Revolut Business alternatives: which account to pick, and how to leave cleanly
Five destinations, one per reason to leave, and a seven-step switching plan.
The short answer: Wise Business if you only stayed for currency exchange, Airwallex if you collect in several currencies and keep more than £10k in the account, Tide if you're a UK small business that rarely touches FX, Mercury if your company is in the US and runs on dollars, Qonto if you're in the eurozone and want a local bank. One thing first: none of them includes as much fee-free FX as Revolut Grow (£15,000 a month). If you convert large amounts every month, switching may cost you more. We compared these five accounts against their official fee pages in 2026.
The ranking is editorial: a sponsored spot is always labeled on its card, and no affiliate link changes a score.
Why businesses leave Revolut Business, and what they give up
Revolut Business is still one of the strongest accounts for FX and cross-border payments. People rarely leave because of that. They leave for six specific reasons, all visible in Revolut's own fee schedule or in customer reviews.
A bill that climbs fast
Basic is £10 a month, Grow £35, Scale £125. A small company making 30 domestic payments a month outgrows Basic (10 free, then £0.20 each), and Grow costs more than most local business accounts.
Fee-free FX has a ceiling
Interbank-rate exchange is capped: £1,000 a month on Basic, £15,000 on Grow, £60,000 on Scale. Above that, Revolut charges 0.6%. Outside FX market hours, such as weekends, it's 1% more.
Frozen accounts, chat-only support
It's the complaint that comes up most on Reddit and review sites: an account restricted during a compliance review, funds stuck for days, and support reachable only by chat. When payroll is due, that's the risk that makes people go.
No cheques, no cash
Revolut Business doesn't take cheques or cash deposits. Trades, shops and charities that still get paid that way need a second bank, and a second fee.
Paid add-ons on top
The Expenses app costs £8 per active team member and Payroll £3 per member, on top of the plan. A ten-person team on Expenses adds £80 a month.
International transfers count too
Basic includes no free international payments: each one costs £5. Grow includes 5 a month and Scale 25, then £5 each. If you pay many foreign suppliers, that line adds up fast.
You're leaving because… go to…
Usually only one line applies. Each card links to the full profile below.
No monthly fee, conversion from 0.24%.
You collect in several currencies and hold cashAirwallex£0 a month with a £10k balance.
You're a UK small business paid in poundsTideFree Lite plan, admin tools built in.
Your company is in the USMercury$0 core banking, free USD wires.
You're in the eurozone and want a local bankQontoLocal IBAN, 30 to 250 transfers included.
You convert more than £15,000 a monthStay on RevolutNo alternative here includes that much free FX.
Revolut Business alternatives, one by one
For each account: why switch, who it's for, its catch, how to move from Revolut, and what it costs. Prices come from official fee pages in 2026.
Wise Business: when you only stayed for the FX
No monthly feeWhy switch to Wise. A lot of Revolut Business customers keep paying Grow for one reason: currency exchange. Wise charges per conversion, not per month. In the UK you pay a one-off £50 for full access, then conversions start at 0.24% at the mid-market rate, with no markup hidden in the rate.
Who it's for. Freelancers paid in dollars or euros, e-commerce sellers paying overseas suppliers, agencies with clients in several countries who want local account details to get paid like a local.
Who it's not for. Anyone looking for a full main bank: no overdraft, no cheque paying-in, no real team spend management. Most businesses run Wise next to a main account, not instead of one.
The catch. The fee depends on the currency pair. 0.24% is the floor, not the rule, so check the calculator before every big transfer. Cash withdrawals are free up to £250 a month, then 2.69%.
How to move from Revolut. Open Wise, activate USD or EUR account details, and send them to the clients who pay you in those currencies. Only downgrade Revolut once their first payment lands on Wise.
The tip. Run the numbers before you leave Grow. At £15,000 converted a month, Wise costs roughly £36 at 0.24%, about the price of Grow (£35). Wise wins when you convert little or irregularly. Above £20,000 in volume, Wise lowers its fees in tiers.
