Wise vs Revolut Business UK: Which Is Better for Your Business?

More UK businesses now operate across borders than ever before. Whether you import stock from overseas, pay contractors in another timezone, or sell to customers in multiple markets, you need a way to move money internationally without the friction of a traditional high-street bank. Old-school business banking often means slow SWIFT transfers, weak exchange rates, and separate tools for spending, expense tracking, and currency conversion.

Two fintech platforms dominate the conversation for UK companies: Wise Business and Revolut Business. Both let you hold and send multiple currencies, issue business cards, and manage international payments from a single app. But they are built around different models — Wise leans toward transparent, pay-as-you-go transfers, while Revolut bundles accounts, cards, and expense management into monthly plans. The right choice depends on how your business actually moves money.

Quick Summary

Wise Business is often the better fit for companies that mainly send and receive international payments and want transparent, mid-market exchange rates with no monthly commitment. Its strength is simple, low-cost cross-border transfers and a multi-currency account.

Revolut Business suits teams that want a broader financial toolkit in one place — business cards, expense management, bill automation, and accounting integrations — and are comfortable paying a monthly subscription for higher usage allowances.

Core difference: Wise is a payments-first e-money account with per-transfer pricing; Revolut is a banking-grade platform with subscription tiers and deeper spend-management features.

Wise Business vs Revolut Business: Quick Comparison

Feature	Wise Business	Revolut Business
Business account	✓	✓
Multi-currency support	✓	✓
International payments	✓	✓
Currency exchange	✓	✓
Business cards	✓	✓
Expense management	Limited	✓
Accounting integrations	✓	✓
Pricing model	Pay-as-you-go	Subscription plans

Both platforms cover the fundamentals, so the decision usually comes down to pricing style and how much financial management you need beyond sending and receiving money. The sections below break each one down.

Wise Business Overview

What Is Wise Business?

Wise Business is a multi-currency business account designed for companies that send and receive international payments. It is operated by Wise, an FCA-registered e-money institution in the UK (not a bank). The platform is built around the mid-market exchange rate — the real rate you see on Google — with a transparent, upfront fee on each transaction rather than a hidden markup baked into the rate.

For a UK business, that means you can hold GBP alongside 40+ other currencies, receive money in major currencies using local account details, and pay suppliers or contractors abroad without opening a foreign bank account. Wise is especially popular with importers, freelancers working with overseas clients, and small teams that prioritise cheap, predictable cross-border transfers over an all-in-one finance suite.

Key Features of Wise Business

Multi-Currency Account

You can hold and manage balances in 40+ currencies and get local account details (such as a US account and routing number or a European IBAN) in 8+ currencies to receive payments like a local business. The Advanced plan extends receiving capabilities further, which matters if you collect in several markets regularly.

International Payments

Wise sends money to 140+ countries, always showing the exact fee and mid-market rate before you confirm. You can pay overseas suppliers, international contractors, and global partners, and even run batch payments for up to 1,000 recipients in one transfer. Because the rate is transparent, you know precisely what lands in the recipient's account.

Wise Business Card

The Wise business card is a debit card your team can use for online and in-person spending in 150+ countries, with real-time categorisation and visibility. The first card is free, with a small fee per additional team member card. It is a practical expense tool, though it stops short of the dedicated spend-approval workflows Revolut offers.

Wise Business Pros and Cons

Pros

Transparent pricing with the mid-market exchange rate and fees shown before you send.
No monthly fee or minimum balance — you pay only when you move money.
Strong international transfer capabilities and broad currency support.
Easy-to-use platform with accounting integrations (Xero, QuickBooks, Zoho).

Cons

Limited broader business finance tools; expense management is basic compared with Revolut.
Receiving in multiple currencies depends on your plan (the free Essential plan is more restricted).
As an e-money institution, eligible funds are safeguarded rather than covered by FSCS bank deposit protection.

Revolut Business Overview

What Is Revolut Business?

Revolut Business combines a business account, cards, expense management, and a wider set of financial tools in a single platform. As of 2026, Revolut Business operates as a UK bank, authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and regulated by the FCA, with FSCS-eligible deposit protection. That banking status is a meaningful difference from Wise's e-money model.

Revolut is aimed at companies that want one app for payments, currency exchange, team spending, and bills. It holds and exchanges 25+ currencies and sends to 150+ destinations, and its paid plans unlock higher transfer and FX allowances plus expense and approval features that suit growing teams.

