Two of the most popular and successful new online banking services are Revolut and Monese. The most basic difference is that Monese offers a fully-featured bank account, whereas Revolut functions best as a prepaid debit card working in many different currencies with additional financial services. In terms of size, Revolut has more than 3.9 million users, and Monese currently has around one million. So if you are looking for the most suitable way to handle your finance, how to decide between Revolut vs Monese? We are here to help you make the right decision based on your own needs.
Before dealing with the advantages of choosing either Revolut or Monese, consider the following table of features of Monese vs Revolut showing common features and main differences as we summarize here:
Multiple debit cards
options for multiple debit cards for each account - besides the physical card, you can create up to 5 virtual cards
only allows one card per account, no virtual cards
Debit card top-up
Free by linking the main bank's debit card to the Revolut account and transferring with the app. Also with a bank transfer, debit card or credit card. Not with cash.
with cash in the U.K. and via a bank transfer in the U.K. and Europe
account options
Choice of 3 levels (Standard, Metal, Premium) for both personal and business
Choice of 3 levels for personal, one account for business
Commission on card transactions
For Simple account, first €6,000 free, then 2%
First €2,000 free, then 2%
Access to cryptocurrencies
Supports Bitcoin and cryptocurrency
N/A
Supports international
transfers Transfer to 29 currencies with a 0.5% fee for anything above £/€5000 each month plus a flat markup on weekends and in certain currencies
transfer money to over 30 countries in 18 currencies. 0 on first €2,000, then 2% (€2 minimum)
Commission on card transactions in a foreign currency
up to two percent of the amount spent
nil
Type of debit card
offers both Mastercard and Visa
only offers Mastercard
Transferring money to other accounts
Free to other accounts in the same country. 50 cent fee for non-euro transfers e.g. sending sterling to a bank in the UK from Euro country
Free in the UK and standard FX charges for international transfers.
Customer support
24h in-app live chat support available in English and Polish
Monday - Friday 08:00 - 17:00 call center by country available in English, French, Spanish, German and Italian
App language availability
20 languages
5 languages
Multi-currency balance
24 currencies
GBP or EUR only
Withdrawing cash abroad
withdraw the equivalent of €200 a month free, then 2% fee
2% on card spend and ATM usage
Transaction Alerts
Sends real-time transaction notifications
Not available
Geographic range
EEA (European Union plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) plus Switzerland & Australia
EEA (European Union plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway)
Unique features
Can set up recurring payments and direct debit payments to pay for your bills or purchases; Pay Per Day travel insurance; Supports Bitcoin and cryptocurrency
Instabalance lets you view your balance in your notification tray at any time.
Interest on savings
UK saving vault accounts only - 0.8% protected by FSCS up to £85,000
Not available
Access portals
Mobile only
Mobile only - can only access your account from one registered device at a time
Access portals
Mobile only
Mobile only - can only access your account from one registered device at a time
Funds top-up methods
Bank transfers, debit/credit card top-up
Cash (DE, IT, AT), bank transfer
Direct debit
EUR only, €1/£1 fee
EUR & GBP, free
- Both Revolut and Monese are online banking services with a range of capabilities, including the ability to open numerous foreign currency accounts, send money abroad, and make transactions with a debit card.
- Revolut has a greater selection of subscription options, including a free plan, whereas Monese exclusively offers premium plans, which is one of the main differences between the two. In addition, Revolut has a larger customer base and a more well-known brand than Monese has.
- Another distinction is that Revolut’s regular account does not come with an actual debit card, whereas Monese offers one for an extra cost.
- Both systems have costs for some transactions, like ATM withdrawals and foreign currency exchanges, however Revolut’s fees are typically less expensive.
- Overall, both services provide comparable capabilities, although Revolut is more well-known and charges less, while Monese provides an actual debit card.
- Revolut is authorized and governed by the Central Bank of Ireland, the European Central Bank, and the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
- Monese, on the other hand, is authorized and governed in the UK by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
- It is unclear what precise technologies each company utilizes to power its services in terms of technology suppliers, but it is likely that they both rely on a range of outside vendors for various parts of their business operations, including security, payments processing, and compliance.
- It’s important to remember that both businesses are startups that have used many technology providers throughout time, updating and renewing them.
Overall, there is no clear winner in the competition of Revolut vs. Monese. Each one has shared general features that are basic to everyone’s requirements, and both are good choices. Making the difference would be things that are particular to your own specific requirements.