- Price
- £50 one-off, £0 a month
- FX
- from 0.24%
- Best for
- getting paid and paying in other currencies
- Catch
- not a full main bank
Airwallex: when you stay global but want the fee to disappear
Closest to RevolutWhy switch to Airwallex. It's the alternative that looks most like Revolut Business: multi-currency accounts with local details in 20+ currencies, multi-currency cards, bill pay. The difference is the pricing model. Explore costs £19 a month, but drops to £0 if you deposit at least £10k a month or hold a £10k balance.
Who it's for. E-commerce brands and service companies that collect in USD, EUR or AUD and keep enough cash in the account to have the fee waived.
Who it's not for. A small domestic account. Without the £10k, you pay £19 a month for features you won't touch.
The catch. FX is never free: 0.5% above interbank for major currencies, 1% for the rest. Revolut Grow includes £15,000 of fee-free exchange a month. SWIFT transfers cost £10 to £20 each.
How to move from Revolut. Use the one-month free trial to open your currency accounts and update your payout details on Stripe, Amazon or Shopify. Keep Revolut until the first payout arrives.
The tip. If your average balance sits above £10k, Explore costs nothing. It's the only option on this page where the subscription disappears as your cash grows.
- Price
- Explore £19/mo, £0 with £10k balance
- FX
- 0.5% (majors), 1% (others)
- Trial
- 1 month free
- Catch
- no fee-free FX allowance
Tide: when you're a UK small business that barely needs FX
Cheapest UK optionWhy switch to Tide. If you took Revolut Basic at £10 a month for a simple UK business account, Tide does the everyday job for less. Lite is free with 5 bank transfers a month, Smart is £12.49 with 30, and Pro at £27.49 has unlimited transfers.
Who it's for. Sole traders, freelancers and small limited companies in the UK who get paid in pounds and want admin tools around the account.
Who it's not for. Anyone who converts currency every month. Tide is a sterling account first, and Lite charges a 2.75% FX fee on card payments abroad.
The catch. The free plan is tight: 5 transfers a month goes fast once you pay a few suppliers. Most growing businesses land on Smart or Pro, which costs about as much as Revolut.
How to move from Revolut. Open Tide, update your account details with HMRC, your clients and every Direct Debit, then run both accounts for a billing cycle.
The tip. Paid plans drop the FX fee on card payments to 0%. If you travel for work, Smart at £12.49 may cost less than the FX fees Lite would charge you.
- Price
- Lite free, Smart £12.49/mo
- Transfers
- 5 (Lite) to unlimited (Pro)
- Best for
- UK sole traders and small Ltds
- Catch
- 2.75% card FX fee on Lite
Mercury: when your company is in the US and runs on dollars
Best for US startupsWhy switch to Mercury. Revolut puts its bigger allowances behind paid plans. Mercury's core banking is $0 a month: free ACH, free domestic wires, free real-time payments, and USD international wires at no cost.
Who it's for. US startups and small companies that hold dollars, pay contractors and want up to $5M in FDIC insurance through partner bank sweep networks.
Who it's not for. Businesses that hold or pay in other currencies. Mercury charges a 1% conversion fee on non-USD international wires, well above Revolut's in-plan FX.
The catch. The extras cost money: Plus is $29.90 a month on annual billing, Pro is $299. Mercury Books and Payroll are paid add-ons.
How to move from Revolut. Open Mercury, move your Stripe and payroll payouts first, then your vendors. Keep Revolut for a month in case a client still pays the old account.
The tip. If you send USD wires abroad, choose the OUR option for a flat $15: intermediary fees are charged back to Mercury, so your supplier receives the full amount.
