Best Revolut Current Account Alternatives 2026: 6 Top Options
Last updated: 13.06.2026
Revolut has come a long way. Multi-currency spending across 150-plus currencies, real-time analytics, built-in savings vaults and competitive international transfers make it a genuinely useful account for frequent travellers and people who move money across borders regularly. We have used it ourselves and the app experience is slick.
That said, three specific gaps push a lot of people to start looking elsewhere. First, the free Standard plan applies a markup on foreign exchange over weekends and caps fee-free ATM withdrawals at just £200 a month before a 2% charge kicks in. Second, Revolut's UK banking licence was only granted recently, which means its track record as a fully regulated UK bank is shorter than rivals. Third, customer support runs entirely through the in-app chat, which can frustrate anyone who prefers a phone call or a human response when something goes wrong. If any of those three points resonate with you, the alternatives below are worth a close look.
The best alternatives Revolut Current Account
Best for: people who want the best all-round digital current account with strong budgeting tools and no compromises on safety.
Monzo charges £0 a month on its free tier and is a fully licensed UK bank, which means your money is protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) up to £120,000. In our testing, the app consistently delivers one of the best user experiences in UK banking, with instant spending notifications, salary sorter, and savings pots that earn interest without any monthly fee.
For travel, Monzo offers fee-free spending abroad in the standard plan, with fee-free ATM withdrawals up to £400 per 30 days outside the EEA before a 3% charge applies. That is double Revolut's £200 free ATM allowance on the Standard plan. Apple Pay and Google Pay are both supported, and the online account opening process typically takes under ten minutes.
- Instant spending notifications with merchant-level breakdowns
- Savings pots that can be linked to interest-paying accounts
- Salary sorter to split your pay automatically between bills, savings, and spending
- Paid tiers (Monzo Plus and Monzo Premium) available for those who want extra perks such as travel insurance and higher interest rates
The honest drawback: Monzo has no physical branches, and the best interest rates and premium benefits sit behind a paid subscription, so the free tier is more functional than financially rewarding.
Compared to Revolut, Monzo gives you a longer track record as a UK bank, a more generous free ATM allowance abroad, and no weekend FX markup, making it the cleaner choice for everyday UK banking.
Best for: people who want genuinely unlimited fee-free spending and ATM withdrawals abroad without reading the small print.
Starling is free at £0 a month and stands out from virtually every other digital account in one important way: there are no foreign transaction fees and no ATM withdrawal limit abroad. You can spend and withdraw as much as you like overseas without Starling adding a single penny in charges. For heavy travellers or people who regularly use cash abroad, that is a significant practical advantage.
Starling holds a full UK banking licence and your deposits are protected by the FSCS up to £120,000. The app is highly rated and customer service includes real-time in-app chat with UK-based staff. Apple Pay and Google Pay are supported, and account opening is entirely online.
- Truly unlimited fee-free ATM withdrawals abroad, with no monthly cap
- No foreign transaction fees on card spending in any currency
- Spaces (sub-accounts) for budgeting different spending categories
- Full FSCS protection up to £120,000 as a fully licensed UK bank
One honest drawback: Starling does not currently offer a rewards or cashback programme, so if earning back on spending is important to you, it is not the strongest option.
Compared to Revolut, Starling removes every cap on fee-free foreign spending and withdrawals, and it has a significantly longer track record as a UK bank, making it the better pick for anyone who travels frequently or keeps large balances.
Best for: people who want cashback on everyday debit card spending while keeping their banking completely fee-free.
Chase charges £0 a month and is backed by JPMorgan Chase, one of the largest and most capitalised banks in the world. In the UK it operates as a fully licensed bank, so deposits are protected by the FSCS up to £120,000. The headline offer is 1% cashback on eligible everyday debit card spending during an introductory period, which is rare among free current accounts.
