Remitly vs Revolut 2026 — Remittance Specialist vs All-in-One Banking App
Remitly wins · 3 of 3 corridors
Cheaper than Revolut on the transfers we sampled below.
Remitly
4.5Remitly specializes in personal international money transfers with a focus on remittances to developing countries, offering competitive rates and fast delivery.
Revolut
4.4Revolut is a digital banking app offering international money transfers at interbank rates during market hours, along with a full suite of financial services.
Remitly and Revolut are both popular for sending money abroad, but they're built for different purposes. Remitly is a remittance specialist — fast delivery, cash pickup, mobile wallets, 170+ countries. Revolut is a fintech banking app — multi-currency accounts, spending cards, budgeting tools. This comparison shows where each wins on price, speed, and delivery options.
In this article
Live comparison: Remitly vs Revolut across popular corridors
| Corridor | Remitly | Revolut | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| USD → INR($1,000) | ₹93,969.24 | ₹92,841.83 | Remitly |
| GBP → EUR(£1,000) | €1,153.17 | €1,126.24 | Remitly |
| USD → PHP($500) | ₱29,896.01 | — | N/A |
| USD → MXN($1,000) | MX$18,269.79 | MX$17,067.83 | Remitly |
Amounts shown are what the recipient receives. Based on current scraped data, updated every 6 hours.
Overview: Remitly vs Revolut at a glance
| Feature | Remitly | Revolut |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2011 (Seattle, US) | 2015 (London, UK) |
| Best for | Remittances to developing countries | Multi-currency spending + travel |
| Fee model | $0–$3.99 (Express) / $0.49+ (Economy) | Free tier (£1K/mo), then 0.5% |
| Exchange rate | 0.4%–3% markup | Interbank (weekday), 1% weekend markup |
| Transfer speed | Minutes (Express) / 3–5 days (Economy) | Instant (Revolut-to-Revolut), 1–5 days (external) |
| Countries | 170+ destinations | 36+ currencies, fewer destination countries |
| Cash pickup | Yes (460,000+ locations) | No |
| Mobile wallets | GCash, bKash, M-Pesa, Easypaisa | No direct mobile wallet delivery |
| Multi-currency account | No | Yes (36+ currencies) |
| Debit card | No | Yes (virtual + physical) |
| Trustpilot | 4.6/5 (108K reviews) | 4.3/5 (180K reviews) |
| Regulated by | FCA, FinCEN | FCA, ECB (banking licence) |
Key takeaway: They serve different needs. Remitly excels at getting money to family abroad quickly and cheaply — with cash pickup and mobile wallets in developing countries. Revolut excels as a daily financial app with multi-currency spending, but its international transfer coverage is narrower.
Fees and exchange rates
Remitly
- Express: $2.99–$14.99 — delivers in minutes
- Economy: $0.49–$3.99 — delivers in 3–5 days, better exchange rate
- Exchange rate markup: 0.4%–3% depending on corridor
Revolut
- Free plan: £1,000/month of fee-free FX at interbank rate. Above that, 0.5% fee.
- Weekend markup: 1% on major currencies, 2% on exotic currencies (Remitly has no weekend markup)
- Paid plans: Plus (£3.99/mo), Premium (£7.99/mo), Metal (£13.99/mo) — higher free FX limits
Cost comparison on $500 to Philippines
| Scenario | Remitly | Revolut |
|---|---|---|
| Weekday, under £1K limit | ~$3 fee + 1% markup = ~$8 | ~$0 (within free tier) |
| Weekday, over limit | ~$3 fee + 1% markup = ~$8 | ~$2.50 (0.5%) |
| Weekend | ~$3 fee + 1% markup = ~$8 | ~$5 (1% weekend markup) |
Bottom line: Revolut is cheaper for small weekday transfers within the free tier. Remitly is more predictable and has no weekend penalty.