- Price
- $0 a month, Plus $29.90
- Wires
- free in USD
- Best for
- US-based startups
- Catch
- 1% fee on non-USD wires
Qonto: when your business is in the eurozone and wants a local bank
Best in the eurozoneWhy switch to Qonto. For a company based in France, Spain, Italy or Germany, Qonto is the most complete local alternative: generous transfer bundles (30 a month from €9 on Basic, 250 on Essential at €49 with unlimited users), accounting integrations and a local IBAN.
Who it's for. Eurozone SMEs and freelancers who mostly pay and get paid in euros and work with an accountant.
Who it's not for. Businesses that convert a lot. Qonto charges 0.8% (min €5) on USD, GBP and CHF transfers on Basic and Smart, and 0.56% on Premium and company plans.
The catch. Listed prices assume annual billing (€108 a year for Basic). Non-euro transfers run through Wise, with Qonto's fee on top.
How to move from Revolut. Open Qonto while Revolut still runs, connect your accounting tool, then switch tax and Direct Debit payments first. Read our Qonto vs Shine comparison if you're torn between French neobanks.
The tip. Incoming SWIFT transfers are free up to €500, then €5 each. If your foreign clients pay small invoices, that's a real saving.
- Price
- Basic €9/mo billed yearly
- Transfers
- 30 to 250 a month
- FX
- 0.56% to 0.8%, min €5
- Catch
- pricier FX than Revolut
Revolut Business and 5 alternatives at a glance
For scale, take a UK company making 40 domestic payments a month and converting £5,000 to dollars. On Revolut Basic: £10 plan, 30 extra payments at £0.20 (£6) and £4,000 over the FX allowance at 0.6% (£24), so £40. On Revolut Grow: £35, all included. On Wise: about £12 in conversion fees at 0.24%, but you still need a main account for the domestic payments. The table gives one row per account: entry price on the left, what changes versus Revolut on the right.
| Entry price | What changes versus Revolut | |
|---|---|---|
| Revolut BusinessStarting point | Basic £10/mo, Grow £35, Scale £125 | £1,000 to £60,000 fee-free FX a month, no cheques or cash |
| Wise Business | £50 one-off, £0/mo | No subscription, FX from 0.24%, not a full main bank |
| Airwallex | Explore £19/mo, £0 with £10k balance | Local details in 20+ currencies, 0.5% FX with no free allowance |
| Tide | Lite free, Smart £12.49/mo | Sterling-first, 5 to unlimited transfers, 2.75% card FX on Lite |
| Mercury | $0/mo | US companies, free USD wires, 1% on non-USD wires |
| Qonto | Basic €9/mo billed yearly | Eurozone IBAN, more transfers included, FX at 0.56% to 0.8% |
Entry prices before VAT where it applies, subject to change. Always check against your own transfer and FX volumes.
Leave Revolut Business in seven steps
Order matters. Each step protects something: your Direct Debits, your incoming payments, your records, your currency balances.
Measure what you really use on Revolut
Day 1Pull your last three statements and count four things: domestic transfers, international transfers, the amount you converted, and the fees you paid. Those allowances drive the bill at Revolut: 10 free UK transfers on Basic, 100 on Grow, and £1,000 of fee-free FX on Basic versus £15,000 on Grow.
Without these numbers, you pick on gut feel. With them, you know if you need a domestic account, an FX tool, or both.
- Time
- 1 hour
- Risk if rushed
- a pricier account
Open the new account before touching Revolut
Week 1Open your destination and wait until the account details, card and logins work. Have your incorporation documents and ID ready: every provider asks for them.
Move nothing until the new account is fully live. If onboarding fails, you've lost nothing.
- Time
- a few days
- Risk if rushed
- no working account
Export what Revolut won't keep for you
Week 1Download monthly statements as PDF and CSV, receipts and your payee list. Once the account closes, online access goes with it, and your accountant will ask for them at year end.
If you use the Expenses or Payroll apps, export their history too. They are paid modules (£8 and £3 per active team member) that vanish with the account.
