Revolut markets itself as a near-zero-FX travel card, and on weekdays during market hours, it largely is. The weekend is the gap. Currency markets close, but tourists do not — and Revolut adds a small markup on weekend conversions to protect itself from price movement when the market reopens. Most tourists never see the line item.
The moment this matters
You land. Your card declines at the taxi. The driver offers to charge you in USD. You don't know it just cost you 7%.
These are the moments that turn a good trip into a bad one — and a bad ATM choice into a $40 lesson.
Why the Weekend Markup Exists
Currency markets close on Friday evening (around 22:00 UTC) and reopen on Sunday evening (around 22:00 UTC). During that window, exchange rates can move before any trading happens. Revolut adds a small markup to cover that risk — otherwise, every Sunday Revolut would be guessing the market direction on every conversion.
- Markup applies when FX markets are closed: roughly Friday ~22:00 UTC to Sunday ~22:00 UTC.
- Weekday daytime conversions are at or near the interbank mid-market rate.
- Markup is added at conversion time, not at card swipe — so what matters is when your account converts, not when you tap.
How Big the Markup Actually Is
On a $300 weekend spend in Europe with USD as your funding currency, the markup is around $1.50 — small in absolute terms, but real on every weekend transaction.
| Currency pair | Typical weekday markup | Typical weekend markup |
|---|---|---|
| USD ↔ EUR | ~0% | ~0.5% |
| USD ↔ GBP | ~0% | ~0.5% |
| USD ↔ JPY | ~0% | ~0.5% |
| USD ↔ THB | ~0.3% | ~1.0% |
| USD ↔ MXN | ~0.3% | ~1.0% |
| USD ↔ exotic (TRY, ARS, etc.) | ~0.5%+ | ~1.5%+ |
Want the country-by-country cash vs card version?
The matching kit compresses the same payment logic into a quicker reference for destination planning and on-trip checks.
The Free Allowance, the Weekend Markup, and Plan Limits
For most trips, the free allowance covers all spending. The weekend markup is the layer most tourists actually feel, not the over-allowance fee.
- Free monthly conversion: each Revolut plan has a free FX allowance (e.g., £1,000/month on Standard).
- Above the allowance: a small percentage fee applies even on weekdays.
- Weekend markup: applied on top of the standard rate, separate from the allowance.
- Plan upgrades raise the free allowance but do not remove the weekend markup.
A Simple Friday Habit That Removes the Cost
Open the Revolut app on Friday afternoon, before markets close, and pre-convert the amount of euros, yen, or other currency you expect to spend over the weekend. Hold the converted balance in that currency wallet. Your card will draw directly from that wallet over the weekend without triggering another conversion — and the weekend markup never applies.
- Open Revolut on Friday before 22:00 UTC.
- Convert your expected weekend spend into the destination currency.
- Hold the converted balance in that currency wallet over the weekend.
- Spend normally — your card draws from the converted balance.
Know Exactly When to Use Cash vs Card
Not sure when to use cash or card abroad?
When the Weekend Markup Does Not Matter
- Short weekday trips with no weekend spending.
- Small total spend (a 1% markup on $100 is $1).
- Card-first destinations where the convenience is worth more than $1–$3 per weekend.
- Trips where you are already converting via your home bank ahead of departure.
Revolut vs Wise vs Schwab Over a Weekend
Wise also has weekend-related FX behavior on certain pairs but is generally more transparent about quoting the rate before you confirm. Schwab does not have a weekend markup but charges nothing on the Visa network rate at the moment of swipe — Saturday rates can drift slightly versus weekday rates regardless of card.
For a clean weekend trip, Wise tends to be the safest default for FX accuracy. Revolut works if you pre-convert on Friday. Schwab is best for ATM access regardless of day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Before you travel, answer this in 10 seconds
- Do you have a card with no foreign transaction fee?
- Do you know your ATM withdrawal strategy for this country?
- Do you know when NOT to accept "pay in your home currency"?
Not 3 yes? Fix it before your trip — not at the checkout.
⏱ Most useful before your next international trip. Fix it before you land, not at the ATM.
Stop guessing cash vs card mid-trip
Most travelers lose $20–$80 per trip choosing the wrong one at the wrong moment. The free page explains the rules. The kit puts them in your pocket so you decide right at the counter, not after.
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