For travel, Chase offers fee-free spending abroad with no foreign transaction fee, and fee-free ATM withdrawals up to £500 per month internationally before a 1.5% charge applies. That £500 monthly free ATM allowance is well above Revolut's £200 limit on the free plan. The linked Chase Saver account regularly offers a boosted interest rate for new customers. Apple Pay and Google Pay are fully supported.
- 1% cashback on eligible everyday debit card spending (introductory period, check current terms)
- £500 per month fee-free ATM withdrawals internationally before charges kick in
- Linked easy-access saver with a competitive rate for Chase current account holders
- 24/7 in-app and telephone support, available any time
The drawback to be aware of: Chase currently offers no overdraft facility, and the cashback rate and period can change, so it is worth checking the latest terms before you switch.
Compared to Revolut, Chase has a stronger global banking pedigree, a more generous free ATM allowance abroad, and adds cashback on spending, with none of the weekend FX markup that Revolut applies on the Standard plan.
Revolut Current Account compared directly
| Revolut Current AccountRevolut Current Account | Monzo Current Account | Starling Current Account | Chase Current Account | Starling Kite | |
| Rating | 4.0 /5 | 5.0 /5 | 5.0 /5 | 5.0 /5 | 4.8 /5 |
| Monthly fee | £0/month (Standard Plan) | £0/month | £0/month | £0/month | £0/month |
| Debit card | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Credit card | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | – |
| Apple Pay | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Google Pay | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Cash withdrawal abroad | Free up to £200/month; then 2% | Free up to £400/30 days; then 3% (outside EEA) | Free (no Starling fees) | Free up to £500/month; then 1.5% | – |
| Online account opening | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Deposit protection | 85.000 | 120.000 | 120.000 | 85.000 | 120.000 |
| iOS app | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Branches | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | – |
How we chose
What to look for in an alternative
Choosing a Revolut alternative comes down to six practical questions. Work through them and the right account tends to pick itself.
1. How much do you withdraw from ATMs abroad? Revolut Standard gives you £200 per month before a 2% charge. Starling and Kroo have no cap at all. Chase gives you £500 free per month. If you take out more than £200 in cash on a typical trip, Starling or Kroo save you money from day one.
2. Do you need a fully seasoned UK banking licence? Revolut only received its UK banking licence recently. Monzo, Starling, Chase, Zopa, Kroo and Nationwide all hold full FCA-regulated UK licences with longer track records. All six offer FSCS protection up to £120,000, matching what Revolut now provides.
3. Do you want to earn on your balance? Zopa Biscuit pays 2% AER on your current account balance with no cap, plus up to 4% cashback on Direct Debits. Monzo and Kroo also offer in-credit interest. Nationwide has an introductory rate for new customers. If your balance regularly sits above £500, the difference in interest earned is worth calculating before you decide.
4. Do you want cashback on everyday spending? Chase offers 1% cashback on eligible debit card purchases during its introductory period. Zopa provides Direct Debit cashback. Revolut Standard offers neither on the free tier. If rewards matter to you, Chase or Zopa are the standout picks.
5. Do you ever need a branch? Every account on this list except Nationwide is app-only. If you deposit cash, need to speak to someone face-to-face, or feel more comfortable knowing a branch exists, Nationwide FlexDirect is the only option here that covers you.
6. What is your priority profile? Frequent traveller who withdraws cash abroad regularly: go with Starling or Kroo for unlimited free ATM use. Salary budgeter who wants to earn on their balance: Zopa Biscuit for interest plus cashback on direct debits. Cashback maximiser: Chase for 1% back on debit spending. Traditional banking feel with branch access: Nationwide FlexDirect, accepting that you will pay extra abroad. Best all-rounder with a long digital banking track record: Monzo or Starling.
How to switch
Switching your UK current account is straightforward thanks to the Current Account Switch Service (CASS), a free, guaranteed service backed by the UK government. Here is how it works in three steps.
Step 1: Open your new account. All the accounts listed here except Zopa Biscuit fully support CASS. Apply online (takes 10 to 15 minutes for most providers), get approved, and receive your new account details. You do not need to close your old Revolut account first if you want to keep it running alongside.
