Revolut Standard: is the free account still worth it in 2026?
The Standard plan is Revolut's entry point, and in 2026 it remains one of the best free options on the market for managing your money day to day. No monthly fee, a European IBAN, free SEPA transfers and access to the interbank exchange rate up to €1,000/month. But its limits are real: no travel insurance, no cashback, and an exchange allowance that can become restrictive. This guide helps you work out whether Standard is enough for your profile, or whether upgrading is genuinely worth something.
Standard plan summary
The real benefits of the Standard plan
At €0/month, Revolut Standard offers a set of features that outperform many traditional banks, for free.
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Completely free account, no commitment
No opening fee, no monthly fee, no minimum deposit requirement. You open it, you use it, you close it if you wish, with no penalty.
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European IBAN included from day one
Residents of France have received a French IBAN (FR) since 2024, which you can use to receive your salary, pay your subscriptions and make all your transfers within the SEPA area. It will stay the same during the migration to Revolut Bank S.A., a bank incorporated under French law.
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Best-in-class mobile app
The Revolut app is widely recognised as one of the best in the industry: clear interface, instant notifications, automatic spending categorisation, budget charts, bill splitting with friends. Standard gives access to all of these tools.
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Exchange at the interbank rate up to €1,000/month
Revolut applies the interbank exchange rate (the best rate available, with no hidden margin) to your conversions up to €1,000 a month, on weekdays. This is the main competitive advantage over traditional banks, which generally charge a 2 to 3% commission.
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Unlimited virtual cards
Create as many virtual cards as you need for your online purchases. Ideal for compartmentalising your subscriptions and securing your payments: each card can be frozen or deleted instantly without affecting your main card.
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Real-time spending control
Every transaction triggers an instant push notification. You can freeze or unfreeze your card, set spending limits by category, and enable or disable online or overseas payments directly from the app.
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Free, instant SEPA transfers
Send money to any bank account in the SEPA area free of charge. Transfers between Revolut accounts are processed instantly, 24 hours a day.
The honest limits of the Standard plan
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Exchange allowance capped at €1,000/month
Beyond that, a 0.5% commission applies, plus a 1% mark-up at the weekend on all conversions. For a regular traveller or someone who often buys in foreign currencies (dollars, pounds, kroner and so on), this cap can quickly become a real cost and make the Plus plan (€3,000/month) more economical.
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No travel insurance or purchase protection
This is the most significant limitation. Travelling without medical insurance, cancellation cover or baggage protection is a serious financial risk. Individual travel insurance generally costs between €3 and €8 a month: the cost of the Plus plan (€3.99/month) makes this comparison directly relevant.
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No cashback on spending
Every euro spent on Standard earns you RevPoints, but no direct cash back. No Revolut personal plan offers direct cashback (it is reserved for Pro accounts): the higher plans (Premium ×2.5, Metal ×5, Ultra ×10) only offer a higher RevPoints multiplier.
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RevPoints with no multiplier (×1 only)
On Standard, you earn 1 point per €10 spent (0.1 pt/€), versus ×2.5 on Premium (1 point per €4), ×5 on Metal (1 point per €2) and ×10 on Ultra (1 point per €1). The gap in value becomes significant for users who spend more than €500 a month through Revolut.
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ATM withdrawals limited to €200/month free
The free allowance is €200 or 5 withdrawals a month, whichever comes first. Beyond that, a 2% commission (minimum €1) applies to each additional withdrawal. For destinations where cash is essential, this cap can generate non-negligible costs.
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Airport lounges at full price
On Standard, you can access lounges in the DragonPass network (1,600+ lounges), but at the full price per visit (around €35, indicative price shown in the app). Premium and Metal get a reduced rate (around €28); only Ultra offers free, unlimited access for the account holder. If you travel regularly, missing out on this perk is a substantial loss of comfort.
Revolut Standard: who is it for?
This plan is for you if...
- You are a student or young professional looking for a fee-free everyday account
- You are trying out Revolut before deciding whether to upgrade: Standard is the best starting point
- You mainly use euros in France and only rarely buy in foreign currencies
- You travel less than once a year and already have sufficient health cover elsewhere (health insurer, main bank card)
- You simply want a free secondary account to keep your finances separate
- You do not need reduced-rate lounge access and your foreign currency spending stays under €1,000/month
Avoid this plan if...