Where Remitly wins: delivery options and reach
This is the biggest differentiator. Remitly was built for remittances; Revolut was built for banking.
| Delivery method | Remitly | Revolut |
|---|---|---|
| Bank deposit | 170+ countries | ~36 currencies (fewer countries) |
| Cash pickup | 460,000+ locations globally | Not available |
| GCash (Philippines) | Yes — instant | Not available |
| M-Pesa (Kenya) | Yes — instant | Not available |
| bKash (Bangladesh) | Yes — instant | Not available |
| Easypaisa (Pakistan) | Yes — instant | Not available |
| Home delivery | Select countries | Not available |
| Express speed | Minutes | 1–5 days (external SWIFT) |
If your recipient needs cash pickup or a mobile wallet, Revolut simply can't do it. For bank-to-bank transfers within Europe (SEPA), Revolut is fast and often free. For everything else, Remitly has far wider reach.
Where Revolut wins: multi-currency and daily banking
Revolut offers features Remitly doesn't have:
- Multi-currency account: Hold 36+ currencies and convert when rates are good
- Local account details: Get USD, EUR, GBP receiving accounts — clients pay you like a local
- Debit card: Spend in any currency at interbank rates (weekday)
- Budgeting and savings vaults: Track spending, set goals, round up spare change
- Revolut-to-Revolut transfers: Free and instant globally — if both parties have Revolut
- Crypto and stock trading: Available within the app
For receiving payments from abroad (freelancers, businesses), Revolut's local account details are a major advantage. Remitly is a one-way sending service — you can't receive money through it.
Verdict: Which should you use?
Choose Remitly if:
- You're sending money to family in developing countries (India, Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Kenya, Mexico)
- Your recipient needs cash pickup or mobile wallet delivery
- You want Express delivery in minutes
- You send on weekends (no weekend markup)
Choose Revolut if:
- You send bank-to-bank within Europe (SEPA — free and fast)
- Both you and your recipient have Revolut (free, instant)
- You need a multi-currency account for travel or receiving payments
- You want an all-in-one banking app (spending, budgeting, crypto)
- You send small amounts on weekdays (within free tier)
Many people use both: Revolut for daily spending and European transfers, Remitly for sending money home to family abroad. They complement each other well.
Compare both for your specific transfer: use our comparison tool.
Remitly vs Revolut: Summary table
| Feature | Remitly | Revolut |
|---|---|---|
| Overall rating | 4.5/5 (Excellent) | 4.4/5 (Excellent) |
| Fee structure | From $0 to $3.99 per transfer | Free up to £1,000/month, then 0.5% |
| Exchange rate markup | 0.5% - 2% above mid-market | 0% weekdays, 0.5-1% weekends |
| Transfer speed | Minutes to 3-5 days | Instant to 3 days |
| Supported countries | 100+ | 150+ |
| Supported currencies | 40+ | 36+ |
| Max transfer | $10,000 | No limit |
| Payment methods | Bank Transfer, Debit Card, Credit Card | Bank Transfer, Debit Card, Revolut Balance |
| Delivery methods | Bank Deposit, Cash Pickup, Mobile Money, Home Delivery | Bank Deposit, Revolut Account |
| Regulators | FinCEN, FCA | FCA, ECB, FinCEN |
| Founded | 2011 | 2015 |
| Best for | Large transfers, transparency, business | Small remittances, speed, cash pickup |
Remitly
Pros
- Express transfers arrive in minutes
- Cash pickup available in many countries
- Mobile money delivery option
- First transfer promotions often available
- Home delivery in select countries
Cons
- Rates less competitive for large transfers
- No multi-currency account
- Focused mainly on remittance corridors
Revolut
Pros
- Interbank rates during market hours
- Free transfers between Revolut users
- Multi-currency account
- Virtual and physical cards
- Crypto and stock trading available
Cons
- Weekend markup of 0.5-1%
- Free tier has monthly limits
- Customer support can be slow