Key Features of Revolut Business

Multi-Currency Account

You can hold and exchange 25+ currencies and get both local UK details (sort code and account number) and global account details for international payments. Bulk transfers, scheduled payments, and recurring payments are built in, which helps if you pay many suppliers or run payroll.

Business Cards

Revolut issues both physical and virtual corporate cards, with metal cards included complimentary depending on your plan tier. You can set custom spending rules per card or per person, spend in 150+ currencies, and withdraw cash at ATMs within daily limits. Card controls are tighter and more granular than Wise's.

Expense Management

This is where Revolut pulls ahead. You can issue cards to your team, capture receipts by photo, set approval workflows, and auto-reconcile expenses against your accounting software. Bill automation (Revolut BillPay) turns incoming invoices into draft payments, and integrations cover Xero, QuickBooks, Sage, and HR platforms.

Revolut Business Pros and Cons

Pros

Broader business management features — cards, expenses, bills, and analytics in one place.
Strong card and expense capabilities with custom controls and approvals.
Useful for teams: unlimited member access, per-person limits, and real-time visibility.
Banking status (PRA-authorised, FCA-regulated, FSCS-eligible) with a savings option that pays interest on idle cash.

Cons

Monthly subscription plans increase fixed costs even if you barely use the account.
Many allowances (free transfers, FX volume) depend on your plan tier; exceeding them triggers fees.
A weekend FX markup applies when markets are closed, so large conversions are best timed for weekdays.

Wise Business vs Revolut Business: Feature Comparison

Account and Currency Support

Wise supports 40+ currencies and gives local receiving details in 8+ currencies (more on the paid Advanced plan). Revolut supports 25+ currencies but adds UK local details plus global details, and includes scheduled, recurring, and bulk payments on every plan. If your priority is holding a wide currency spread and receiving like a local in many markets, Wise's breadth is strong; if you want bundled payment scheduling and UK banking details with FSCS cover, Revolut's account is the fuller package.

International Payments

Wise prices every transfer transparently at the mid-market rate, starting from 0.33% plus a fixed fee (from £0.30), with the total shown before you send. It is ideal for occasional or variable-volume transfers where you do not want a standing subscription. Revolut bundles a number of free international transfers into each plan (zero on Basic, five on Grow, twenty-five on Scale, SWIFT), with additional transfers and FX above your monthly allowance charged at 0.6% plus a weekend markup. If your monthly FX volume is high and predictable, Revolut's allowances can flatten costs; if it is low or sporadic, Wise's pay-as-you-go model is usually cheaper.

Business Cards

Both issue business cards, but the experience differs. Wise offers a free first debit card with simple tracking and light categorisation — good for basic team spending. Revolut offers virtual and physical cards with metal options by tier, per-card and per-person spend controls, ATM access, and Apple Pay or Google Pay. For businesses that issue cards to many employees and need approvals, Revolut is the stronger card-and-control environment.

Expense Management

This is the clearest dividing line. Wise provides basic expense visibility through its card and accounting connections but no dedicated approvals or receipt workflows. Revolut builds expense management in — photo receipt capture, custom approval rules, auto-reconciliation, and bill automation — on all plans. If controlling team spend is a priority, Revolut wins this category outright.

Wise Business vs Revolut Business Fees Comparison

Cost Type	Wise Business	Revolut Business
Account opening fee	Free (Essential) or one-time £50 setup (Advanced)	Free
Monthly subscription	None	From £10/month (Basic); Grow from £30/mo billed annually (£35 monthly); Scale from £90/mo billed annually (£125 monthly); Enterprise custom
International transfers	From 0.33% + fixed fee from £0.30, mid-market rate shown upfront	Free within plan allowance (Basic 0, Grow 5, Scale 25 SWIFT), then per-transfer fees + 0.6% FX above allowance
Currency conversion	From 0.33% at mid-market rate	Interbank within monthly FX allowance (Basic £1,000 / Grow £15,000 / Scale £60,000); 0.6% above; weekend markup applies
Business card fees	First card free; ~£3 per additional team card	Included on plans; metal cards complimentary by tier

Pricing reflects provider pages verified in 2026 and can change. Always confirm current fees on the Wise and Revolut websites before deciding.

Rather than declaring one "cheaper," the honest answer depends on how you use it:

Wise is usually more cost-effective for businesses that send international payments occasionally or in unpredictable volumes and want to avoid a monthly fee. You pay only when money moves, at a transparent rate.
Revolut often delivers more value for businesses that issue many cards, manage team expenses, and move enough currency to stay inside a plan's FX allowance. The subscription buys allowances and features that would otherwise be separate tools.