Step 2: Request the switch. Tell your new bank you want to switch using CASS. They handle everything: moving your direct debits, standing orders, and incoming payments automatically. The switch completes within 7 working days. Any payments accidentally sent to your old account are automatically redirected for at least 3 years, so nothing falls through the cracks.
Step 3: Confirm everything has moved. Check your first month's transactions on the new account to make sure all regular payments have landed correctly. If your employer pays your salary by BACS, give them your new sort code and account number to avoid any delay. Note that if you are switching to Zopa Biscuit, you will need to update direct debits and payees manually as it does not fully participate in CASS, so allow a little extra time and keep a list of every direct debit to update.
Verdict
For most people looking to leave Revolut, Monzo is the strongest all-round replacement: it is a fully established UK bank, the free tier is genuinely capable, the app experience matches or beats Revolut's, and the ATM allowance abroad is more generous on the free plan. If unlimited fee-free travel spending with no strings attached is your primary need, Starling is the better call since it genuinely has no foreign ATM cap and no foreign transaction fee, ever.
If you keep a meaningful balance in your current account and want that balance to work harder, Zopa Biscuit earns 2% AER with no upper limit and stacks Direct Debit cashback on top. For cashback on everyday debit card spending, Chase is the pick. And if you simply cannot give up branches, Nationwide FlexDirect is the only option here, with the caveat that the 2.99% foreign spending fee makes it expensive to use abroad. Whichever you choose, the CASS process means switching takes just 7 working days with no manual admin required on your part.
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FAQ
For most everyday banking, yes. Monzo and Starling both score higher in our testing. They have longer track records as fully licensed UK banks, no weekend foreign exchange markups, and more generous free ATM allowances abroad. Revolut's multi-currency features remain strong, but as a primary current account Monzo or Starling are more reliable day-to-day.
All six alternatives on this list have a free tier with no monthly fee, the same as Revolut Standard. The real cost difference shows up in foreign ATM fees: Starling and Kroo charge nothing abroad with no cap, Chase is free up to £500 per month, Monzo is free up to £400 per month outside the EEA, and Nationwide charges 2.99% on every overseas transaction.
Starling or Kroo. Both apply zero foreign transaction fees and have no cap on fee-free ATM withdrawals internationally. You can use your card abroad exactly as you would in the UK without monitoring a running total of how much cash you have withdrawn.
Yes. All six alternatives hold a full UK banking licence and your deposits are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) up to £120,000 per person per institution. If a bank were to fail, the FSCS pays out within 7 working days. Revolut now holds an FSCS licence too, but its track record under that licence is shorter than the alternatives listed here.
Absolutely. There is no rule against holding multiple UK current accounts. Many people run Revolut for international transfers and multi-currency spending while keeping a Monzo or Starling account as their main salary-receiving account. You can always switch fully later using CASS if you decide one account is enough.
For all six accounts on this list, the FSCS covers up to £120,000 of your deposits per bank. If a bank were to fail, you would receive your money back within 7 working days automatically. You do not need to make a claim yourself for amounts under the threshold. Nationwide, as a building society, also has an additional layer of structural resilience as a mutual institution.
Use the Current Account Switch Service (CASS), which is free and guaranteed. Open your new account, request a CASS switch from your new provider, and they move all your direct debits, standing orders, and incoming payments within 7 working days. Any misdirected payments are forwarded automatically for at least 3 years. The one exception is Zopa Biscuit, which does not fully support CASS, so you would need to update payees manually if switching to Zopa.
Zopa Biscuit currently pays 2% AER on your full current account balance with no cap on the qualifying amount, plus up to 4% cashback on Direct Debits and a linked Regular Saver pot at 7.10% AER. Kroo and Monzo also pay in-credit interest on balances. Nationwide offers an introductory rate on balances up to £1,500. Check each provider's current rate before opening, as variable rates change regularly.