Wise card vs Revolut card: Which one to choose in Ireland?

For convenient money management across currencies you could get some great features from both the Wise account and a Revolut account. Both accounts also offer optional cards for easy spending and withdrawals - but of the Wise card vs Revolut card which is better?

This guide looks at a full Wise vs Revolut card comparison on features, fees and exchange rates, so you can decide which suits you best.

Discover the Wise card 💳

Wise card: What are the options?

When you sign up for a Wise Account you can order an optional Wise debit card for a low, one-time fee of 7 EUR.

The card allows you to spend and withdraw money in 150+ countries, and there are no Wise fees to spend if you hold enough money in the required currency - and if you don’t, the card can convert for you from whichever currency incurs the lowest possible fee. There’s no foreign transaction fee to pay, just the low Wise conversion fee from 0.61%.

When you order your Wise card you can also generate Wise virtual cards instantly. This means you don’t need to wait for your physical card to arrive in the mail before you can transact. Instead, just create your virtual card and add it to a wallet like Apple Pay, to transact conveniently on the go.

Wise virtual cards can also offer an additional layer of security when you transact online. You can have up to 3 virtual cards, which have different card numbers to your physical card.

That means you can create a card and delete it after transacting if you’re ever concerned about security, with no need to cut up your physical card, and no interruption to your service.

Revolut card: What are the options?

Revolut in Ireland offers various different types of cards - including credit cards, which we’re not examining in this guide.¹

If you’re interested in a Revolut debit card you’ll need to open a Revolut account. You can select from 5 different plans in Ireland, which have ongoing fees from 0 EUR to 45 EUR a month.² Different account plans have their own features, benefits and fees, which mean there are different options for different customer needs.

Each Revolut plan comes with a debit card - you can get a standard card on the Standard plan, or choose a personalised, metal or platinum coated option on the higher tier accounts.

Like Wise, Revolut also offers account holders virtual card features³. You can get a multi-use virtual card which you can add to a wallet like Apple Pay, or you can generate single-use virtual cards which are intended for one transaction only. These cards can’t be used with wallets, but do offer peace of mind when shopping online.

Wise card vs Revolut card: Main features

To help you get a flavour of the options, here are the key features of Wise card vs Revolut card options, side by side.

We’ll look at the associated costs right after to help you decide if the Revolut or Wise card is a better fit for your needs.

*Details correct at time of research - 15th August 2025

Revolut or Wise card: What are the fees and charges in Ireland?

Both Revolut and Wise offer great value services with low, transparent fees. However the exact costs of using a Wise card vs Revolut card can vary, depending on the account type you pick and how you transact. Here are some key costs to consider for both:

Details correct at time of research - 15th August 2025
*Wise and Revolut will not charge you for these withdrawals, but some additional charges may occur from independent ATM networks.

Wise vs Revolut: Pay attention to the exchanges rates 👀

If you’re thinking of using your card for overseas spending it’s helpful to understand that both operate pretty differently in terms of currency exchange.

You can use either Wise or Revolut as a travel card. Both support multiple currencies for holding, and allow you to spend almost anywhere the card’s network is accepted globally.

When you hold a foreign currency with either Wise or Revolut, there’s no additional fee for card spending if your money covers all of the cost incurred.

However, if you don’t have the currency you need for overseas spending, it’s helpful to know that the exchange rates of Revolut and Wise are different.

Wise exchange rates and fees

With Wise you get the mid-market rate when you convert currencies in your account, send a payment, make a withdrawal or spend with your card in other currencies. There’s a low fee applied for currency conversion from 0.61% which can vary by currency, and no foreign transaction fee.

Revolut exchange rates and fees

Revolut applies exchange rates a little differently. It uses their own exchange rate, and if you have a Standard or Plus account you’ll have a limit on the amount of weekday currency conversion you can use before attracting additional fair usage fees.

Weekend fees also apply if you exchange funds out of hours (between 5pm New York time on Friday and 6pm New York time on Sunday). These fees do not apply to the other account types, where the monthly fees are higher.⁵

Here’s a quick summary of the exchange costs for Revolut Standard or Plus accounts⁵:

Details correct at time of research - 15th August 2025

Wise card or Revolut card: Which one to choose in Ireland?

Wise and Revolut are both very popular providers in Ireland, for account and card services which allow you to manage multiple currencies side by side. Whether you need an account to pay bills overseas, receive income from a foreign employer, or for travel purposes, either may be a good fit.

To decide which is best from Wise vs Revolut you’ll need to weigh up the features and fees which really matter to you.

Wise personal account doesn't charge any signup or monthly ongoing fees, and uses the mid-market rate with no out of hours or fair usage fee to pay when you need to convert for card spending or withdrawals. However, you don't earn rewards, and Wise doesn’t offer all of the travel perks that Revolut higher tier account holders can access.

Wise is a great all rounder for travelers and anyone looking for straightforward ways to manage their money across currencies.

Revolut has 5 different plans to suit varied needs - you’ll need to pay a hefty monthly fee to unlock all the features, but there are great perks on offer if you will use your card frequently enough to get the full benefit.

This can mean that Revolut is a better bet for you if you’re happy to pay a monthly fee to get extras like airport lounge access and complimentary travel insurance, as well as access to credit products.

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Sources last checked on 15th August, 2025