Wise or Revolut for Australia? Bring both if you can. If you only want one, Wise suits the move better: the mid-market rate with no weekend surcharge, Australian account details with a BSB, and EUR 250 a month of free ATM cash. Revolut’s free plan is grand for everyday spending if you exchange on weekdays and stay under EUR 1,000 a month, but neither replaces an Australian bank account, and neither is the cheapest way to move your savings.
Some links on this page are affiliate or referral links (Wise, Revolut, CurrencyFair and TorFX). If you sign up through them, Irish Around Oz may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. CurrencyFair is our main money partner. Fees are as of November 2026.
Short version
- Before you fly: open Wise and/or Revolut, order the physical card about three weeks out, and add it to Apple Pay or Google Pay.
- Tap from day one, including Opal in Sydney and myki readers in Melbourne. Always pay in AUD.
- Swap euro into AUD on a weekday. Revolut’s free plan adds 1% at weekends and 1% over EUR 1,000 a month. Wise charged 0.43% for EUR to AUD when we checked.
- Cash: Wise is free up to EUR 250 a month, Revolut Standard up to EUR 200 or 5 withdrawals. Some Australian ATMs add their own fee.
- Open an Australian bank account in your first days for wages and your tax refund.
- Moving savings? Use CurrencyFair or Wise’s transfer service, plus a TorFX quote for EUR 10,000 and up.
Wise vs Revolut in Australia: the fees side by side
For an account registered in Ireland, on Revolut’s free Standard plan unless stated, as of November 2026.
| Feature | Wise vs Revolut |
|---|---|
| Monthly fee | Wise: none, there are no plans. Revolut: Standard is free. Plus EUR 3.99, Premium EUR 9.99, Metal EUR 17.99 a month. |
| Physical card | Wise: EUR 7, delivered within 14 working days in the EEA (express from EUR 10.40). Revolut: card free, delivery EUR 7.99 untracked or EUR 19.99 express. |
| Digital card for Apple Pay or Google Pay | Wise: free. Revolut: free. |
| Exchange on weekdays | Wise: mid-market rate plus a conversion fee (0.43% for EUR to AUD when we checked). Revolut: Revolut’s own rate, no exchange fee up to EUR 1,000 a month, then 1%. |
| Exchange at the weekend | Wise: no weekend surcharge. Revolut: 1% extra from 5pm Friday to 6pm Sunday, New York time (0.5% on Plus, none on Premium and up). |
| Spending AUD you already hold | Wise: free. Revolut: free. |
| Free ATM withdrawals | Wise: up to EUR 250 a month, then 2.69% of the amount over. Revolut: up to EUR 200 or 5 withdrawals a rolling month, then 2% (minimum EUR 1). |
| Australian account details | Wise: yes, a BSB and account number, even living in Ireland. Revolut: you can hold AUD, but we found no Australian BSB details for Irish customers. |
| Who regulates it | Wise: payment institution supervised by the National Bank of Belgium. Not a bank. Revolut: licensed bank (Bank of Lithuania and the ECB) with an Irish branch. |
Your first weeks: which card to tap
Both cards go into Apple Pay or Google Pay straight from the app, so you can pay with your phone before the plastic arrives. Still order the physical card in Ireland, as Wise quotes up to 14 working days for EEA delivery.
In Sydney, Opal readers take American Express, Mastercard and Visa cards and digital wallets, with the same fares and caps as an Opal card. In Melbourne, tap and go was switched on at every myki-enabled train station, tram and bus by 26 July 2026: look for the Visa or Mastercard logo. Tap on and off with the same card or phone. Our cost of living in Australia guide has the fares and caps.
Transport for NSW notes that an overseas credit card may attract a foreign transaction fee from your card provider, charged once a day. Wise says it charges nothing just for using the card abroad. With both apps the cost is in turning euro into AUD, so keep some AUD in the app and your taps cost nothing extra.
Always pay in AUD. If a card machine or ATM offers to charge you in euro, say no. Wise recommends the local currency, and Revolut’s terms warn that if the retailer’s bank converts for you, Revolut isn’t responsible for its worse rate or fees.
Getting Australian dollars: Wise vs Revolut
Wise
Add an AUD balance and convert whenever you like. On Wise’s own calculator on 3 November 2026, converting EUR 1,000 to AUD cost EUR 4.28 (0.43%) at the mid-market rate. Tap without enough AUD and Wise converts automatically, charging a conversion fee.
The handy extra is AUD account details: a BSB and account number Australians can pay into for free. Wise is upfront that this isn’t a bank account and can’t receive transfers from Australian super funds. Once your registered address is in Australia, your limits and ATM fees can change, so check the app after you move.
Revolut
Exchange euro into AUD in the app and hold it. On the free Standard plan, weekday exchanges have no fee up to EUR 1,000 a month, then 1%. Weekends add 1% on top. Card payments that need an exchange count too, so a Saturday tap with only euro in the account pays the weekend fee. Plus (EUR 3.99 a month) gives EUR 3,000 with 0.5% over it and at weekends. Premium (EUR 9.99 a month) and up have no limit and no weekend fee.
The Thursday habit. Swap enough euro into AUD on a Thursday to cover the weekend, so Revolut has nothing to convert on Saturday.
Taking cash out of ATMs in Australia
- Wise: free up to EUR 250 a month, then 2.69% of the amount over. Take out EUR 300 in a month and the fee is about EUR 1.35.
- Revolut Standard: free for 5 withdrawals or EUR 200 a rolling month, whichever comes first, then 2% (minimum EUR 1). Plus gives EUR 200, Premium EUR 400, Metal EUR 800.
The ATM may charge too. Australian ATM owners can set their own fee, and the Reserve Bank of Australia says you’re told it during the transaction and can cancel if it’s too high. Read the screen before you press OK.
Why you still need an Australian bank account
- Wages. Fair Work says employers can pay in cash, by cheque or directly into your bank account. In practice, your employer will ask for an Australian BSB and account number.
- Your tax refund. The ATO says: “We can only pay refunds into an Australian bank account.” See our working holiday tax refund guide.
- Your super when you leave. ATO-held super only goes to an Australian bank account in your name, and Wise’s AUD details can’t take money from super funds. See claiming your super back.
You can start early: CommBank lets you open an account up to 14 days before you arrive and NAB within 30, but you show your passport in a branch before you can use it. Our money checklist for moving to Australia walks through it. After that, the Aussie card is your everyday card and Wise or Revolut becomes your backup and travel card.
Moving your savings: use a transfer service, not the card app
For the lump sum, send it from your Irish bank straight to your Australian account. Roughly what EUR 5,000 costs, as of November 2026:
| Sending EUR 5,000 | Rough cost |
|---|---|
| CurrencyFair | EUR 3 flat fee plus a margin CurrencyFair says is typically around 0.53%: about EUR 27 to 30. New customers get 10 fee-free transfers, valid for 6 months. |
| Wise, paid by bank transfer | 0.43% plus EUR 1.08: EUR 22.49 when we checked. Paying by debit card costs 1.23% instead. |
| Revolut Standard | First EUR 1,000 free to exchange, then 1%: about EUR 40 on a weekday, plus the transfer fee shown in the app. |
| TorFX | No transfer fees. The margin is in the rate, so get a quote. |
Start with CurrencyFair. It’s an Irish company regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland, with a flat EUR 3 fee per transfer. Compare it with Wise on the day: the two are usually within a few euro, and both are a long way ahead of an Irish bank’s rate.
Moving EUR 10,000 or more? Get a TorFX quote too: no transfer fees, an account manager you can ring, and forward contracts that fix a rate up to two years ahead. Our guide to transferring money from Ireland to Australia compares them all, banks included.