- Time
- 1 to 2 hours
- Risk if rushed
- year-end without records
Move tax payments and Direct Debits
Weeks 2 to 4Start with HMRC (or the IRS), then subscriptions, rent and insurance. Each creditor must be told one by one: there is no automatic switching service for most fintech business accounts.
A Direct Debit that hits an empty account bounces. Keep enough money on Revolut to cover the current month.
- Time
- 2 to 4 weeks
- Risk if rushed
- bounced payments and penalties
Tell clients and payout platforms
Weeks 2 to 4Change the account details on your invoice template, then email your regular clients. A client who saved your old details will keep paying them for months.
Don't forget platforms that pay you out: Stripe, PayPal, Amazon, Shopify, marketplaces. Each has its own form and review delay.
- Time
- 1 billing cycle
- Risk if rushed
- payments landing on the old account
Run both accounts for a month or two
Months 1 to 2Keep Revolut open while everything moves, and drop it to Basic to pay £10 instead of £35 or £125. Each week, check what still arrives and fix it at the source.
If you automate reconciliation (for instance with our Revolut Business Make integration), point your scenarios at the new account now.
- Time
- 1 to 2 months
- Risk if rushed
- two full subscriptions
Convert balances on a weekday, then close
Months 2 to 3Convert any currency balances before closing, on a weekday: Revolut adds 1% to exchanges made outside FX market hours. Then send the remaining balance to your new account.
Request closure only once nothing has arrived for a month. Keep a screenshot of the confirmation.
- Time
- 1 week
- Risk if rushed
- 1% extra on currency balances
Is your tool missing from this page? Email us: hello@hackceleration.com
What makes a Revolut Business switch go wrong
The same mistakes show up in stories from businesses that left a fintech account. None of them is technical: they're timing and maths.
Switching on price without counting FX
A free account looks cheaper than Grow at £35. But if you convert £10,000 a month at 0.5%, that's £50 in fees. Run the numbers on your real volumes before you sign.
Closing with currency still in the account
Dollar or euro balances must be converted before closure. Do it on a weekday, during market hours: on weekends Revolut adds 1%.
Forgetting payout platforms
Stripe, PayPal, Amazon and marketplaces keep paying the old account until you change it with them. Their checks can take several days.
Answering a compliance request late
An account restricted mid-switch blocks everything. If Revolut asks for a document, answer fast with current company papers. It's the best way to avoid a freeze.
- Three months of transfer and FX volumes measured
- New account open, details and card live
- Statements (PDF and CSV), receipts and payees exported
- Tax authority and every Direct Debit updated
- Clients and payout platforms told
- Revolut dropped to Basic during the overlap
- Currency balances converted on a weekday, then account closed
Revolut Business alternatives: frequently asked questions
What is the best free alternative to Revolut Business?
Tide Lite in the UK: £0 a month with 5 bank transfers. Mercury in the US: $0 core banking with free ACH and wires. Wise Business if you mainly need FX: no monthly fee, just a one-off £50.
Is Wise cheaper than Revolut Business?
For small or irregular conversions, yes: no plan fee and conversions from 0.24%. For £15,000 or more a month, Revolut Grow at £35 includes that FX for free, so the gap closes or reverses.
Why do Revolut Business accounts get frozen?
Usually a compliance review: a missing document, outdated company records, an unusual payment. Answer requests in the app quickly and keep your papers current. If a freeze drags on, open a backup account to keep paying bills.
How much does Revolut charge for FX over the allowance?
0.6% on everything above your monthly allowance (£1,000, £15,000 or £60,000 depending on the plan), plus 1% for exchanges made outside FX market hours, such as weekends.
Can I pay cheques into Revolut Business?
No. Revolut Business takes neither cheques nor cash deposits. If you still receive cheques, you'll need a bank that handles them, alongside or instead of Revolut.
Should I close Revolut before opening the new account?
Never. Open the destination first, run both for a month or two, and drop Revolut to Basic at £10 to cut the cost. Close only once nothing arrives on it anymore.
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