A useful test: estimate your monthly FX volume and transfer count, then run both fee calculators. Below roughly £1,000 of monthly FX with a handful of transfers, Wise is typically cheaper. Above £15,000 of monthly FX with regular team spending, a Revolut paid plan often pays for itself.

Wise Business vs Revolut Business: Which One Should You Choose?

Wise Business May Be Better If:

You mainly make international transfers and want transparent, mid-market pricing.
You prefer no monthly commitment and only pay when you move money.
You need a simple multi-currency account to receive like a local in several markets.
Your team's spending needs are light and do not require formal approval workflows.

Revolut Business May Be Better If:

You need business cards for a team plus expense and approval controls.
You want to manage payments, currency exchange, bills, and analytics in one app.
Your monthly FX volume is high enough to use a plan's allowances.
You value a UK banking relationship with FSCS-eligible deposit protection and a savings option.

When Businesses Need More Than Wise or Revolut

Wise and Revolut solve most day-to-day international banking needs, but some growing businesses eventually need more than transfers or business banking features alone. They may require an integrated global payment operating system that combines accounts, payments, cards, and digital-asset capabilities — especially if they pay global suppliers, settle with overseas partners, or operate across many markets where local rails and stablecoin networks need to work in parallel.

That is the gap a platform like PhotonPay is built to fill: not as a replacement for your bank or fintech account, but as a complementary global payment layer when your operations outgrow a single standalone account.

PhotonPay — Global Payment Infrastructure for UK Businesses

PhotonPay positions itself as the next-generation payment operating system for businesses that run global operations. It is FCA-authorised in the UK, so UK companies can integrate it alongside their existing banking and fintech stack with regulatory confidence.

Global Account: A multi-asset wallet that gives UK businesses local receiving details in major currencies, so you can collect like a local and avoid unnecessary FX on inbound payments.
International Payments: Pay suppliers, contractors, and partners through global payouts across 200+ countries and regions, settling in local currency or stablecoins, with same-day and instant options that bypass banking-hour delays.
Business Cards: Issue virtual or physical corporate cards on Mastercard and Discover® Global Network, with programmable spend controls for teams and subsidiaries and worldwide acceptance.
Stablecoin Payment Layer: Fund your PhotonPay account with stablecoins (USDC or USDT); the card then pays your suppliers, ad networks, or contractors. This turns digital dollars into real-world spending power without juggling separate crypto exchanges.

Suitable For

PhotonPay is built for ecommerce businesses and global suppliers operating across multiple markets — teams that need an integrated global payment operating system rather than a single standalone account.

FAQs About Wise vs Revolut Business for UK Companies

Is Wise Business better than Revolut Business?

Neither is universally better — it depends on your needs. Wise Business is stronger for transparent, pay-as-you-go international transfers with no monthly fee. Revolut Business is stronger for teams that want cards, expense management, and billing automation in one subscription. Choose Wise if transfers are your main use case; choose Revolut if you need broader finance tooling.

Which is cheaper, Wise or Revolut Business?

For low or sporadic international payments, Wise is usually cheaper because there is no monthly subscription and fees are shown upfront. For businesses with high, predictable FX volume and active team spending, a Revolut paid plan can be more cost-effective once allowances are used. Run both calculators with your typical monthly volume to compare.

Can I use Wise and Revolut for business payments?

Yes. Many UK businesses hold both — Wise for transparent transfers and multicurrency holding, Revolut for team cards and expense control. They are not mutually exclusive, and you can use each for the jobs it does best. Some companies also add a global payment layer like PhotonPay for supplier payouts and stablecoin settlement.

Does Wise Business support international payments?

Yes. Wise Business sends money to 140+ countries at the mid-market exchange rate, with the fee and exact rate shown before you confirm. It supports batch payments, local receiving details in major currencies, and accounting integrations, making it a strong choice for businesses that pay overseas suppliers or contractors.

Does Revolut Business offer multi-currency accounts?

Yes. Revolut Business lets you hold and exchange 25+ currencies, provides UK local details and global account details, and supports transfers to 150+ destinations. Paid plans add higher FX and transfer allowances plus expense and bill-automation features.

What is the best Wise alternative for UK businesses?

It depends on what you are replacing. For broader finance tooling with cards and expenses, Revolut Business is the closest alternative. For an integrated global payment layer covering multi-currency accounts, international payouts, business cards, and stablecoin settlement, PhotonPay is an option worth reviewing alongside your existing stack.