Transferring USD to Revolut VS Wise – Which Bank is Best?

Short answer: For receiving and moving USD, Wise is usually the better choice, especially if you’re in Europe and getting paid from US banks. Revolut is strong for day-to-day spending and FX, but its USD rails are often weaker and more expensive.

Quick verdict by use case

• You live in Europe and receive USD from US clients/brokers: Use Wise for USD (ACH/wire into a real US account in your name). Then convert or forward wherever you want.
• You live in the US and want a spending app: Both work, but Wise is usually cheaper and clearer on FX. Revolut is fine if you mainly spend and rarely receive cross-border USD.
• You just need a travel card for occasional FX: Either is fine. If USD inflows are important, lean Wise.

First, neither Revolut nor Wise is a traditional bank

Both are regulated fintechs / e-money institutions that partner with banks. Deposit protection and regulatory setup differ by country. You should always check the legal entity and protections in your jurisdiction before parking large sums there.

How USD accounts work in Wise

With Wise, when you open USD “account details” you typically get:

• A US routing number and account number in your name (ACH + wire-capable for most users).
• Ability to receive:
  • ACH transfers from US banks with no Wise fee to receive.
  • Domestic US wires for a flat incoming fee.
  • SWIFT USD transfers from abroad, also with a fixed incoming fee.

For FX, Wise:

• Uses the live mid-market rate and charges a separate, explicit fee (usually in the ~0.3–0.7% range depending on route).
• Shows you the fee and the exact amount the recipient will get before you confirm the transfer.

How USD accounts work in Revolut

Revolut’s USD setup depends heavily on your residency.

• For many EU/UK customers: the USD “account” is often a UK/EU-domiciled USD account accessed via SWIFT, not a US domestic checking account. Incoming USD usually arrive via international SWIFT wires, which can trigger intermediary bank fees.
• For US customers:
  • Revolut lets you send local USD ACH transfers to US bank accounts with no Revolut transfer fee for ACH.
  • Domestic USD wires in or out incur a flat fee per wire on the Standard plan.

For FX, Revolut:

• Often advertises “no fee” weekday exchanges up to a plan-specific allowance, but the effective cost can appear in spreads and special conditions.
• Charges extra weekend markups for many users on lower-tier plans, with higher-tier paid plans avoiding that markup but charging a monthly subscription.

Net effect: if you’re outside the US, getting USD into Revolut often means SWIFT and potentially painful third-party fees, whereas Wise gives you local ACH rails and predictable costs.

Comparing the cost of getting USD in

From a US bank to Wise

Typical flow:

1. Open USD account details in Wise. Get routing + account number.
2. Add your Wise account as an external account in your US bank.
3. Push an ACH transfer from your bank to Wise.

Cost profile:

• Wise fee to receive ACH: 0 USD.
• Your US bank may charge a small fee, but many do ACH for free.

If the sender insists on a domestic wire instead of ACH, you pay Wise’s incoming wire fee.

From a US bank to Revolut

Two very different realities:

• You are a US Revolut user:
  • Local ACH transfers in USD to your US Revolut account can be fee-free from Revolut’s side.
  • US domestic wires usually have a fixed inbound wire fee per transfer.
• You are an EU/UK Revolut user receiving USD:
  • You often only have international USD (SWIFT) details.
  • Revolut itself may not charge to receive a bank transfer, but your sending bank and intermediary banks can charge 15–50 USD or more in aggregate fees.

This is the big practical difference: Wise gives non-US residents a domestic-style USD account; Revolut often relies on SWIFT unless you are on the US product.

Converting USD to EUR (or other currencies)

Wise FX

• Uses the real mid-market rate (same as you see on public FX tickers).
• Charges a transparent fee (e.g. “0.45%” or similar) shown before you convert.
• No separate weekend markup; only the stated fee.

Revolut FX

• On Standard, weekday exchanges within your allowance may show “no fee,” but the app applies its own spread and rules.
• On weekends, many users pay an extra exchange markup on top of the underlying rate; higher-tier plans remove this but cost a monthly fee.

If you regularly convert significant USD to EUR, Wise is usually easier to reason about and compare, because the rate is mid-market and the fee is explicit.

Speed and limits

• Wise: ACH in usually 1–3 business days, wires same/next day; send limits can go up to high six figures for verified accounts.
• Revolut: ACH/wires in the US follow standard bank timings; SWIFT times vary (1–5 business days) and can be delayed by intermediaries.

Practical scenarios

Scenario 1 – You’re in Europe, getting paid USD from a US broker or client

Example: US broker pays you monthly in USD.

• Wise: Give them your US routing/account. They send an ACH. You receive the full 1000 USD; Wise fee to receive is 0. Then you convert to EUR at mid-market minus a visible fee.
• Revolut (EU user): Give them your Revolut USD SWIFT details. Their bank sends an international wire. You might see 15–50 USD shaved off by correspondent banks before it even hits Revolut. Then you convert, possibly with weekend markup depending on timing and plan.

In practice, Wise nearly always wins on net received amount and clarity here.

Scenario 2 – You are in the US and just want an app to move USD around and spend abroad

• Wise: Good local USD account, clean FX, strong international transfer stack.
• Revolut US: Fine for ACH and card spending. Domestic wires cost a fixed fee in and out. FX is okay but with quirks (weekend rules, plan limits, etc.).

If you care about predictable FX, Wise is cleaner. If you mainly care about app UI, metal cards, or specific Revolut features, you might pick Revolut knowing the cost structure.

Scenario 3 – You want to hold USD and occasionally move it

• Wise: Better rails for incoming USD (especially if you are not US-resident). Easy to send USD out again via ACH/wire or convert.
• Revolut: Acceptable if your USD comes from within the Revolut ecosystem (other Revolut users). Less ideal when money originates from US banks via SWIFT.

Other considerations

• Regulation and trust: Both are large, regulated players but neither is a classic deposit-insured retail bank in every market. Check the specific protections in your country and avoid holding very large long-term balances purely in these apps.
• Card spending: Both offer cards. Wise ties directly to your multi-currency balance. Revolut adds lifestyle features, subscriptions, insurance bundles, and so on.
• Business accounts: Fee tables differ for business vs personal, so always check the specific plan pages before committing.

So, which is “best” for USD transfers?

• For receiving and moving USD cheaply and predictably: Wise wins in most realistic setups, especially for non-US residents.
• For an all-in-one spending app with decent FX and extra lifestyle features: Revolut is fine, but treat incoming USD via SWIFT as an expensive edge case.

The rational setup for many people is:

• Use Wise as the main USD “hub” (client payments, broker withdrawals, etc.).
• Convert and send out to:
  • Your local bank for savings/investing, and/or
  • Revolut (or another app) for daily card spending.