- You travel 2 times a year or more: the lack of travel insurance is too great a risk
- You regularly spend more than €1,000 a month in foreign currencies (exchange fees add up quickly)
- You often use ATMs abroad and need more than €200 a month in cash
- You want to optimise your RevPoints: the ×1 multiplier will not let you get the most out of the programme
- You are looking for a main account to fully replace your traditional bank: the missing insurance creates a protection blind spot
Standard vs Revolut Plus: the only upgrade worth considering
There is no plan below Standard. The only question is: is it worth moving up to the Plus plan?
| Criterion | Standard (current) | Plus (+€3.99/month) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | €0 | €3.99 |
| Annual price | €0 | €40 |
| Fee-free exchange | €1,000/month | €3,000/month |
| Weekend mark-up | 1% | 0.5% |
| Free ATM withdrawals | €200/month | €200/month |
| Travel insurance | No | Yes (basic) |
| Purchase protection | No | Yes |
| RevPoints | ×1 | ×1 |
| Lounges | Full price | Full price |
| Partner perks | No | Super Duolingo, Flo Premium, Lovable Lite, Laundryheap+ |
Verdict: moving to Plus is worth it if you travel at least 2 times a year (estimated value of the insurance: around €6/month, that is €4 for travel and €2 for purchases) or if you regularly exchange more than €1,000 a month. In both cases, the €3.99 outlay pays for itself quickly. Read our full review of Revolut Plus
Work out whether Standard really costs you €0
Enter your spending habits into our simulator to see whether the hidden fees (exchange above €1,000, ATM withdrawals) cost you more than a Plus subscription. The comparison may surprise you.
Frequently asked questions about Revolut Standard
Is the Revolut Standard plan really free?
Yes, the Revolut Standard plan is completely free: no opening fee, no monthly fee, no minimum deposit and no requirement to pay your salary into the account. You can open a Standard account in a few minutes from the app.
Watch out for conditional costs, though: currency exchange is free only up to €1,000/month (0.5% beyond that), and ATM withdrawals are free up to €200/month or 5 withdrawals, whichever limit is reached first (2% beyond that, minimum €1). These fees only apply if you go over the allowance: with moderate use, the account genuinely stays at €0.
What happens if I exchange more than €1,000 a month on Standard?
Above the monthly allowance of €1,000, Revolut charges a 0.5% commission on the excess amount. A concrete example: if you exchange €1,400 in one month, the extra €400 costs you €2 in fees. That is no disaster for an occasional overrun, but if you regularly exceed this threshold, the Plus plan (€3,000/month free) becomes more economical.
Note: at the weekend (Friday 5 pm to Sunday 6 pm, New York time), Revolut applies a mark-up of 1% on Standard and 0.5% on Plus, because the interbank markets are closed. Premium, Metal and Ultra are not subject to it.
Is Revolut Standard enough for a trip abroad?
For a short stay with moderate spending (less than €1,000 in total), Standard can be enough financially. However, the lack of travel insurance is a critical blind spot: in a medical emergency abroad, you have no cover through Revolut.
Your options if you keep Standard and travel: take out separate travel insurance (from €3 per trip or around €4/month on an annual policy), or check whether your main bank card or your health insurer covers you abroad. Otherwise, the Revolut Plus plan at €3.99/month includes basic travel insurance.
How can I earn more RevPoints on Standard?
On Standard, you earn 1 point per €10 spent with your Revolut card. To maximise what you earn, put as much of your everyday spending as possible through Revolut (groceries, restaurants, subscriptions), and regularly check the "Rewards" tab in the app, which offers partner deals with bonus points.
To genuinely multiply your points, the Premium plan (×2.5) significantly improves your earning rate (1 point per €4). See our complete RevPoints guide to understand how to optimise them at each plan level.
Can I easily upgrade to Plus or Premium?
Upgrading is handled entirely from the Revolut app, in under 2 minutes. Select the plan you want in the "My account" section, choose monthly or annual billing, and confirm the payment. The upgrade is instant: your new benefits (insurance, higher allowances and so on) are active immediately.
You can downgrade to Standard at any time, also from the app, with no fee or penalty. Your balance, your history and your virtual cards are kept intact.
Open a free Revolut Standard account
No fees, no commitment. Create your account in 5 minutes and receive your card within 3 to 5 working days. You can upgrade to a paid plan at any time if your needs change.
- Immediate European IBAN
- Virtual card available as soon as the account is open
- Interbank exchange up to €1,000/month
- Best-in-class mobile app
Referral link: we earn a commission if you open an account, at no extra cost to you.