Monzo vs Revolut
Torn between Monzo and Revolut? The comparison below is built from the same test data we use across the rest of the site.
Both issue on Visa · Mastercard; verification is ID + proof at Monzo versus ID only at Revolut; only Revolut takes crypto top-ups.
Monzo is the more cost-effective option for everyday spending and travel thanks to its free virtual cards, no monthly fee, 0% foreign transaction fees. Revolut is the better fit for power users who need crypto funding and ad spend and AI subscriptions.
Where they split
| Field | Monzo | Revolut |
|---|---|---|
| Card network | Visa/Mastercard | Visa, Mastercard |
| Card type | Digital Bank / Neobank | Digital Bank / Neobank |
| KYC | ID + proof | ID only |
| Card issuance fee | Free (with Monzo account) | Free |
| Monthly fee | Free (standard account) | Free (Standard); Plus £3.99; Premium £7.99; Metal £14.99; Ultra £55 per mo |
| Top-up fee | — | — |
| FX fee | No FX fees | 0.5% |
| Crypto funding | No | Yes |
| AI tool support | — | ChatGPT / Claude / Midjourney |
| Risk level | Low-Medium | Low-Medium |
| Our rating | 8.3 | 9.0 |
| User reviews | 407 | 80 |
| Best for | App Store / Play · Free issuance | All-rounder · Ad spend |
A green left edge marks the side that holds the advantage on that row, where the data gives one.
The head to head
- Revolut covers a wider spread of use cases; Monzo is more of a single-purpose tool.
- Prefer a short sign-up? Revolut is the lower-friction option here.
- Revolut can sit on a crypto balance; Monzo cannot, so the call depends on how you fund it.
- Revolut edged Monzo on our composite rating across fees, risk and merchant tests.
The short version of the matchup
Monzo is the cheaper card to hold: free to create and no top-up fee, against free and no top-up fee at Revolut. Revolut earns its keep only if you need crypto funding and ad-platform billing.
Questions people ask
That depends on what you spend on. Monzo scores 8.3/10 against Revolut's 9.0/10 in our tests, but the two split on fees, KYC and crypto funding. Read the table above, then match it to the checkouts you actually run.
Monzo is the cheaper card to run. Both Monzo and Revolut issue virtual cards for free.
Monzo asks for ID + proof at signup; Revolut asks for ID only. If a light sign-up is the priority, the one with the lower KYC label is the faster route.
Both show up in 1 of the same test scenarios, including Skype Credit. They overlap on a good share of checkouts, so the choice between them matters most on those pages. Where one is accepted and the other is not usually comes down to the billing country and 3-D Secure handling.
Where both show up
Monzo and Revolut both landed in our top picks for 1 checkouts. Grouped by category so you can jump straight to the one you actually pay for:
🧳 Travel & Productivity 1
Their BIN ranges
Cards issued in 🇬🇧 UK — the country guides group every range we track from there.
What our charge log shows
Every count here is a real charge attempt we placed on that range, renewals included, with the gateway response recorded. Weeks tracked is how long the range has been in the programme: