolut gives you everything and lets you figure out what you need. bunq gives you less but organizes it better.

International Transfers and Currency

For anyone living abroad, multi-currency support is non-negotiable.

Revolut wins here. It exchanges currency at the interbank rate on weekdays, the rate you see on Google. On the free plan that applies up to EUR 1,000 a month, and weekends add 1% (0.5% on Plus, nothing on Premium and above). It also lets you hold and exchange balances in many currencies inside the app.

bunq lets you send money in 40+ currencies from your euro account, with the fee shown upfront. Card payments abroad use the Mastercard rate plus a 0.5% markup on paid plans. That’s fine for most Europeans, but Revolut is more flexible if you hold and convert several currencies.

For SEPA transfers within Europe, both are fast and free. If international transfers are a significant part of your banking life, you might also want to pair either bank with Wise, which specializes in cross-border payments.

ATM withdrawals follow similar patterns: both offer a monthly free allowance (Revolut gives EUR 200/month on the free plan), with fees beyond that. Higher-tier plans increase the allowance on both platforms.

Who Should Choose Which?

Choose Revolut if you:

• Want one app for everything — banking, investing, crypto, insurance, travel
• Travel frequently and want interbank exchange rates, travel insurance, and lounge access
• Deal with multiple currencies regularly (beyond EUR/USD/GBP)
• Want a free account that’s genuinely functional
• Have kids and want junior accounts with parental controls
• Are happy doing most of your banking from your phone

Choose bunq if you:

• Want precise budgeting with multiple sub-accounts, each with its own IBAN
• Are a freelancer or small business owner who needs to separate taxes, expenses, and income
• Value automation and want rules that sort your money automatically
• Want desktop/web access to your bank account
• Are a developer who wants API access

Use both if: You want the best of each. Revolut for day-to-day spending, travel, and investing. bunq for budgeting and money organization with its sub-accounts. With both free plans, the combination costs nothing to set up, and since both are EU-licensed banks, you’re also getting platform-level diversification — if one bank ever has a temporary issue, the other keeps you running.

Verdict

If I’m picking one account for a European expat starting fresh, it’s Revolut. The free tier alone beats most traditional banks, the currency exchange saves real money, and the breadth of features means you won’t outgrow it.

But bunq has earned its place. The multi-IBAN Pockets are hard to give up once you’ve used them, the automation rules save time, and the free plan makes it easy to try.

They’re not competitors in the way most people think. Revolut is the Swiss Army knife. bunq is the precision tool. The best setup for most European residents — and definitely for expats — is both.

For a deeper look at each platform, read my full Revolut review and bunq review. For a broader comparison of all the options, see my guide to the best online bank accounts in Europe.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Revolut or bunq safer for my money?

Both are equally safe for EU residents. Revolut holds a Lithuanian banking license (Bank of Lithuania / ECB supervision) and bunq holds a Dutch banking license (De Nederlandsche Bank). Both protect deposits up to EUR 100,000 under their respective EU deposit guarantee schemes. The practical safety level is identical.

Does bunq have a free plan like Revolut?

Yes. bunq Free costs nothing and includes up to 3 Pockets with their own IBAN, though foreign-currency card spending is capped at EUR 1,000 a year before a 1.5% fee applies. Revolut’s free Standard plan has a full IBAN, debit card, interbank exchange up to EUR 1,000 a month, and EUR 200/month in free ATM withdrawals.

Which is better for expats in Spain?

It depends on your priorities. Both support Bizum for accounts with a Spanish IBAN. bunq offers multi-IBAN sub-accounts for organizing finances. Revolut excels at multi-currency exchange and travel features. Many expats in Spain use both.

Can I use Revolut and bunq as my only bank accounts?

Yes, either can serve as a primary bank account. Both offer EU IBANs, direct debit support, and salary deposits. However, standard advice for any app-based bank is to keep a backup account elsewhere in case of temporary account freezes during automated compliance checks.

Which has better exchange rates for international transfers?

Revolut, for most people. It exchanges at the interbank rate on weekdays, up to EUR 1,000 a month on the free plan, with a weekend markup of 1% on Standard. bunq sends money in 40+ currencies and charges a 0.5% markup on card payments abroad on paid plans. For frequent multi-currency spending, Revolut has the advantage.

Does bunq or Revolut have web/desktop access?

Both do. bunq offers web browser access for managing your account from a desktop. Revolut has a web app at app.revolut.com for transactions, statements and card controls, though most features still live in the phone app.

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