Is your money safe with Wise and Revolut?
Revolut is a bank: Revolut Bank UAB is authorised by the Bank of Lithuania and the European Central Bank, has a Dublin branch, and follows the Central Bank of Ireland’s consumer protection rules. Eligible deposits are insured up to EUR 100,000 by the Lithuanian deposit insurance scheme.
Wise is not a bank. Irish customers deal with Wise Europe SA, a payment institution supervised by the National Bank of Belgium. Wise keeps customers’ money separate from its own, but its payment services aren’t covered by the Belgian Deposit Guarantee Scheme, which is worth knowing before you park a big balance there.
Scams and staying safe
- Freeze first. Lost your card or phone? Both apps let you freeze the card in a tap and unfreeze it if it turns up.
- Never share codes. Revolut says it will never ask for your PIN, password or any codes over the phone, or ask you to move money to a “safe account”. Anyone asking for a one-time passcode is a scammer, whoever they say they are.
- Stop. Check. Protect. Australia’s Scamwatch says don’t be rushed, check who you’re dealing with, and contact your bank straight away if you think money’s gone.
- From the groups: never pay a bond before you’ve seen the room and signed something, and never do cash swaps with a “friend of a friend”.
So, Wise or Revolut?
- Pick Wise for the mid-market rate every day of the week, Australian account details, more free ATM cash and no plans to think about.
- Pick Revolut if you already use it, spend under EUR 1,000 a month and can stick to weekday exchanges, or want a licensed bank.
- Bring both if you can. Opening either is free, so one card is always a backup if the other is frozen or lost.
Either way: card apps for the first fortnight, an Australian account for wages, and CurrencyFair or Wise for your savings. Next, read our complete guide to moving to Australia from Ireland and the first week in Australia checklist.
FAQ
Can I use Revolut in Australia?
Yes. Your Irish Revolut card works for tapping, online shopping and ATMs, and you can hold AUD in the app. On the free plan, exchange on weekdays and stay under EUR 1,000 a month.
Does the Wise card work in Australia?
Yes. Spend from an AUD balance for free, or let Wise convert from euro as you pay. It works in Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Is Wise or Revolut better for Australia?
For moving here, Wise edges it: no weekend surcharge, Australian account details and more free ATM cash. Revolut is just as good for everyday spending if you exchange on weekdays.
Can I get an Australian bank account number with Wise?
You get AUD account details with a BSB and account number, even living in Ireland. Wise says they’re not a bank account, and they can’t receive money from super funds.
Can I get my wages paid into Wise or Revolut?
Not easily with Revolut, as we found no Australian BSB for Irish customers. Wise’s AUD details have one, but open a proper Australian account anyway, because your tax refund needs one.
Can my tax refund go into Wise or an Irish account?
The ATO only pays refunds into an Australian bank account. Keep yours open until the refund and your super have landed.
Can I tap my Wise or Revolut card on Opal and myki?
Yes. Opal readers take Visa, Mastercard and Amex cards and phone wallets, and Melbourne’s trains, trams and buses have taken bank cards and phones since July 2026.
Do ATMs in Australia charge a fee?
Some do. The ATM owner’s fee is shown during the transaction so you can cancel, and it’s on top of any Wise or Revolut fee once you pass your free allowance.
Should I pay in euro or Australian dollars?
Always Australian dollars. Pick euro and the shop’s bank converts at its own rate, which can cost you more.
What’s the cheapest way to move my savings to Australia?
A transfer service, not a bank. Start with CurrencyFair, compare with Wise on the day, and add a TorFX quote for EUR 10,000 or more.
Still not sure which card to bring? Ask in the Irish Around Oz groups. Someone’s always just landed in your city and will tell you what worked for them ☘️
General information, not financial advice. Fees were checked on each provider’s Irish pages, and Australian rules on official sites, as of November 2026. Some links are affiliate links, which means Irish Around Oz may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
